Animator

The weakest of possessor fiends, animators do not have enough power to dominate another creature's mind and can only possess corpses or those whose minds have been destroyed. Their lack of power also means that they can't animate fleshless skeletons or corpses that are too badly damaged. Once an animator possesses a corpse it can stop further decay and can grant the corpse the semblance of being alive.
Animators are created from dretch by more powerful demons and are bound to follow the orders of their creator through a combination of magic and fear. They are frequently sent to the material plane to create undead guards for demon cultists, especially when the cultists don't have a spell caster capable of creating such guards themselves. Fearless in battle, animators charge at foes safe in the knowledge that the destruction of the corpse they are inhabiting won't banish them.
While inhabiting a corpse divination magic will only be able to detect the undead host rather than the animator.
Although they are capable of independent thought animators are not great thinkers and their tactics in combat tend to be simplistic. Unless being commanded by a more intelligent being they are likely to just charge foes directly, relying on numbers and a disregard for the safety of the corpses they inhabit.
Like other possessors, animators can be slain while in a host if stabbed with a weapon blessed by 3 deities, 2 of which must be of opposing beliefs. While extremely rare records indicate 2 such blades were created during the second age.

World of Tremanac

Animator CR: 1/4

Small fiend, chaotic evil

Armor Class: 12

Hit Points: 10 (1d10) 1d10

Speed: , fly: 40 ft

STR

8 -1

DEX

14 +2

CON

10 +0

INT

6 -2

WIS

8 -1

CHA

4 -3

Damage Resistances: Force, Psychic

Damage Immunities: Acid, Bludgeoning, Cold, Fire, Piercing, Poison, Slashing, Thunder

Condition Immunities: Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Grappled, Incapacitated, Paralysed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Sunned, Unconscious

Senses: Darkvision 90ft

Languages: Common, Abyssal

Challenge Rating: 1/4

Incorporeal. Animators exist mostly on the astral plane and cannot be harmed by weapons, spells, or abilities while not possesing a corpse.

Actions

Possess Corpse: The Animator enters a recent corpse that isn't too badly damaged and takes control of it. The animator doesn't suffer any damage for injuries dealt to the corpse. While posessing a corpse an animator can only be slain by weapon blessed by at least 3 deities.
Animators can use a corpse to attack. Use the stats for a zombie to represent a decayed corpse, or the physical stats and attacks from the original creature if it isn't too decayed.
An animator cannot attack while not possessing a corpse.

A dark mist which is only dangerous if it can possess a corpse.

Suggested Environments

Any