ExHunterEmerald
2006-09-10, 10:47 PM
This is a Template, I just didn't have room for it in the title. And I'm not gonna ruin a perfectly good Dropkick Murphys lyric.
This is my first attempt at a template, so be kind and please rewind.
Tean's knees buckled as he groped for the stiletto planted in his chest. As he fell, his eyes moved onto his daughter . She was crying something and he saw her lips move, but all was quiet. The fine-crafted boots of his killer filled his vision and the man began to move towards her. Things seemed to slow. Tean's mind dulled and slowed. The pain was a distant feeling. As his sight clouded, something changed. How and why disappeared from his mind. All that remained was a single thought, something more important than the greatest secrets of the gods.
"I cannot let this be."
The assassin only had a moment of painful bewilderment as his own stiletto plunged through his heart. Tean's hand, slicked with his own blood, released the hilt and the man dropped.
"D...daddy?"
He smiled and picked Elysa up as she ran to him. How he yet remained wasn't important. As long as he could, he would protect his little girl. If a god came to claim her, then a god would die.
The Unyielding
Those who resist death, regardless of intelligence, willpower, might, or status, they are the Unyielding. The gentle imbecile who's told his sister will be very sad if he dies, the bodyguard who swore on his life and beyond to protect his charge, the crusader swearing he cannot let himself fall until his mission is done.
Even as the spark of life leaves their eyes, an unquenchable flame lights in the heart of an Unyielding. By sheer desire to live, they endure. As the dead do not typically do this, this template should be exceedingly rare in any given campaign.
Creating An Unyielding
Unyielding is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal, living creature.
Size and Type
Size remains unchanged, type changes to Undead.
Special Qualities
An Unyielding retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following qualities.
Refusal (Ex): The Unyielding cannot be killed by reducing them to -10 hit die, and death spells or effects do not affect them. Those brought to -10 hit points or lower are unable to move until they are healed to at least -9 HP. They naturally heal like a living creature of their level/class/etc without the Unyielding template.
Living? (Ex): An Unyielding is undead, but still healed by positive energy and damaged by negative. When in negative hit points or at 0 hp, they are not incapacitated or dying, and do not need to stabilize, avoid strenuous action, and so forth. Unyielding cannot be turned like other undead.
Rasion d'etre (Ex): The Unyielding must have a reason to continue on. This is declared when the template is gained. Examples include: A greedy man determined to protect his greatest treasure, a regretful thief swearing to right the wrongs he caused, and so forth. If their motivation is lost, then they do not immediately die, but they are immediately brought to the status they were at when they gained the Template. Though this would indicate death, they can survive if they've gained levels and hit points.
Abilities
Loss of Con score, gains d12 HD as undead. For purposes of raging, he has the same constitution he did prior to gaining the Unyielding template. If the Unyielding loses his raison d'etre, his Con score returns as 10.
Challenge Rating-???
Level Adjustment
Same as base creature +3
Becoming an Unyielding
Becoming an Unyielding is done at the moment of death. It's never a concious decision, one simply wants to live so much that they do. There is no prerequisite roll, stat, or save to become one. If the person wants to live enough, they will become an Unyielding. (Since nearly all dying creatures want to live, this is obviously a rather great want, and so should not be common.) The raison d'etre for the Unyielding should be worked out, lest it be exploited (I won't rest until I've eaten every grain of rice in existence!).
Emmynote: This requires a fair amount of cooperation with the DM and work character-wise.
At any rate, tell me whatcha think. And remember it's my first attempt. Gently! Gently!
Edited to change raison d'etre rules, and add turning immunity.
This is my first attempt at a template, so be kind and please rewind.
Tean's knees buckled as he groped for the stiletto planted in his chest. As he fell, his eyes moved onto his daughter . She was crying something and he saw her lips move, but all was quiet. The fine-crafted boots of his killer filled his vision and the man began to move towards her. Things seemed to slow. Tean's mind dulled and slowed. The pain was a distant feeling. As his sight clouded, something changed. How and why disappeared from his mind. All that remained was a single thought, something more important than the greatest secrets of the gods.
"I cannot let this be."
The assassin only had a moment of painful bewilderment as his own stiletto plunged through his heart. Tean's hand, slicked with his own blood, released the hilt and the man dropped.
"D...daddy?"
He smiled and picked Elysa up as she ran to him. How he yet remained wasn't important. As long as he could, he would protect his little girl. If a god came to claim her, then a god would die.
The Unyielding
Those who resist death, regardless of intelligence, willpower, might, or status, they are the Unyielding. The gentle imbecile who's told his sister will be very sad if he dies, the bodyguard who swore on his life and beyond to protect his charge, the crusader swearing he cannot let himself fall until his mission is done.
Even as the spark of life leaves their eyes, an unquenchable flame lights in the heart of an Unyielding. By sheer desire to live, they endure. As the dead do not typically do this, this template should be exceedingly rare in any given campaign.
Creating An Unyielding
Unyielding is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal, living creature.
Size and Type
Size remains unchanged, type changes to Undead.
Special Qualities
An Unyielding retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following qualities.
Refusal (Ex): The Unyielding cannot be killed by reducing them to -10 hit die, and death spells or effects do not affect them. Those brought to -10 hit points or lower are unable to move until they are healed to at least -9 HP. They naturally heal like a living creature of their level/class/etc without the Unyielding template.
Living? (Ex): An Unyielding is undead, but still healed by positive energy and damaged by negative. When in negative hit points or at 0 hp, they are not incapacitated or dying, and do not need to stabilize, avoid strenuous action, and so forth. Unyielding cannot be turned like other undead.
Rasion d'etre (Ex): The Unyielding must have a reason to continue on. This is declared when the template is gained. Examples include: A greedy man determined to protect his greatest treasure, a regretful thief swearing to right the wrongs he caused, and so forth. If their motivation is lost, then they do not immediately die, but they are immediately brought to the status they were at when they gained the Template. Though this would indicate death, they can survive if they've gained levels and hit points.
Abilities
Loss of Con score, gains d12 HD as undead. For purposes of raging, he has the same constitution he did prior to gaining the Unyielding template. If the Unyielding loses his raison d'etre, his Con score returns as 10.
Challenge Rating-???
Level Adjustment
Same as base creature +3
Becoming an Unyielding
Becoming an Unyielding is done at the moment of death. It's never a concious decision, one simply wants to live so much that they do. There is no prerequisite roll, stat, or save to become one. If the person wants to live enough, they will become an Unyielding. (Since nearly all dying creatures want to live, this is obviously a rather great want, and so should not be common.) The raison d'etre for the Unyielding should be worked out, lest it be exploited (I won't rest until I've eaten every grain of rice in existence!).
Emmynote: This requires a fair amount of cooperation with the DM and work character-wise.
At any rate, tell me whatcha think. And remember it's my first attempt. Gently! Gently!
Edited to change raison d'etre rules, and add turning immunity.