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View Full Version : [Pathfinder] What's the armor & weapon proficiency for mindless undead (skeleton)?



reefwood
2010-09-26, 11:31 PM
I was wondering how to determine the armor and weapon proficiencies of skeletons made from humanoids without racial hit dice, such as the common races (human, elf, dwarf, etc)? The Skeleton entry in the Bestiary only says this:

"Attacks: A skeleton retains all the natural weapons, manufactured weapon attacks, and weapon proficiencies of the base creature, except for attacks that can't work without flesh. A creature with hands gains one claw attack per hand; the skeleton can strike with each of its claw attacks at its full attack bonus. A claw attack deals damage depending on the skeleton's size (see Natural Attacks). If the base creature already had claw attacks with its hands, use the skeleton claw damage only if it's better."

Humans don't have any weapon proficiencies, right? They just pick them up based on their class(es), yes? And yet, the "human skeleton" example in the Skeleton entry appears to be proficient with a scimitar and chain shirt.

Does this mean that a human (or other common race) skeleton has armor and weapon proficiencies based on their class(es) in life? If so, this human must be a Warrior or Fighter or some other class with Martial Weapon Proficiency, or a non-fighty character who at least took the Martial Weapon Proficiency feat for the scimitar. So, a skeleton created from a human Wizard would not have these proficiencies. Does that seem right?

Marnath
2010-09-26, 11:54 PM
Yeah, that seems right. Generally in fantasy the dead use the weapon they used in life. Seems like thats what these rules suggest.

Mando Knight
2010-09-26, 11:56 PM
And no one makes spellcasters into mindless undead anyway. They'd rather turn them into wights or something so they could still use their spells.

reefwood
2010-09-27, 04:49 PM
Thanks for the feedback! This is what I will handle the matter unless someone else has convincing proof that says otherwise.