PC's and Undead Template

[Hanuman]

So... for instance a Necropolitan character, since the con score is illiminated you add a +0 to your max HP at each level regardless of your previous score?

And since you are destroyed at 0 instead of -10 you essentially lose 10HP.

Doesn't that make undead PC's terribly fragile, especially at let's say.. level 2?

[TheCountAlucard]

So... for instance a Necropolitan character, since the con score is illiminated you add a +0 to your max HP at each level regardless of your previous score?

And since you are destroyed at 0 instead of -10 you essentially lose 10HP.

Doesn't that make undead PC's terribly fragile, especially at let's say.. level 2?It can be, but the d12 hit die makes up for it somewhat. Being destroyed at 0 still sucks, but the vast number of immunities being undead grants is very often worthwhile nonetheless.

Heck, if you were a Wizard, and didn't put an exceptional number of points into Constitution, you might still have a net gain in hit points, even with that effective -10 to your total as a necropolitan.

[hamishspence]

It does a bit. The D12 hit dice instead of whatever the class hit dice was, makes up for it a little.

Plus, immunity to many of the classic save-or-die effects.

EDIT: Swordsaged.

[balistafreak]

So... for instance a Necropolitan character, since the con score is illiminated you add a +0 to your max HP at each level regardless of your previous score?

And since you are destroyed at 0 instead of -10 you essentially lose 10HP.

Doesn't that make undead PC's terribly fragile, especially at let's say.. level 2?

Note that in a Point Buy system, you can purposefully "dump" Constitution (by putting no points into it) - or with rolled stats, well, "dump" your worst rolled stat into it. So Necropolitans generally have higher other stats, on average.

Secondly, each higher level of HD (from d4 to d6, d10 to d12) is on average +1 HP from the previous step, per step. So d4 with a Constitution of 12 is on average the same as d6 with a Constitution of 10.

d4 --> d6 --> d8 --> d10 --> d12

If you're a d4 HD caster, being Necropolitan is like having Constitution 18. Lots of HP.

The loss of a buffer does make things a bit hairy, but generally, since you've got HP as if you were Constitution 18, anything that can ambush you at full health and put you on the "oh noes, I'm about to die", would actually have killed you (-10) had you been living and breathing - at the mid levels, anyways. Early levels that loss of a buffer zone makes the rocket tag even more dangerous, and late levels the loss of a buffer zone isn't relevant because that tiny 10 HP "unconscious zone" becomes harder and harder to land in, as damage increments get bigger and bigger.

[Hanuman]

Ah, so just 1 class level or all your levels are replaced by d12? Sounds nice regardless.

[TheCountAlucard]

Ah, so just 1 class level or all your levels are replaced by d12? Sounds nice regardless.All of your levels; the undead hit dice replace the past, present, and future ones you'd get from class levels, racial hit dice, et cetera. And yes, it's a nice little benefit.

[Goonthegoof]

It's also one that makes melee characters terrible undead, as you usually have d10s or higher already.

[TheCountAlucard]

It's also one that makes melee characters terrible undead, as you usually have d10s or higher already.Then again, even those can be justified better if you can justify to the GM that whoever performed the ritual was an 8+ level Dread Necromancer with the Corpsecrafter feat, and that said ritual was performed over a desecrated area. But that's a tad cheesy. :smalltongue:

[VirOath]

Then again, even those can be justified better if you can justify to the GM that whoever performed the ritual was an 8+ level Dread Necromancer with the Corpsecrafter feat, and that said ritual was performed over a desecrated area. But that's a tad cheesy. :smalltongue:

>.>
How much would that cost?

[TheCountAlucard]

How much would that cost?There's no cost factor for any of these things. Just depends on how well you can BS to your DM. :smallamused: But it'd give you +4 to your Strength and +6 hit points/level. :smallbiggrin:

[Amiel]

Over 9000 gp/xp? :smalltongue:


Pathfinder did alright by the undead (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/monsters/creatureTypes.html#undead), if you're able to borrow traits from a similar system; while they lowered the HD to d8, undead use their Cha score to calculate hit points, Fort saves et al and have an increased BAB (3/4; medium progression).