Higher Level Undead Drones

[Dr.Epic]

My PCs are level 4 (probably'll be level 5 by the time I get to this what with the current quest) but I want to through a horde of undead badies at them. Zombies are too weak and I need a good monster that'll provide a challenge (maybe not that big as I might have a spellcaster who created them as the end boss) but I plan on having like a horde of 20 or so of these guys.

[Amnestic]

Some people might think a huge horde of Owlbear zombies is silly, but I think it's pretty damn effective.

Ghasts might do the trick, or advanced ghouls depending on how tough you want to make it all.

[Seatbelt]

20 CR1 or 2ish zombies should be plenty. The toughest encounters in Expedition to Ravenloft 3.5 are some of the early "zombie only" ones, because the Strahd Zombies are so durable. But even without fluff extra HP Thats 8-10 attack rolls you get to make on your players to their 3 or 4. Also at level 4 players are more durable but a good crit will still ruin your day real fast.

[Silva Stormrage]

How many PC's are there? I always love wights because they tend to freak PC's out. Also if you think you could creep your players out there is always the Slaymate from Libris Mortis. Freaky undead child for the win. Also it has the added bonus of helping PC's out if they use necromancy spells.

Also as a side note you can make a horde of undead REALLY threatening by saying they were created by someone with corpse crafter and destructive retribution. Those zombies suddenly became a whole lot deadlier. 2d6 Negative Energy Damage that heals zombies around them is really lethal.

Deathlocks are CR 3 also from Libris Mortis that have some decent spell like abilities such as cause fear, magic missle, and summon monster. Also they have Ghoul Glyph as a spell like ability. So have the PC's enter a warehouse or some area trigger the ghoul glyph and than have the undead attack.

If you don't want zombies still I believe ghouls would be your best bet with some ghasts slaymates and wights thrown in. Maybe some death locks for range.

Though you probably don't want any stronger undead than zombies or skeletons if you want 20 of them unless your pc's are really optimized. I personally feel that maybe 7-8 strong undead are better but thats just personal preference. If you want to spice up the zombies add corpse crafter and destructive retribution. Only use destructive retribution though if they have a healer.

Finally if you really want to make a massiave swarm. Send zombie ravens. They are so low cr that you can justify sending hordes of them at the players. Then use destructive retribution so that they all explode on death. Fun times :smallbiggrin:.

[Combat Reflexes]

Unless your party is REALLY REALLY optimized, 20 zombies should be enough. Just make clear these zombies are contagious :smallamused:
Oh, and zombies can grapple characters. Some variants are really good at it, and it gives them something to do against an enemy they couldn't hit anyway.

ps. give 'em fire resistance! You won't want a timely fireball to nullify the encounter.

[Land Outcast]

Well, you could try one (or two) of these*:

Ghoul Mob
http://sales.starcitygames.com/cardscans/MAGFUT/mass_of_ghouls.jpg
Size/Type: Large Undead
Hit Dice: 20d12 (130 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+6
Attack: +2 melee (1d8+1 plus paralysis and Ghoul Fever)
Full Attack: Mob +2 melee (1d8+1 plus paralysis and Ghoul Fever)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Ghoul fever, mob grapple, mob up, paralysis, trample
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., mob anatomy, mob mind, undead traits, +2 turn resistance
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +5
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 15, Con Ø, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills: Balance +6, Climb +5, Hide +6, Jump +5, Move Silently +6, Spot +7
Feats: Improved Bull Rush(B), Improved Overrun(B), Multiattack
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, gang (2-4), or pack (7-12)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Level Adjustment: —

Ghoul Fever (Su)
Disease—bite, Fortitude DC 12, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex. The save DC is Charisma-based.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul.

Mob Anatomy
Immune to criticals, precision damage and spells/effects that don't deal damage and/or don't outright kill a creature.

Not subject to flanking, bullrush, overrun, trip or grapple

If a mob fails a save against a spell/effect that would normally kill/incapapacitate a creature, such as disintrigate, slay living or wail of the bashee, it instead gains one negative level for each creature that would be killed by that spell/effect.

Mobs take +50% damage from area damage spells.
Mobs take double damage from melee attacks from creatures with cleave.
Mobs take quadruple damage from melee attacks from creatures with greater cleave.

Mob up (Ex)
Mobs automaticaly deal mob damage to all creatures in the same area of the mob at the end of the mob's turn, whitout need of any action. It may also choose to attack objects whitin it's reach as a free action at the end of their turn.

Mob grapple (Ex)
As normal grapple, but creatures who are caught by the mob take mob damage instead of unarmed damage, and the mob can never be grappled itself. It can also carry grappled creatures at it's full speed. A mob who's grappling a target never takes any penalty for grappling.

Mob mind
A mob cannot use any special ability that demands an activation like spells and breath attacks. It can still use abilities that work automaticaly such as poison, improved grappled, swallow whole, gaze attacks ect. Use the base creature HD for DCs

Mobs can still use skills as normal.

Paralysis (Ex)
Those hit by a ghoul’s bite or claw attack must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds. Elves have immunity to this paralysis. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Trample (Ex)
The mob must start and end it's turn away from the creature, passing over it somewhere in between. Damage 2d6+1, reflex DC 14+mob's size bonus for half damage. Enemies can choose to make an AoO instead of the save. Only smaller creatures than the mob are affected.

*Used this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7172553&postcount=1) template from the local brewers.

[Dr.Epic]

To those of you wondering how tough the party is, it's two PCs level 4 (should be 5 by the time I set this up). They have high stats (yeah, I think I gave them one 20 BEFORE racial modifiers, an 18, two 16's, a 14, and a 12). On top of that, they each have one powerful melee weapon (one has a fire bastard sword and gauntlets of ogre strength +2, the other a star metal spear). Neither of them have healing, but I've been dropping cure potions some encounters, not to mention I felt REALLY generous and let them each have a ring of regeneration just so they'd get the HP back faster.

[teslas]

If you're going for classic RPG undead, why not just use skeletons?

You can pick some fairly unique source creatures, albeit low-level ones.

The DR 5/bludgeon can be inconvenient for some characters. They don't suffer the action economy hamperment that zombies do, and they get +2 DEX over the base creature.

[Dr.Epic]

If you're going for classic RPG undead, why not just use skeletons?

You can pick some fairly unique source creatures, albeit low-level ones.

The DR 5/bludgeon can be inconvenient for some characters. They don't suffer the action economy hamperment that zombies do, and they get +2 DEX over the base creature.

I might just do that then.

[faceroll]

To those of you wondering how tough the party is, it's two PCs level 4 (should be 5 by the time I set this up). They have high stats (yeah, I think I gave them one 20 BEFORE racial modifiers, an 18, two 16's, a 14, and a 12). On top of that, they each have one powerful melee weapon (one has a fire bastard sword and gauntlets of ogre strength +2, the other a star metal spear). Neither of them have healing, but I've been dropping cure potions some encounters, not to mention I felt REALLY generous and let them each have a ring of regeneration just so they'd get the HP back faster.

An assorted 20 zombies, make sure to throw in some ogre zombies, have the human/orc ones wear armor, take advantage of ogre reach, and mass grapple rules. Should overwhelm them. The set up's tricky, cause there's only two of them.

I would go with an initial horde of zombies, if it's turning into a cakewalk, have another horde pour out behind them. Make sure they get grappled!

[Dr.Epic]

An assorted 20 zombies, make sure to throw in some ogre zombies, have the human/orc ones wear armor, take advantage of ogre reach, and mass grapple rules. Should overwhelm them. The set up's tricky, cause there's only two of them.

I would go with an initial horde of zombies, if it's turning into a cakewalk, have another horde pour out behind them. Make sure they get grappled!

I kind of just want to go with medium sized undead, sort of recreate the feeling of a zombie apocalypse.