YouLostMe
2011-05-03, 08:54 PM
I'm interested in making some 5-or-so-level classes to give the benefits of being a raving zombie or skeleton, but I dislike the whole "No Con, Immune to Fort saves" crap that comes with it. I mean, as cool as the concept is, being immune to 1/3 of saves and having 1 free dump stat from level 1 just isn't cool.
So this is going to be a reworking of the undead from square 1, starting with a draft of the zombie
Logistics of Undead:So, with the addition of intelligent undead classes, the concept that most undead are simply animated bodies is totally not an option. This is my take on how the undead work, and its based on the souls of creatures.
Prime Material Plane creatures (not Outsiders) have a body and a soul, which are connected and compatible with one another. The soul is a body's consciousness, and it controls the bodies actions by giving direction to the brain, which in turn sends signals to the muscles and yadda yadda. The special thing about souls is that they fit with bodies like a key in a lock. If parts of the soul are changed, it won't work with the body anymore.
The creation of undead with a body is what happens with a soul is placed in a soulless body that it was not designed for, or when a corrupted soul is placed in any body. Using raise undead creates "fake" souls out of ambient magical forces, creating a basic consciousness that can follow orders, so mindless undead still totally exist.
There are circumstances outside this method of creation, however, where undead with intelligences can be made. Instead of a "fake" soul made out of magic forces, this kind of undead is simply a soul that doesn't fit its body. With the assistance of soul-binding magic, the soul's force of will keeps the body moving, while the body itself continues to deteriorate as though it were unoccupied.
HD: d12
{table]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1|+0|+2|+0|+2|Zombie Body, Bag of HP
2|+1|+3|+0|+3|Undead Resistances
3|+1|+3|+1|+3|Bag of HP
4|+2|+4|+1|+4|Undead Resistances
5|+2|+4|+1|+4|Ridiculous lunge, Bag of HP
[/table]
Zombie Body: Retain all racial traits. You are now [undead], but do not gain their huge list of immunities. You gain DV 60' and are destroyed when you hit -10 HP, unable to be resurrected without wish, miracle, or a ritual taking the soul of the zombie and placing it in a new body to create undead. Death effects still kill you, as they unlink your soul from your body.
Bag of HP: +1 HD per HD. This becomes +2 at level 3, and +3 at level 5.
Undead Resistances: +HD resistance bonus against your choice of 2 from this list: poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects. At level 4, you can choose another effect.
Ridiculous Lunge: If you move during your turn within your reach +5' of a target, you may make attacks against the target. If someone moves within your reach +5' during their turn, you may make an AoO on them. This does not increase your reach, and your threatened area does not change for purposes of effects and flanking.
---
As you can see, it's really a WIP. Currently there's 1 cool ability, but everything is passive. Anybody got cool undead active ability ideas?
So this is going to be a reworking of the undead from square 1, starting with a draft of the zombie
Logistics of Undead:So, with the addition of intelligent undead classes, the concept that most undead are simply animated bodies is totally not an option. This is my take on how the undead work, and its based on the souls of creatures.
Prime Material Plane creatures (not Outsiders) have a body and a soul, which are connected and compatible with one another. The soul is a body's consciousness, and it controls the bodies actions by giving direction to the brain, which in turn sends signals to the muscles and yadda yadda. The special thing about souls is that they fit with bodies like a key in a lock. If parts of the soul are changed, it won't work with the body anymore.
The creation of undead with a body is what happens with a soul is placed in a soulless body that it was not designed for, or when a corrupted soul is placed in any body. Using raise undead creates "fake" souls out of ambient magical forces, creating a basic consciousness that can follow orders, so mindless undead still totally exist.
There are circumstances outside this method of creation, however, where undead with intelligences can be made. Instead of a "fake" soul made out of magic forces, this kind of undead is simply a soul that doesn't fit its body. With the assistance of soul-binding magic, the soul's force of will keeps the body moving, while the body itself continues to deteriorate as though it were unoccupied.
HD: d12
{table]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1|+0|+2|+0|+2|Zombie Body, Bag of HP
2|+1|+3|+0|+3|Undead Resistances
3|+1|+3|+1|+3|Bag of HP
4|+2|+4|+1|+4|Undead Resistances
5|+2|+4|+1|+4|Ridiculous lunge, Bag of HP
[/table]
Zombie Body: Retain all racial traits. You are now [undead], but do not gain their huge list of immunities. You gain DV 60' and are destroyed when you hit -10 HP, unable to be resurrected without wish, miracle, or a ritual taking the soul of the zombie and placing it in a new body to create undead. Death effects still kill you, as they unlink your soul from your body.
Bag of HP: +1 HD per HD. This becomes +2 at level 3, and +3 at level 5.
Undead Resistances: +HD resistance bonus against your choice of 2 from this list: poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects. At level 4, you can choose another effect.
Ridiculous Lunge: If you move during your turn within your reach +5' of a target, you may make attacks against the target. If someone moves within your reach +5' during their turn, you may make an AoO on them. This does not increase your reach, and your threatened area does not change for purposes of effects and flanking.
---
As you can see, it's really a WIP. Currently there's 1 cool ability, but everything is passive. Anybody got cool undead active ability ideas?