Interesting Undead

[Thrice Dead Cat]

My players stay out. I'll know if you know, and we know that that will lead to sadness all around.

Greetings Playground! I'm currently in the process of running an Eberron game. Though means of being part A-Team and part "Not giving a flying flip," the party has started drama between Thrane and Karrnath. As such, I'm looking for interesting undead.

Thus far, most of their opponents have had class levels. I'm probably going to use some Boneclaws, but I'm looking if the playground has any interesting undead to recommend to me for a level six party of six people.

In case it matters, the group is a Drow artificer 5/Renegade Mastermaker 1, martial factotum/warblade warforged, kalashatar factotum, a changeling rogue, a Talenta Plains halfling druid, a Sovereign Speaking human Favored Soul, and a psiforged psion/crystal master.

[Inferno]

There's the Karrnathi Skeleton/Zombie. Makes for a tougher, better equipped, intelligent and an easy upgrade for any encounter involving rank and file skeletons/zombies.

Their in the Eberron Campaign setting iirc.

[Tar Palantir]

If you're a terrible, mean person who wants to punish their player's for their hubris, you can never go wrong with drowned.

[Silva Stormrage]

Shadows are absolutely TERRIFYING if they are in the right environment. Have them all created with corpse crafter and desecrate and switch out one feat for empower ability damage and they become pure death machines.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Libris Mortis has variants for skeletons and zombies in the monsters chapter. There are Fiery, Nimble, Soldier, and Vicious Skeleton variants and there are Bloodthirsty, Diseased, Fast, Hunting, and Unkillable Zombie variants. You could also say their creator had feats like Corpsecrafter and Destruction Retribution, to make things a bit more interesting.

[Togath]

also don't forget awaken undead(from spell compendium, it works like awaken animal, but for mindless undead), it can help make a zombie or skeleton(or other mindless undead) a bit tougher by allowing it to take class levels.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

also don't forget awaken undead(from spell compendium, it works like awaken animal, but for mindless undead), it can help make a zombie or skeleton(or other mindless undead) a bit tougher by allowing it to take class levels.

Or it can give back its extraordinary special attacks/qualities. Use Awakened (SpC) Cloaked Ape (MM2) Fast Zombies (LM), they'd be CR 3, with flight, Improved Grab, Fast Healing, DR/Silver and Slashing, Flyby Attack.... yeah, they should have some fun with that.

[Diefje]

Or it can give back its extraordinary special attacks/qualities. Use Awakened (SpC) Cloaked Ape (MM2) Fast Zombies (LM), they'd be CR 3, with flight, Improved Grab, Fast Healing, DR/Silver and Slashing, Flyby Attack.... yeah, they should have some fun with that.

Fly my pretties! *mad cackle*

Flying monkey zombies? What's next, a Zombie Lion, Animated Scarecrow, Iron Golem, and a Vampiress with a puppy familiar?

[nyarlathotep]

A visage can be very interesting but more as a planning plotting foe.

Personally though if I were a Karrnath necromancer sent after them I would have a swarm of commanded allips with empower ability damage.

Another idea would be team of drown wrestlers(no levels just traded out feats). They focus on grappling and tripping the PCs until they die from the drowning auras.

[Kittenwolf]

Drowned are definitely a fun one, and can make a group have to think when fighting them.
Bleakborn are also pretty funky ("Hah, frozen zombies? I'll hit them with my Fireball.. ohgodswhyaretheyhealing??")

[Runestar]

Skeletal dragons (use the draconomicon version) can be scary as they retain most of their original physical stats. Awaken undead to give it sentience, then slap on the spellstitched template, and you have a poor man's dracolich. :smallbiggrin:

[Thrice Dead Cat]

The intelligent Karrnathi zombies and skeletons crossed my mind, but I would prefer not to use things with class levels as a primary draw for this fight. I'll take a look at the drowned: I vaguely recall seeing them and thinking they were a bit too mean. The variants that Biffoniacus_Furiou listed will probably be used, incorporeal undead would be mean, as no one yet has ghost touch, but at least the group has enough cash that they should have everything they use be magical.

The skeletal dragon would be nice for a boss encounter alongside some necromancers. Thanks, Playground! If you have any more ideas, feel free to shoot them at me.:smallbiggrin:

[Zaq]

Fly my pretties! *mad cackle*

Flying monkey zombies? What's next, a Zombie Lion, Animated Scarecrow, Iron Golem, and a Vampiress with a puppy familiar?

I need to do this. I'm not DMing any 3.5 campaigns, but I'm sure I could do something similar in 4e. I wonder how long it would take my players to notice. I know one would get it immediately, but he probably wouldn't blurt it out to the others as soon as he got it. One would definitely announce it once he got the joke, but it might take him slightly longer. Hmm. I like this.

Waitaminnit . . . I even have the perfect place to put this in! I won't derail the thread with the details, but thank you for putting this idea in my head.

[Seharvepernfan]

boneclaws are from MM3, right?

MM3 has several great undead.

Monsters of Faerun also has several undead creatures worth looking into.

Boneguard:Boneguard
Large Undead
Hit Dice: 6d12 (39hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30ft.
AC: 11 (-1 Size, +2 Natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11
Attack: Claw +6 (2d6+4 x4)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +6 (2d6+4 x4) and Bite +4 (1d8+2 x3)
Space/Reach: 10ft./10ft.
Special Attacks: Rend (2d6+6)
Special Qualities: Immune to cold, DR 5/magic & bludgeoning, darkvision 60ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +5
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (Claw), Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Multi-attack
CR: 5ish
Alignment: Always Neutral Evil

A bone guard is a large human shaped skeleton with two preying mantis scythe arms instead of human arms. Its skull has three sets of tiny horns and the creature sports two prominent saber fangs in addition to a mouth full of smaller, thinner fangs. It walks hunched forward. Small red flames burn in each eye socket.

Rend (Ex): When a boneguard hits an enemy with both claw attacks in the same full attack action, it can rend.

I estimate its about CR 4-5, so ...5?

A little scarier...Apocalyptic Boneguard
Large Undead (Evil)
Hit Dice: 14d12+70 (157hp)
Initiative +6
Speed: 30ft.
AC: 19 (-1 Size, +3 Natural, +2 Dex, +5 Profane)
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+17
Attack: Claw +12 (2d6+6+1 con damage x4)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +12 (2d6+6+1 con damage x4) and Bite +10 (1d8+3+1d6 acid and poison x3)
Space/Reach: 10ft.
Special Attacks: Rend (2d6+9+1 con damage), smite good (+14 1/day), spell-like abilities, wounding claws
Special Qualities: Immune to cold, acid resistance 10, electricity 10, fire 10, DR 10/good, magic, & bludgeoning, SR 24, turn resistance +2, unholy toughness, unholy grace, frightful presence, dark vision 60ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +9
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 14, Con -, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 20
Skills: Concentration +22, Intimidate +22, Hide +15, Listen +17, Move Silently +19, Spot +17
Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (Claw), Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Multi-attack, Ability Focus (Poison), Quicken Spell-like Ability (Burning Blood)
CR: 9ish
Alignment: Always Neutral Evil

An apocalyptic boneguard is a large human shaped skeleton with crimson red bones, two prey mantis scythe arms instead of human arms, a skull ringed in tiny horns, and a fanged mouth with two prominent saber fangs that drip caustic black venom, and a black pentagram on its forehead. It walks hunched forward. Its eye sockets are alight with black flame and have smaller and brighter green or violet flames inside the larger flames.
An apocalyptic boneguard speaks abyssal, infernal, and celestial.

An apocalyptic boneguard usually surrounds itself with weaker undead to serve as fodder during battle while the boneguard uses its spell-like abilities before wading into melee itself. Given its stealth and perception abilities, an apocalyptic boneguard will often prepare the battlefield ahead of time. It will usually instigate a duel of wills with an opponent if given the opportunity before battle.

They exist only to separate souls from bodies

Rend (Ex): When an apocalyptic boneguard hits an enemy with both claw attacks in the same full attack action, it can rend.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 19, initial damage 1d6 con, secondary damage 1d6 con

Smite Good (Su): Once per day an apocalyptic boneguard may smite good with a single attack (usually a bite).

Spell-like abilities: As Sorcerer (CL 14th): 3/day: Darkness, Poison, Unholy Aura, Burning Blood. 1/day each: Desecrate, Unholy Blight, Contagion, Blasphemy, Unhallow, Fire Shield (warm only, same color as flame pupils).

Wounding Claws (Su): An apocalyptic boneguards claws are treated as if they have the wounding weapon enhancement.

Frightful Presence (Ex): When attacking, DC 22, 30ft., 5d6 rounds.

Unholy Toughness (Ex): Bonus hit points equal to Cha mod x HD.

Unholy Grace (Ex): Profane bonus to AC equal to Cha mod.

I estimate its about CR 9, so...9?

[Kol Korran]

hhmmmm... most interesting things have been said, but perhaps a bit more:

- the book "forge of war" has the Krrnathi marshal (CR 5 i think) that is a major boost to undead control, and has various auras that benefit undead alone. i think he'll do nicely. especially with a group of Karrnathi undead and skeletons.

- planning for much higher levels if you want, the Karrnathi might want to make their "engine of war"- the necronaut! (CR 14, delightful thing)

- 2-4 controlled allips might be great demorelizers.

- i always loved the idea of a vasuthant. (MM3, though you'll have to upgrade it)- a ball of darkness that draw people in, crushing them? while altering reality? sounds creepy, and just what the Karrns might want to control. they are an "enigma" monster.

- wouldn't suggest drowned. notoriously dealy, their CR is way underestimated.