Question for Playing as Undead

[Ra_Va]

I was thinking about playing an intelligent undead character for a D&D Game

Having only recently read Libris Mortis, I have a question about how the mechanics of how the book recommends playing as an undead character, in regards to its constitution, the fact that the book says they have none.

Is it a case of the undead character cannot be hit or am I missing something important? I understand balancing out undead characters as undead seem to be immune to almost everything just seems odd to me.

[Adam...?]

Yup, undead don't have a constitution score. This generally means that you use a d12 for hit dice, but don't get to add any bonus to that for extra HP. As written, the character progressions in the book also don't even get a new hit dice every level.

The end result is that you have a character with a list of immunities a mile long, but very little HP. Also, you're destroyed immediately when reduced to 0 HP, after which you need at least a limited wish to raise you back to (un)life.

[Grim Portent]

Are you planning on playing a Necropolitan or one of the undead monster classes?

Necropolitans are generally better as you don't have to put up with dead levels and still get the important bits of being undead, like the immunities.

The lack of a con score means any effect that would cause a fort save cannot affect you, unless it also affects objects. Anything that does work on objects has a higher chance to work on you though since you have no con modifier.

[Ravens_cry]

One of the big ones at high levels is disintegrate. Your best bet is to get your touch AC as high as possible and/or up your Fort save other ways.

[Silva Stormrage]

Also remember. Make yourself animated in a desecrated area for +2 hp/hd. It really helps to boost your hit points.

Also see if your DM will allow the necromancer who created you to have the corpse crafter feat for another +2 hp/hd.

Also shouldn't this be in the 3.5 forums?

[Vortenger]

Desecrate Offers up to +2HP/level. A specialized necromancer (UA) or a dread necromancer can raise you up a little beefier, and the copsecrafter feat line is amazing for your creator to have invested in. You can come out with something like +4 HP/level +4 Str and Dex, +10' to move, +4 to init, and explode when you die for some negative energy damage (awesome thematically, but lame in practice). A personal favorite ploy of mine is to already have my undead self be controlled by a high level NPC (Preferably to the Wiz/Necro that made me) that I trust to coincide with my own goals, making enemy clerics much less of a hassle.

Your big problems come with instant kill like effects that are difficult to block due to lack of Fort boni. Glass Strike and the aforementioned Disintegrate are 2 go-to undead destroyers to plan around. There are a few others as well.

One of my favorite characters was a necropolitan sorcerer with the Apprentice feat, tied to one of the worlds most notable liches as my master. Excessive use of the disguise skill to maintain the facade of flesh and life. Everyone one expected a pansy human squishy. What they got was a gish that was as tough as the party barbarian, and was a lot more lethal at a distance. When the DM finally used glass strike and a coup-de-grace to finish me, I blew up and took the BBEG with me. A satisfying end to a fun character. We didn't know about Revive Undead then...

[mostlyharmful]

If you do go Undead then Spellblade some armour spikes or your weapons to protect you from the standard anti-undead magic like control undead and disintergrate. Both easy buys, so long as you can talk the players guide to faerun intot the list of allowed sources at the table.

[GiantkillerJack]

I am assuming that "no" con score is distinctly different from 0 con score? If so then all those cheap ways to boost con (toad familiar) are useless in this forum.

[Zombulian]

I am assuming that "no" con score is distinctly different from 0 con score? If so then all those cheap ways to boost con (toad familiar) are useless in this forum.

A toad familiar increases your base health by 3. Nothing about con :smallconfused:

[Tevesh]

There's a Ritual in Eberron that causes you to take a Con penalty but then use your Cha to determine your HP. Its an OK Ritual if you're alive, its just awesome if you go Undead.

[Doc_Maynot]

Not to mention the Faerie Mysteries Initiate feat, if you'd rather have Int as your bonus HP stat rather than Cha.

[Ravens_cry]

There's a Ritual in Eberron that causes you to take a Con penalty but then use your Cha to determine your HP. Its an OK Ritual if you're alive, its just awesome if you go Undead.
You'd have to take it first though I would think, before you became undead.

[Tevesh]

If people are talking about being Corpsecrafted, Spellstitched all "before" the character was made, I'm sure they would be able to walk this one through the DM. Kind of like using the Hole to get Iron Will, just subtract from your WBL.

Personally, I have made it a feat for my Undead NPCs because they're sometimes so squishy.

[Crake]

Not to mention the Faerie Mysteries Initiate feat, if you'd rather have Int as your bonus HP stat rather than Cha.

You'd be hard pressed to find a fey who'd be willing to have an intimate relationship with an undead.

[Slipperychicken]

You'd be hard pressed to find a fey who'd be willing to have an intimate relationship with an undead.

If that's an issue in your campaign setting, just take the feat before you undergo the Ritual of Crucimigration (the one which turns you into a Necropolitan). You only need to do your "exuberant sensual ritual/dance/etc" once, and then you're set.

[Doc_Maynot]

I'm just curious as to why people always say you need to have a fey partner, when the feat states: "You and a partner with the Faerie Mysteries Initiate feat" Just something that I've always wondered.

[Tevesh]

You get Fey Mysteries, they get Lich Loved.

It works for everybody!

[Story]

One of the big ones at high levels is disintegrate. Your best bet is to get your touch AC as high as possible and/or up your Fort save other ways.

Or a persistent Ray Deflection.

[Slipperychicken]

I'm just curious as to why people always say you need to have a fey partner, when the feat states: "You and a partner with the Faerie Mysteries Initiate feat" Just something that I've always wondered.

Good point. You could always get a fellow Necropolitan who also has the feat.