Making an Undead Cleric [3.5]

[ClockworkSun]

So my friend wants to run a three(ish) session long 3.5 game, with all the PCs playing undead characters. I was thinking have spontaneous inflict spells might be handy for "healing," but other than that I don't know what kind of mechanical options I would pursue. I haven't played 3.5 in a really long time (I've been playing only Pathfinder for a while), nor have I been back to these boards in a while, so I thought I would ask for some direction, or at least get a feel for my options.

The character:
-Undead, living in a mostly living city with undead citizens that are by and large relegated to the outskirts and slums. The PCs will meet in a prison, having all been arrested for reasons we will choose, and be sent on a mission to somewhere only the undead won't instantly die in, and because the city views them as largely an expendable people.
-Starting at level 6.
-No idea about starting stats or equipment.
-Most books are allowed, the undead PCs thing will/can draw heavily from Liber Mortis and Savage Species, the DM frowns on the quasi-racist Eastern setting books and isn't a huge fan of dragon-focused material either. He also doesn't really want psionics, but I doubt that will be a problem if I'm making a cleric anyway.
-Race: I'm open to suggestions, but it has to be undead. Can be monstrous, can be a pretty normal character with an undead template, it ultimately comes down to GM discretion, but anything that makes narrative sense is probably fine.

[Tommy2255]

So, wait, are you all just going to be Necropolitans or somesuch, or are you actually going to be different kinds of undead? Because it seems like it could be kind of weird with how radically different they all are, both power wise and flavor wise.

Hell, if you're allowed to be just any old kind of undead, can't go wrong with Lich, and the level adjustment is less than Vampire.

[Callin]

Savage Progression Vampire 1 (LA bought off) Savage Template from Libris Mortus Vampire Lord Necropolitan/Cleric 5.

Bad ass undead with no LA. You just start short a couple 1000 xp.

[Grams]

Well if its only a three session game I'd choose a powerful Undead template with a crazy LA.

Lich +4
Dry Lich +5
Ghost +5
Vampire +8

[Know(Nothing)]

Lifesense is fantastic to the point of massively altering how the DM needs to run the game.

Dread Necro gives you limitless out-of-combat healing.

[Zanos]

Savage Progression Vampire 1 (LA bought off) Savage Template from Libris Mortus Vampire Lord Necropolitan/Cleric 5.

Bad ass undead with no LA. You just start short a couple 1000 xp.
Need character level of 10 to qualify for Vampire Lord.

Can you apply the Vampire Lord template to something with just the one level of a savage progression?

[Callin]

Forgot about needing lvl 10. And yea you are a vampire. Its just really cheesy.

Still Savage Progression Vamp Savage Vampire Necropolitan is a good start. Great stat bonuses. And if the LA cant be bought off its still only a +1. Minus cost of Necropolitan.

[NotScaryBats]

Gravetouched Ghoul is my favorite <3
+2 LA, take Ability Focus (Paralysis) and Improved Paralysis

Paralysis DC is Cha based 10+2(1/2HD)+5(Cha)+2(Ability Focus)+4(Improved Paralysis) = 23

That's on each of your 3 natural weapons. Use Bloodwind (the spell, from Spell Com) to do it at range. Since you've got sick Cha, be a face, get Divine MM if you can fit it in, and you'll be a Coup de Grace machine.

If you want to run more of a minion master, be a Cleric 5 / Any corporeal undead 1. Necropolitan, first level of ghoul or mummy or whatever you want.

Get the feats Corpsecrafter, Deadly Chill, and Destructive Retribution.

Spend your WBL on animating Tiny Monstrous Scorpions (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/monstrousScorpion.htm) into skeletons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/skeleton.htm), under the effects of desecrate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/desecrate.htm). At fifth level, you will be able to control 20 HD of undead. As skeletons, the scorpions are 1/2 HD each. Make about 10 or 20 of them, a few bigger scorpions or other cool undead, and save your remaining onyx and HD of control for stuff you find on the adventure.

These scorpions will have 1/2 D12 +2(scorpion)+2(corpsecrafter)+1(desecrate) HP, attack with two claws for +0 to hit, 1d4-2 +1d6cold, and a sting.

Whenever one dies, it explodes for 1d6 negative energy damage (which heals all the others, as well as all of you and your allies).

Have the scorpions burrow holes throughout your body and always have 3 or 4 hiding inside of you. Stitch a bag of holding inside of yourself and have the rest hide in there. At your command, they will crawl outside of you body and make many, many attacks.

You can always kill them for a small explosion of healing.

[Tommy2255]

Spend your WBL on animating Tiny Monstrous Scorpions (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/monstrousScorpion.htm) into skeletons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/skeleton.htm), under the effects of desecrate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/desecrate.htm). At fifth level, you will be able to control 20 HD of undead. As skeletons, the scorpions are 1/2 HD each. Make about 10 or 20 of them, a few bigger scorpions or other cool undead, and save your remaining onyx and HD of control for stuff you find on the adventure

The Animate Dead spell says "A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones."

Scorpions are invertebrates.

[NotScaryBats]

Ahhh, but they have exoskeletons (you could use rats instead, or make the scorpions zombies, or other things, but the general principle remains the same)

[Tommy2255]

Rats would work. No zombies though. Zombies suck. Also zombie scorpions would be almost as weird as skeleton scorpions. Really any non-mammal is hard to imagine as undead (except maybe bird zombies), although that's not a mechanical barrier.

Actually, maybe zombie worms of some kind. That would work with with how you're using it, if you can find a non-****ty base creature. Are monstrous worms a thing?

[Zanos]

Ahhh, but they have exoskeletons (you could use rats instead, or make the scorpions zombies, or other things, but the general principle remains the same)
Oh god, I remember a discussion about that. Not saying that I necessarily disagree with the exoskeleton thing just on the principle of a hollow shell of a scorpion killing you sounds terrifying, but of the implications of skeleton being poorly defined.

Plants have a skeleton. So do cells. And so do blah and so do blah and so do blah.

It eventually came down to you could turn pretty much anything into a skeleton.

[Callin]

Ya know for a name like NotScaryBats that was a scary picture you put into my head lol

[Beardbarian]

Necropolitan wih Sand Swarm template for undeads
No LA suggested

[NotScaryBats]

I think the SRD asks "The corpse must have bones." so an invertebrate or plant wouldn't qualify, lacking bones. By that logic, a shark also wouldn't qualify. Such things make me sad, because skeletal sharks sound really impressive to me.

Looking at Tommy's suggestion, I pulled up the Dead Life article on wizards (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/dx20021031x) where they have a few interesting tidbits for undead characters.

Check out the Wriggling Maggot. Diminutive, no natural attacks, no feats, 1 str. Could theoretically be turned into a zombie, but you'd need to add another Corpsecrafter feat to give 'em +10 speed, 'cus they aren't going anywhere with a 5' speed (and they have to enter a square to attack it).

Flavorful, but likely not very effective as anything but 'healing potions' (you could eat them, and as the burst in your undead mouth, they release a pulse of necrotic energy).

[Grams]

Necropolitan wih Sand Swarm template for undeads
No LA suggested

Where is Sand Swarm Template printed? Can't find it. I assume Sand Storm?

[WbtE]

I don't have any better suggestions than those above, but it would be a good idea to talk to your fellow players before settling on an undead "race". It could be very awkward gaming if nobody can go out in direct sunlight, or handle material objects!

[Callin]

The "Vampire" I suggest is not vulnerable to sunlight. Only normal stuff from Necropolitan.

Savage Vampire Progession (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a)

[Beardbarian]

Where is Sand Swarm Template printed? Can't find it. I assume Sand Storm?

Liber Mortis

[NotScaryBats]

It's called Swarm Shifter, with sand being one of the options. From Liber Mortis

[Hanuman]

Necropolitan wih Sand Swarm template for undeads
No LA suggested
This? http://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/swarmshifter.shtml

Things without LA's are for CR not ECL, otherwise they'd say +0.

[NotScaryBats]

Yes, that's the one, and yes, it has LA -- and is thus generally not acceptable for PCs.