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View Full Version : The fast zombies in Libris Mortis seemed a bit anemic.



Jarl
2007-02-13, 01:42 AM
So I made these.
Note on the treasure: I made Fast Zombies for the campaign I'm running on irc.rizon.net (#dungeon and #dungeonooc, come visit us!) and these particular zombies are the "survivors", you might say, of a horrible battle some 900 thousand years ago or so. These zombies, therefore, mostly used to be elves. Why? How? A wizard did it.

Fast Zombie

Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 2d12+3 (16hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40ft, Climb 20ft
Armor Class: 20 (+4 Dex, +2 natural, +4 Armor), touch 14, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+2
Attack: Claws +6 melee (1d4+2 slashing)
Full Attack: Claws +6 melee (1d4+2 slashing)
Face/Reach: 5 ft./0
Special Qualities: DR 5/Slashing
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +5
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 18, Con -, Int -, Wis 15, Cha 1
Skills: A Fast Zombie can always take 10 on a jump or climb check, even if he's threatened or distracted.
Feats: Toughness
Bonus Feats: Weapon Finesse, Run, Agile Athlete (Races of the Wild, Dex Bonus to climb and jump)
Environment: Graveyards, deserted cities, etc
Organization: Packs (3-10)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Masterwork Chainmail, Masterwork shortswords
Alignment: Always NE
Advancement: Moar moar moar
Level Adjustment: --

The fast zombie is a horrible creature. Formed by particularly cruel mages (or angry monkeys), these... "things" are fond of devouring the flesh of the living and doing so REALLY REALLY FAST.

-Eh?

magic8BALL
2007-02-13, 02:07 AM
Thefeats should be listed as bonus feats, and if they are wearing the armor, add that into the AC line. Similarly, if they have two short swords, and are fast zombies, give them two weapon fighting as a bonus feat and have them use those in their full round:
Shortswords +4/+4 melee (1d6+3, crit 19-20/x2)

All that would bring it up to CR 2, becouse at the moment they look like a tough CR 1.

Jarl
2007-02-13, 02:42 AM
Awesome. Getting right on it.
... well, actually, I specifically left the swords off their attacks list and on their treasure list because they don't know how to use weapons (they're my zombies, man, back off).

-Although, to be honest, I can't believe I didn't notice the armor bit. Fixin' that.

nonsens
2007-02-13, 09:21 AM
they need to have a charisma score, all creatures have a charisma score, even animated objects albeit a 1

Hyrael
2007-02-13, 11:39 AM
http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:kqCvJLjP83x1NM:http://phlad.planethalflife.gamespy.com/wiki/images/5/59/Zombief.jpg (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://phlad.planethalflife.gamespy.com/wiki/images/5/59/Zombief.jpg&imgrefurl=http://phlad.planethalflife.gamespy.com/wiki/index.php/Zombie,_Fast&h=279&w=213&sz=102&hl=en&start=12&tbnid=kqCvJLjP83x1NM:&tbnh=114&tbnw=87&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfast%2Bzombie%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den% 26sa%3DN)
Your monster reminds me of these bad boys. Nice concept, but give them 50 or 60 ft speed and a 20 ft climb, maybe a jump bonus as well. Now, thats a "fast zombie." and Claw attacks might be more appropriate than slams, but then, it depends on the concept

Tor the Fallen
2007-02-18, 05:29 AM
Zombies without bite attacks?
Wuuuh?

fireinthedust
2007-02-18, 07:02 AM
personally, i like to give them improved Grapple/improved grab as a special ability. They run up, make a grapple check as a free action, and then go for the bite. That's what they do in the movies, not really clawing or biting straight off unless they've swarmed and grappled someone down.

it's always grapple first, then bite (well, mostly).

A climb speed? That's freaky. Would that let them climb on ceilings?

Harkone
2007-02-18, 11:20 PM
I agree with the previous post; the idea of grappling zombies that crawl on the walls and ceilings is pretty creepy. I also like adding the bite attack.

Matthew
2007-02-19, 04:25 PM
You may recall the Juju Zombie of (A)D&D 2.x fame. That was very similar to what you are proposing. I liked it a lot and so I like this idea too.

Fax Celestis
2007-02-19, 04:52 PM
You may recall the Juju Zombie of (A)D&D 2.x fame. That was very similar to what you are proposing. I liked it a lot and so I like this idea too.

Juju Zombies were updated to 3.5 in Unapprochable East.

Maerok
2007-02-19, 05:50 PM
There is something sinister about a zombie with a crawl speed... Even to me.