Animate Dread Warrior

[Kahlendrrari]

So, if I wanted to use the Animate Dread Warrior spell, Does the spell take away class abilities of those raised with it? If the spell was used on lets say, a paladin of tyranny, would said paladin be able to further advance in class levels? The reason I ask is, I found an immensely bad ass sculpture of a skeletal knight:http://www.estatuaslimitededition.com/t21118-sideshow-court-of-the-dead-mortighull-risen-reaper-general-premium-format-figure (scroll about half-way down the page) and want to use the sculpture as the "visual" for the character, stat it out and everything as the undead cohort of another character I have dancing around in my head.

For any that are interested, the company that produces these sculptures is [Sideshow], in the "Court of the Dead" line.

Pardon me if I'm violating forum rules, I'm not trying to sell these things, just let people know that there are some pretty effing awesome statues that some might want to use the pictures for a character study or something.

[atemu1234]

I don't remember, is dread warrior a template or a creature? If it's the latter, it would remove abilities. If it's the former, it retains them.

[squiggit]

I don't remember, is dread warrior a template or a creature? If it's the former, it would remove abilities. If it's the latter, it retains them.

It's a template. But I think you have that backwards, because a template doesn't remove anything unless it says it does.

[atemu1234]

It's a template. But I think you have that backwards, because a template doesn't remove anything unless it says it does.

Yeah. Whoops. I'll fix that now.

[phlidwsn]

By my reading they keep all class levels as it is a template applied to an existing statblock. And there's no reason they couldn't advance levels that I can see, the same as any other monster. Although given that the template has "Advancement: -- " listed it would require a bit of DM fiat.

edit: If you wanted to make a PC Dread Warrior it would need even more DM Fiat give there's no LA listed for the template, and the fluff indicates they're not that bright (back by a -6 INT crunch)

[Inevitability]

edit: If you wanted to make a PC Dread Warrior it would need even more DM Fiat give there's no LA listed for the template, and the fluff indicates they're not that bright (back by a -6 INT crunch)

*Insert predictable remark about how templates with no LA default to +0 here*

[OldTrees1]

*Insert predictable remark about how templates with no LA default to +0 here*

*Insert predictable evidence that most D&D authors did not know of or follow that^ rule here*

*Insert end of argument before derailment*

[Coidzor]

A Human Paladin of Tyranny X would become a Human Dread Warrior Paladin of Tyranny X and should retain their class features and abilities as modified by the effects of the template. If this causes their alignment to change from LE, though, it would cause them to Fall, IIRC, and become an Ex-Paladin of Tyranny X.

As for whether they can level up... not enough data. The DMG doesn't talk about how NPCs can gain Experience at all outside of the mechanics for Cohorts, to the best of my knowledge and recollection, which is a pretty big barrier to leveling up your pet NPCs that aren't Cohorts. Now, it's just me and all, but I'd say that this is much more pressing of an issue above and beyond the Level Adjustment issue, since you can burn the level adjustment bridge when you come to it, but if they can't gain XP at all due to being an NPC non-Cohort, that LA is irrelevant.

[Jack_Simth]

A Human Paladin of Tyranny X would become a Human Dread Warrior Paladin of Tyranny X and should retain their class features and abilities as modified by the effects of the template. If this causes their alignment to change from LE, though, it would cause them to Fall, IIRC, and become an Ex-Paladin of Tyranny X.

As for whether they can level up... not enough data. The DMG doesn't talk about how NPCs can gain Experience at all outside of the mechanics for Cohorts, to the best of my knowledge and recollection, which is a pretty big barrier to leveling up your pet NPCs that aren't Cohorts. Now, it's just me and all, but I'd say that this is much more pressing of an issue above and beyond the Level Adjustment issue, since you can burn the level adjustment bridge when you come to it, but if they can't gain XP at all due to being an NPC non-Cohort, that LA is irrelevant.

Depends on which version of the template. It was printed at least three times:
Monsters of Faerûn page 46
Lost Empires of Faerûn page 169
Unapproachable East page 62

Monsters of Faerûn: is 3.0; LA didn't exist then. It also requires levels in Fighter, so you can't get it on a straight-up Paladin of Tyrrany, interestingly enough. There's an update booklet, but that doesn't add an LA. General assumption should probably be LA "-" in a case like that - especially as this version is a specific undead creature rather than a template.

Lost Empires of Faerûn: 3.5, and is a template - technically, yes, the LA doesn't change... but as noted, while that may be RAW, it's pretty clearly not RAI (especially with the updated advancement line of "-"). Always Neutral-evil, though, so a PoT loses all class features and becomes a fighter without bonus feats. A Fighter/Blackguard, on the other hand, keeps most (if not all) class features.

Unapproachable East: For the specific purposes under discussion, this version is identical to the Lost Empires of Faerûn version (it has notable differences, but none that impact things like advancing in levels or maintaining/losing class features).

The template doesn't come with a Wisdom penalty, though, so Druids, Clerics of deities within one step of neutral-evil, and certain others make particularly useful Dread Warrior pawns.

[Kahlendrrari]

Always Neutral-evil, though, so a PoT loses all class features and becomes a fighter without bonus feats. A Fighter/Blackguard, on the other hand, keeps most (if not all) class features. Sounds like I could advance the PoT into Blackguard with fallen paladin levels for the alignment shift though. While the PoT code of conduct states that it must be lawful evil, it only states that it loses the class abilities if it ever willingly commits a good act.

possible back story: Dread Necromancer kills paladin of tyranny, then uses animate dread warrior on the corpse... dread warrior follows dread necro on dread adventures and advances into Blackguard with the evil outsider contact from the Dread Necromancer's Imp or Quasit familiar. As Dread Necromancer advances to palemaster and picks up undead cohort, fallen Paladin of Tyranny || Blackguard becomes an Undead Lieutenant, in the Dread Necromancer's dread army of dreadful undead.

YO DAWG!!! We heard you liked evil, so we made your evil guy evil, so he could be evil while being evil!!