Taking the Un out of Undead - The essentials

[M Placeholder]

So Im starting a 5th edition game, and my character is a Forest Gnome bard with a Badger animal companion. I know how to play my character and the badger, but there is one thing that has been bothering me. I told my fellow players, in front of the DM, that if any of them became undead, I would get my Van Richten on and make sure that they were dead dead. The DM said nothing, and the rest of the players understood. In the first session, Im going to get my hands on holy water, wafers and a cross just in case.

So, for 5th edition, is it harder to fight the undead than in previous editions?

[Occasional Sage]

In the early days of the game, no; low-level undead are about what you'd expect. Later yes, as high-CR undead gain Legendary and potentially Lair actions.

If your concern is party members turned in-combat then no, they shouldn't be any scarier than previously. Instaminions will be lesser types.

[kaoskonfety]

All I suspect you have done is inspired the DM to look for opportunities to make you some from of thinking undead... well its what I would be looking at doing....

[Gritmonger]

All I suspect you have done is inspired the DM to look for opportunities to make you some from of thinking undead... well its what I would be looking at doing....

Eh, I once played a ranger with a favored enemy type of undead, who was actually quite germ-phobic as a result, but who also (unbeknownst to the party) had his own zombified parents somewhere locked in a basement. He was hoping for a cure or a way to make them rest, but it did still inform a lot of the how and why.

I have to ask if the character has a how and why for this fear/loathing of undead, or if it's just a personal phobia?

[M Placeholder]

I have to ask if the character has a how and why for this fear/loathing of undead, or if it's just a personal phobia?

Its a personal phobia. When he was travelling around the sword coast, in search of the ideal turnip, he was holed up in a building that was under siege by the walking dead for 27 hours.

[Garimeth]

Its a personal phobia. When he was travelling around the sword coast, in search of the ideal turnip, he was holed up in a building that was under siege by the walking dead for 27 hours.

That's awesome.

[Coidzor]

Eh, I once played a ranger with a favored enemy type of undead, who was actually quite germ-phobic as a result, but who also (unbeknownst to the party) had his own zombified parents somewhere locked in a basement. He was hoping for a cure or a way to make them rest, but it did still inform a lot of the how and why.

I have to ask if the character has a how and why for this fear/loathing of undead, or if it's just a personal phobia?

Generally destroying them does a good job of making them rest. :smallconfused: Sorta beggars belief that he wasn't able to find that out before too long with any level of research.


Its a personal phobia. When he was travelling around the sword coast, in search of the ideal turnip, he was holed up in a building that was under siege by the walking dead for 27 hours.

Need to work in more name-dropping into that story. :smallwink:

About how things kept getting worse with The Dying Light until it was a real Night of the Living Dead, but the worst part of the experience was the Dawn of the Dead in that Dead Island and he lives in dread of the Dead Rising and the Return of the Living Dead.

Need to take that Gnomishness up to 11. :smallbiggrin:

[Gritmonger]

Generally destroying them does a good job of making them rest. :smallconfused: Sorta beggars belief that he wasn't able to find that out before too long with any level of research.

Yeah, that was kind of covered by the favored enemy, but he was hoping to do it without lopping off limbs and immolation as the memorial ceremony.

[rpavlicek]

I've faced "special" zombies that would get back up after you "killed" them if you didn't burn their corpse or remove their heads.

A creative DM may do something similar. Be sure to bring oil and fire. Fire is the cure for anything...well...except for fire elementals.

[Coidzor]

A creative DM may do something similar. Be sure to bring oil and fire. Fire is the cure for anything...well...except for fire elementals.

Fireliness is next to Pelorliness, after all. :smallamused:

[Inevitability]

Well, there's the old trick of 'flood it's lair with holy water'... Just find a large source of silver and you're good.

Zombies and skeletons are no longer mindless, but about as smart as housecats/apes. They could theoretically employ some basic tactics, so stay alert when fighting them.

Most undead have no or weak ranged attacks. A high spot, a bow, and a barrel of arrows may already be enough to take out a group of them.

Some undead take less damage from nonmagical, nonsilvered weapons. Silvering your weapons may be a good move.