Pathfinder/3.5: Any way to bypass fear immunity on undead?

[Jane_Smith]

Me and my friends are playing in a zombie survival style game, and, obviously, 90% of the enemies are zombies, zombie variants, and many variants of undead based on zombies. Everyone has a role and does it well, and so far we are surviving rather well in this rot-infested world.

However, one of us is playing a Human Slayer. He didn't really think ahead on this, but hes going the power attack, shatter defenses, and cornugon smash build, with two-weapon fighting style bonus feats from slayer talents. He really does not want to change this build, as he has already gotten 3 of the 5 needed feats down and hes already level 4. We have a character in the group who can craft magic weapons and armor, and another who can craft wonderous items, and many of us possess some crafting skills so, my question is;

Is there ANYTHING in 3.5 or pathfinder that a slayer could take pre level 10 within reason, to bypass undead fear-immunity (so shaken condition can be applied), and a way to bypass critical/sneak/precision immunity?

If it exists as a magic item, potion/scroll/etc, we can likely craft it for him over time. We really want our little slayer to keep kicking ass and taking names on these unholy shamblers. If nothing of this like exsists, what would a wondrous item such as a amulet or gloves that allows you to ignore "Racial immunities" of a favored target the slayer has selected cost on average?

[Psyren]

You should know that in Pathfinder, (corporeal) undead are actually not immune to sneak/precision damage. So if your Slayer friend simply flanks or attacks while unseen, he will be able to take down zombies and skeletons no problem.

As for shaken - there's metamagic for this (Threnodic Spell (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/metamagic-feats/threnodic-spell-metamagic)) but nothing that works on Intimidate. So I would advise him to retrain that side of things even if he does want to stick with Slayer.

[Wacky89]

Dread Witch 4 (Heroes of Horror)

[Darrin]

Is there ANYTHING in 3.5 or pathfinder that a slayer could take pre level 10 within reason, to bypass undead fear-immunity (so shaken condition can be applied)


Dread Witch 4 (Heroes of Horror) bypasses immunity to fear. I'm not sure how a slayer would get access to cause fear and scare spells without a Wizard 3 dip.



and a way to bypass critical/sneak/precision immunity?


Penetrating Strike/Death's Ruin ACF is the easiest, but that assumes Rogue 3 is in the build. Swift Hunter is also nice, but I don't think that works with Slayer. Item-wise, you'd want a Greater Truedeath Crystal (10000 GP, MIC) on a +3 weapon, but that's pretty darned expensive. Deathstrike Bracers (5000 GP, MIC) also bypass crit immunity, but the 3/day and swift-action activation means it's going to be nearly useless unless you allow it to be activated after confirming a crit.

[With a box]

Since all fear effects are mind affect, you need to bypass that first

[peacenlove]

Dread Witch 4 (Heroes of Horror) bypasses immunity to fear. I'm not sure how a slayer would get access to cause fear and scare spells without a Wizard 3 dip.



It can be argued that Aberant dragonmark and Lesser Aberant Dragonmark feats from eberron campaign setting could work, since Dread witch does not require the spells to be arcane or divine on entry.

[Arutema]

Is there ANYTHING in 3.5 or pathfinder that a slayer could take pre level 10 within reason, to bypass undead fear-immunity (so shaken condition can be applied), and a way to bypass critical/sneak/precision immunity?

Important question: are you using the 3.5 or PF system as a base? Because in the PF system, undead (and constructs) don't have immunity to precision damage to begin with.

[Andreaz]

Well, Jane_Smith.
1) Corporeal undead are not immune to crits, sneaks and their ilk. They take those hits just as easy as normal people. Constructs too, PF changed that.

2) Bypassing fear immunity, you say? Read Path of War if you can, it's the PF analog to Tome of Battle. And with its incoming expansion there is the style feat trilogy for Black Seraph. First feat gives you a defensive bonus against scared enemies, the Second boosts profane damage against scared enemies. and the Third not only bypasses fear immunity completely, immunity to mind-affecting does not work against fear either! (they're learned, at the earliest, at levels 3/7/11 however)

All this is because of the discipline "Black Seraph", which consists more or less of thrashing people around with sheer hate and brutality, and being damn scary. If the character's not going to be a Martial class, it can qualify for the style feats buying Martial Training 1 and 2. So a total of 5 feats, 4 of which are amazing (the not-amazing one does need you to be a martial initiator to be amazing, sadly). You can replace Martial Training 2 for Cornugon Smash, since it'll give you a Stance and one of your options is "free action = demoralize someone you damaged this round". Better than cornugon smash since it only requires you to hurt, not power attack.