Infecting monster

[bloodystone2]

I wanted to look for a monster (undead specifically) that could create variations of itself when it kills something. I'm not looking for something as intelligent as a vampire and his/her spawn nor am I looking for the mass swarming of a wraith. I'm looking for a creature that could infect others but also be able to mutate. See the infested in Left 4 Dead or Warframe. I want to be able to get a base and start adding more stuff.

If you guys could tell me about a creature likes that, it would save me a lot of time. If you can't, if you can give me ideas for making my own monster, it would also save me a lot of time.

[Kazuel]

Isn't that what a wight does? It's been awhile so I may be mistaken.

[atemu1234]

I made something like this, except it was an aberration.
Statblock was something like this:


Medium Aberration
HD: 2d8+6 (15 hp)
Speed: 30 ft.
Initiative: +7
AC: 20 (+3 Dex, +7 Natural)
B/G: +1/+3
Attack: Tentacle +3 Melee (1d6+2)
Full Attack: 2 Tentacles
S/R: 5/5 (10 with tentacle)
SA: Infection (Su)
SQ: Immunity to Polymorph Effects (Ex), Darkvision 60 ft., SR 12
Saves: Fort: +3 Ref: +3 Will: +4
Abilities: Str: 14 Dex: 16 Con: 16 int: 15 Wis: 13 Cha: 15
Skills: Climb +7, Jump +7, Survival +6, Tumble +8
Feats: Track (Bonus Feat), Improved Initiative
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil
CR: 2
Environment: Underground
LA: --
Infection (Su): Any Living, Medium-sized creatures struck with one of the Vaulkryn's tentacle attack must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save, or contract Vaulkryn Pox, a disease carried by the mucous on the Vaulkryn's tentacles. (Injury, Incubation 15 minutes, 1d4 Intelligence). Any creature reduced to zero or less intelligence by Vaulkryn Pox transforms into a Vaulkryn in 3d8 minutes, unless their body is burned. A being transformed this way can only be transformed back by Wish, Miracle, Reality Revision or similar abilities.

It could fairly easily be used as an undead, just remove the constitution score and turn the hit dice into 2d12.

[Blackhawk748]

Ghouls kinda do this, and i believe that there are several different types of them.

[Grek]

How about a Mohrg? It's a scary skeleton monster with its guts hanging out, a paralyzing tongue (like a smoker!) and the ability to raise whatever it kills as a loyal zombie. Then, for extra fun, have the Mohrg be a carrier for a bunch of horrifying diseases. Roll 1d8 below to see which you're exposed to every time it hits you:

1. Blinding Sickness
2. Cackle Fever
3. Demon Fever
4. Devil Chills
5. Filth Fever
6. Mindfire
7. Ghoul Fever
8. Slimy Doom

Do the same twice for any zombies it produces. Apply both results.

1. Blind Zombie. Cannot see, but gains Scent as a special ability. Carrier for Blinding Sickness.
2. Shrieker Zombie. Cackles loudly upon seeing living, attracting other zombies. Carrier for Cackle Fever.
3. Demonic Zombie. Is immune to fire, DR changes to 10/slashing or cold iron. Carrier for Demon Fever.
4. Frenzied Zombie. Enters a rage (+4 strength, -2 AC) upon seeing living. Carrier for Devil Chills.
5. Spewer Zombie. Spews forth green, infectious goo when damaged. Carrier for Filth Fever.
6. Zombie Possum. Zombie falls over and plays dead when damaged. Carrier for Mindfire.
7. Not a Zombie. Apply Ghoul template instead of Zombie. Victim is not under control of Mohrg.
8. Explosive Zombie. Zombie explodes when killed, splattering slime. Carrier for Slimy Doom.

[Red Fel]

In 3.5, you're basically looking at anything that inflicts negative levels, usually through the Energy Drain (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#energyDrainAndNegativeLevels) special ability. Per the SRD:
A character with negative levels at least equal to her current level, or drained below 1st level, is instantly slain. Depending on the creature that killed her, she may rise the next night as a monster of that kind. If not, she rises as a wight.

On the SRD alone, a number creatures have the Energy Drain special ability. I've listed several. Devourer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/devourer.htm) Nightshade (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/nightshade.htm) Spectre (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/spectre.htm) Thorciasid (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/thorciasid.htm) Vampire (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/vampire.htm) Wight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/wight.htm)Of these, note that being killed by the Energy Drain of any of them other than the Vampire will turn the victim into a Wight. Being killed by a Vampire's Energy Drain instead turns the victim into Vampire Spawn (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/vampire.htm#vampireSpawn). Note also that, if instead of dying of Energy Drain, the victim dies of Con Drain, it may rise as a Vampire if it had more than 5 HD.

Basically, just find a list of monsters with Energy Drain; some of them, other than Wight and Vampire, are likely to have a means of reproducing that way.

Another, somewhat sillier infecting monster is the Vargouille (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/vargouille.htm), a head with bat-wing-ears, which reproduces by kissing a person. Rather silly, but it has the whole disturbing mutation angle you seem to be looking for.

[Heliomance]

Yellow Musk Creeper?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Spawn of Kyuss in MM2 infects creatures with a worm to turn them into another one, you can easily adapt it to vary depending on the type of creature infected. You could even use a Worm That Walks (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/wormThatWalks.htm) (template is CR +3) for a difficult boss encounter.

[EyethatBinds]

I made something like this, except it was an aberration.
Statblock was something like this:



It could fairly easily be used as an undead, just remove the constitution score and turn the hit dice into 2d12.

That thing is essentially a save or die fight that would last a pretty long time given the AC. That does not seem like a CR 2 to me. I'd say 3 at least and add one more HD, maybe toughness to the creature and leave it at that.

[(Un)Inspired]

A necropolitan psion that mind seeds a bunch of people. Lise psychometabolic powers to represent mutations.

[atemu1234]

That thing is essentially a save or die fight that would last a pretty long time given the AC. That does not seem like a CR 2 to me. I'd say 3 at least and add one more HD, maybe toughness to the creature and leave it at that.

It has 15 hit points, its disease is only intelligence (which isn't a big deal for non-wizards), and though it has high Armor Class, there are attacks even at that level that can handle it.

Though, to be fair, I made it for a fairly high-OP group.

[EyethatBinds]

Int doesn't matter too much, until you're out of it. Then it appears to be everything.

[atemu1234]

Int doesn't matter too much, until you're out of it. Then it appears to be everything.

Basically. They'd last enough rounds to at least beat it. Though afterwards, you have an issue.

[Grek]

Being killed by a Vampire's Energy Drain instead turns the victim into Vampire Spawn (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/vampire.htm#vampireSpawn). Note also that, if instead of dying of Energy Drain, the victim dies of Con Drain, it may rise as a Vampire if it had more than 5 HD.

Just a fun side note here: Vampire Spawn lack the Spawn ability themselves, but DO have Energy Drain. Stuff killed by Vampire Spawn turns into uncontrolled wights. A vampire apocalypse turns (nearly) everyone level 5+ into pyramids of full vampires and vampire spawn, produces a small number of lower leveled vampire spawn and turns everyone else into wights. Fun!