MitP Submission: Preserved Zombie

[ringsnake]

Fluff text has been moved to the MitPII, Take II thread. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2907353&postcount=7)

Preserved Zombie

The preserved zombie is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature that has a skeletal system. The creature so changed must be between Small and Huge size.

Size and Type: The creatures type changes to undead. It retains any subtypes except alignment subtypes or subtypes that indicate species. They are not of the augmented subtype. Only creatures that are Small, Medium, Large, or Huge can be turned into preserved zombies.

Hit Dice: Drop any hit dice gained from class levels, because all class levels are lost from the base creature. Double the number of hit dice left and raise them to d12s. No creature of more than ten hit dice can be turned into a preserved zombie. It is animated with Raise Dead just like a zombie.

Speed: If the base creature can fly its manueverability drops to poor.

Armor Class: The preserved zombies natural armor increases by a number based on its size. Preserved zombies are a bit more agile and clever than normal zombies, and are often equipped with armor.
Small +1
Medium +2
Large +3
Huge +4

Base Attack: The preserved zombie has a base attack bonus equal to 1/2 of its hit dice, round all fractions down.

Attacks: A preserved zombie retains all the natural weapons, manufactured weapon attacks, and weapon proficiencies of the base creatures. A preserved zombie also gains a slam attack.

Damage: Natural and manufactured weapons deal damage normally. A slam attack deals damage depending on the preserved zombies size; use the base creature's slam damage if it is better.
Small: 1d4 slam damage
Medium: 1d6 slam damage
Large: 1d8 slam damage
Huge: 2d6 slam damageSpecial Attacks: A preserved zombie retains none of the base creatures special attacks.

Special Qualities: The preserved zombie loses any qualities of the base creature that are not an inherent aspect of their physical structure that is active all the time, or intricately linked with a physical or ranged attack.

A preserved zombie has normal reflexes for a creature of its type, and unlike normal zombies does not have the Single Action Only quality.

The runes and preparatory spells used to create the preserved zombie give it the ability to perceive as if perminantly affected by the spell True Seeing. They are generally too stupid to act on the extra details of what they see, but are difficult to bypass or evade. This replaces the Darkvision power provided to all undead.

Limited Communications: Preserved Zombies are unable to speak, are not smart enough to be literate, and can only communicate the most general of concepts by gesture.

Preserved Zombies gain Damage Resistance 5/Slashing.

Saves: The preserved zombie's base save bonuses are Fort +1/3 HD rounded down, Ref +1/3 HD rounded down, and Will +1/2 HD + 2.

Abilities: The preserved zombie's strength increases by two, and its dexterity decreases by two. It has no Constitution and its Wisdom changes to ten. The intelligence and charisma of the preserved zombie drop to four if they were higher than that. The preservation process makes the preserved zombie stronger, more clever, and easier to be around than normal zombies.

Skills: The preserved zombie loses all of the skill ranks of the base creature. It has one rank in Climb and Jump for each hit die of the base creature.

Feats: The preserved zombie loses all the feats of the base creature.

Environment and Organization: Any, but generally close by and working for their creator.

Challenge Rating: Depends on the final hit dice of the preserved zombie as follows:
1/2 :1/2
1 : 1
2 : 2
4 : 3
6-7 : 4
8-10 : 5
12-14 : 6
16-20 : 7

NOTE: You will have to adjust and account for the natural special qualities and attacks of the base creature when considering the preserved zombies challenge rating. A group of humans in normal clothes so they have their base AC and a slam attack are much less of a threat than those same humans with chainmail, shields, and long swords.

Treasure: None, but almost always near something of value to their master.

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Sample Preserved Zombies - WIP


Human Warrior
MEDIUM UNDEAD
HD 2d12 (13)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: -1
AC 18; touch 9; flat-footed 16
(-1 dex, +2 natural, +5 armor, +2 heavy shield)
BAB +1; Grp +2
Attack Long Sword +2 (1d8+1 / 19-20) or Slam +2 (1d6+1)
Full-Attack Long Sword +2 (1d8+1 / 19-20) or Slam +2 (1d6+1)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks: none
Special Qualities: Damage Resistance 5/slashing, Limited Communications, True Seeing, Undead Traits
Saves Fort +0 Ref -1 Will +3
Abilities Str 12, Dex 8, Con -, Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 4
Skills Climb +2, Jump +2
Feats none
Environment any
Organization any
Challenge Rating 2
Treasure none
Alignment Neutral Evil
Advancement none
Level Adjustment none

Giant Crocodile
HUGE UNDEAD
HD 14d12 (91)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +0
AC 19; touch 8; flat-footed 19
(-2 size, +11 natural)
BAB +7; Grp +24
Attack Bite +16 melee (2d8+9) or tail slap +16 melee (1d12+9)
Full-Attack Bite +16/+11 melee (2d8+9) or tail slap +16/+11 melee (1d12+9)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks: none
Special Qualities: Damage Resistance 5/slashing, Limited Communications, True Seeing, Undead Traits
Saves Fort +4 Ref +4 Will +9
Abilities Str 29, Dex 10, Con -, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills Climb +7, Jump +7
Feats none
Environment any
Organization any
Challenge Rating 4
Treasure none
Alignment Neutral Evil
Advancement none
Level Adjustment none


Young Black Dragon
MEDIUM UNDEAD
HD 20d12 (130)
Speed 60 ft. (12 squares), fly 150 ft. poor (30 squares), swim 60 ft. (12 squares)
Init: -1
AC 20; touch 9; flat-footed 20
(-1 dex, +11 natural)
BAB +10; Grp +13
Attack Bite +13 (1d8+3)
Full-Attack Bite +13 (1d8+3) and 2 Claws +8 (1d6+1) and 2 Wings +8 (1d4+1)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks: none
Special Qualities: Blind Sense 60ft, Damage Resistance 5/slashing, Immunity to Acid, Keen Senses, Limited Communications, True Seeing, Undead Traits
Saves Fort +6 Ref +5 Will +12
Abilities Str 17, Dex 8, Con -, Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 4
Skills Climb +13, Jump +13
Feats none
Environment any
Organization any
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure none
Alignment Neutral Evil
Advancement none
Level Adjustment none

[jindra34]

Undead use d12s not d10s...

[Zeta Kai]

This is a great variant on the RAW zombie. I agree 100% with the additional zombie special qualities. All my vote are belong to this.

PS: Yes, undead by definition have d12 HD. Those poor d12s get too little use as is.

[ringsnake]

Fix to hit dice made, and got rid of the stupid example of the Frost Giant.

[brian c]

Hm... my only comment is that if they have 5 intelligence, that ranks them at above "animal" intelligence, and would let them know languages. It's cool though.

[Zeta Kai]

In further review of the additional zombie special qualities, I have a few suggestions:

Putrescent (Ex): A zombie is a foul and rotting carcass brought to sick semblance of life. It is impossible to disguise them as anything else, and they are easy to track or locate due to their stupidity and clumsiness. Any attempt to use the Track feat against zombies gains a +10 circumstance bonus. Everyone within 5' needs to make a Fortitude save (DC10) or become sickened.

Rotting (Ex): Zombies always have an expiration date. The more damaged the revived carcass the more quickly it will disintegrate. Zombies only last for a few months at most. The statistics of the zombie in the SRD reflect the freshly revived. A zombie loses 1HD for every 2 weeks of existence. Once they reach 0HD, they collapse into a useless pile of rotten flesh.

EDIT: By all means, use this if you like. I'm happy to help.

[ringsnake]

In further review of the additional zombie special qualities, I have a few suggestions:

Putrescent (Ex): A zombie is a foul and rotting carcass brought to sick semblance of life. It is impossible to disguise them as anything else, and they are easy to track or locate due to their stupidity and clumsiness. Any attempt to use the Track feat against zombies gains a +10 circumstance bonus. Everyone within 5' needs to make a Fortitude save (DC10) or become sickened.

Rotting (Ex): Zombies always have an expiration date. The more damaged the revived carcass the more quickly it will disintegrate. Zombies only last for a few months at most. The statistics of the zombie in the SRD reflect the freshly revived. A zombie loses 1HD for every 2 weeks of existence. Once they reach 0HD, they collapse into a useless pile of rotten flesh.

I hope you don't mind. I've copied this and pasted it up in the main post. This is closer to what I was thinking.

[ringsnake]

Hm... my only comment is that if they have 5 intelligence, that ranks them at above "animal" intelligence, and would let them know languages. It's cool though.

That is intended. The preserved zombies can take complex commands, and can be used as a crude and stupid work force. Somebody's gotta dig up those bodies!

You can also imagine a particularly depraved necromancer dressing them up in servant's uniforms and using them as basic household staff.

The problem with your basic zombie or skeleton is that an average or better hide or move silently or some basic first and second level spells bypass them with ease. These guys can be tricked or bypassed, they are fairly stupid, but it's not easy. Anything that forces players to be more clever than normal provides them with a greater sense of achievement.

The only problem I have is that there's no way to get an accurate read on their CR. Depending on the special qualities and attacks of the base creature and the equipment you put on them it can go way above or below the listed number.

[Lord Iames Osari]

On the CR: Just make it a +1 to CR. That'd work.

[DracoDei]

I would suggest some edits.


The creature so changed must be of Huge size or smaller, because the cost and time involved in preparing the colossal or gargantuan cadaver is so great that the creature will rot to uselessness before the procedure is completed.


Would Gentle Repose used during the creation process get around this limitation in theory? Of course the 12 HD limit on the initial corpse (before doubling) probably makes this irrelevant but...



The runes and preparatory spells used to create the preserved zombie give it the ability to perceive as if perminantly affected by the spell True Seeing. They are generally too stupid to act on what they see, but are difficult to bypass or evade.

Detect Life (Ex): The preserved zombie is able to sense the presence of living creatures within 60 feet of itself, and has a general idea of their location.


This in my mind breaks them. Turn a halfling into a Preserved zombie for 200 gp and you have a servant who can be questioned at any time to determine if there are illusions etc about. If the creator is a cleric it could be argued that they can be used to detect alignments. Compare and contrast to a Gem of Seeing or Permanencying a True Seeing. Granted this is less powerful since they don't have much initiative, but still... a lich living deep underground could simply order one "Follow me. Tell me if any living thing bigger than a cat come within 60' of you." Perhaps if you made the True Seeing an optional feature with a material component in the thousands of GPs and/or a few hundred XPs cost at least that could work. Even Detect Life can be used to ferret out hidden/invisible things at will.



Alignment: Nuetral Evil
Spelling. Also I would consider making them evil, but share the law, neutral, chaos axis of the creator. This doesn't match the SRD zombie, but would go along with the presence of intelligence and make them more likely to act in ways the creator would approve of.


Checking the SRD I think you also left out a reasonably important ability of the common zombie. If this is intentional fine, but I see these as being supposed to be superior in every respect.

Damage Reduction (Ex): A zombie has damage reduction 5/slashing. Zombies are lumbering masses of flesh.

[ringsnake]

@DracoDei: I added the damage resistance (it's missed out of the special qualities of the zombie in the MM I have) and made a few minor changes like reducing the maximum HD to 10 so that the preserved zombie is revived just like a normal zombie with the additional preparation costs.

I don't think that the life detect and true sight abilities are as bad as you think. The lich example that you cite is not all that bad, because the lich could just cast True Sight or Detect Plant or Animal Life on himself. It could have been scaled back to a long list of detects (Invisible, Good, etc...) but I'm lazy. These zombies are no smarter than a toddler on a sugar binge, but I'll add a "can't communicate" limitation and yank the detect life power since it moves closer to what I envisioned anyway.

I did pare back the combat abilities and up the CR a touch, but I specifically wanted this version of zombie to not only be less smelly and more perminant, but also more useful as a worker and guardian.

It can still be turned by even the lowest level of clerics with relative ease. I gave it no turn resistance whatsoever.

[DracoDei]

Glad to be of service. I seem to note you also dropped the intelligence by a point. That is good.

The lack of communication thing helps, as does adding Gentle Repose and Foxes Cunning (which I don't think were there before).

You MAY need to clarify that you have to pay the material component cost of the True Seeing for each zombie.

All in all I would say it is fairly balanced as near as I can tell. Most wizards would eventually upgrade to these as soon as they could cast all the spells involved, but that is quite reasonable especially since it slows down the process considerably and uses a extra spell slots.

If you wanted to make it a bit tricker, require low DC (5-15) heal checks (not necessarily by the caster) to properly remove and replace the organs.

[Angafirith]

I have a couple questions about this template.

What do they look like? Do they look like a normal zombie without the smell? Do they look like almost alive? I guess what I'm asking is: How obvious is it that they are undead?

Also, what can they do with their increased intelligence? Does it mean that they can make simple decisions? Implement basic strategies? Rebel against their creators and edit a scientific journal?

There seems to be a typo in your alignment: "Nuetral Evil".

[Lord Iames Osari]

Oh, my mistake, I thought this was a template that could be applied to normal zombies.

[DracoDei]

Oh, my mistake, I thought this was a template that could be applied to normal zombies.
Which actually brings up a good point... what would be the suggested rulings on the possibilities 'retrofitting' reasonably fresh pre-existing zombies that were done the normal way?

[DracoDei]

I messed up my initial post on this subject in a particular regard. Allow me to try to sort it out.



Alignment: Neutral Evil

I would consider making them evil, but share the law, neutral, chaos axis of the creator. This doesn't match the SRD zombie, but would go along with the presence of intelligence and make them more likely to act in ways the creator would approve of.

[ringsnake]

I have a couple questions about this template.

What do they look like? Do they look like a normal zombie without the smell? Do they look like almost alive? I guess what I'm asking is: How obvious is it that they are undead?

Also, what can they do with their increased intelligence? Does it mean that they can make simple decisions? Implement basic strategies? Rebel against their creators and edit a scientific journal?

There seems to be a typo in your alignment: "Nuetral Evil".

Good questions, thank you.

Description: The Preserved Zombie looks like a normal zombie at first glance, though they do seem unusually "fresh" and don't stagger or shamble as much if they happen to be seen in motion. They are clearly reanimated dead, and if they were furred that has been stripped away.

Upon closer inspection, or careful inspection over time from a distance, it becomes obvious that these creatures are quite different. They move with an unusual grace for zombies, their eyes and ears are sewn shut, and intricate traceworks of runes and sigils are drawn or incised into their flesh. Their creator may have seen fit to equip them clothing, arms, or armor; which is unusual for zombies.

There is an odd funeral smell to them, like stale spices and old flowers, with just a slight hint of decay beneath.

Personality/Motivation: Preserved zombies are more clever than normal zombies, but are slavishly devoted to their creator. They are stupid creatures, and though they can receive basic instructions they sometimes miss naunces. They fight as a disorganized mob, and can only work around the most basic of tricks.

On the other hand they do have some initiative. They won't repeatedly try something that doesn't work, and trickery that will work on normal zombies like baiting them over an obvious trap won't work on them. They are about as smart as exceptionally clever animals.

[ringsnake]

Which actually brings up a good point... what would be the suggested rulings on the possibilities 'retrofitting' reasonably fresh pre-existing zombies that were done the normal way?

Up to the DM, but I think it should be created as a preserved zombie right from the getgo.

I have been thinking of a "refit" template called "Articulated Undead", but right now it's just a visual image. Say a skeleton or a zombie reenforced with a metal framework with springs and cogs and gears holding the whole mess together. I haven't thought up any decently compelling rules for it yet.

[Angafirith]

At first, I was worried that they were supposed to be undead without looking like undead. Now that it has been addressed, I feel pretty good about it.

[ringsnake]

Changes made, fluff stripped out and moved to another thread. Three sample creatures as preserved zombies (Human Warrior, Giant Crocodile, and Juvenile Black Dragon) added.