Dolghasts and Half-Undead?

[Promethean]

Are there any other creatures that sport the "Half-undead(EX)" of the the dolghast in magic of eberron?

Having a creature that has the benifits of Both life(con bonus to HP, turning immunity, hp below 0 and positive energy healing) and undeath(immunity to a hoard of debuffs, death effect immunity(so no level/ability drain), crit resistance, and negative energy healing) seems like the wet dream of necromancers and mad wizards world-wide. Not to mention the same setting also has earth elemental Grafts that can bring said dolghast to 100% crit immunity, dr 8/-, and swim undetected through solid ground.

I've never seen this on any other monster, which just seems weird. This seems like the kind of ability the heroes should be stopping the BBEG lich from acquiring.:smallconfused:

[BlackOnyx]

Are there any other creatures that sport the "Half-undead(EX)" of the the dolghast in magic of eberron?


Can't say I'm too familiar with aberrations, so that's the first I've seen of that particular (Ex) ability as well. (An interesting one for sure.)


The closest templates I've come across are "Half-Undead" and "Deathtouched" from Dragon #313. They afford living creatures a small subset of undead traits (leaving out most of the best ones, sadly enough).


The Graft Flesh feat (from Libris Mortis) might afford a living host some undead bonuses as well, depending on how you and your DM swing it. (Not sure if there's specific rules on healing newly attached undead limbs off the top of my head.)



I've never seen this on any other monster, which just seems weird. This seems like the kind of ability the heroes should be stopping the BBEG lich from acquiring.:smallconfused:


Though it'd definitely be helpful, I think most liches & the like are probably capable of boosting their turn resistance & hp with the help of a few spells and magic items. (Could be a good storyline from a DM perspective though; stopping the lich from completing a ritual that allows this to happen. Maybe a scenario where the lich in question must constantly sacrifice the living to inherit their favorable traits?)


That said, a magic ring enchanted with *Spark of Life* (Cleric 3, SpC) might be useful on the healing by positive energy front. (Said lich could slip it on/off when not in use.)

[Venger]

Are there any other creatures that sport the "Half-undead(EX)" of the the dolghast in magic of eberron?

Having a creature that has the benifits of Both life(con bonus to HP, turning immunity, hp below 0 and positive energy healing) and undeath(immunity to a hoard of debuffs, death effect immunity(so no level/ability drain), crit resistance, and negative energy healing) seems like the wet dream of necromancers and mad wizards world-wide. Not to mention the same setting also has earth elemental Grafts that can bring said dolghast to 100% crit immunity, dr 8/-, and swim undetected through solid ground.

I've never seen this on any other monster, which just seems weird. This seems like the kind of ability the heroes should be stopping the BBEG lich from acquiring.:smallconfused:
the ability is called "half-dead" not "half-undead"

you only heal via positive or negative energy if you make the save. if you fail it, you get hurt.

immunity to death effects offers no special protetion against energy drain or ability drain, both of which you are still vulnerable to.

that's not how fortification works. you can't add two effects that give 50% and get 100%. you would roll separately.

it's a unique ability, but it's not really that good. if you like undead immunities, there are many simpler ways to acquire them either temporarily (skull talisman, veil of undeath, kiss of the vampire, etc) or permanently (necropolitan, etc)

[Luccan]

that's not how fortification works. you can't add two effects that give 50% and get 100%. you would roll separately.


I haven't done math like this in forever. Does that make it more or less likely you'll be crit (since you're rolling twice), or does the chance stay the same?

[Necroticplague]

I haven't done math like this in forever. Does that make it more or less likely you'll be crit (since you're rolling twice), or does the chance stay the same?
Any more instances of fortification make you less likely to be crit, because you need to pass all of them.
incidentally, how one discusses tabletops while having '[not] done math like this in forever' is baffling when the math is basic probabilities.
The only way it could make you more likely to be crit is if you only needed to pass one of them.

Two instances of 50% fortification is equal to 75% fortification, assuming you have no source of re-rolls or dice mods.
For the first Fortification, you have a 50% chance of being negated.
Then, of the 50% that make it through, these have a 50% chance of being stopped by the second fortication. So, to map out all the probabilities:
Stopped by first: .5
Stopped by second:.5*.5=.25
Passes through both:5*.5=.25.

So, chance something is stopped by one of the fortifications:.5+.25=.75

[Luccan]

Any more instances of fortification make you less likely to be crit, because you need to pass all of them.
incidentally, how one discusses tabletops while having '[not] done math like this in forever' is baffling when the math is basic probabilities.
The only way it could make you more likely to be crit is if you only needed to pass one of them.

Two instances of 50% fortification is equal to 75% fortification, assuming you have no source of re-rolls or dice mods.
For the first Fortification, you have a 50% chance of being negated.
Then, of the 50% that make it through, these have a 50% chance of being stopped by the second fortication. So, to map out all the probabilities:
Stopped by first: .5
Stopped by second:.5*.5=.25
Passes through both:5*.5=.25.

So, chance something is stopped by one of the fortifications:.5+.25=.75

That makes sense. Probably would've helped to remind myself how fortification worked.

[Promethean]

the ability is called "half-dead" not "half-undead"

you only heal via positive or negative energy if you make the save. if you fail it, you get hurt.

immunity to death effects offers no special protetion against energy drain or ability drain, both of which you are still vulnerable to.

that's not how fortification works. you can't add two effects that give 50% and get 100%. you would roll separately.

it's a unique ability, but it's not really that good. if you like undead immunities, there are many simpler ways to acquire them either temporarily (skull talisman, veil of undeath, kiss of the vampire, etc) or permanently (necropolitan, etc)

I thought most spells that caused ability drain were death effects under the necromancy school. I don't recall seeing many that weren't necromancy spells

eh, I'd just cut the roll as one solid 75% or 100%, making the player roll too much slows down play.(though I didn't know fortitude effects that stacked forced you to calc separately)

My focus was on the fact it made you like the undead without the drawback(or most of the drawbacks, being hurt by pos and neg energy if the save DC is high enough seems like a rather balancing drawback). Almost all effects that mess with where a character is on the living vs undead spectrum give you more weaknesses than benifits(spark of life gives you all living weaknesses in return for turning immunity and positive energy healing, but you still have no con score or negative hit points. Having the half-undead template gives you weakness to holy water and turning while giving you improved evasion vs. necromancy, and some minor spell-likes that only work against your specific undead bloodline(be they vamps, ghosts, zombies, etc.))

The consept is what tickles my inner mad scientist. A creature that uses the same magics that animate an undead creature to instead bolster and strengthen a living one so that it minimizes(but doesn't completely get rid of) the weaknesses of both.

[Venger]

I thought most spells that caused ability drain were death effects under the necromancy school. I don't recall seeing many that weren't necromancy spells

eh, I'd just cut the roll as one solid 75% or 100%, making the player roll too much slows down play.(though I didn't know fortitude effects that stacked forced you to calc separately)

My focus was on the fact it made you like the undead without the drawback(or most of the drawbacks, being hurt by pos and neg energy if the save DC is high enough seems like a rather balancing drawback). Almost all effects that mess with where a character is on the living vs undead spectrum give you more weaknesses than benifits(spark of life gives you all living weaknesses in return for turning immunity and positive energy healing, but you still have no con score or negative hit points. Having the half-undead template gives you weakness to holy water and turning while giving you improved evasion vs. necromancy, and some minor spell-likes that only work against your specific undead bloodline(be they vamps, ghosts, zombies, etc.))

The consept is what tickles my inner mad scientist. A creature that uses the same magics that animate an undead creature to instead bolster and strengthen a living one so that it minimizes(but doesn't completely get rid of) the weaknesses of both.

No.

Death effects are things that kill you. they'll have [Death] up in the spell descriptors such as slay living. anything that deals ability damage, drain, or energy drain isn't automatically a death effect.

2 rolls is different from 1 roll, so use the rules. having 2 rolls can be advantageous in a number of circumstances. if you try to crit your players often enough for it to be a timesink, have them roll the dice all at once.

you lack most of undead's important protections. spark of life is a debuff against undead enemies. you're not supposed to use it on yourself. what is the half undead template? is that dragon magazine?

if you specifically want to turn into a dolghast, play as a druid, take aberration blood, aberration wild shape, cast enhance wild shape, and wild shape into a dolghast.

[Promethean]

No.

Death effects are things that kill you. they'll have [Death] up in the spell descriptors such as slay living. anything that deals ability damage, drain, or energy drain isn't automatically a death effect.

2 rolls is different from 1 roll, so use the rules. having 2 rolls can be advantageous in a number of circumstances. if you try to crit your players often enough for it to be a timesink, have them roll the dice all at once.

you lack most of undead's important protections. spark of life is a debuff against undead enemies. you're not supposed to use it on yourself. what is the half undead template? is that dragon magazine?

if you specifically want to turn into a dolghast, play as a druid, take aberration blood, aberration wild shape, cast enhance wild shape, and wild shape into a dolghast.

Yeah, not looking at this in the interest of turning into a broken character. 3.5 has enough of those already.:smallsigh:

Was just trying to see if there was anything like a living + undead monstrosity for the plot hooks of it. A lich or vamp searching for a way to receive the benefits of life and death just screams campaign hook(though having the campaign end with said undead failing no matter how much he studied spark of life/humanoid essence or dissected dolghasts could be a nice emotional/humanizing moment for a bad guy). I honestly don't see why the idea wasn't played with more, then again I ask the same question about non-spellcasting magic, medical/bio enhancements like grafts/symbionts, and non magical weapon enhancements(though this last one was expanded pretty well in dragon and other 3rd party stuff.:smallwink:)