Considerations to Take Into Account When Playing an Undead PC?

[BlackOnyx]

For those players looking to wade a little deeper into necromancy than the average adventurer, what are some aspects of playing an undead that one might want to consider when making the transition?


In turn, how should one prepare for these potential areas of concern? (Be it optimal templates, classes, ACFs, SLAs, spells, tactics, or items)


Said areas of concern may include (but are no means limited to):

- No Constitution Score
- No Natural Health Regen (in many cases)
- Vulnerability to Rebuking
- Vulnerability to Positive Energy
- Concerns Specific to Certain Types of Undead (i.e. feeding requirements, environment restrictions)

[Mordaedil]

For adventuring while gaining the templates, there are some amazing articles on the subject on the old wizard site.

http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20031212a For Liches.

http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a For Vampires.

I'd maybe make some notes based on what it says here with regards to feeding and the like.

[KillianHawkeye]

I think a big one is the fact that you're immediately destroyed when you hit 0 hp. A lot of smart enemies will move on to party members who still pose a threat when a PC is dropped to negatives, allowing them to be saved before they bleed to death, but an undead PC goes directly from "active combatant" to "permanent dirt nap" when they cross that threshold. There's no grace period for the character to be out of the fight but not out of the game.

Another thing to note is that, if you are destroyed, a raise dead or resurrection spell will bring you back as a living creature that you were before becoming an undead. It's not as simple to restore your character to what they were before getting offed as it is for a more typical living character. Depending on what kind of undead you were, it could be quite difficult to regain that status if you're destroyed and brought back to life.

If you're not playing in a game featuring high stakes and the possibility of death, then these issues might not come up much, but they're still something worth being aware of.

[Malimar]

Another thing to note is that, if you are destroyed, a raise dead or resurrection spell will bring you back as a living creature that you were before becoming an undead. It's not as simple to restore your character to what they were before getting offed as it is for a more typical living character. Depending on what kind of undead you were, it could be quite difficult to regain that status if you're destroyed and brought back to life.
It's worse than that: raise dead and resurrection don't even work on a creature that's been turned into an undead, only true resurrection does.

But it's also better than that if you have Spell Compendium (or Libris Mortis), because revive undead works just fine to restore a destroyed undead creature to their previous undeath (note that unlike most such spells, it's a sor/wiz spell; clerics can only cast it through the Deathbound domain).

[Covenant12]

Most undead have absurd LA's, making them close to unplayable unless you actually want that challenge, except necropolitan. (effectively +1 LA with immediate buyoff, which works great)

In order:

No constitution score. By itself, this is a good thing, making you immune to a lot of effects. It causes two problems though: low hps and poor fort save.
1d12 sounds good, especially for a wizard as its basically 1d4 and 18 con. Players get +con equipment at some point, and +5 inherent con nearing epic so that stings. You should try to be created in the area of a desecrate spell with an evil altar, +2 hps/level. Level 8 dread necro or UA necromancer alternate feature for another +2. If you are created by a necromantic spell (many undead are not) corpsecrafter for another +2, follow-on feats can buff you quite a bit. A dry lich gets +cha bonus to hps as do many pathfinder templates, or if you somehow get initiate of the faerie mysteries past the DM you are golden.
Fort save. Most you happily ignore, a few like disintegrate can make you have a bad time. Mostly max hps, use false life/vampiric touch and soak the damage.

Intelligent undead usually regen health per day like living characters do, only unintelligent don't. The heal skill won't work, but most parties forget about that. Lesser vigor is off the table, so the more expensive inflict light wounds wands can be used, or get a dread necromancer cohort.

Rebuking can be harsh, but immunity to fear and dominate person etc seem balanced. Beware of a sun cleric BBEG, as his greater turning might one-shot you without a save. Most templates have turn resistance, and turn resistance magic items exist, invest in some.

Vulnerability to positive energy, but healed by negative energy, seems balanced. Most spells have inflict/cure or harm/heal equivalents, not really a downside.

Specific undead requirements are gone into detail in Libris Mortis. Vampires specifically are close to unplayable with their restrictions and LA. Necropolitans have no real limits except actually being, you know, undead. Lich is similar except that LA is brutal.

As mentioned, raise dead, resurrection, and true resurrection are off the table. These bring you back living, which you likely don't want. Revive undead is nice, but you need most of the corpse (wish can fix this, limited wish if a generous DM), but to avoid the level loss you're looking at homebrew.

From experience playing undead can be a fun change of pace, and if planned well can be viable. As always in 3.5, be a full caster and don't tank, unless you don't fear death like lich/dry lich.

[KillianHawkeye]

It's worse than that: raise dead and resurrection don't even work on a creature that's been turned into an undead, only true resurrection does.

I double-checked it, and you're right about raise dead. Standard resurrection WILL work, however. Both versions of resurrection restore the formerly undead character back to life (not undeath), and only if the undead version has already been destroyed.


But it's also better than that if you have Spell Compendium (or Libris Mortis), because revive undead works just fine to restore a destroyed undead creature to their previous undeath (note that unlike most such spells, it's a sor/wiz spell; clerics can only cast it through the Deathbound domain).

Interesting note about revive undead. I knew there was a spell somewhere that did it, but I wasn't familiar with the specifics. Thanks.

[Deeds]

A zombie walked into a bar. The bartender said, "ya know, we don't allow your kind around here." The zombie said, "well what if I were to turn un-dead?" Buh-dum-tss.

It's worth noting that all NPC interactions will change when you're a walking talking mockery of life.

[Malimar]

I double-checked it, and you're right about raise dead. Standard resurrection WILL work, however. Both versions of resurrection restore the formerly undead character back to life (not undeath), and only if the undead version has already been destroyed.
Oh! You're right. I checked resurrection, saw "someone killed by a death effect or someone who has been turned into an undead creature and then destroyed" and failed to note that it was preceded by "can", not "can't".

[Falontani]

It's worth noting that all NPC interactions will change when you're a walking talking mockery of life.

Unless you invest into something to make it seem like your not undead. Alter Self can normally not be used to take on creatures with a template so your usual method of turning into something passing as normal is out (no turning into a vampire)
If you are a Lich or an awakened zombie (or other corpselike creature) invest in an item of Gentle Repose. This keeps your body from rotting.
Stitch up any wounds that you may have. Sure you'll have a lot of scars, but in all reality, I dont see anywhere in fast healing or positive energy that state that they don't leave scars. Meaning the barbarian is covered in just as many.
If you are a skeleton heavily bandage your bones, slip into some armor, and robe up. Sure you'll stand out as an adventurer, but so does a warforged or artificer.
If you are a ghast you dont decay! Woooo except you stink... Badly. So what can you do, but invest in perfumes, barrels of soap, and bathe like crazy. Sure this wont actually prevent the stench unless your DM lets it, but it shows that your trying. Invest in bluff and tell people you were cursed.
Necropolitan look pale and frail, take the feat Willing Deformity Obese and you take care of the frail part, blluff people into believing you are a noble and thats why you haven't been tanned and burned to high heavens.
A wight is a lot like the necropolitan except that you aren't even frail!
Mummy has the hardest time of it, I'd heavily robe up and walk with your head down. Social interactions are not your forte, invest in a familiar, or cohort to do the talking for you. Your a mute monk. Shhh
Okay your a shadow of your former self, quite literally. Now we get to he interesting ones. Up your disguise skill. "Disguise" yourself as someone else' shadow, perhaps your familiar's or your cohorts. Invest in telepathy, speak telepathically, or have your cohort/familiar have a high listen and the skill trick Listen to this. Now whisper so softly that only they can hear and have them repeat after you.
Ghosts should invest in some feats from Ghostwalk and hijack bodies or something.

Basically if your having problems with social situations you haven't come up with a good enough idea for in game play.

[Vaern]

Intelligent undead usually regen health per day like living characters do, only unintelligent don't. The heal skill won't work, but most parties forget about that. Lesser vigor is off the table, so the more expensive inflict light wounds wands can be used, or get a dread necromancer cohort.
Lesser vigor will still work. It doesn't directly heal the target, and instead grants them fast healing. The undead type description specifically states that the fast healing quality still works.


As mentioned, raise dead, resurrection, and true resurrection are off the table. These bring you back living, which you likely don't want. Revive undead is nice, but you need most of the corpse (wish can fix this, limited wish if a generous DM), but to avoid the level loss you're looking at homebrew.
In the case of becoming a lich, though, one of the major benefits is that you're resurrected for free within 1d10 days of being destroyed :P

[Goaty14]

Get some black sand (sandstorm, duh) to heal 1d4 every round (!).

[FelineArchmage]

Unless you invest into something to make it seem like your not undead. Alter Self can normally not be used to take on creatures with a template so your usual method of turning into something passing as normal is out (no turning into a vampire)
If you are a Lich or an awakened zombie (or other corpselike creature) invest in an item of Gentle Repose. This keeps your body from rotting.
Stitch up any wounds that you may have. Sure you'll have a lot of scars, but in all reality, I dont see anywhere in fast healing or positive energy that state that they don't leave scars. Meaning the barbarian is covered in just as many.
If you are a skeleton heavily bandage your bones, slip into some armor, and robe up. Sure you'll stand out as an adventurer, but so does a warforged or artificer.
If you are a ghast you dont decay! Woooo except you stink... Badly. So what can you do, but invest in perfumes, barrels of soap, and bathe like crazy. Sure this wont actually prevent the stench unless your DM lets it, but it shows that your trying. Invest in bluff and tell people you were cursed.
Necropolitan look pale and frail, take the feat Willing Deformity Obese and you take care of the frail part, blluff people into believing you are a noble and thats why you haven't been tanned and burned to high heavens.
A wight is a lot like the necropolitan except that you aren't even frail!
Mummy has the hardest time of it, I'd heavily robe up and walk with your head down. Social interactions are not your forte, invest in a familiar, or cohort to do the talking for you. Your a mute monk. Shhh
Okay your a shadow of your former self, quite literally. Now we get to he interesting ones. Up your disguise skill. "Disguise" yourself as someone else' shadow, perhaps your familiar's or your cohorts. Invest in telepathy, speak telepathically, or have your cohort/familiar have a high listen and the skill trick Listen to this. Now whisper so softly that only they can hear and have them repeat after you.
Ghosts should invest in some feats from Ghostwalk and hijack bodies or something.

Basically if your having problems with social situations you haven't come up with a good enough idea for in game play.

I believe there is also a spell called disguise undead, though I'm unsure of the specific description. I believe it's in the Spell Compendium.

[KillianHawkeye]

I believe there is also a spell called disguise undead, though I'm unsure of the specific description. I believe it's in the Spell Compendium.

There's really no reason a simple disguise self spell wouldn't work in most cases to make an undead look like a normal person.

[Kelb_Panthera]

I think a big one is the fact that you're immediately destroyed when you hit 0 hp. A lot of smart enemies will move on to party members who still pose a threat when a PC is dropped to negatives, allowing them to be saved before they bleed to death, but an undead PC goes directly from "active combatant" to "permanent dirt nap" when they cross that threshold. There's no grace period for the character to be out of the fight but not out of the game.

Some undead can partially negate this with Libris Mortis' necrotic reserve feat.


Lesser vigor will still work. It doesn't directly heal the target, and instead grants them fast healing. The undead type description specifically states that the fast healing quality still works.

Target line: "living creature touched."

[Vaern]

Target line: "living creature touched."
I stand corrected.
Though it would seem they can still be affected by mass vigor spells, which target one creature/two levels and don't specify that they must be "living" creatures.