Pelor Flavor but not Un-Fun

[Madara]

My players are currently in opposition to a religious military state made by followers of Pelor (Burning-Hate light). I have, however, one player who went Necropolitan.

Any suggestions on how to squeeze out the juicy Pelor Paladin flavor without running around with an InstaDeath for the one player?

Obviously I want turning to be relevant, but without the *Save* part of "Save or Die," I feel dirty.

Party is level 7. Character in question is Evolved Necropolitan (Human), Dread Necro 7.

[AnimeTheCat]

Flavor is the easy thing to squeeze out. Flavor is acquired through visual language and descriptions of actions. You can flavor a level 1 goblin Warrior as the most devout holy warrior of Pelor, without giving any actual buff to ability. You describe him as appearing to have a faint, pale, warm light washing over him as he moves about. Describe his actions as decisive and orderly, yet soft and caring. Describe his appearance as one bathed in white and gold with symbols of Pelor emblazoned on his tabard and shield. He speaks not as a goblin, with gurgled words and grotesque sounds, but with a clear voice and a commanding, yet calm tone.

Your descriptions and the way you talk through your NPCs sets the flavor, not the class or abilities of the character. If you absolutely need something to add flavor, try the celestial template. It's an incredibly minor template, usually applied to Summon Monster creatures, that gives a very minor smite 1/day (or something like that). I think it increases CR by 1 and doesn't even change ability scores, just a few minor outying buffs and resistances.

[liquidformat]

Like AnimeTheCat said, going with celestial fighters is a good way to get a holy warrior that doesn't have quite the bite. Soulbourn and crusaders also can have the holy warrior feel without turning to back it up. Honestly paladin doesn't exactly have a strong turning ability even when optimized, after all turning is mostly used to power divine feats for a paladin. It is more their smiting that is scary for evil outsiders, undead, and so on; and even that isn't too bad if not optimized. You are probably safe as long as you aren't throwing a lot of full clerics, and npcs with the light or pelor prcs tact on. You can also add in favored souls and healers instead of some of the clerics, they will have the same feel without as much of a bite.

Granted I wouldn't completely avoid clerics nor paladins maybe just focus on having them be focused in the inner sanctums and in more important and dangerous encounters. Going undead gives the character some powerful immunities for most situations so not shying away from the negatives isn't a bad thing.

[AnimeTheCat]

Yeah, so a level 1 Celestial Human Warrior would look something like this:




Str 13
Int 9
Fort +3
AC 17
HP 5 (8)


Dex 11
Wis 10
Ref +0
TAC 10
BAB +1


Con 12
Cha 8
Will +0
FFAC 17
Init +0



Special Abilities:
Smite 1/day: Deal extra damage equal to HD against evil creature 1/day. No bonus on attack rolls.

Special Qualities:
Darkvision 60 ft
Acid Resistance 5
Cold Resistance 5
Electricity Resistance 5

Feats:
Melee Warrior - ToughnessH, Weapon Focus (Shortspear)1
Ranged Warrior - Point Blank ShotH, Precise Shot1

Attacks:
Shortspear +3 (1d6+1) x2, 20 ft
Light Crossbow +2 (1d8) 19-20/x2, 80 ft (Switch the Strength or Con scores with Dex, adjust AC, initiative, and saves accordingly).

[zlefin]

are these recently made characters, or is part of a long running campaign which has been in other places?

because having undead vs pelor just seems like a bad idea that should be nixed in session 0.

[Troacctid]

Have your enemy clerics use the Destroy Undead variant from Expedition to Castle Ravenloft. Instead of turning undead, they deal 1d6 damage per cleric level to all undead in the area.

[liquidformat]

are these recently made characters, or is part of a long running campaign which has been in other places?

because having undead vs pelor just seems like a bad idea that should be nixed in session 0.

Ya it seems a little weird that anyone would go for an undead when the enemy of the campaign is pelor.

[Troacctid]

Ya it seems a little weird that anyone would go for an undead when the enemy of the campaign is pelor.
I mean, you have to admit they'd be pretty motivated to take those guys down.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

If I were playing in a game as a necropolitan against the church of Pelor, I'd definitely be taking the Human Heritage or Human Blooded feat, the Otherworldly feat, or (if I were a kobold) the Dragonwrought feat.

[AnimeTheCat]

If I were playing in a game as a necropolitan against the church of Pelor, I'd definitely be taking the Human Heritage or Human Blooded feat, the Otherworldly feat, or (if I were a kobold) the Dragonwrought feat.

Isn't necropolitan a template though? And aren't templates technically added "after" character creation? Like, you set everything up and then apply templates last? I just feel like feats such as otherwoldly and human blooded or human heritage are done at birth and templates like Necropolitan happen later in life, or after birth. It seems to me like you would still be undead typed even if you took those feats.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Isn't necropolitan a template though? And aren't templates technically added "after" character creation? Like, you set everything up and then apply templates last? I just feel like feats such as otherwoldly and human blooded or human heritage are done at birth and templates like Necropolitan happen later in life, or after birth. It seems to me like you would still be undead typed even if you took those feats.You would still have the feats, though, since nothing about the template negates them, so you gain the benefits of the necropolitan template, but you are actually humanoid (human)/outsider/dragon, so things that negatively affect undead won't affect you. Meanwhile, you've got immunity to mind-affecting and a number of other things, so no dominate monster for you.

[Gullintanni]

From the SRD:

"Some feats have prerequisites. Your character must have the indicated ability score, class feature, feat, skill, base attack bonus, or other quality designated in order to select or use that feat. A character can gain a feat at the same level at which he or she gains the prerequisite.

A character can’t use a feat if he or she has lost a prerequisite."

So...if your race changes and there is a racial pre-requisite for a feat, you lose the benefits of said feat. Acquiring a template doesn't change your race unless it says it does. If a human becomes a Necropolitan, it is a Human Necropolitan. You keep your bonus feat, and you keep your +1 skill per/level bonus, but your type changes from humanoid to undead.

Your feats should continue to function as intended.

[liquidformat]

Isn't necropolitan a template though? And aren't templates technically added "after" character creation? Like, you set everything up and then apply templates last? I just feel like feats such as otherwoldly and human blooded or human heritage are done at birth and templates like Necropolitan happen later in life, or after birth. It seems to me like you would still be undead typed even if you took those feats.

Depends on if it is an inherited template or not.


I mean, you have to admit they'd be pretty motivated to take those guys down.

Very true, though they would be in for a very hard uphill battle unless the dm is pulling their punches to a large degree. It is the same reason why Wraith-pocalypse isn't a thing inside every game.

[Madara]

are these recently made characters, or is part of a long running campaign which has been in other places?

because having undead vs pelor just seems like a bad idea that should be nixed in session 0.


We've been running since level 1. Trust me, I had an intensive session 0. Due to the actions/inactions of the players, the empire of Pelor has grown in power. This is a long time coming and the player is OK with it.


Have your enemy clerics use the Destroy Undead variant from Expedition to Castle Ravenloft. Instead of turning undead, they deal 1d6 damage per cleric level to all undead in the area.

This sounds like a really good alternative. Do you know if this offers a save?

[Yogibear41]

The player should spend a feat on turn resistance, or an item that boosts his turn resistance. Its his fault not yours if he comes unprepared to face an obvious threat. Hes a dreadnecromancer, he could also send in his lower HD minions first to soak the turning attempts and protect himself. He can also bolster himself with his own rebuking attempts.

Necropolitan already has +2 turn resistance, taking that 1 feat or 1 magic item should put him out of range of same level to same level +1 clerics anyway.

[Troacctid]

This sounds like a really good alternative. Do you know if this offers a save?
Will save for half, and turn resistance applies as resistance to the damage. It also affects incorporeal undead without the miss chance.

[Madara]

Will save for half, and turn resistance applies as resistance to the damage. It also affects incorporeal undead without the miss chance.

Sounds like a fit for what I was looking for. Thank you!