Does it unbalance the game any to have a LOT of undead in a campaign?

[RickAllison]

Put simply, there are points in a potential campaign where 60%+ or more of enemies might be undead, and I'm wondering if that would skew the game between Favored Enemy and Turn Undead features. I don't mind if they are really effective, just as long as it doesn't take the entire game off kilter.

[Sparky McDibben]

Those are both great "horde-breaker" options. As long as you have multiple kinds of undead (like skeletons and zombies) who don't all mass together (the skeletons attack from range while the zombies swarm) augmented with interesting terrain, you should be fine.

[Kane0]

Nah, zombie apocalypse will be fine. Favored Enemy, Divine Smite, Channel Divinity, that's about it really.
Oh, spells that deal Radiant damage.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Nah, zombie apocalypse will be fine. Favored Enemy, Divine Smite, Channel Divinity, that's about it really.
Oh, spells that deal Radiant damage.
To be honest, there aren't even that many undead that are especially hampered by radiant damage-- at least not to the point where it helps to have more than one person in the party deal it. And Favored Enemy isn't strong enough to matter in any campaign.

[RickAllison]

It's not so much zombie apocalypse as more of a labor revolution. Necromancy in the traditional D&D sense is a relatively recent innovation to most of the world, having before been largely restricted to a psuedo-immortality ritual in the Elvish Empire coughUndyingCourtRipoffcough and isolated covens of witches, both groups which tightly held onto their secrets. When the so-called Queens of the Dead were wiped out by a kingdom looking for a magic item they possessed, their tomes ended up in the hands of various wizards who transcribed many of them, whose exposure was to them as both a weapon and a tool for untiring labor. So there is an entire corps who have the equivalent of a Dragonmark dedicated to controlling the undead for building, tilling fields, and much more. But naturally some get loose, and hunting down these rogue undead will be a primary objective for many missions. And of course there are secrets hidden, but those would come out later.

[Zuras]

Put simply, there are points in a potential campaign where 60%+ or more of enemies might be undead, and I'm wondering if that would skew the game between Favored Enemy and Turn Undead features. I don't mind if they are really effective, just as long as it doesn't take the entire game off kilter.

Class abilities should be mostly fine, although Clerics will obviously be more handy, and niche classes like Undying warlock and Sun Soul will be stronger. Your bigger balance risk is magic items. For example, if you give them a Sun Sword or Mace of Disruption and then try to threaten them with Vampires, your encounters will be a punch line.

[RickAllison]

Class abilities should be mostly fine, although Clerics will obviously be more handy, and niche classes like Undying warlock and Sun Soul will be stronger. Your bigger balance risk is magic items. For example, if you give them a Sun Sword or Mace of Disruption and then try to threaten them with Vampires, your encounters will be a punch line.

I hadn't planned on any vampires... okay, I should say I hadn't planned on any malevolent vampires. There are a few, but they are just kind of goofy, and they would never actually hurt someone.

[Pex]

At the other end be careful of undead that lower maximum hit points. In a "normal" campaign it's a once in a while hindering inconvenience but cured eventually. Too many and too often can lead to frustrating complications and lethality, but if you make cures too readily available then it loses its danger.

[RickAllison]

At the other end be careful of undead that lower maximum hit points. In a "normal" campaign it's a once in a while hindering inconvenience but cured eventually. Too many and too often can lead to frustrating complications and lethality, but if you make cures too readily available then it loses its danger.

I asked about Shadows a week or so ago for that very reason. The undead in this case will be a combination of both true undead, and monstrosities or such that are being retyped because I am lazy. In general, they should be able to retreat from most fights if they get in over their heads.

[JackPhoenix]

I wouldn't worry about some classes being more effective against undead. I'd be worried about some options being useless... enchantment doesn't work well against them, for example.

[RickAllison]

I wouldn't worry about some classes being more effective against undead. I'd be worried about some options being useless... enchantment doesn't work well against them, for example.

There will be plenty of call for enchantment in other areas, though. I don't skimp on the social pillar. Definitely something I need to make sure players understand at session 0 though.

[diplomancer]

Bards, and even more Lore Bards, suffer a bit against creatures who can't be charmed (which is not all undead, but still)

[MrStabby]

The gap can be pretty big. Clerics especially with turn/destroy undead recharging on a short rest. Even if destroy effect doesn't come up, the turn effect is still absolutely brutal and a lot of undead don't have great wisdom saves. The ability is probably as powerful as a level 4 spell at least (or worthless) so expect a few fights to be trivialized.

Divine smite is a bit less of an issue, but is maybe a problem if your boss/key enemies are undead.

[Spiritchaser]

I hadn't planned on any vampires... okay, I should say I hadn't planned on any malevolent vampires. There are a few, but they are just kind of goofy, and they would never actually hurt someone.

How does that work? Black ribboners?

[nickl_2000]

It will make anyone who can cast Sunbeam drool a little bit too :smallbiggrin:

[RickAllison]

How does that work? Black ribboners?

They are mainly in Hallowsburg. Which is pretty much Halloweentown from Nightmare Before Christmas. There might be isolated monsters that are terrifying the countryside, but those are usually prime targets for adventurers. Most of the ones that remain living are the ones who outside of anhut of mischief, just want to be left alone.

Now a humanoid entering the place and seeing casks of blood like wine might have a different opinion, especially before they learn said blood comes from underground springs or fruit.