Counting as undead without actually being one

[Wombles]

Hello, I have a Ghost (from the ghost walk book) and i want to qualify for "Empowered Ability Damage" which unfortunately requires the undead type, ghosts in ghost walk unfortunately have the outsider type.

Does anyone know and (fairly low level) ways of "counting as undead" for the purpose of feat prerequisites?

[Beni-Kujaku]

Don't think there is one.

[Wombles]

Posting the answer on my own thread incase anyone else needs the answer.

https://web.archive.org/web/20191021055056/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040117a
using the wayback machine to look at the savage progression for the ghost template gives "undeath" for a 1 level dip.

[Beni-Kujaku]

Posting the answer on my own thread incase anyone else needs the answer.

https://web.archive.org/web/20191021055056/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040117a
using the wayback machine to look at the savage progression for the ghost template gives "undeath" for a 1 level dip.

Your character truly becomes undead when taking the first level of the ghost template class‚ they do not "count as one". This means that‚ among other disadvantages‚ they lose their Con score and the associated bonuses to HP. Also‚ Template classes cannot be dipped‚ you have to take all levels before taking another class level. Also also‚ the Ghost template cannot be applied to Outsiders‚ so that's out.

In fact very very few (if any) 1st party playable templates can change Outsiders into Undead (as Outsiders are very high in the type pyramid AND are supposed to merge with their Plane after death). Your best bet is probably Unseelie Fey into Gravetouched Ghoul‚ if you can find a way to count as corporeal‚ or Drowned One‚ from Dungeon #106‚ with LA+3.

[Anthrowhale]

Also‚ Template classes cannot be dipped‚ you have to take all levels before taking another class level.

This is not correct for the Savage Progression templates (https://web.archive.org/web/20200315192224/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a):

Characters are not required to complete all the levels of a given template class in uninterrupted succession.


Also also‚ the Ghost template cannot be applied to Outsiders‚ so that's out.

This is correct.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

You could always come at it from the opposite direction. Gain a low-LA undead template, then take a feat or another template that changes your type (or at least makes you count as another type, when it would benefit you). Human Heritage, Human Blood, or Otherworldly, for instance. You become undead, then count as humanoid (human) or outsider when it benefits you, such as whenever someone casts command undead or uses turn/rebuke undead, or if you want to use enlarge person on yourself.

[Zanos]

A character under the effect of the 2nd level Wiz/Sor/Cleric spell Shroud of Undeath in the spell compendium:


You are treated as if you were undead for the purpose of all spells and effects that specifically affect undead creature

This is the closest thing I can think of, but probably doesn't actually count to select a feat, since that's not considered to be an effect.