[Template]Further Pimping of the Corpse

[Terror_Incognito]

This will probably be VERY bad as it is my first post. It is basically an improved zombie (more to follow once this one has been worked out). The idea is to "Pimp" out the zombie by preserving the corpse in various ways before animating it. I'll also post a further reason as to why necromancers might want to preserve their minions.

Apologies in advance for the name, and any missing or misleading stats, and also the fact that I'm more or less stealing the zombie stats from MM. Without further ado...

Sample Preserved Fire Zombie Commoner
The Adventurers peered carefully around the corner. "There's only a few zombies down there. I Fireball should clear them." said Grettus. As the party looked on, glittering forms shuffled from the dust and haze. "Well this is new," said Atamod, "fire proof zombies"

Fire Zombies are the result of necromantic experimentation into improving the toughness of one of the most basic undead. They are created when a fresh corpse (taken within 8 hours of death) is embalmed in layer of plaster bandages and coated in pure white sand. The body is then heated until the sand melts. Once the resultant glass is cooled the corpse is re-animated as normal. This requires a special furnace powered by necromantic engeries.

Fire Zombie Commoner
MEDIUM UNDEAD
HD 2d12 (16)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares, can't run);
Init: -2
AC 11 (-3 Dex, +4 natural armour); touch 8; 12
BAB +1; Grp +2
Attack Slam +3 Melee, ((1d6+2)+1d4/) 0r Club +3 Melee (1d6+2
(damage, critical range/critical multiplier + additional damage)
Full-Attack Full attack +X/+X/+X (damage, critical range/critical multiplier +additional damage)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks
Special Qualities Single actions only, Damage reduction 5/Bludgeoning, darkvision 60ft, Resistance to Fire 10
Saves Fort +0 Ref -2 Will +4
Abilities Str 14, Dex 6, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills -
Feats Toughness
Environment Any
Organization Any
Challenge Rating 2
Treasure None
Alignment Always Neutral Evil
Advancement None
Level Adjustment -

Creating a Fire Preserved Zombie
A Fire Preserved Zombie is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature with a skeleton, hereafter referred to as the base creature. A Fire Preserved Zombie uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type: The creature's Size is unchanged and type changes to undead.
Hit Dice: Increase all Hit Dice to d12s.
Speed: The Base creatures speeds drops by 10ft . If the base creature can fly, its maneuverability rating drops to clumsy.
AC: A Fire Preserved Zombie's Natural armour bonus increases by a number based on its size;

{table="head"]Size|Natural Armour Bonus|
Tiny or Smaller| +1|
Small | +2|
Medium | +4|
Large | +6|
Huge | +8|
Gargantuan| +11|

Colossal| +14

[/table]

Attack: A Fire Zombie retains all the natural weapons, manufactured weapon attacks and weapon proficiencies of the base creature and also gains a slam attack (as per a zombie) if it didn’t already have one. Also any unarmed or natural attacks deal an addition 1d4 slashing damage.

Full Attack: A Fire Zombie fights with any weapons it has, as well as using either its slam attack or its natural weapons (if it has any).

Damage: Fire Zombies gain slam attacks as a normal zombie this slam attack also deals an additional 1d4 slashing damage as well as any natural weapons.

Special Attacks: A Fire Zombie loses all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains the following attacks.
Shard Mist (Ex): Whenever a fire zombie is hit with a melee weapon a cloud of tiny, razor sharp shards of glass is released. The creature that made the attack takes 1d4 piercing damage and must also suceed on two separate DC 10+(2*HD) Fort saves. The first is to avoid being blinded (DC 20 Heal check, Cure Blindness or Heal Spell removes effect). The second is to avoid taking further damage from the shards. Each round the target takes an additional 1d4 piercing damage. a Fort save is allowed each round to avoid any more damage.

Special Qualities: A Fire Zombie loses most special qualities of the base creature. It retains any extraordinary special qualities that improve its melee or ranged attacks. A fire zombie gains the following special qualities.

Single Actions Only (Ex): Fire Zombies have poor reflexes and perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A Fire Zombie can move up to it's speed and attack in the same round but only if it makes a charge.
Damage Reduction (Ex): A Fire Zombie gains damage reduction 5/bludgeoning.
Resistances (Ex): A fire zombie has Resistance Fire 10 due to it's protective glass skin and insulating layer
Desticated (Ex): Due to the creation process, a fire zombie is half the weight of the base creature. It counts as one size smaller.

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +4, Dex -4. As a normal zombie, a Fire Zombie has Wis 10 and Cha 1. It also has no Con Score
Skills: A Fire Zombie has no skills
Feats: A Fire Zombie loses all feats of the base creature and gains toughness
Environment: Any Land and Underground.
Organization: Any
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +2 (Minimum 2).
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral Evil.
Advancement: As base creature, but double Hit Dice (Maximum 20), or - if by character class.
Level Adjustment: -

I hope this make sense. Also special thanks have to go to Vorpal Tribble as his Broken Template was IMMENSELY helpful. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

[Dragonmuncher]

Cool stuff- I like that you didn't just take a basic zombie and just plop Fire Resistence on it.

Welcome to the boards!

[Redwizard26]

nitpick:is this just me or wouldnt a corpse heated to that temperature be at best a glass coated skeleton

[fangthane]

Special Qualities: A Fire Zombie loses most special qualities of the base creature. It retains any extraordinary special qualities that improve its melee or ranged attacks. A broken creature gains the following special qualities.

Resistances (Ex): A broken has Resistance Fire 10 due to it's protective glass skin

Leaving aside the apostrophe (which I assume is an inherited grammar issue from VT) you appear to have neglected to clean up some of the copy/pastes you did from his template. :) There're likely more I skimmed over, but these stood out.

Since it's meant to be a specialty flavour of zombie though, you should indicate what differences exist in their creation (do you torch 'em first, soak them in fire-retardent chemicals, or is the sand all that's done? Does it cost extra? At what level can a caster create one? That kinda thing)

Edit - If he's meant to have been immolated, a few things should happen - first, weight should be vastly reduced, to about 1/3 or 1/4 of the original creature (based on CSI anyhow); I'd also question how a glass sheath is going to prevent massive damage from blunt weapons; shouldn't its entire sheath shatter on the first such hit?

[Carrion_Humanoid]

I love it! Thats great and deadly!

[Terror_Incognito]

Thanks for the help.

I've fixed a few of your issues. I've also filled out the special attack. The wording could definately be tidied up a bit. Also is
1d4 enough or should I look at tieing the damage to size or HD?

Also I realise that melting sand on a corpse would burn the corpse. I've added a layer of insulating plaster and reduced the weight to hopefully make sure that this monster makes a little more sense. I don't want to add any costly materials to the creation. I kind of figured that the cost of building the furnace to make them would be enough.

Also I need some help filling out the Stats for the sample monster.

Thanks