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Lysander
2009-07-10, 12:02 PM
A variant turning feat:

Bind Undead
Prerequisite: Ability to turn undead

You can attempt to bind undead creatures instead of turning them. Spectral intangible chains wrap around the creature and connect them to a fixed spot in space. Though these chains don't physically restrain the creature or prevent it from acting, the spectral chain is only 100ft long and prevents them from moving greater than that distance from the spot they were bound. The chains prevent the creature from leaving by any means, including teleportation spells. Since the chains are intangible (but not ethereal) they can pass through solid objects, and don't get tangled or caught as the undead creature moves.

Chains last one day per divine caster level. Evil clerics can break the chains by casting Break Enchantment and simultaneously using up a Dispel Turning use, but both the caster level check and dispel turning check must be high enough. This can be cast by a single evil cleric, or an evil cleric and another magician working in tandem. A cleric can also dismiss chains they themselves created. Otherwise no effect can destroy the chains, besides the bound creature being destroyed or resurrected.

A chained creature can still be turned and rebuked, but that requires separate uses of the cleric's ability. A cleric can renew the chains on an undead creature, but that requires a new turning check.

Madra Rua
2009-07-10, 12:16 PM
As DM, i think of the monsters, haha. How would the undead in question resist this? It seems a little overpowered if used, say on a lich? Is there a saving throw or is it the same as turning? This seems more like it would be a spell than a feat. Great idea tho.

DracoDei
2009-07-10, 12:21 PM
Almost completely useless at low levels against anything you actually hope to defeat... good at higher levels where you can fly off and then blast from long range. At lower level it is a longshot to set up an escape from something that should crush you like a bug so you can either run and KEEP running, or come back the next day and go nova on it.

Still, anything that causes turning to be actually perhaps sometimes be used for anything other than Divine Metamagic at higher levels sounds good to me!

Lysander
2009-07-10, 12:37 PM
As DM, i think of the monsters, haha. How would the undead in question resist this? It seems a little overpowered if used, say on a lich? Is there a saving throw or is it the same as turning? This seems more like it would be a spell than a feat. Great idea tho.

Using it on a lich or another powerful undead monster is pretty much the idea. If you can't defeat a undead evil you can at least keep them in one place.

It works just like a normal turn undead. Bolster undead also provides protection against binding, so a sentient undead creature would want to have an evil cleric as a lackey if they aren't one themselves, to bolster them or free them after the fact. Or if they have no allies, they can just kill whoever bound them so they can't come back with reinforcements, then just wait for the chains to vanish.

Remember that the chain moves in three dimensions. So the undead creature can go underground to avoid aerial assaults, move into a room filled with traps, and take other steps to make a follow-up attack more difficult.


Almost completely useless at low levels against anything you actually hope to defeat... good at higher levels where you can fly off and then blast from long range. At lower level it is a longshot to set up an escape from something that should crush you like a bug so you can either run and KEEP running, or come back the next day and go nova on it.

It can also be used to stop undead creatures from escaping.

DracoDei
2009-07-10, 12:50 PM
It can also be used to stop undead creatures from escaping.
Doh! How did I miss that application? Not that most GMs have creatures run away that often, but still... very useful in that sort of case.

FoE
2009-07-10, 12:53 PM
Sounds like something Tsukiko would be into. :smallwink: