Jack Mann
2007-01-19, 04:40 AM
A bit of background. In my campaign, the god of death doesn't like it when others meddle in his domain. He views the creation of undead as irksome at best, and stealing at worst. So, his death domain is focused heavily on the destruction of undead, rather than their creation. However, he does have Deathless servants.
I first conceived of the Undying Curates as a clerical version of the lich. Sadly, the only Deathless template I could find was the Sacred Watcher, which is essentially a ghost analog. So, sensing a niche waiting to be filled, I made my own, with a more clerical bent than the lich.
They aren't exactly "good liches," insofar as they can be neutral or even evil (Thaan being a neutral deity). However, they tend towards good.
Undying Curates
Undying Curates are Deathless priests, kept in the land of the living to help manage the priesthood of Thaan. They are rarely seen by any outside of the priesthood, though occasionally one will travel beyond the city on Thaan's business.
They resemble the people they were in life, though dried out, their skin stretched over their bones. Their eyes are faded, but retain some small gleam of life.
Along with the spellcasting they had in life, they are able to channel Thaan's will so that it can be communicated to the living. They can also bring the dead back to life, though they often charge a high price for this service, binding the supplicants to some service to Thaan.
Becoming an Undying Curate involves a special ritual that takes one week and must take place in a location sacred to Thaan.
Creating An Undying Curate
"Undying Curate" is an acquired template that can be added to any non-evil humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) capable of performing the proper ritual.
An Undying Curate has all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type
The creature’s type changes to Deathless. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice
Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.
Armor Class
An Undying Curate has a +3 deflection bonus to its armor class.
Attack
An Undying Curate has a touch attack that it can use once per round. If the base creature can use weapons, then Undying Curate retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. An Undying Curate fighting without weapons uses either its touch attack or its primary natural weapon (if it has any). An Undying Curate armed with a weapon uses its touch or a weapon, as it desires.
Full Attack
An Undying Curate fighting without weapons uses either its touch attack (see above) or its natural weapons (if it has any). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack along with a touch as a natural secondary attack, provided it has a way to make that attack (either a free hand or a natural weapon that it can use as a secondary attack).
Damage
An Undying Curate without natural weapons has a touch attack that uses positive energy to deal 1d8+5 points of damage to undead creatures; a Will save (DC 10 + ½ Undying Curate’s HD + Undying Curate’s Cha modifier) halves the damage. An Undying Curate with natural weapons can use its touch attack or its natural weaponry, as it prefers. If it chooses the latter, it deals 1d8+5 points of extra damage on one natural weapon attack.
Special Attacks
An Undying Curate retains all the base creature’s special attacks and gains those described below. Save DCs are equal to 10 + ½ Undying Curate’s HD + Undying Curate’s Cha modifier unless otherwise noted.
Calming Aura (Su)
Undying Curates have a calming influence on those around them. Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at then Undying Curate must succeed on a Will save or be affected as though by a Calm Emotions spell from a cleric of the Undying Curate’s level. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same Undying Curate’s aura for 24 hours.
Spells
An Undying Curate can cast any spells it could cast while alive.
Spell-like Abilities
An Undying Curate with a Wisdom score of 12 or higher gains spell-like abilities. Its caster level is equal to its hit dice, and the save DC is charisma based.
At Will Gentle Repose, 3/day Searing Light and Cure Light Wounds, 1/month Geas/Quest, 1/year Resurrection
Turning
An Undying Curate has the ability to turn undead as a cleric of level four. If the Undying Curate already had the ability to turn undead, its level is effectively four higher for the purpose of turn checks.
Special Qualities
An Undying Curate retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those described below.
Turn Resistance (Ex)
An Undying Curate has +4 turn resistance.
Damage Reduction (Su)
An Undying Curate’s undead body is tough and strengthened through holy rituals, giving the creature damage reduction 10/bludgeoning and cold iron.
Immunities (Ex)
Undying Curates have immunity to cold, acid, and polymorph (though they can use polymorph effects on themselves).
Abilities
Increase from the base creature as follows: Int +2, Wis +4, Cha +2. Being undead, an Undying Curate has no Constitution score.
Skills
Undying Curates have a +8 racial bonus on Diplomacy, Intimidate, Listen, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.
Organization
Solitary or congregation (1 Undying Curate, plus 2-4 paladins and 5-8 warriors in service to Thaan).
Challenge Rating
Same as the base creature + 2.
Treasure
Standard coins; double goods; double items.
Alignment
Usually neutral good.
Advancement
By character class.
Level Adjustment
Same as the base creature +4.
I first conceived of the Undying Curates as a clerical version of the lich. Sadly, the only Deathless template I could find was the Sacred Watcher, which is essentially a ghost analog. So, sensing a niche waiting to be filled, I made my own, with a more clerical bent than the lich.
They aren't exactly "good liches," insofar as they can be neutral or even evil (Thaan being a neutral deity). However, they tend towards good.
Undying Curates
Undying Curates are Deathless priests, kept in the land of the living to help manage the priesthood of Thaan. They are rarely seen by any outside of the priesthood, though occasionally one will travel beyond the city on Thaan's business.
They resemble the people they were in life, though dried out, their skin stretched over their bones. Their eyes are faded, but retain some small gleam of life.
Along with the spellcasting they had in life, they are able to channel Thaan's will so that it can be communicated to the living. They can also bring the dead back to life, though they often charge a high price for this service, binding the supplicants to some service to Thaan.
Becoming an Undying Curate involves a special ritual that takes one week and must take place in a location sacred to Thaan.
Creating An Undying Curate
"Undying Curate" is an acquired template that can be added to any non-evil humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) capable of performing the proper ritual.
An Undying Curate has all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type
The creature’s type changes to Deathless. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice
Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.
Armor Class
An Undying Curate has a +3 deflection bonus to its armor class.
Attack
An Undying Curate has a touch attack that it can use once per round. If the base creature can use weapons, then Undying Curate retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. An Undying Curate fighting without weapons uses either its touch attack or its primary natural weapon (if it has any). An Undying Curate armed with a weapon uses its touch or a weapon, as it desires.
Full Attack
An Undying Curate fighting without weapons uses either its touch attack (see above) or its natural weapons (if it has any). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack along with a touch as a natural secondary attack, provided it has a way to make that attack (either a free hand or a natural weapon that it can use as a secondary attack).
Damage
An Undying Curate without natural weapons has a touch attack that uses positive energy to deal 1d8+5 points of damage to undead creatures; a Will save (DC 10 + ½ Undying Curate’s HD + Undying Curate’s Cha modifier) halves the damage. An Undying Curate with natural weapons can use its touch attack or its natural weaponry, as it prefers. If it chooses the latter, it deals 1d8+5 points of extra damage on one natural weapon attack.
Special Attacks
An Undying Curate retains all the base creature’s special attacks and gains those described below. Save DCs are equal to 10 + ½ Undying Curate’s HD + Undying Curate’s Cha modifier unless otherwise noted.
Calming Aura (Su)
Undying Curates have a calming influence on those around them. Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at then Undying Curate must succeed on a Will save or be affected as though by a Calm Emotions spell from a cleric of the Undying Curate’s level. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same Undying Curate’s aura for 24 hours.
Spells
An Undying Curate can cast any spells it could cast while alive.
Spell-like Abilities
An Undying Curate with a Wisdom score of 12 or higher gains spell-like abilities. Its caster level is equal to its hit dice, and the save DC is charisma based.
At Will Gentle Repose, 3/day Searing Light and Cure Light Wounds, 1/month Geas/Quest, 1/year Resurrection
Turning
An Undying Curate has the ability to turn undead as a cleric of level four. If the Undying Curate already had the ability to turn undead, its level is effectively four higher for the purpose of turn checks.
Special Qualities
An Undying Curate retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those described below.
Turn Resistance (Ex)
An Undying Curate has +4 turn resistance.
Damage Reduction (Su)
An Undying Curate’s undead body is tough and strengthened through holy rituals, giving the creature damage reduction 10/bludgeoning and cold iron.
Immunities (Ex)
Undying Curates have immunity to cold, acid, and polymorph (though they can use polymorph effects on themselves).
Abilities
Increase from the base creature as follows: Int +2, Wis +4, Cha +2. Being undead, an Undying Curate has no Constitution score.
Skills
Undying Curates have a +8 racial bonus on Diplomacy, Intimidate, Listen, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.
Organization
Solitary or congregation (1 Undying Curate, plus 2-4 paladins and 5-8 warriors in service to Thaan).
Challenge Rating
Same as the base creature + 2.
Treasure
Standard coins; double goods; double items.
Alignment
Usually neutral good.
Advancement
By character class.
Level Adjustment
Same as the base creature +4.