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Arakune
2007-07-14, 11:21 PM
When he rescued me I thought my life was saved, but that lasted until I realized he wasn't the common 'knight in shinning armor'. His touch was cold like the winter, but only when he took off his armor it became as bright as the sunlight: mixed with the normal, healty color of his skin, I saw the pale, dead flesh, and when he cut himself with a knife (he's a little clumsy) he only said 'oh, better clean the knife' and the cut almost didn't spill any blood I was shocked! That day I thought I scaped from one monster, only the grasp of another.


Princess Dalia diary

No one knows exactly who, what or when this condicion appeared in the world, but the legends says it came from an ancient fallen empire, that wanted to create the ultimate soldier at low cost, but that was also the reason the empire fall. At least, that what say one legend. The other one say it's an ancient dicease that killed the people and raised then as undead, repeating the process indefinitely, and the current form are an much weaker type of the original evil, but still letal to most of the population. The more optimistcs say that one of those legends are true, while the most pessimistcs say that both are true. Unfortunately, the later ones seen more acurate, since evidences of arqueological escavations recently discovered remains of an Evil enslavist empire that fall due "unknow forces" and "extremely quick, altough the empire power was trully unmached by any country of his time" and at the same time the empire was fighting some "deadly dicesase, immune to conventional medicine or magic". To strengthen the teory, today some focus of an unusual dicease, incurable by normal magic or medicinal herbs (tough not always letal) that some times infuses this condition to the survivals. But the ways to get this condition are usualy extremely random, and people experiencing the same symptoms fo the strange dicease have diferent results, from death (painless and unespected death to one years and years of incredible pain and agony) to "harmless" post effects (weak~strong headche from time to time, unnatural strong sexual desire, or acne).
The people say it's a divine punishment, bard's say it was a key of self-destrution that lead an evil empire to his inevitable fall, and the goverment's of today just stay silenced.
Either enjoing the ocasional mercenaries that join his forces in this dificult time period, or trying to make thenselves and new army of Half-undeads.



Half-Undead are a acquired template only applicable on living creatures.

Alignment: as base-creature
Size: as base-creature
Type: undead in additon of current type
HD: as base-creature
AC: as base-creature
Abilities: +2 Str, -2 Dex, Con -
Base Attack: as base-creature
Attacks: as base-creature
Damage: as base-creature
Bonus Feats: Great Fortitute
Saves: as base-creature (also, see text)
Skills: as base-creature
Special Attacks: as base-creature
Special Qualities: Half-Undead Traits[Ext], Reckless[Ext], Evil Aura [Ext], Brothers in Arms[Ext]
Environment: As base creature.
Organization: Any.
Challenge Rating: As base creature +2~+3
Treasure: As base creature.
Advancement: As base creature.
Level Adjustment: +2

Special Qualities description:

Reckless[Ext]: The half-undead are immune to any kind of pain, either natural or magical, giving him a incredible self-confidence. He gain a morale bonus of +4 on any fear effect, magical or not.

Half-Undead Traits [Ext]: As a half-undead creature, he shares part of the benefits of both an undead and a living creature. The Half-undead have all Undead traits, except by these described below:

Don't have Darkvision.
Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless, or it's a death effect);
It's still affected by mind-affecting effects normaly
Ressurection or True Ressurection spell destroy half-undeads insted of removing the template of then. The half-undead can make a Fort save (DC 10+divine caster level/2 + Wis mod) to resist the destruction
Immunity to turn/rebuke undead, but in "Undead" mode he can be turned (but not controled or destroied).
He are still affected by critical hits and precision based attacks (such as sneak attack), but the total amount of damage he takes from those attacks can't exced half his HP (furter damage from that sources are ignored).
Loses all (Con mod) bonus/penalty on HP.
He can heal only half of his total HP with rest or negative energy, the other half can be healed only with negative energy.
If he are dropped to 1/10 of his total HP he enter in "undead" mode and get -6 Cha, -4 Int, -2 Wis (these stats can't drop below 2 horever) and an incredible urge to eat (it needs a Will save with DC 20 each 5 minutes to surpress). It lasts until his HP are above 1/10 of his total HP.
The half-undead still needs to eat and drink, but from now on he will prefer recently killed meat.
The half-undead still need to breath, but he can hold the breath for 3 times the normal for the base-creature.


Evil Aura [Ext]: Because of his undead part, a Half-undead have a strong evil aura, regardless of his real aligment. Any aligment based magic effect/event will detect them as "evil" (it can even trick magical weapons, and it's up to DM if artifacts can be tricked too). A True Seeing spell will show their true aligment from now on, but only for the caster.

Brothers in Arms [Ext]: Half-undeads can make a special bluff check with (Bluff + (HD or class level /4) + Cha) against the DC of (highest HD of all uniteligent undead presents + highest Cha mod of then +10) to be ignored by an uniteligent undead, unless it's especifically ordered to attack him or attacked first. Half-undeads have circunstancial bonus of +(HD or class level/4) on his disguise check to pass by as one more uninteligent undead against Inteligent Undead.

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Ok, some changes and specifications.

Arakune
2007-07-16, 11:35 AM
wait! it's too powerfull? too much complicated? or it just s****?

please review!

psychoticbarber
2007-07-16, 12:45 PM
When he rescued me I tough thought my life was saved, but that lasted until I realized he aren't wasn't the common 'knight in shinning armor'. His touch was cold like the winter, but only when he take took off his armor it became as bright as the sunlight mixed with the normal, healthy color of his skin. I saw the pale, death dead flesh, and when he cut himself with a knife (he's a little clumsy) he only said 'oh, better clean the knife' and the cut almost didn't split spill any blood! I was shocked! That day I tough thought I escaped from one monster, only to fall into the grasp of anotherone.

I saw your place of origin was Brazil, so I thought I'd do you a favour and fix the english. I think this is what you meant to say.

Edit: Please correct me if I misinterpreted, I'm trying to help, not make fun of you or anything evil like that.

Khantalas
2007-07-16, 12:53 PM
wait! it's too powerfull? too much complicated? or it just s****?

please review!

Yes, review. Reviews are good.

Sadly, I stopped reading after realizing I am not good enough at English to make sense of what you wrote. But it feels complicated, if that helps.

Let me help you with something else, though. I needed help at that myself, so it's not a bad thing. Learn how to "speak D&D". Which is, to explain mechanics the way other D&D books do. While this is obviously not like other templates, it helps to know how types are explained and stuff.

Also, why is the idea of something not quite dead and not quite alive so common? I have been trying to think of a race based on a similar concept myself.

Arakune
2007-07-16, 01:09 PM
Yes, review. Reviews are good.

Sadly, I stopped reading after realizing I am not good enough at English to make sense of what you wrote. But it feels complicated, if that helps.

Let me help you with something else, though. I needed help at that myself, so it's not a bad thing. Learn how to "speak D&D". Which is, to explain mechanics the way other D&D books do. While this is obviously not like other templates, it helps to know how types are explained and stuff.

Also, why is the idea of something not quite dead and not quite alive so common? I have been trying to think of a race based on a similar concept myself.

sure!
well, i will let it there just as reference for futere uses.
------------
o yeah, I revamped the template, now it's less complicated.

cody.burton
2007-07-17, 10:35 AM
I really like the idea, but I have a couple things crunch-wise:

It seems pretty powerful for LA +0 - IIRC, the Necropolitan template is LA +1 with fewer immunities.

Also, what happens to a good creature with this template? It says that they ping as evil for detect evil, but does that mean that they no longer register as good? What if a paladin had this template?

Arakune
2007-07-17, 01:11 PM
I really like the idea, but I have a couple things crunch-wise:

It seems pretty powerful for LA +0 - IIRC, the Necropolitan template is LA +1 with fewer immunities.

Also, what happens to a good creature with this template? It says that they ping as evil for detect evil, but does that mean that they no longer register as good? What if a paladin had this template?

his normal aligment won't change, just that you have an very strong affinity with negative energy, and since negative energy = evil then you show as evil.
A god will (hopefully) see his normal aligment insted of his current condition, the only time he will be close to fall it's when he have his normal HP dorpped to 0, when he just ignore everything and try to unleash his undead instics: kill and eat.
I let the choise of when the option of killing his own friends to eat their flesh up to DM.

About power, I guess some tune down can be done, but the template itself are made to be strong, since it's suposed to be an ancient weapon device from fallen civilization.

Khantalas
2007-07-17, 01:14 PM
his normal aligment won't change, just that you have an very strong affinity with negative energy, and since negative energy = evil then you show as evil.

Ahem...

Inflict spells. Negative energy. Not evil.

Harm. Negative energy. Not evil.

Negative Energy Plane. Negative Energy. Not evil.

Should I go on?

Arakune
2007-07-17, 01:46 PM
Ahem...

Inflict spells. Negative energy. Not evil.

Harm. Negative energy. Not evil.

Negative Energy Plane. Negative Energy. Not evil.

Should I go on?

I also don't think it's right, if that's what you mean, but the way the game mechanics put it, it's pratically negative=bad.
If you say so, then Inflict spell = amoral spell. That's make sense, since magic is just a tool for the caster, but when in the SRD you get exemples like this:


A good cleric (or a cleric of a good deity) can spontaneously cast a cure spell in place of a prepared spell of the same level or higher, but not in place of a domain spell. An evil cleric (or a cleric of an evil deity) can spontaneously cast an inflict spell in place of a prepared spell (one that is not a domain spell) of the same level or higher.

You can argue that, since he are a good cleric, he must protect life and so the choise of spells, and an evil cleric will try to corrupt/destroy life, that's why they get the inflict.

But since an Inflict/Cure spell are an amoral magic, then why the good/evil cleric can't do the same with the Inflic/Cure spell? Harm the evil guy with divine punishment, or heal himself or ocasional alies, so you can spread the great evil more easily.

By raw, it's most common to say that Negative Energy = evil in 60~75% of all the material published, altough from the pratical view it's ratter ingenuity.

Also, I need an excuse. If that isn't enough, you can say that template was made by an Evil fallen empire as a way to make more powerfull soldiers at low cost and the original creation involved sacrifices and pain and all that evil stuff, but the original magic went out of control, becoming some short of dicease that killed and turned the entire population in mindless, uncontrolable, undead army that spreaded more fast than the evil wizard/s could destroy/scape diyng soon after, and the current ways to get this templet it's eiter emulate the ancient magic (getting this template instead of the more powerfull one, lost forever), be subject of some last remaining dicease focus and survive (the dicease are much less powerfull now) or by the classical "a wizard did it™: random edition".
--------------

changed the effect. That's fit's more the concept

DracoDei
2007-07-18, 09:58 AM
I agree it would be LA +1 or more... adds some nice immunities and stuff. Seems like Cure spells will cure half of their hitpoints just fine so they can benefit from both... how are the points of damage usually split between the two sets? Easily cured first except for critical hits?
I assume they can't be Turned(let alone destroyed), Rebuked, or Commanded...

All in all I like it, but it needs more fluff (non-mechanical explaination such as history, society (can they reproduce with fully living members of their kind? etc).

Arakune
2007-07-18, 05:12 PM
I agree it would be LA +1 or more... adds some nice immunities and stuff. Seems like Cure spells will cure half of their hitpoints just fine so they can benefit from both... how are the points of damage usually split between the two sets? Easily cured first except for critical hits?
I assume they can't be Turned(let alone destroyed), Rebuked, or Commanded...

All in all I like it, but it needs more fluff (non-mechanical explaination such as history, society (can they reproduce with fully living members of their kind? etc).

Cure spell will damage both. I will let more clear about the hp.

hum.... guess an LA +1 should do the job.

aaron_the_cow
2007-07-19, 12:06 PM
I also don't think it's right, if that's what you mean, but the way the game mechanics put it, it's pratically negative=bad.
If you say so, then Inflict spell = amoral spell. That's make sense, since magic is just a tool for the caster, but when in the SRD you get exemples like this:



OK...
This is one of my pet-peves. I hate how every-one thinks negative energy=evil. Then that means positve energy=good. so the evil claric who is casting a cure light on his friend, is good because he is using positve energy (I say its up to the god if they can cast curelights because otherwise how do they alwayes heal up). and the ceric reading Harm off a scroll to kill the BBEG is evil.
where all saying "death is not as good as life" because where alive and thats what were used to. but in a DnD world, somewere in the prime theres a word that is inhabited by good intelegent undead who are trying to kill off the evil, crule positve energy people. why cant there be a good necromancer who brings zombies back to care for the elderly. feeding them and cleening them while no one else is around to do it.

Arakune
2007-07-20, 09:35 AM
OK...
This is one of my pet-peves. I hate how every-one thinks negative energy=evil. Then that means positve energy=good. so the evil claric who is casting a cure light on his friend, is good because he is using positve energy (I say its up to the god if they can cast curelights because otherwise how do they alwayes heal up). and the ceric reading Harm off a scroll to kill the BBEG is evil.
where all saying "death is not as good as life" because where alive and thats what were used to. but in a DnD world, somewere in the prime theres a word that is inhabited by good intelegent undead who are trying to kill off the evil, crule positve energy people. why cant there be a good necromancer who brings zombies back to care for the elderly. feeding them and cleening them while no one else is around to do it.

That's what I think too, and by the same reason in my country most famous campaing setting (beats FH, Eberron and Core), the necromancer can be of any aligment (altough it's not everywere he will be openly acepted) and liches don't need to be "Always" evil. They rulled that the "unspocable evil" act are just putting his own soul in to the philactery, and that's not a "soo much evil thing" (but almost all of the liches are evil, since good mages don't like to be an putrefed walking corpses), and much more.

But, again, that's too much off topic. Also, what do you think of the template? you still didn't said anything about it :smallfrown:

aaron_the_cow
2007-07-20, 11:44 AM
I think the template is good. The only thing is if there "half undead" shouldn't cures heal half of there needs and harms the other? what it seems like your doing is puting a sole in a undead body, so then shouldn't it be somthing like harms for phisical damage and cures for mental/sole magic stuff. if thats not the flavor, srry.


BTW...
most liches are evil because it takes evil acts to acend to lichdom.

Arakune
2007-07-20, 11:53 AM
I think the template is good. The only thing is if there "half undead" shouldn't cures heal half of there needs and harms the other? what it seems like your doing is puting a sole in a undead body, so then shouldn't it be somthing like harms for phisical damage and cures for mental/sole magic stuff. if thats not the flavor, srry.


BTW...
most liches are evil because it takes evil acts to acend to lichdom.

the template are for an "almost dead" guy.
He are not entirely an undead, also (as far i saw) no one saw that when his normal HP dropos to -10 (his alive part are "dead"), he become more like an mindless zombie, ratter than a powerfull undead. Think then as an undead with some organs functional, and the alive part giving then some control over his instincts.

Also, you guy's don't quite have the same half-constructs templates and races as i'm suposed to deal, so some adaptation have to be done.

Naga-Darmag
2007-07-22, 08:20 AM
There are some things I think might become a problem with the half-undead and other sings I personally just don’t like.

I have pleased my suggestions under a spoiler because it became quite long.




Reckless[Ext]: The half-undead are immune to any kind of pain, either natural or magical, giving him a incredible self-confidence. He gain a bonus of +8 on any fear effect, magical or not. Altough being immune to pain has it advantages, it has his flaws: the half-undead can't do delicate hand-working. It gets -4 on all skill checks that involve this kind of work.

I don’t have any real problems with this one, I just cant se why a half-undead get a penalty on something a intelligent unded have no problems with.


Not affected by raise dead and reincarnate spells or abilities. Resurrection and true resurrection can affect half-undead creatures. These spells destroy half-undead instead of turning then back into the way they were before acquiring this template.

So I takes a Resurrection or true resurrection (or simply hitting them over the head till they are dead) followed by another Resurrection or true resurrection (costing a level in the process) to get rid of the template? Or maybe a proper worded which? Either way, its hard to get rid of fore a template that give so much trouble in its current form (se more ramblings on that below), so I don’t recommend springing this on your players without there consent.


Proficient with its natural weapons, all simple weapons, and any weapons mentioned in its entry. Also, proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Half-undead not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Half-undead are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any.

This part I just confusing so lets try to cut I down to something simple.

”Proficient with its natural weapons” the half undead doses not gain any new natural weapons, and its already proficient with any natural weapons it already have from the base creature.

”and any weapons mentioned in its entry. Also, proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Half-undead not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor” this also seems to refer to the base creature and in that case it already have those proficiencies.

”Half-undead are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any.” This one I have no idée what you men but I thin it is the same as the other to.

If we take out those parts we end up with Half-undead gains proficiency with all simple weapons.


His Con score are divided by two affecting his next level up or progression HP and affecting his Fort save.

This is one of the things I have the most trouble with.

1) a reduced (or increased) con score normally affect not only the next hd it gains but all the hd it already have. A level 5 fighter with 12 con and average hp will lose more then 1/3 of his hp when he gains this template.

2) this also makes a Half-undead not ecviped wich con bosting magic more vulnerable to those con based spells that is effective against undead (like disintegrate) then real undead, because a Half-undead will almost always have a penalty on con and unded (because they have no con) have nether a bonus or penalty.

This doesn’t sound like a cheep and effective solder. I recommend instead just dividing any bonus or penalty a Half-undead gains from a high or low con (rounded down). In other words a Half-undead with a con of 14-17 have a com modifier of +1 instead of +2 or 3.

Also I recommend throwing in something about rerolling its currant hp using d12s because that’s how normal undead work. I se that you have done so in the example but that’s easy to miss. So a level 5 character with 15 con starts his new almost life with 4d12 + 12 (first level hd always full) +5 (con mod of +1 * 5) hp.


Half of his HP will heal normaly with rest (but not with normal healing magic or potions), while the other half can be healed only with negative energy. When the half-undead receives or cure damage, it's split equaly between the normal and undead part (if it's an even numbered amount, the extra point will go to undead HP instead).

Do you really want to keep track of to different sets of hp. I know I don’t. a (in my opinion) simpler way of doing it might be to half the natural healing rate and let the half undead get the Cha, Int & Wis peneltys when its currant hp drops below 1/4 of its max hp (or con drops to 0).


Critical hit's will only harm the normal HP. Any instance of toughness feat will add to the undead HP.

If you keep the normal and undead hp variant you might want to ad that sneak attack and similar damage also only harm the normal HP.


If his normal HP drops to -10 or his Con score drops to 0, he will stil be alive, but with -6 Cha, -4 Int, -2 Wis (it can't drop below 2 horever) and an incredible urge to eat as much it can (it needs an Will save with DC 20 each 5 minutes to surpress). It take [Con] days before his HP are restored to 0 or his Con score to return to 1.

So the healthier its alive part was the longer it takes to recover to a minimum of existents? This seems wrong somehow. Maybe 10-con modifier number of days (or 5 - con mod days if you keep the con/2 version you have now). You might also want to throw in something about immunity to turn/rebuke undead and let it lose this immunity when this condition kicks in.





In the end if you don’t se any problems with the half-undead feel free to ignore my rantings. After al you are the creator of the half-undead.

If you se the problem with one ore more of the tings I have pointed out but don’t like my idée’s fell free to modify or come up with something new.

TwentiesFTW
2007-07-22, 03:01 PM
I've got to say that the biggest problem with your template is its too complicated.

For instance, immunity to pain-based effects is a very broad term. Does that mean he's immune to spells that cause wracking pain as a form of distraction? How does one govern that sort of adjudication on a case-by-case basis? D&D is a bit delicate and sort of requires a strict ruling when possible. The biggest problem with the Reckless ability there, is the fact that you've stated that his immunity to pain confers a bonus to morale checks as its benefit. Similarly, immunity to pain doesn't make one less able to manipulate objects, a reduced or absent sense of touch or a reduced agility does. After all, there are many intelligent and non-intelligent undead who are capable of dexterous manipulation. More importantly, how does the penalty affect spellcasters? I would certainly argue that the intricacies of somatic components qualify as fine manipulation.

The constitution thing has been touched on, and it really is kind of complex for all the reasons aforementioned. Maybe you might want to think of running your template like Half-Golem ala MMII? Where upon gaining the template, one has to make a saving throw, and failing that throw, they become evil in alignment and start wanting only fresh meat. If they make it, then their alignment looks wrong to detection, but stays the same, and they simply crave and prefer fresh killed meat. I don't know that the meat thing is something that should be so much a rule as it is a flavor bit. The same way that elves trance instead of sleep. Its functionally like sleep, but it gives them a flavor bit. Maybe if you amended this template to Half-Ghoul? Ghouls are reasonably ravenous and chaotic, aren't they? Because really, not all undead eat meat, or at all, do they? The other thing about the con/hit point issue is, when the half-undead drops to -10, it becomes a ravenous undead-like creature, yes? Well, most things die then. So when does thing actually die? Or is it simply unkillable? Food for thought.


If its a template, then the creature already has certain proficiencies. Do they really gain sudden insight into the use of the sickle and crossbow when they become half-undead? I think you probably read the Undead Traits section of the Monster Manual and adapted each entry to fit your template, but as a template, it probably shouldn't bestow sudden knowledge upon the creature. Thats just my opinion, unless its the sort of template that also includes an Int bonus. I could maybe see it then. For example, does a Half-Undead Dire Wolf instinctively understand how to wield a spear now that its half-undead? I think you could safely drop the proficiencies. Because again, in regards to the armor, does that mean that, if my character (a wizard) is wearing full-plate at the time of his gaining this template (it is therefore in his entry under AC), he gains proficiency with it and all lighter armors? Doesn't quite add up, lol ^_^

I like the Brothers in Arms thing, but I think you should drop the part about intelligent undead. Mainly because they're intelligent. I know if I where a Lich, and I met another Lich, I'd be less likely to trust him then I would a human. Because he's a Lich, and I'm a Lich, and I know what I get up to for fun, and it tends to be the three D's: Deceit, Destruction, and Domination. I'd expect him to do the same. The unintelligent undead thing, that I like. They're dumb, and not likely to notice. The way an intelligent undead reacts is probably more RP based.

I like the idea of the template. And I like a lot of the ways your going with it. I do. I just think it has some bumps to be smoothed out. I think mostly Half-Undead is too broad a term for any template, because undead are even less like other creatures in that they have soo many varying weaknesses and susceptibilities and strengths. They come in the mindless and not mindless variety, and even then, they can vary in shape and size and intellect. Some are destroyed by sunlight, others indifferent. Some need to feed on certain things, some don't. I think you'd be better to pick a certain type of undead and work that way. There is, for example, a Half-Vampire template. You could easily make this a Half-Ghoul, or Half-Zombie template. I think that would make more sense of this, a bit. Hope that was constructive. It wasn't meant in a negative light whatsoever. The template does feel a little flavorless, which is why I suggest the more distinctive template name. Half-Undead. I'd love to hear how one actually aquires this template. Your flavor text suggested theories, but as the DM and thusly God, how does it really happen?

Keep up the good work. I'd love to see a second draft of this. Its definitely worth fixing up. If I didn't give you what you where looking for, my apologies ^_^

giblina
2007-07-22, 05:41 PM
THis template breaks when applied to a creature with regeneration.

Your half-dead is immune to non-lethal damage.
Regeneration turns all physical damage into non-lethal damage.

Half-dead troll is immune to all physical damage.

Regeneration's "balancing" feature is that it can only be given to creatures with a constitution score, and no creatures of undead type have a con score.

Your half-dead template has it's cake and eats it too and breaks the game.

TwentiesFTW
2007-07-22, 06:12 PM
I'd assume that only the non-undead hp would be subject to that regeneration? but I guess its not my part to make that assumption...

Arakune
2007-07-22, 06:25 PM
space reserved for answer.

Also, i will try to be more specific later.


I'd assume that only the non-undead hp would be subject to that regeneration? but I guess its not my part to make that assumption...

that' right. only the non-undead hp are subject to regeneration, also, I rewrited the template, check it out.



For instance, immunity to pain-based effects is a very broad term. Does that mean he's immune to spells that cause wracking pain as a form of distraction? How does one govern that sort of adjudication on a case-by-case basis? D&D is a bit delicate and sort of requires a strict ruling when possible. The biggest problem with the Reckless ability there, is the fact that you've stated that his immunity to pain confers a bonus to morale checks as its benefit. Similarly, immunity to pain doesn't make one less able to manipulate objects, a reduced or absent sense of touch or a reduced agility does. After all, there are many intelligent and non-intelligent undead who are capable of dexterous manipulation. More importantly, how does the penalty affect spellcasters? I would certainly argue that the intricacies of somatic components qualify as fine manipulation.

Checked in the template, i guess that would make more sence. Also all penalty are specified.


The constitution thing has been touched on, and it really is kind of complex for all the reasons aforementioned. Maybe you might want to think of running your template like Half-Golem ala MMII? Where upon gaining the template, one has to make a saving throw, and failing that throw, they become evil in alignment and start wanting only fresh meat. If they make it, then their alignment looks wrong to detection, but stays the same, and they simply crave and prefer fresh killed meat. I don't know that the meat thing is something that should be so much a rule as it is a flavor bit. The same way that elves trance instead of sleep. Its functionally like sleep, but it gives them a flavor bit. Maybe if you amended this template to Half-Ghoul? Ghouls are reasonably ravenous and chaotic, aren't they? Because really, not all undead eat meat, or at all, do they? The other thing about the con/hit point issue is, when the half-undead drops to -10, it becomes a ravenous undead-like creature, yes? Well, most things die then. So when does thing actually die? Or is it simply unkillable? Food for thought.

Not exactly, I usualy played with one rpg system very simple, and it was really simple to split the hp in to two XX/XX points (it didn't have critical's either) and the Resistence (the games Con) are aplicable to both undead and living creatures (but the undead have a lot of immunities) and they almost never realy did a save (if they had Res>Spell level, they altomaticaly succeded the save).
But I changed the HP description, I gess now (altough it's more complex than normal) have less things to computate, and now they die when his total HP drop to 0.

Also, altough elves trance, they don't sleep (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/elf.htm).


So I takes a Resurrection or true resurrection (or simply hitting them over the head till they are dead) followed by another Resurrection or true resurrection (costing a level in the process) to get rid of the template? Or maybe a proper worded which? Either way, its hard to get rid of fore a template that give so much trouble in its current form (se more ramblings on that below), so I don’t recommend springing this on your players without there consent.

That's why the template are acquired. It's not suposed to be gained just by "asking" the DM. Also, I changed the part of ressurection. They can't be ressurected (see the first post).


”Proficient with i...
My bad. (Never Ctrl+c Ctrl+v the SRD witouth reading what you realy posted.


So a level 5 character with 15 con starts his new almost life with 4d12 + 12 (first level hd always full) +5 (con mod of +1 * 5) hp.

They don't re-roll the HP, the HP just adjust to his current condition.



So the healthier its alive part was the longer it takes to recover to a minimum of existents? This seems wrong somehow. Maybe 10-con modifier number of days (or 5 - con mod days if you keep the con/2 version you have now). You might also want to throw in something about immunity to turn/rebuke undead and let it lose this immunity when this condition kicks in.

No. If he was more healthier, it takes more time for him to "reanimate" the normal HP.
Also, he are now always (because of his alive part) immune to rebule/control/turn undead (but not destroy undead). This condition are more like rage, were he gets all the negative stats and the restriction on actions.

Arakune
2007-07-30, 04:56 PM
I don't think this is treat nocromancy, but....

okay, updated for the last time the class. also updated some of my previous work. gess now is a little more playable.

Matthew
2007-08-01, 05:54 PM
I quite like this idea. Half Undead Warriors created by a failing empire. Mechanically, it looks okay. I would like to see an example of the application of this Templete, though.

Arakune
2007-08-01, 09:46 PM
right on!
-----------------------

"The Kind Reaper"
Age: appears 19 (80 on reality)
Fighter 1/Ranger 14
HP: 15d12, (110)
Aligment: TN
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 15 (10 -1 dex, +4 armor, +2 ring)
Abilities: Str 14 (+1), Dex 8 (-1), Con -, Int 16 (+3), Wis 18 (+4), Cha 16 (+3)
Feats: Iron Will (1st), Weapon Focus: Short Sword (fighter), Persuasive (human), Great fortutute (bonus), Track (ranger), Endurance (ranger), Two-weapon Fighting (ranger), Improved Two-weapon fighting (ranger), Greater Two-weapon Fighting (ranger), Weapon Focus: Long Sword (3rd), Run (6th), Power Attack (9th), Cleave (12th), Great Cleave (15th)
Saves: Fort +11(+2), Ref: +9 (-1), Will: +4(+2)
Skills: Climb 18, Jump 18, Handle Animal 18, Survival 18, Swin 18, Heal 4, Hide 4, Knowledge (nature) 4, Listen 8, Profession (Hunter) 4, Search 4, Spot 8, Knowledge (Royality/Noblity[CC]) 4, Ride 4
Class features: Simple/Martial Weapons, Ligth/Medium/Heavy armor, Shileds and Tower Shiled proficiency; Favored enemy (human, dragon, undead), Wild empaty; Animal Companion (dead, he still didn't take another one); Woodland Stride; Swift tracker; Evasion;
Special Qualities: +2 Str/-2 Dex/Con 0; Half-undead Traits[Ex]; Reckless [Ex]; Always Evil [Ex]; Brothers In Arms [Ex];
Ranger Spells most used: 1st: Pass without Trace, Jump, Longstrider, Alarm, Charm Animal; 2nd: Cure/Inflict Light Wounds, Owl’s Wisdom, Cat’s Grace, Protection from Energy, Hold Animal; 3rd: Cure/Inflict Moderate Wounds, Water Walk, Summon Nature’s Ally III; 4th: Commune with Nature, Nondetection, Cure Serious Wounds, Tree Stride.

Always carring: 'Smile and Die', a pair of one +3, human-bane, wounding, keen, short sword and one +3 human-bane, wounding, kenn, long sword; Ring of Protection +2; Ring of Mind Shielding; 'Noble Protection', a Silent Move, Shadow, Glamered, Mithral Chain Skirt; 'Wach eye', a magic item replacing his old right eye that have always active Detect Magic, Darkvision (60 ft.), See Invisibility and can use 3/day the X-Ray Ability (as the X-Ray ring), but at each round he lets the eye uncovered he loses 5 HP; a pendant made with a red dragon scale (only decorative).

History: He was just a hunter aprendice (17th years at time) when he got the call from the army: the enemy country was trying to invade the southen border and he had to go, even if he didn't want to. When he entered in the army, he discovered that most of the soldiers are just kids, some even younger than him, and it didn't need to be a genius to know it would be a ownslaught, but his comander was a very good person (for a man in that position) and he trained then all the best he could. the invasion never came but they weren't allowed to go home, and after some weeks, wizards and scholars came to acampment, doing researchs and experiments. After some time the soldiers became sick and many died, and some of then entered in "quarantine", were the wizards keep testing more and more "medicine" on then to try to discover a "cure".
One night, the wizards make an mistake on the potion brewing and the whole acampment was covered by a extremely poison fog, killing everyone on there. Except one. He was aflicted by the "dead walker" dicease, and his simptons were: huge fever, loss of coordination, numbness, dificulty to breath, problems with memory and alucinations. His name was Balner Strench.
No one know much about him in these late years, except that he are a notorius mercenary, hates the nobles, "defeated" a dragon, had an affair with one(!!!) and are currently in custody with princess Dalia, the granddaughter of the king of his time.