Playing Undead Characters [3.5]

[D4rkh0rus]

Playing an undead character often means that you don't have to worry about some stuff (mainly most control type spells and the like) but you do have to worry about two very specific things, HP (if you hit 0 you auto disintegrate, so you cant hit 0, even if a spell would allow you to) and Turn undead from enemy (and even your own party's) clerics

As an undead character, what can be done to combat those two. for the sake of type, lets say the undead is a stock necropolitan human. no other template added.
so they have int, but still exhibit con -

What ways are there to raise their HP, or to make them so that they dont automatically die at 0hp?

[Sam K]

Don't forget they also lack con, and thus have pretty bad fort saves (though they may be immnune to some stuff that may require them to make fortitude saves in the first place).

We discussed this in another thread, and going martial adept with some defensive moves would help alot. You can replace fort saves with a conc check, for example.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Say you were made into an undead creature by an individual with levels in Dread Necromancer 8+, Wizard 1+ with Enhanced Undead, the entire Corpsecrafter line of feats in Libris Mortis, and within the area of a Fell Energy Desecrate (+1 becomes +3) with an evil altar present (+3 doubles to +6). The multiple different Enhancement bonuses to your Str and Dex won't stack since they're all the same bonus type, but you'll get the following permanent benefits added onto whatever undead template/race you use, free of charge:

+4 Enhancement bonus to Strength and Dexterity
+12 HP per HD
+10 ft. base land speed
+4 initiative
+2 natural armor
+4 turn resistance
+1d6 cold damage on natural weapon attacks

[Cranthis]

Undead are immune to any effect that requires a fortitude save, unless it works on objects or is harmless.

As for raising hitpoints, there is always toughness. Don't take toughness. You could always find a way to get some contingent healing/harm spells set on you.

[Alex12]

If you're playing a Necropolitan, a level of Dread Necromancer means that you can always fix your own injuries in a matter of minutes. It won't increase your max HP, but you'll probably never start a fight at anything less than full.

[lord_khaine]

Say you were made into an undead creature by an individual with levels in Dread Necromancer 8+, Wizard 1+ with Enhanced Undead, the entire Corpsecrafter line of feats in Libris Mortis, and within the area of a Fell Energy Desecrate (+1 becomes +3) with an evil altar present (+3 doubles to +6). The multiple different Enhancement bonuses to your Str and Dex won't stack since they're all the same bonus type, but you'll get the following permanent benefits added onto whatever undead template/race you use, free of charge:

And how exactly is this different from the other player who then explains how his father was a legendary hero who is now retired, and that he therefore starts with items for ½ a million gold as well as a silver dragon mount...?

[Blackhawk748]

Well if you were an Elf you could take Faerie Mysteries Initiate to get Int to HP, which is really nice.


@Lord_Khaine: That particular trick only works if you become a Necropolitan in play and said hypothetical caster is most likely in your party, and even then you DM may want to beat you with a large library.

[Aegis013]

And how exactly is this different from the other player who then explains how his father was a legendary hero who is now retired, and that he therefore starts with items for ½ a million gold as well as a silver dragon mount...?

@Lord_Khaine: That particular trick only works if you become a Necropolitan in play and said hypothetical caster is most likely in your party, and even then you DM may want to beat you with a large library.

I think it may also be enlightening to note that Biffoniacus_Furiou might not let that fly at his own table; he gives advice at a much higher optimization level than a lot of groups play, including his to my understanding. I suspect it is because he wants you to pull out what parts you think your table would allow and use it, while giving you a good amount of relevant information in a reasonably relevant and compact way (this is just my guess, don't take it as truth unless BF agrees).

FMI feat and Fell Energy Desecrate are both excellent.

You could also pull a Tippy style thing (but rather less powerful than I would expect him to use it) and create a self resetting magic trap of Inflict X Wounds on a codpiece or something to effectively give your undead character fast healing.

I believe there are also items that improve Turn Resistance, such as Bagpipes of the Damned (Libris Mortis) or Cloak of Turn Resistance (MiC), and possibly a few others.

[WhamBamSam]

And how exactly is this different from the other player who then explains how his father was a legendary hero who is now retired, and that he therefore starts with items for ½ a million gold as well as a silver dragon mount...?

Well, you can always pay for the spellcasting service for the casting of Fell Energy Descecrate on the area where your Ritual of Crucimigration is taking place (indeed you are probably required to). As for the Dread Necro 8/Enhanced Undead Wizard 1 you need to perform the ritual for maximum effect, people like that would just sort of be around if there were a high enough demand for the service, or even just a high enough demand for undead (though you might have to find a specialist in Crucimigration to get your Turn Resistance in the latter case, as the people who just want to fill up their control cap via rebuking will specifically want the undead they commission not to have it). Anyone not using this setup in their Crucimigrations could be forced out of business. Doing regular Crucimigrations isn't nearly as profitable as regular adventuring at level 9, but it's a hell of a lot safer. It's not unreasonable that such services would be available, even standard, in a relatively high-op world even if they shouldn't be allowed to fly at every table.

The difference between inheriting lots of crap via backstory, and simply finding the most effective provider of a service, is akin to the difference between being the heir to a billionaire's fortune, and going on Yelp or whatever when you need your sink fixed.

[OldTrees1]

And how exactly is this different from the other player who then explains how his father was a legendary hero who is now retired, and that he therefore starts with items for ½ a million gold as well as a silver dragon mount...?

It's not different. Unless you do it as a 10+th level character with the Leadership feat.

[D4rkh0rus]

The character created is set in stone, Desecrated with altar + corpsecrafter (just the 1 feat) so +4 Enh to Str and +4HD per lvl. What I'm asking, is for items/stuff that I can get while undead, so that I can increase my defenses.

[OldTrees1]

+1 Spellblade(Disintegrate) weapon.