Special Conversion Thread: Moldvay's Undead

[Shade]

Part Two.

Original thread closed due to exceeding 1,000 post count.

[Shade]

Skotos
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any usually subterranean
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Roving bands
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night or darkness
DIET: Living beings
INTELLIGENCE: Average (8-10)
TREASURE: 5% E
ALIGNMENT: Any evil
NO. APPEARING: 3-30 in wilderness; 1-10 in dungeons
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 12
HIT DICE: 5
THAC0: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: None
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Hit points increase
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Special
SIZE: M (5-6’ tall)
MORALE: Fearless (20)
XP VALUE: 420

Skotos are spirits that have broken free of the netherworld and now roam the world of the living as undead. They form hunting packs to better swarm over their prey. Skotos look like pale, shadowy versions of normal beings. They can be of any intelligent race and any evil alignment, for only evil creatures would voluntarily leave the afterlife to prey upon the living.

Combat: A skotos is drawn by fresh blood, which it consumes. As it absorbs the blood, it grows stronger (it absorbs blood even from the wounds it inflicts in combat against living creatures). The skotos gains a number of hit points equal to the damage it inflicts in combat; thus, a skotos that hits for 8 hp damage gains 8 hp, up to its maximum hit-point total (40). Note that the hit points are not permanently lost by the victim, who still heals normally.

In a normal encounter, skotos as a group have a 75% chance to hide in shadows successfully and thus surprise their prey.

Skotos encountered during or immediately after a bloody conflict will be so frenzied by the sight of blood that they will make no attempt at concealment, immediately attacking any living creature in sight. Intelligent prey is, however, preferred. As with many types of undead, skotos are not affected by sleep, charm, hold, or cold-based spells, nor by poison or paralyzation. Holy water causes 2-8 hp damage to them per vial, and a raise dead or resurrection spell will destroy a skotos. Any skotos reduced to zero hit points or less is forced back into the netherworld. A cleric .s chance to turn a skotos is the same as for a ghast. Normal weapons will harm a skotos.

Habitat/Society: Skotos usually roam in bands composed of similar races and alignments, though different beings may band together in their common goal of feeding upon the living. Though they have escaped the netherworld, skotos generally inhabit places that remind them of it. Subterranean caverns and tunnels are preferred, although skotos bands will sometimes roam wilderness wastelands at night. While skotos are not harmed by sunlight, they dislike it intensely and will flee sunlight if at all possible.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #162 (1990).

[freyar]

A cleric .s chance to turn a skotos is the same as for a ghast.

Speaking of ghasts, these kind of sound like variant ghasts.

Should we make the hit point gain be temporary hp or negative levels that can eventually become permanent (or some combination of those)?

[Shade]

Oddly, these are supposed to be variant shadows!

I think the temporary hp should suffice in this case.

Ghast: Str 17, Dex 17, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16
Shadow: Str —, Dex 14, Con —, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 13
Greater Shadow: Str —, Dex 15, Con —, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14

Use the ghast physical scores, set Int in the 8-10 range, and use the greater shadow's Wis and Cha?

[freyar]

Really? They don't seem incorporeal to me!

Your suggested ability scores seem fine to me, though.

Well, maybe on a generous second reading, I could see them as incorporeal. Hmmph.

[Shade]

This...

Normal weapons will harm a skotos.

...is enough for me to call 'em "corporeal".

Added to Homebrews.

Since they don't actually drain blood, how does this look?

Blood Feast (Ex): A skotos absorbs blood from its attacks. On each successful attack, the skots gains temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt.

[Cleon]

Originally Posted by Shade

This...



...is enough for me to call 'em "corporeal".

Added to Homebrews.

The flavour text would indicate they have the Extraplanar subtype (escapees from the Lower planes, to which they return when destroyed). Apart from that, the stats look good so far.

Originally Posted by Shade

Since they don't actually drain blood, how does this look?

Blood Feast (Ex): A skotos absorbs blood from its attacks. On each successful attack, the skots gains temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt.

I'd be tempted to have the damage act as healing up to their original hit points, then as temporary HP for any excess, plus a max hit point cap. I'm also a bit dubious about it being an Extraordinary attack, Supernatural seems more appropriate. Something like:

Blood Feast (Su): A skotos absorbs life-force through the blood it sheds. On each successful attack, the skotos gains hit points equal to the damage dealt. If its hit points exceed its original hit points, the excess become temporary hit points. the skotos can not use Blood Feast to increase its total hit points by more than 5 temporary hit points per Hit Dice - e.g. a skotos with 20 hp and 5 HD can gain a maximum of 45 hit points (20 plus 5 times 5) using Blood Feast.

[freyar]

Hmm, even vampires only get temporary hp. And that's the precedent for Ex, too, though I agree that this case is more iffy.

[Shade]

Good suggestions!

Updated.

In a normal encounter, skotos as a group have a 75% chance to hide in shadows successfully and thus surprise their prey.

Borrow this?

Skills: Shadows have a +2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks and a +4 racial bonus on Search checks. *A shadow gains a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks in areas of shadowy illumination. In brightly lit areas, it takes a –4 penalty on Hide checks.

[freyar]

That works. Or, if we want to be fancy, we could go with shadow blend, though I think that's probably a little over the top for these. Edit: I don't think they should have a particular penalty in brightly lit areas, though.

[Shade]

I could be persuaded to shadow blend. Anyone else?

Any other abilities? Some form of pack tactics/swarmfighting, keen scent for blood in the air, etc.?

[freyar]

Keen scent yes. But I think the pack fighting is probably best left for flavor/tactics text.

[Cleon]

Originally Posted by Shade

I could be persuaded to shadow blend. Anyone else?

Any other abilities? Some form of pack tactics/swarmfighting, keen scent for blood in the air, etc.?

I prefer the racial bonus to Hide when in shadows approach over a "shadow blend lite".

Can't think of any SA/SQs to add, they don't need any vulnerability to exorcism since it's already covered by their Extraplanar subtype.

So, shall we move on to skills and feats?

The SRD ghoul/ghast skill picks look a good start -

Balance, Climb, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Spot.

Maybe drop Balance, since it's got fewer skill points to play with, and add Search, since it's got a racial bonus in it, then put 2 points in Search and 6 in each of the other skills?

Climb 6, Hide 6, Jump 6, Move Silently 6, Search 2, Spot 6.

As for feats, maybe Weapon Focus (bite) and Lightning Reflexes?

[freyar]

Skills and feats are fine as suggesetd.

I think I'm agreed with Cleon on the lack of SA/SQ to add. These are pretty simple, and there's no real need for shadow blend; the Hide bonus is ok.

[Shade]

Updated.

Environment: Any evil-aligned plane?

Organization: Solitary, roving band (2-10), or hunting pack (3-30)?

Challenge Rating: 3? They are on par with wights.

Treasure: Standard? (Type E is a good mix of coins, goods, and items)

Advancement: 6-15 HD (Medium)?

Skotos stand 5 to 6 feet tall and weigh 75 pounds? (I figure they are semi-shadow, so lightweight)

Skotos speak Common and either Abyssal or Infernal (depending upon home plane)?

[freyar]

That all looks fine to me. These were pretty easy.

[Shade]

Updated.

They sure were.

[demiurge1138]

If it's not too late...

I prefer Shade's original Blood Feast text (more streamlined) and want them to have shadow blend.

[freyar]

Well, I did prefer temporary hp only, but I'm not worried about it. As for shadow blend, I'd only go for it just to spice them up. No big deal for me either way.

[Shade]

It's never too late.

Rolling back to temp hp only, but keeping the rider about not exceeding 5x normal max hp.

Would shadow blend affect CR?