Dark Pyre Template

[zorak_zoran]

In Tears (IIRC), there were lots and lots of undead with a cool template or trait called Dark Pyre. It made them very challenging once the clerics ran out of greater turns.

In the back, they didn't have the template and I wanted to apply it to some other undead critters for a side quest. Does anyone have it around or what book did it come from?

Thanks in advance,

 

[RangerWickett]

It was totally ad-hoc, made up just for that adventure.

 

[Marius Delphus]

Though if you want to cobble together a Dark Pyre template, I recommend comparing the Dark Pyre bulette to the stock MM bulette, and, as the saying goes, "season to taste." (Make sure Hit Dice increase to d12s, as normal for an acquired template that makes a critter undead.)

 

[Morrus]

I imagine we could reverse-engineer is and post it as a template. I'll have a crack at doing that if I get a few spare minutes - unless someone beats me to it (hint, hint!)!

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

for 4e?


Dark Pyre Undead Template
Can be applied to any living humanoid or magical beast

Defenses: +2 AC, +2 FORT, +2 REF
Hit points +8 per level
Immune Fire

Vulnerability: Radiant 5 + 1/2 level
Special: treat normal water as a an attack that deals Radiant 0


Dark Pyre Vigor
When struck by an attack with the Fire keyword, heal 5 + Con Mod

Dark Pyre Strike
All attacks deal an additional 1D6 necrotic damage

Dark Pyre Corona
Burst 1 Recharge 6
Target: All non-undead within burst
Attack Chr vs Will
Hit: 1D6 fire and nectotic damage per hit dice
Special: This power triggers as an immediate reaction when bloodied and when reduced to 0 hps

Blistering Aura (aura 5)
Any living creature that enters or starts its turn in the aura take 5 fire damage.

That would be my initial stab at it... I will look closer at this later when my group gets closer to the adventure

 

[zorak_zoran]

Here's my crack at it for 3.5 D&D. No 4E stuff around here buddy.

Dark Pyre Creature

Dark Pyre creatures dwell in regions or places ravaged by negative energy and fire of intense power. These charred skeletons burn with an unholy fi re and liquid flame pours from empty eye sockets like tears. The fiery nimbus of flames glow with an unnatural aura that unnerves even the brave.

Creating A Dark Pyre Creature

"Dark Pyre" is an inherited template that can be added to any corporeal aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, or vermin (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

A Dark Pyre creature uses all the base creature’s statistics and abilities except as noted here. Do not recalculate the creature’s Hit Dice.

Size and Type

Creatures with this template become augmented undead and acquire the fire subtype. Size is unchanged.

Special Attacks

A dark pyre creature retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains the following special attack.

Dark Pyre Corona (Su): Once every 5 rounds, as a standard action, a dark pyre creature can release blast of black fire, dealing (1/2 HD)d6 points of fire and (1/2 HD)d6 points of negative energy damage to each creature within 5 ft. (Reflex DC 10 + 1/2 dark pyre’s racial HD + Cha modifier negates). This heals (1/2 HD)d6 points of damage to any undead in the area, including itself.


Dark Pyre Strike (Su): Each of a dark pyre creature’s melee attacks deal +1d6 points of fire damage and +1d6 points of negative energy damage. The dark pyre skeleton’s natural weapons and any weapons it wields are treated as evil-aligned for overcoming damage reduction.

Firewalk (Su): A dark pyre skeleton can climb an object on fire as though it had a climb speed equal to its highest speed. Furthermore, it can fly at its highest speed with perfect maneuverability so long as it remains in contact with fire, and it can walk on flames at its highest speed, as though walking on air via the air walk spell.

Special Qualities

A dark pyre creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following.
* HD 5 or less, DR5/bludgeoning; HD 6 or more, DR10/bludgeoning and magic
* Natural Armor +3
* Immune to fire
* Improved Initiative feat

If the base creature already has one or more of these special qualities, use the better value.

The dark pyre creature’s natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Dark Pyre Healing (Su): Dark pyre skeletons heal 1 point of damage for every 10 points of fire damage they would take from a given attack. Attacks that do less than 10 damage do not heal them.

Unnatural Aura (Su): Any animal within 30 feet of a dark-pyre skeleton must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 dark pyre’s racial HD + Cha modifier) or become frightened. It only needs to flee beyond 30 ft. from the skeleton, at which point it is only shaken.

Water Vulnerability (Ex): A dark pyre skeleton takes damage from any sort of water as if it were acid. Holy water deals an additional 1d6 damage.

If the base creature’s Int is 3 or more, it also gains:

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): 3/day – wall of fi re (DC 10 + 1/2 dark pyre’s racial HD + Cha modifier). At will – produce flame. Caster level is base creature’s HD.

Abilities

A dark pyre creature’s abilities improve as follows, Str +8, Dex +2, Con –, Int unchanged unless base creature’s Int is 2 or less then Int becomes 1, Wis –6, Cha unchanged

Base save bonuses are Fort +1/3 HD, Ref +1/3 HD, and Will +1/2 HD + 2.

Environment

Any fire infused location.

Challenge Rating

As base creature +1, but if the party’s APL is 4 or less the dark pyre template is a very difficult challenge.

Alignment

Alignment moves to Evil along the Good/Neutral/Evil axis

---

Comments, suggestions and error-checking is always welcome. After writing this up, I feel the CR should be more the +1 since it gets a lot of powers with little weaknesses. Then again, at higher levels, these powers aren't as troublesome to overcome.

To whit, I wrote an LG mod with ability drain undead at APL 4 (4th level characters) and nearly got TPKs at all tables. Higher level parties didn't experience troubles. Just my humble opinion.