Advanced Bestiary
Advanced Bestiary:
3.5
Blood Knight: Blood knights are the damned souls of fierce warriors who died in a particularly bloody manner. Cursed to walk the earth until their warlike ways lead to their destruction, blood knights seek always to fight and conquer.
“Blood knight” is an acquired template that can be applied to any living creature that is proficient with light, medium, and heavy armor, wears full plate armor, and has blood
Altered Blood Knight: Ignore the required proficiency with armor and change the name of the template to the blood gaunt. In this form, the template could be applied to the temple guardians of a god of murder. Alternatively, blood knights could result from a curse that animates great quantities of spilled blood into a strange new form.
The blood knights could be unique. Perhaps a group of paladins that unwittingly participated in a highly evil act were cursed to become blood knights.
Make the template self-propagating. Creatures killed by Constitution damage from a blood knight’s attacks rise as blood knights in 1d4 rounds.
Morden Thrallhammer: Morden Thrallhammerer was once a dwarf hero of some fame. Loyal to his clan and a staunch defender of its sovereignty, he was ruthless to the point of sadism in combat with its enemies. When some giants took up residence near his clan’s territory, Morden provoked conflict with them, beginning a long and unnecessary feud that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of his kin. In the final days of the war, Morden led a vicious attack on wounded and noncombatant giants while a decoy force of dwarves distracter their warriors. When Morden dealt the killing blow to a mother protecting her child, he could not get out of the way of her falling body fast enough. The rest of Morden’s force retreated, leaving him trapped beneath the she-giant’s body. By the time the giant warriors returned, Morden had drowned in his foe’s blood. The giants cast his body off the mountain, cursing his name and praying to their gods to punish him. Thus, he returned to haunt the world as a blood knight, wearing the ornate, dwarf-made armor in which he died.
Dread Allip: Babbling, whispering, screaming, and muttering, dread allips pass through walls and strike at living creatures, hoping to gain companions in undeath and madness. A dread allip is a crazed incorporeal undead created when a sentient creature follows an order to commit suicide against its own wishes. The angry spirit that rises from the corpse is insane because its mind was conflicted at death, and it seeks to inflict a similar fate on others.
“Dread allip” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher that commits suicide because of domination by a dread allip or at the command of some other creature.
A creature that dies while dominated by a dread allip rises as a new dread allip in 1d6 rounds if it committed suicide, or died fulfilling an obviously self-destructive command, or had 0 Wisdom and was within 30 feet of the dread allip at the time of death.
Dread Allip Spirit Naga: ?
Dread Bodak: Bodaks are extraplanar undead created when living beings are touched by ultimate evil.
A dread bodak is sometimes created when an intelligent creature turns traitor and kills an ally or murders a friend. In particular, the use of the death knell spell on a friend seems most likely to create a dread bodak. A dread bodak is consumed with the desire for revenge on everyone it knew in life and anyone who gets in the way. Worse still, it can create more of its vile kind. Its gaze brings foes to the brink of death, and its voice then snuffs out their life force and turns them into dread bodaks.
“Dread bodak” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) that was killed by a dread bodak or murdered by an ally via a method such as use of the death knell spell.
Any creature killed by a dread bodak’s death knell ability rises as a dread bodak in 1d6 rounds.
Dread Bodak Tyrannosaurus: ?
Dread Devourer: Few know how these dread devourers originated, but some sages speculate that they form as ethereal or astral “shadows” of creatures on coexistent planes that die from energy draining effects.
“Dread devourer” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature that has a chest cavity or similar body part.
Dread Devourer Purple Worm: ?
Dread Ghast: The first ghouls were humans who rose as undead because they had indulged in unwholesome pleasures in life. The original ghasts rose as undead for similar reasons, but their sins were of vaster scale. A man who broke a taboo by consuming dead bodies to avoid starvation might rise as a ghoul, but a man who murdered his wife and children, then cooked them up as a delicious meal for himself and his mistress would instead rise as a ghast. Cursed with a terrible stench of death and corruption that serves as a warning to the living, the ghast’s greater sins in life grant it greater power in undeath.
The first dread ghasts were villains of still broader scope. Leaders in life, they influenced the actions of scores of others and led them to participate in terrible atrocities. Today, the dread ghast “race” of undead perpetuates itself through the transmission of vile power. A creature killed but not consumed by a dread ghast rises as another dread ghast.
“Dread ghast” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
Any creature killed by a dread ghast that lies undisturbed until the next midnight rises as a dread ghast at that time.
Dread Ghast Gnoll: ?
Dread Ghost: Like normal ghosts, dread ghosts are restless spirits that exist on both the Material and the Ethereal Planes. Unlike many other dread undead, dread ghosts have no special power over others of their kind, but some mystery of their creation makes them more powerful than standard ghosts.
“Dread ghost” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature that has an Intelligence score.
Dread Ghost Medusa: “Dread ghost” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature that has an Intelligence score.
Dread Ghoul: Eaters of the dead that hunger for the living, the first ghouls were the undead remains of humans who had indulged in unwholesome pleasures, such as cannibalism or necrophilia, in life. The original dread ghouls came into being because they had exhorted or compelled others to such acts while alive.
“Dread ghoul” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
In most cases, dread ghouls feast on the bodies of the fallen. However, any creature killed by a dread ghoul that lies undisturbed until the next midnight rises as a dread ghoul at that time.
Dread Ghoul Frost Giant: ?
Dread Lacedon: Dread lacedons are corpses animated by the restless spirits of those who drowned or were killed but not devoured by a dread lacedon.
“Dread lacedon” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
In most cases, dread lacedons feast on the bodies of the fallen, or sea creatures such as sharks devour them. However, any creature killed by a dread lacedon that lies undisturbed until the next midnight rises as a dread lacedon at that time.
Dread Lacedon Cachalot Whale: ?
Dread Lich: Like normal liches, dread liches are powerful undead spellcasters who used vile magic and dreadful ceremonies to prolong their time in the living world. However, the process of becoming a dread lich is a greater secret than the evil ceremonies required to become a normal lich. Although powerful spellcasters sometimes discover this secret while preparing for lichdom, most dread liches were once normal liches who spent centuries researching arcane lore in search of the secret.
“Dread lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature capable of creating the required phylactery, or to any standard lich.
Only a willing evil creature can become a dread lich.
An integral part of becoming a dread lich is creating a magic phylactery in which to store its life force. Unless the phylactery is located and destroyed, the dread lich reforms next to its phylactery 1d4 days after its apparent death. It does not matter how far away the dread lich is from its phylactery, but the two must be on the same plane. If the phylactery is on a different plane, the dread lich reforms 1d4 days after the phylactery is brought to the plane on which the dread lich was destroyed.
Each dread lich must make its own phylactery—a task that requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The base creature must be able to cast spells or use spell-like abilities, and its caster level must be at least 15th. The phylactery costs 200,000 gp and 8,000 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
The most common kind of phylactery is a Tiny mithral box that has hardness 20, 40 hit points, and a break DC of 40. Other types of phylacteries, such as rings, amulets, or similar items, can also exist.
Dread Lich Titan: The rare evil titan that learns the secret of lichdom in its youth cannot help but seek out and follow that dark path.
Dread Mohrg: Some say that a dread mohrg is the restless spirit of a sentient creature that perished from starvation and never received a proper burial. Others say that it is all that remains of a mortal punished by the gods for gluttony or for starving other creatures.
“Dread mohrg” is an acquired template that can be added to any evil living creature with a mouth and a digestive tract that includes intestines.
Dread Mohrg Seven Headed Cryohydra: Native to the colder climes, it was created when a normal cryohydra slew an entire village of humans.
Dread Mummy: “Dread mummy” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature.
Any creature killed by a dread mummy’s mummy rot ability turns to dust and blows away on the wind. If the dread mummy that infected the creature with the disease is not destroyed within 1 week, the dust reforms next to it as a new dread mummy.
Dread Mummy Harpy: ?
Dread Shadow: Like normal shadows, they are sentient pools of darkness and negative energy that drain strength and life from living creatures.
“Dread shadow” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent creature with a Charisma score of 15 or higher that was killed by a shadow or dread shadow.
Any creature with a Charisma score of 15 or higher that is killed by a dread shadow rises as a dread shadow in 1d4 rounds. Any other creature slain by a dread shadow instead rises as a normal shadow in 1d4 rounds.
Dread Shadow Achaierai: ?
Dread Skeleton: “Dread skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with a skeleton or exoskeleton.
Dread Skeleton Blink Dog: ?
Dread Spectre: Like ghosts, dread spectres are the incorporeal spirits of living beings that continue to act after death.
“Dread spectre” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent creature killed by a spectre or a dread spectre.
Any creature with a Charisma score of 16 or higher that is killed by a dread spectre rises as a dread spectre in 1d4 rounds. Any other creature slain by a dread spectre instead rises as a normal spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Dread Spectre Nymph: ?
Dread Wight: Dread wights are the animate remains of creatures that were terribly violent and hateful in life.
“Dread wight” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature.
Any creature killed by a dread wight’s energy drain ability rises as a dread wight in 1d4 rounds.
Dread Wight Gargoyle: ?
Dread Vampire: “Dread vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher.
Dread vampires can create spawn only if their victims are kept in coffin homes, a special receptacle, until they rise. A coffin home can be any container capable of accommodating the corpse.
Under these conditions, a humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a dread vampire’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire 24 hours after death. Any creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher whose Constitution score reaches 0 from a dread vampire’s blood drain attack returns as a dread vampire 24 hours after death.
Dread Vampire Night Hag: ?
Dread Wraith Sovereign: “Dread wraith sovereign” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 10 or more Hit Dice killed by a dread wraith sovereign.
Any creature slain by a dread wraith sovereign’s Constitution drain or incorporeal touch attack rises as a dread wraith in 1d4 rounds. A dread wraith created in this manner is under the command of its creator and remains so until either it or the creator is destroyed. When a dread wraith sovereign is killed, one of its dread wraith spawn that had 10 or more character levels in life becomes a dread wraith sovereign.
Dread Wraith Sovereign Trumpet Archon: When a trumpet archon falls to the touch of a dread wraith sovereign, gods and angels weep. Dread wraith sovereign trumpet archons are heinous undead beings composed in equal parts of sacrilege, cruelty, and hate.
Dread Zombie: Dread zombies are created when the magic used to animate a zombie or other corporeal undead goes awry, or when a dread mummy breathes death on a living creature. Sometimes when the ceremony to create a lich fails, the would-be lich instead becomes a dread zombie, attaining eternal unlife at an unexpected cost—the loss of some of the intelligence it had in life.
“Dread zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
Once every 1d4 rounds, a dread mummy can breathe a 30-foot cone of tomb gas, sand, and dust. Each living creature in the area must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 dread mummy’s character level + dread mummy’s Cha modifier) or gain 1d4 negative levels. A creature killed by a dread mummy’s breath of death ability rises as a dread zombie in 1d4 rounds.
Dread Zombie Aasimar: ?
Negative-Energy-Charged Creature: Through dark magic, a spellcaster can strengthen an undead creature’s link to the chilling source of its unnatural existence.
“Negative-energy-charged creature” is an acquired template that can be added to any undead creature.
Empower Undead spell
Negative-Energy-Charged Wight: ?
Any humanoid slain by a negative-energy-charged wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Nightmare Creature Undead: Make nightmare creature an acquired template gained when an evil individual is killed in a particularly torturous manner by good creatures.
Poltergeist: A poltergeist is created when a creature dies under traumatic circumstances in a place of great importance to it. Often the locations that house poltergeists are places where they felt a sense of ownership and security. A simple death, even a murder, is rarely enough to cause the victim’s spirit to remain as a poltergeist—the death must intimately involve the location. A gravedigger buried alive in his graveyard might become a poltergeist, as might a ferryman who drowned beneath his dock, or a steward crushed beneath his desk.
“Poltergeist” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent creature with a Charisma score of 3 or higher.
Dread Poltergeist: ?
Athach Poltergeist: ?
Alternate Sonic Creatures: Ghosts: Sonic creatures might be ghosts or a specific form of undead. In this case, the template should change the creature’s type to undead, and the sound the sonic creature makes should be mournful wailing.
Changed Swamp Lord Template: ?
Ghoul: The first ghouls were humans who rose as undead because they had indulged in unwholesome pleasures in life.
Ghast: The first ghouls were humans who rose as undead because they had indulged in unwholesome pleasures in life. The original ghasts rose as undead for similar reasons, but their sins were of vaster scale. A man who broke a taboo by consuming dead bodies to avoid starvation might rise as a ghoul, but a man who murdered his wife and children, then cooked them up as a delicious meal for himself and his mistress would instead rise as a ghast. Cursed with a terrible stench of death and corruption that serves as a warning to the living, the ghast’s greater sins in life grant it greater power in undeath.
Shadow: Any creature with a Charisma score of 15 or higher that is killed by a dread shadow rises as a dread shadow in 1d4 rounds. Any other creature slain by a dread shadow instead rises as a normal shadow in 1d4 rounds.
Spectre: Any creature with a Charisma score of 16 or higher that is killed by a dread spectre rises as a dread spectre in 1d4 rounds. Any other creature slain by a dread spectre instead rises as a normal spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Vampire: Dread vampires can create spawn only if their victims are kept in coffin homes, a special receptacle, until they rise. A coffin home can be any container capable of accommodating the corpse.
Under these conditions, a humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a dread vampire’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire 24 hours after death.
Wight: Any humanoid slain by a negative-energy-charged wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Dread Wraith: Any creature slain by a dread wraith sovereign’s Constitution drain or incorporeal touch attack rises as a dread wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Zombie: Any creature killed by a dread mohrg rises as a zombie in 1d4 days.
Empower Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Undead creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell grants the touched undead the negative-energy-charged creature template. The target is immediately empowered with the benefits of the template and knows how to utilize all the abilities it grants.
Material Component: A gem worth at least 10 gp that has spent a night within the body of an undead creature.