Undead PC ideas

[Darkwolf71]

Ok, so Saturday nights game ended badly. Apocolyptic type badly. We failed in our mission to stop the BBEGs from unleashing a power that made bad things worse. (Basically it was a way to introduce the Critical Hit Deck into play.) Now that Crits are more unpredictable and in many cases nastier than before the undead have decided to take advantage, after all to their eyes, only good can come from the worsening of something that does not affect them.

Soooooo, at some point probably this fall we will be returning to that world with new undead chars. Special rules will apply I suspect that the storyline will be that the living races create good aligned undead in order to undo what our last party failed to prevent. I'm sure the Libris Mortus will play a large part.

I'm basically looking for undead PC concepts. Not as in, "Play a lich or a deathknight." That's not going to be allowed. (perhaps something to strive for but not starting out) But cool undead/class combos. For instance a wight rouge or monk might be fun.

What would make good casters? Warriors? etc.

 

[Darklone]

Revenants. They rock for these kinds of campaigns

 

[mvincent]

Ghosts... possibly using their malevolence power to possess their old, zombified bodies (or other undead).

 

[SelcSilverhand]

There was a 3.0 book called "Ghostwalk" that would have some useful ideas for you if you want to go the ghost route. Here's a couple of sites with info and reviews.

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/9/9573.phtml
Amazon
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20031225a

 

[Darkwolf71]

No, Ghostwalk is more for playing regular PCs after they die. I'm not sure it would really fit in what we're doing. I'll give it another look though.

Maybe a ghostly caster... that might be interesting. Warlock...

 

[moritheil]

Necropolitan, because you only lose flat XP and not LA.

 

[Thurbane]

^^ Yep, necropolitan is a good character option.

Maybe an archivist, or binder, for something different.

 

[Darkwolf71]

Hmm, I'm unfamiliar with Necropolitan, (Libris Mortus?) what are they like?

Probably not an Archivist. We had one in the campaign that just ended, and while I thought it was a great asset to the party, I am of the personnal opinion that they are overpowered. A Binder could be interesting though.

 

[Drowbane]

in brief

MM ~
Ghost (LA +5): Quite possibly the most powerful Undead in the MM.

Lich (LA +4): Primary asset is the Phylactery. Not really suitable for TPKed PCs.

Vampire (LA +8): powers to watch out for are Energy Drain and Create Spawn... everything else is merely fluff.

Libris Mortis~
Grave-touched-Ghoul (LA +2): awesome for any non-caster class... especially one with good Cha.

Necropolitian (LA +0, -1000xp or some such): Perfect for "low-powered undead PCs". No real powers to speak of... Undead Traits are powerful enough I suppose.

MII(?)~

Deathknight (LA +5): several cool abilities... not as powerful as its incorporeal cousin, the Ghost. Being "unturnable" is great though. Personally I use the version from the Dragonlance Campaign Setting... truer to the originals.

3rd party~
Dread Skeleton & Dread Zombie (LA +2 or +3): Undead advantages, some stat boosts and the ability to control "normal" versions of your undead type. Not bad.

~~~

It of course depends on what you as DM want with this concept... I'd probably go with the Gravettouched Ghoul or Necropolitan routes myself.

 

[moritheil]

Hmm, I'm unfamiliar with Necropolitan, (Libris Mortus?) what are they like?

Probably not an Archivist. We had one in the campaign that just ended, and while I thought it was a great asset to the party, I am of the personnal opinion that they are overpowered. A Binder could be interesting though.

They lose 100 or so XP per level, and that's it. There's no change to stats; they just become undead and gain turn resistance 2.