Undead Player Characters?

[alienvampire]

In the Book of Vile Darkness, you will find the Corpse Creature template, which is only a +1 shift. It also allows you to mantain all of your abilties (spellcasting, etc).

Barring role-playing hindrances, the biggest problem you will face as an undead PC is being turned, controlled, or disintegrated. Turn resistance will help. +4 to your Hit Die total will make it nearly impossible for a cleric of your own level to turn/rebuke you. However, if you are facing a higher-level cleric, or someone who is focused on fighting undead, you could be toast.

Woe unto you if you should ever meet a Radiant Servant of Pelor.

 

[Selenim]

I second the use of the corpse template. I had loads of fun playing an old priest who failed at his lich transformation attempt and ended up a simple zombie. I didn't have enough levels to make a viable lich anyway and had a lot of laughs with my negative reflex save while dungeon-crawling (the classic fumbling zombie gig never gets old with me). Good thing I picked up profane boost

 

[Vysirez]

As mentioned above Necropolitian and Corpse Creature are some of the cheapest ways to be undead. Just depends on how much of an LA you want to trade for powers. Another thing that might be interesting is adding spellstiched to the other temples.

Edit: Hmm, just checked my copy of complete arcane and spellstiched doesnt give an LA.

 

[Joker]

I don't know if anyone has said this but if you play a cleric and have the tomb-tainted soul feat you can be healed by neg. energy.

Or play a necromancer variant from UA and sacrifice bonus feats to get undead like qualities.

I'm just saying, there are abilities and items to give you undead likeness without sacrificing levels.

 

[Cabral]

Also, Dragon Magazine had some Half-Undead templates that were a bit fun. But I think the LAs where +1 to +4 or +5.

 

[Tetsubo]

The book Mythic Races has a race called the Eleti that are free-willed skeletons. I'd take a look at that. It has the issue of being turned but can choose Feats that reduce that risk. I think it's a +3 LA race though... lots of immunities being undead...

 

[Baramay]

The half-vampire, LA+2, is in Libris Mortis (p.106) updated from the Dragon article. I play one as a character and he is definitely a fun and tragic character. The bonus to charisma helps him maintain his aristocratic demeanor but he still has blood dependency which he view as an animalistic curse. For that same reason he despises his half nature, as well as most undead. He appreciates the benefits from his 1/2 life giving him an conflicting self image.

 

[Joker]

Unless it was changed from LM he only has blood dependancy if he chose the constitution drain ability.

Or I'm delusional. Again.

 

[NimrodvanHall]

or have a look at the ECL +2 gravetoutched ghoul also from the LM if memory serves correctly