Undead, templates, and extreme cold.

[TessarrianDM]

1. A frost giant gains the gravetouched ghoul template (Libris Mortis p.104). Its type becomes undead, with the augmented subtype. This means it retains its Cold subtype also, correct? The resulting type would be Undead [augmented Large Giant (Cold)]?

2. Bleakborn (Libris Mortis, p. 86) are undead slain by bitterly cold conditions. There is no mention in the description that they have the Cold subtype, so although they deal cold damage, they are neither immune to it nor are they more vulnerable to fire. True?

3. Undead exposed to extreme cold (environments where the temperature is below -20 degrees) for at least a day become frozen (Frostburn, p. 79), reducing their land speed by 10 feet, imposing a -4 penalty to Dexterity, and increasing its natural armor bonus by +5. Those with the cold subtype are not affected, as they are considered to be already frozen. Therefore, the frost giant ghoul is not affected, but the bleakborn are frozen. Correct?

4. How long would it take for a creature with the frozen condition to thaw and lose that condition? For example, if the temperature has been 30 below for several days, and the temperature rises to -15 in the afternoon, would the creature still be frozen? Would exposure to magical fire eliminate the condition, or speed the thawing?

 

[MichaelK]

2. Bleakborn (Libris Mortis, p. 86) are undead slain by bitterly cold conditions. There is no mention in the description that they have the Cold subtype, so although they deal cold damage, they are neither immune to it nor are they more vulnerable to fire. True?

On general principle that is true.

However, since it specifically says how to treat cold and fire damage in their description, the more specific instance replaces the general rule.

Check where it says, "A bleakborn does not have immunity to cold."
and,
"A magical fire attack heals a bleakborn of 1 point of damage for each 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal."

But you're right. The Bleakborn does not have the cold subtype.

 

[ElectricDragon]

Double Post, Sorry!

 

[ElectricDragon]

I don't normally use Libris Mortis or Frostburn, but I think #1. would be:
Large Undead (Augmented Giant, Cold).

I have no idea on any of the other questions, though. Frozen undead, huh.

Ciao,
Dave

 

[Dross]

For #4 I would guess that the time taken to freeze should be the time taken to thaw.

Unless it becomes a good plot hook, in which case thawing takes as long a time as needed.