Undead warforged

[Vardock]

In one my my Eberron books, I found references to the "Woeforged". They are warforged that live in the Mournland that are "sort of undead", just as Warforged are "Sort of alive"

 

[FoxWander]

Constructs are immune to necromantic effects.

Constructs- yes, but not the living construct subtype. From the D&D Glossary that DanMcS linked to above:

• Unlike other constructs, living constructs are subject to critical hits, effects requiring a Fort save, death from massive damage, nonlethal damage, stunning, ability damage, ability drain, and death effects or necromancy effects.

Emphasis added to show how they would be vulnerable to the Spawn of Kyuss worm (if they have brains that can be burrowed into) and necromancy in general.


Also, it doesn't have to be permanent level loss to kill you. From the SRD- Energy Drain and Negative Levels:

• A character with negative levels at least equal to her current level, or drained below 1st level, is instantly slain. Depending on the creature that killed her, she may rise the next night as a monster of that kind. If not, she rises as a wight.

So I would guess that a 1st-level good-aligned warforged who attempts to wield an unholy weapon would be instantly slain and rise as a wight.

 

[freebiewitz]

Just a thought. Assuming the warforged gets turned into an undead what kinda bonuses/disadvantages would it get?

For example would using negative energy to heal work? Or would it only heal them at half power?

 

[pawsplay]

Well... technically, there is a method by which you can turn a Warforged into a Wight.

Step 1: Get a 1st level LG Warforged.
Step 2: Get an Unholy Chaotic Weapon
Step 3: Convince the Warforged to wield the weapon

Effect: The Warforged gains a negative level or two - as it has more negative levels than hit dice, it dies. As it was killed by negative levels, it rises the next day as a Wight.

Only negative levels from energy drain turn you into a wight.

 

[FoxWander]

Only negative levels from energy drain turn you into a wight.

Where is that from? Everything I've read about negative levels, wherever they're gained from, says if you die from them you'll rise as a wight. It even says so in the WOTC online glossary: negative levels. IT mentions multiple sources for the negative levels ("resulting from energy drain, spells, magic items, or magical effects") and then ends with the bit I quoted in my last post- rising as the kind of monster that killed you OR as a wight.

 

[Jhaelen]

In one my my Eberron books, I found references to the "Woeforged". They are warforged that live in the Mournland that are "sort of undead", just as Warforged are "Sort of alive"

Yep, that's what I wanted to point out as well. They're mentioned in 'Forge of War'.

 

[Walking Dad]

I used to play an unliving construct.

Character Sheet is here:

Scavenger

we (DM and me) used a combination of Necropolit and Warforged.

 

[irdeggman]

Rules Compendium pg 49

"Death Due to Energy Drain"

"A creature that has negative levels equal to its current level or Hit Dice is instantly slain. A creature slain by energy drain in this way might rise as an undead of the same type as the energy draining creature. Such an occurence is detailed in the energy draining creature's description. If this isn't the case, a creature slain by energy drain rises as a wight (if it can)."

Since the specific text is under "death by energy drain" and not merely gaining negative levels and a Warforged is immune to energy drain - then they can not become undead.

Rules Compendium is technically the definitive rules source for 3.5 and where it conflicts with other sources it takes precededence (I know not everyone agrees, but that is RAW).

Now as FoxWander pointed out - if you can strip them of their living construct status then you have a different set of possibilities.

Also the SRD liste energy drain and negative levels at the same place - leading credence to how the RC has laid it out. Basically that it takes an ergy drain (or energy drain effect, which can come from a spell) to yield the undead effect.

ENERGY DRAIN AND NEGATIVE LEVELS
Some horrible creatures, especially undead monsters, possess a fearsome supernatural ability to drain levels from those they strike in combat. The creature making an energy drain attack draws a portion of its victim’s life force from her. Most energy drain attacks require a successful melee attack roll—mere physical contact is not enough. Each successful energy drain attack bestows one or more negative levels on the opponent. A creature takes the following penalties for each negative level it has gained.
–1 on all skill checks and ability checks.
–1 on attack rolls and saving throws.
–5 hit points.
–1 effective level (whenever the creature’s level is used in a die roll or calculation, reduce it by one for each negative level).

If the victim casts spells, she loses access to one spell as if she had cast her highest-level, currently available spell. (If she has more than one spell at her highest level, she chooses which she loses.) In addition, when she next prepares spells or regains spell slots, she gets one less spell slot at her highest spell level.

Negative levels remain for 24 hours or until removed with a spell, such as restoration. After 24 hours, the afflicted creature must attempt a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 attacker’s HD + attacker’s Cha modifier). (The DC is provided in the attacker’s description.) If the saving throw succeeds, the negative level goes away with no harm to the creature. The afflicted creature makes a separate saving throw for each negative level it has gained. If the save fails, the negative level goes away, but the creature’s level is also reduced by one.

A character with negative levels at least equal to her current level, or drained below 1st level, is instantly slain. Depending on the creature that killed her, she may rise the next night as a monster of that kind. If not, she rises as a wight. A creature gains 5 temporary hit points for each negative level it bestows (though not if the negative level is caused by a spell or similar effect).

 

[Jack Simth]

Rules Compendium is technically the definitive rules source for 3.5 and where it conflicts with other sources it takes precededence (I know not everyone agrees, but that is RAW).

Correction:
According to the Rules Compendium, the Rules Compendium dominates.
According to the Primary Source Rule at the top of the errata, the PHB, DMG, and MM dominate.

 

[irdeggman]

Correction:
According to the Rules Compendium, the Rules Compendium dominates.
According to the Primary Source Rule at the top of the errata, the PHB, DMG, and MM dominate.

I know you have historically not taken the RC as "official rules" but not only does the RC itself state that it dominates WotC also has said so (or that at the very least it contained errata {notably that was not included in the "free errata", but errata regardless)

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (<i>Rules Compendium</i>)

(a link to a web supplement to the RC which includes the living construct "type")

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (Rules Compendium)


As far as the Primary source rule goes

Errata Rule: Primary Sources
When you find a disagreement between two D&D® rules
sources, unless an official errata file says otherwise, the
primary source is correct. One example of a
primary/secondary source is text taking precedence over
a table entry. An individual spell description takes
precedence when the short description in the beginning
of the spells chapter disagrees.

Another example of primary vs. secondary sources
involves book and topic precedence. The Player's
Handbook, for example, gives all the rules for playing
the game, for playing PC races, and for using base class
descriptions. If you find something on one of those
topics from the DUNGEON MASTER's Guide or the
Monster Manual that disagrees with the Player's
Handbook, you should assume the Player's Handbook is
the primary source. The DUNGEON MASTER's Guide is the
primary source for topics such as magic item
descriptions, special material construction rules, and so
on. The Monster Manual is the primary source for
monster descriptions, templates, and supernatural,
extraordinary, and spell-like abilities. Note: The most
recent updates are shaded like this.

So if one doesn't read that the RC contains "official errata" {even though several sources state it does} then an argument could be made that it has no meaning whatsover.