Special Conversion Thread: Moldvay's Undead

[freyar]

They're a good CR 1 or possibly a weakish CR 2.

Advancement is good. Let's say 75-150 lb. They should be light.

 

[Cleon]

You are correct. Updated.

Isn't the second sentence of the martial training description unnecessarily wordy? Saying "Skleros possess the base attack bonus and feats of a fighter with a level equal to their Hit Dice" has the same meaning and is a lot more pithy than "Skleros possess the base attack bonus of a fighter of their level, and qualify for feats as if they were fighters of a level equal to their Hit Dice."

Also, should we give them a ranged weapon. Perhaps javelins?

Challenge Rating: 1?

Challenge Rating 1 seems OK, they're only a little tougher than a 2nd level warrior.

Advancement: 3-10 HD (Medium); 11-20 HD (Large)?

I was thinking they'd remain the same size, but just become more skilled fighters, so would prefer 3-10 (Medium) and add a note that larger varieties exist (e.g. a Large-size Ogre Skelos with 4-12 HD and a Huge size Giant Skelos with 8-16 HD.)

Skleros stand 5 to 6 feet tall and weigh x pounds.

Well they ought to be lightweight, being naught but bone - 50 pounds?

 

[freyar]

Javelins are a good idea.

 

[Shade]

Isn't the second sentence of the martial training description unnecessarily wordy? Saying "Skleros possess the base attack bonus and feats of a fighter with a level equal to their Hit Dice" has the same meaning and is a lot more pithy than "Skleros possess the base attack bonus of a fighter of their level, and qualify for feats as if they were fighters of a level equal to their Hit Dice."

The problem I have with the second approach is that it isn't crystal clear that it should gain the normal feats for a non-mindless creature, in addition to the fighter bonus feats. I could see someone thinking it just gets the fighter bonus feats, since mindless creatures don't normally qualify for standard feats. Anyone else have an opinion?

Also, should we give them a ranged weapon. Perhaps javelins?

Sure. I'll add 'em.

Challenge Rating 1 seems OK, they're only a little tougher than a 2nd level warrior.

Yep. And if played correctly, they shouldn't be as versatile.

I was thinking they'd remain the same size, but just become more skilled fighters, so would prefer 3-10 (Medium) and add a note that larger varieties exist (e.g. a Large-size Ogre Skelos with 4-12 HD and a Huge size Giant Skelos with 8-16 HD.)

I think you're taking "Advancement" to literally, as in "if this individual creature were to advance" rather than as "if you, as a DM, want to build a better version of this creature".

Well they ought to be lightweight, being naught but bone - 50 pounds?

That works for me.

 

[demiurge1138]

If they get feats despite being mindless and fighter feats, then it's missing one. Might I suggest Quick Draw? That way, they can switch with ease between swords and javelins.

 

[Shade]

Sounds good. Updated.

Finished?

 

[freyar]

They look pretty good, though one could quibble that ogres don't have 11HD. I'm happy with the advancement, but I wouldn't object to changing it to something like 3-6HD (Medium), 7-12HD (Large), 13-20HD (Huge) if Cleon really wants that.

 

[Cleon]

Sounds good. Updated.

Finished?

Looks good, although shouldn't they be "Always Neutral Evil" to match the SRD skeleton's alignment?

The only other addition I can think of is that although they fight "much like living fighters" they presumably have no grasp of strategy as they're mindless automata. How about expand the tactics entry to something like:

Skleros fight much like living fighters, wielding their weapons with great skill. They only use tactics if a master instructs them to do so, being mindless undead unable to comprehend strategy.​

 

[Cleon]

They look pretty good, though one could quibble that ogres don't have 11HD. I'm happy with the advancement, but I wouldn't object to changing it to something like 3-6HD (Medium), 7-12HD (Large), 13-20HD (Huge) if Cleon really wants that.

I'm OK with them going Large.

 

[Shade]

Sounds good.

Updated.

Here's the next one...

Zombies are unnatural creatures to begin with. One simple variation of the listing is a zombie that must be literally chopped apart before it stops attacking. Even then, it can be a nuisance. Dismembered hands will grab victims; severed heads will bite. Such zombies might be termed “walking dead”. Walking dead are superzombies, more difficult to stop than normal ones because they are both stronger and hardier.

Walking Dead
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 2-12
ARMOR CLASS: 8
MOVE: 6.
HIT DICE: 6
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO OF ATTACKS. 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
SIZE: M
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

Walking dead are undead animated corpses that keep attacking until completely destroyed. Like zombies, they are immune to sleep, charm, hold, and coldbased spells. Their six hit dice represent their extreme tenacity. As the walking dead take damage, however, they become less effective (as they start losing vital parts of their bodies). For every 9 hp damage a walking dead takes (9 hp being the equivalent of losing 2 HD), it gains a -2 to hit and does -2 hp damage (minimum damage is zero hit points). Clerics have the same chances to turn walking dead as they do wights.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #138 (1988).