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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 9459391" data-attributes="member: 6915329">Now for another undead template from Dragon. This is the ghost brute, the “spectral remains of creatures without the sense of self needed to become normal ghosts.” (I wish it had a better name.) The template is strongly suggests that it’s something that animals and creatures of similar mentality can become a ghost brute, but it’s written that it’s for any creature with a Charisma score of 8 or lower—meaning that ogres or hill giants (in 3x) wouldn’t be able to become a proper ghost and would be limited to a ghost brute. I gotta say, that feels a bit weird to me. Like, they can speak and have societies, but they don’t become ghosts? Meh. I’m altering it.Ghost Brute (Template)The Risen Dead, Dragon Magazine #300Creature by Wizards of the Coast R&DWhen sapient creatures die traumatically or with unfinished business, their souls may linger on as a ghost. Animals and sentient plants, who tend to lack a strong sense of self-identity, rarely become ghosts; on occasion, though, they do become the type of spectral undead known as the ghost brute.Ghost by Association. The most common reason for a creature to become a ghost brute is because they died at the same time as a person they are close to, and that person became a ghost. A herald’s mount, a beloved pet, or a dryad’s tree might all awaken in this newly-undead form. These ghost brutes stick close to their true-ghost companions, following them in death as they did in life. Often, putting their person’s ghost to rest will allow the ghost brute to pass on at the same time. But sometimes, these ghost brutes arise even if their person didn’t become a ghost. They lurk around their person’s gravesite, guarding it from harm, or remain near their person’s home, as if waiting for them to return. These ghost brutes—usually harmless unless disturbed—linger on, no matter how many attempts are made to show them that their person is dead.Ghosts by Routine. Other ghost brutes arise from creatures that had a strong routine and were slain while performing it. A dog that always guarded their house at night and was slain by a burglar is likely to continue its guard. A horse that was ridden every week from their farm to the market before it and its rider met an untimely fate in a terrible storm may continue that trip, appearing every week and making the long trek into town. Unlike human ghosts who can be put to rest by finishing their business for them, these ghostsGhosts by Trauma. And still other ghost brutes arise because of a traumatic death, much like how many humanoid ghosts arise. Animals that were slain for sport or were brutalized by sadists commonly arise as ghost brutes, and a raging forest fire may several ghostly trees to arise in its wake.Legends and LoreWith an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following:DC 10. Ghost brutes are the spirits of animals and plants. They are frequently found together with other ghosts.DC 15. Like other ghosts, ghost brutes can’t be harmed by normal weapons. Magic is needed to harm them, and they can only rarely be put to rest by completing their unfinished business.DC 20. Ghost brutes can make terrifying cries that can rattle a listener to their core, and they can make themselves many times larger.Signs1. A mournful, animalistic howl in the distance2. Pawprints or hoofprints that appear, as if an invisible animal is walking by3. Mist obscures the ground4. Living animals become restlessBehavior1. Engaging in normal behavior for a creature of its type2. Guarding a gravesite3. Running a partial circuit of an area and then disappearing4. Believes itself to be in danger and attacks.--“Ghost brute” is a template that can be added on any beast, monstrosity, or plant that has an Intelligence and Charisma score of 7 or lower and can’t speak a language. It regains all of the statistics of the base creature except as noted below.Type. The ghost brute’s type changes to undead. It loses any other tags it had.Speed. The ghost brute gains a fly speed equal to its walking speed, but loses its walking speed.Attributes. The ghost brute’s Strength becomes 4 (-3), unless it was already lower, and its Charisma score becomes 14 (+2)Resistances. The ghost brute is resistant to acid, fire, lightning, and thunder damage, and to damage from nonmagical weapons.Immunities. The ghost brute is immune to cold, necrotic, and poison damage, and to the charmed, fatigue, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, and restrained conditions.Senses. If the base creature didn’t have darkvision, then it gains darkvision to 60 feet.Altered Attacks. The ghost brute’s weapon attacks inflict necrotic damage.Action: Bloodcurdling Howl (Recharge 6). The ghost brute emits a mournful howl that chills the living to the core. All creatures that are not aberrations, celestials, elementals, fiends, or undead within 300 feet of the ghost brute must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be rattled for 1 minute. A target that succeeds on its saving throw is immune to the Bloodcurdling Howl of all ghost brutes for 24 hours.Ethereal Sight. The ghost brute can see into both the Material and Ethereal Plane.Insubstantial. The ghost brute can’t pick up or move objects or creatures, and it loses all physical attacks, although it retains any attacks that inflict non-physical damage. It can move through objects and creatures. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.Bonus Action: Loom. The ghost brute increases its size by two size categories. While enlarged, it inflicts two additional dice of damage, and other creatures have disadvantage on saving throws against its Bloodcurdling Howl.Undead Nature. A ghost brute doesn’t require air, sustenance, or sleep.Unquiet Spirit. If defeated in combat, the ghost brute returns in 24 hours. It can by put to rest permanently only by finding an casting remove curse on its remains or by permanently putting to rest the true ghost it is tied to.--The following uses a mastiff as the base creature:Ghostly Guard DogMedium undead; Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)AC 12HP 9 (2d8+4)Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft.STR 4 (-3) DEX 14 (+2) CON 10 (+0)INT 3 (-4) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 14 (+2)Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 12Skills Perception +3Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; damage from nonmagical weaponsDamage Immunities cold, necrotic, poisonCondition Immunities charmed, fatigue, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrainedSenses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13Languages —Ethereal Sight. The ghostly guard dog can see into both the Material and Ethereal Plane.Insubstantial. The ghostly guard dog can’t pick up or move objects or creatures, and it loses all physical attacks, although it retains any attacks that inflict non-physical damage. It can move through objects and creatures. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.Undead Nature. A ghostly guard dog doesn’t require air, sustenance, or sleep.Unquiet Spirit. If defeated in combat, the ghostly guard dog returns in 24 hours. It can by put to rest permanently only by finding an casting remove curse on its remains, by resolving the unfinished business that keeps it from journeying to the afterlife, or by permanently putting to rest the true ghost it is tied to.ActionsBite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) necrotic damage (3d4+2 damage when using Loom). If the target is a creature, it must make a DC 12 Strength saving throw, falling prone on a failure.Bloodcurdling Howl (Recharge 6). The ghostly guard dog emits a mournful howl that chills the living to the core. All living creatures (creatures that are not celestials, elementals, fiends, or undead) within 300 feet of the ghostly guard dog must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be rattled for 1 minute. A target that succeeds on its saving throw is immune to the Bloodcurdling Howl of all ghost brutes for 24 hours.Bonus ActionsLoom (Recharge 5-6). The ghostly guard dog increases its size to Huge until the end of its next turn. While enlarged, other creatures have disadvantage on saving throws against its Bloodcurdling Howl.</blockquote>

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