D&D General Alternatives to lich or vampire?

[Urriak Uruk]

You don't need PC levels as it's not a PC

Just bump its HD and AC and give it what powers you want

You don't have to sit down and play D&D, you can watch the NBA playoffs instead...

Obviously you dont have to give PC levels, it's just a suggestion to make a ghost or ghoul more engaging.

 

[Oofta]

When coming up with custom monsters sometimes I add character levels, sometimes I just progress as monsters and copy powers from other high level monsters. An undead that just does more damage isn't that interesting but start giving them lair actions that you pick and choose for the theme can make them interesting.

For example copy the breath weapon of a dragon. Fluff it any number of ways as spewing out bile (black dragon's acid) or necrotic damage as a gaze attack or whatever you want. I don't give too many abilities, just the ones I think they'll actually use.

There are rules for customizing stuff in the DMG. I don't use it all that often, but it seems to work fairly well.

 

[GMMichael]

What are my options? Lich, it seems, is limited to just arcane casters and also WAY too high of a CR to be useful. Vampire could certainly work here, but also comes with a decent amount of baggage and since I'd like to be able to use this guy in the middle of the day, the whole sunlight vulnerability thing is a real bummer.

Liches can be non-arcane casters. In fact, their CRs aren't so uselessly high in that case.

Vampires can walk about during the day. They just need Spectacles of SPF 2000:

 

[Wasteland Knight]

Liches can be non-arcane casters. In fact, their CRs aren't so uselessly high in that case.

Whether divine or arcane, the base creature needs to be an 11th level caster, so either way the CR is the same. Granted, going from Cleric to Lich is probably not quite the power bump as Wizard to Lich, but at least on paper its "the same".

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

So, IMC, I want to make a noble lord undead. As in, part of his backstory involves him wanting to become undead, and he pays a sum of money, and then does that.

What are my options? Lich, it seems, is limited to just arcane casters and also WAY too high of a CR to be useful. Vampire could certainly work here, but also comes with a decent amount of baggage and since I'd like to be able to use this guy in the middle of the day, the whole sunlight vulnerability thing is a real bummer.

What else is there?

Why did the noble want to die and become an eternally-suffering foul mimicry of life? What capabilities were they hoping to gain from it?

Might give some clues as to the type of undead they would be trying to become.

 

[der_kluge]

I'll give Mummy lord another look. The CR is pretty high, but I could probably work with that. I wanted to avoid creating something brand new, since it just felt like I was overlooking something simple here. Ghostly possession is an interesting idea here, but the noble's goals in undeath are far more complex (to see his family's stature rise to greatness), so thematically it doesn't really work.

 

[der_kluge]

Why did the noble want to die and become an eternally-suffering foul mimicry of life? What capabilities were they hoping to gain from it?

Might give some clues as to the type of undead they would be trying to become.

Essentially, over the last several decades, his house has slowly lost money since trade routes have shifted over time. His children more or less abandoned him, and he sees his family's name as a mockery among all the other nobles in the vicinity. Since his kids clearly aren't stepping up to see his house once again reach a prominent position in the land, he'll need to find a way to do it. Unfortunately, he's getting old and frail and knows he won't be long for this world. If he can't reach his goals in life, he'll do it in undeath.

(And one of his children is a PC in my game, playing a paladin)

 

[Ancalagon]

Essentially, over the last several decades, his house has slowly lost money since trade routes have shifted over time. His children more or less abandoned him, and he sees his family's name as a mockery among all the other nobles in the vicinity. Since his kids clearly aren't stepping up to see his house once again reach a prominent position in the land, he'll need to find a way to do it. Unfortunately, he's getting old and frail and knows he won't be long for this world. If he can't reach his goals in life, he'll do it in undeath.

(And one of his children is a PC in my game, playing a paladin)

So immortality in a way...

 

[GSHamster]

I think you should stick to vampire. Part of undeath is dealing with the drawbacks, that living forever is worth the drawbacks, even as the drawbacks change you.

Creating an undead variant which is basically "human, but living forever" is not a good idea.

 

[Al2O3]

Essentially, over the last several decades, his house has slowly lost money since trade routes have shifted over time. His children more or less abandoned him, and he sees his family's name as a mockery among all the other nobles in the vicinity. Since his kids clearly aren't stepping up to see his house once again reach a prominent position in the land, he'll need to find a way to do it. Unfortunately, he's getting old and frail and knows he won't be long for this world. If he can't reach his goals in life, he'll do it in undeath.

(And one of his children is a PC in my game, playing a paladin)

I'm not sure how far you wish to go with that storyline, but it instantly have me some thoughts.

Doing whatever it takes to get his house in order... Sounds like he needs a business partner or investor. You know, someone who for a small favour could help out with some trade deals. Keep hold of this package until a certain person comes looking for it, no questions asked. Maybe house some guests, that sort of thing.

Oh, you need more time? Well, this amulet/ritual/brand will provide you with all the time you want/turn you into a minor kind of lich/infuse you with some level of immorality. There's just one catch...

There is a rent to pay for this new life. A rent paid in souls.

Basically, the reason for becoming undead sounds like a perfect reason for a devil to offer a pact. A minor kind of lichdom could work, but if you have trouble finding a suitable kind of undead there may be other ways for a devil to help out.