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Demon Queen of Templates
Hungry Dead (Template)
In most respects the hungry dead appear to be otherwise normal zombies, however they have a spark of savage intelligence and are capable of limited speech. Adventurers who mistake the hungry dead for mere zombies are in for a horrifying surprise: the hungry dead are undead creatures that crave the flesh of the living. They rise from the grave hunt the night, ever seeking victims to sate their eternal hunger. Such is their unnatural hunger that once a victim is slain 2-5 hungry undead will stop attacking to feed on the dead victim. Hungry dead will not eat other undead, only fresh slain corpses.
The animating force of the hungry dead is concentrated in a particular part of the body (such as the head); one of these creatures cannot be destroyed by physical attacks except by the destruction of that body part.
Creating a Hungry Dead
"Hungry dead" is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature other than an undead (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). The creature's type changes to Undead. It retains most type modifiers (such as Fire or Aquatic), but loses alignment type modifiers (such as Good) and type modifiers that indicate kind (such as Goblinoid or Reptilian). Hungry dead keep Air, Aquatic, Cold, Earth, Electricity, Fire, Water subtypes. They lose Chaotic, Evil, Good, Lawful, Reptilian, and Humanoid (e.g., Elf) subtypes. It uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: Same as base creature +1, increase to d12.
Speed: Same as base creature -10 ft.
AC: The base creature's nature armor improves by +2. Although a hungry dead may carry a shield it used in life, it is incapable of using it defensively, and gains no AC benefit from it.
Attacks: The hungry dead retains only the natural attacks of the base creature and also gains 2 slams and a bite attack if it didn't already have them. Recalculate the hungry dead's melee attack bonuses based on its new type (undead) and ability scores. The slams are the primary attack, and the bite is the secondary attack.
Damage: Hungry dead have 2 slams and a bite attack. If the base creature does not have these attack forms, use the damage value in the table below.
Size: Slam and Bite Damage
Diminutive: 1
Fine: 1d2
Tiny: 1d3
Small: 1d4
Medium-size: 1d6
Large: 1d8
Huge: 2d6
Gargantuan: 2d8
Colossal: 4d6
Special Attacks: The hungry dead looses all special attacks, and gains Improved Grab if it didn’t already have it.
Improved Grab (Ex): If a hungry dead hits an opponent of its size or smaller with both slam attacks in a single round, it attempts a grapple with its opponent. Upon a successful grapple check, the hungry dead latches on and delivers a bite attack. The bite attack automatically hits.
Special Qualities: The hungry dead loses all special qualities except any subtypes it retains (such as the Fire subtype). The hungry dead gains the Undead type.
Animating Force (Su): DR --/animating force. Hungry dead only take hit point damage from attacks that strike the body part containing their animating force. Other successful strikes on a hungry dead will damage the body, but otherwise inflict no real harm. Although the hungry dead are technically immune to critical hits, a critical hit is required to strike the animating force. The first attack roll of a natural 19 or 20 against a hungry dead will strike the animating force. Once the location of the animating force is known, opponents can specifically target that location by accepting a -4 modifier to their attack roll.
Saves: Recalculate saves based on new Hit Dice and ability scores.
Abilities: Str +2, Con —, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills: The hungry dead looses all skills.
Feats: The hungry dead looses all feats except Improved Initiative. If the base creature did not have Improved Initiative, it gains this feat for free.
Climate/Terrain: Any
Organization: Mob (5-20)
Challenge Rating: See below.
Hit Dice: CR
1/2: ½
1: 1
2, 3: 3
4, 5: 3
6, 7: 4
8-11: 5
12-15: 6
16-19: 7
20: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: Hit dice are based on Advanced Hit Dice, if applicable.
The Hungry Dead first appeared in Dragon #138, (c)1988 by Tom Moldvay
This example Hungry Dead uses a Centaur as the base creature
Hungry Dead Centaur
Large Undead
Hit Dice: 5d12 (32 hp)
Initiative: +6 (Dex, Improved Initiative)
Speed: 40 ft.
AC: 15 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural)
Attacks: 2 hooves +6 or 2 slams +6, bite +1
Damage: Hoof 1d6+5, slam 1d6+5, bite 1d6+2
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved Grab
Special Qualities: Animating force, undead
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +4
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 14, Con —, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 1
Feats: Improved Initiative
Climate/Terrain: Temperate forest
Organization: Mob (5-20)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral evil
In most respects the hungry dead appear to be otherwise normal zombies, however they have a spark of savage intelligence and are capable of limited speech. Adventurers who mistake the hungry dead for mere zombies are in for a horrifying surprise: the hungry dead are undead creatures that crave the flesh of the living. They rise from the grave hunt the night, ever seeking victims to sate their eternal hunger. Such is their unnatural hunger that once a victim is slain 2-5 hungry undead will stop attacking to feed on the dead victim. Hungry dead will not eat other undead, only fresh slain corpses.
The animating force of the hungry dead is concentrated in a particular part of the body (such as the head); one of these creatures cannot be destroyed by physical attacks except by the destruction of that body part.
Creating a Hungry Dead
"Hungry dead" is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature other than an undead (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). The creature's type changes to Undead. It retains most type modifiers (such as Fire or Aquatic), but loses alignment type modifiers (such as Good) and type modifiers that indicate kind (such as Goblinoid or Reptilian). Hungry dead keep Air, Aquatic, Cold, Earth, Electricity, Fire, Water subtypes. They lose Chaotic, Evil, Good, Lawful, Reptilian, and Humanoid (e.g., Elf) subtypes. It uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: Same as base creature +1, increase to d12.
Speed: Same as base creature -10 ft.
AC: The base creature's nature armor improves by +2. Although a hungry dead may carry a shield it used in life, it is incapable of using it defensively, and gains no AC benefit from it.
Attacks: The hungry dead retains only the natural attacks of the base creature and also gains 2 slams and a bite attack if it didn't already have them. Recalculate the hungry dead's melee attack bonuses based on its new type (undead) and ability scores. The slams are the primary attack, and the bite is the secondary attack.
Damage: Hungry dead have 2 slams and a bite attack. If the base creature does not have these attack forms, use the damage value in the table below.
Size: Slam and Bite Damage
Diminutive: 1
Fine: 1d2
Tiny: 1d3
Small: 1d4
Medium-size: 1d6
Large: 1d8
Huge: 2d6
Gargantuan: 2d8
Colossal: 4d6
Special Attacks: The hungry dead looses all special attacks, and gains Improved Grab if it didn’t already have it.
Improved Grab (Ex): If a hungry dead hits an opponent of its size or smaller with both slam attacks in a single round, it attempts a grapple with its opponent. Upon a successful grapple check, the hungry dead latches on and delivers a bite attack. The bite attack automatically hits.
Special Qualities: The hungry dead loses all special qualities except any subtypes it retains (such as the Fire subtype). The hungry dead gains the Undead type.
Animating Force (Su): DR --/animating force. Hungry dead only take hit point damage from attacks that strike the body part containing their animating force. Other successful strikes on a hungry dead will damage the body, but otherwise inflict no real harm. Although the hungry dead are technically immune to critical hits, a critical hit is required to strike the animating force. The first attack roll of a natural 19 or 20 against a hungry dead will strike the animating force. Once the location of the animating force is known, opponents can specifically target that location by accepting a -4 modifier to their attack roll.
Saves: Recalculate saves based on new Hit Dice and ability scores.
Abilities: Str +2, Con —, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills: The hungry dead looses all skills.
Feats: The hungry dead looses all feats except Improved Initiative. If the base creature did not have Improved Initiative, it gains this feat for free.
Climate/Terrain: Any
Organization: Mob (5-20)
Challenge Rating: See below.
Hit Dice: CR
1/2: ½
1: 1
2, 3: 3
4, 5: 3
6, 7: 4
8-11: 5
12-15: 6
16-19: 7
20: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: Hit dice are based on Advanced Hit Dice, if applicable.
The Hungry Dead first appeared in Dragon #138, (c)1988 by Tom Moldvay
This example Hungry Dead uses a Centaur as the base creature
Hungry Dead Centaur
Large Undead
Hit Dice: 5d12 (32 hp)
Initiative: +6 (Dex, Improved Initiative)
Speed: 40 ft.
AC: 15 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural)
Attacks: 2 hooves +6 or 2 slams +6, bite +1
Damage: Hoof 1d6+5, slam 1d6+5, bite 1d6+2
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved Grab
Special Qualities: Animating force, undead
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +4
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 14, Con —, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 1
Feats: Improved Initiative
Climate/Terrain: Temperate forest
Organization: Mob (5-20)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral evil
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