D&D 3E/3.5 Creature Catalog 3.5 Overhaul Project

[BOZ]

i'll think more on that, 'pon the morrow.

 

[BOZ]

or maybe today!

 

[BOZ]

OK, as to making the pseudo-undead template like the lycanthrope template... well, for one thing, i really don't feel like 8 1/2 pages of text, so this will be a whole lot shorter. if we're going to go this route, we should limit it to just the types that could do it in 1E (ghouls, ghasts, wights, wraiths, spectres, and vampires). since this template will result in a creature not at all very different from the base creature, i suggest we give each of them just a little more power each. for example, the pseudoghoul could do the paralysis attack (but not the ghoul fever), and of course the pseudoghast gets its stench. pseudowights should not have energy drain, but maybe their slam deals some extra sort of damage. psuedowraiths and pseudospecters would not be incorporeal, but maybe they could get a deflection bonus to AC all the same; i think i would keep their unnatural aura, and possibly their powerlessness, and maybe give them some sort of melee touch attack. pseudovampires could get a charm person gaze instead of dominate, and maybe a weak DR and/or fast healing and/or cold/electricity resistance.

maybe each type could also figure in some minor bonuses, like to natural AC, ability scores, skills, feats, etc. keep in mind though, i would not want to give any of these creatures a whole lot of things, as they should all be a lot weaker than the actual undead (if the template is applied to a 1-HD humanoid, that is). i'd say maximum of 3 special abilities for each, and probably 1-2 for most. and by no means would any of them get to create spawn magically - they create spawn like the rest of us living folk!

 

[Shade]

OK, as to making the pseudo-undead template like the lycanthrope template... well, for one thing, i really don't feel like 8 1/2 pages of text, so this will be a whole lot shorter. if we're going to go this route, we should limit it to just the types that could do it in 1E (ghouls, ghasts, wights, wraiths, spectres, and vampires). since this template will result in a creature not at all very different from the base creature, i suggest we give each of them just a little more power each. for example, the pseudoghoul could do the paralysis attack (but not the ghoul fever), and of course the pseudoghast gets its stench. pseudowights should not have energy drain, but maybe their slam deals some extra sort of damage. psuedowraiths and pseudospecters would not be incorporeal, but maybe they could get a deflection bonus to AC all the same; i think i would keep their unnatural aura, and possibly their powerlessness, and maybe give them some sort of melee touch attack. pseudovampires could get a charm person gaze instead of dominate, and maybe a weak DR and/or fast healing and/or cold/electricity resistance.

Agreed...stick to the limited number of undead. Pseudowights could just pick up the +8 racial bonus on Move Silently checks.

In fact, I'd say no to all (Su) abilities. All those that the 1E pseudoundead possessed are Ex abilities now.

maybe each type could also figure in some minor bonuses, like to natural AC, ability scores, skills, feats, etc. keep in mind though, i would not want to give any of these creatures a whole lot of things, as they should all be a lot weaker than the actual undead (if the template is applied to a 1-HD humanoid, that is). i'd say maximum of 3 special abilities for each, and probably 1-2 for most.

Yeah, they should have minimal abilities. The main focus is just appearing as undead, IMO.

and by no means would any of them get to create spawn magically - they create spawn like the rest of us living folk!

Via budding?

 

[BOZ]

maybe you, Bud.

we could replace some of the Draining attacks with poison, disease, or something else. nothing really deadly either. i agree with the Move Silently bonus, and i would give that to the p-wraiths and p-spectres as well.

i'll work on this template this afternoon.

 

[BOZ]

with that in mind, here's what i came up with so far.

rather than at the end, as with the lycanthrope template, i think i'll start with the "creating" part.

CREATING A PSEUDO-UNDEAD
"Pseudo-undead" is an inherited template that can be added to any living, corporeal humanoid creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or higher (referred to hereafter as the base creature). Each pseudo-undead has similar qualities to a particular type of undead creature (referred to hereafter as the base undead).

A pseudo-undead uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Environment: Same as either the base creature or base undead.
Organization: Same as either the base creature or base undead.
Challenge Rating:
Treasure: Same as either the base creature or base undead.
Alingment: Same as either the base creature or base undead.
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustmen: Same as the base creature +X.

PSEUDO-UNDEAD AS CHARACTERS
blah blah blah fill this out later

PSEUDOGHOUL
This foul creature appears more or less humanoid, but has mottled flesh drawn tight across clearly visible bones. It is mostly hairless and has a carnivore's sharp teeth. Its eyes burn like hot coals in their sunken sockets.

Pseudoghouls do not hunger for flesh the way actual ghouls do, but they do savor the taste of humanoid flesh and most are cannibals.

(would get paralysis i think, plus bite and 2 claw attacks)


PSEUDOGHAST
A pseudoghast has the same characteristics as a pseudoghoul, plus the following special attack:

Stench (Ex): ...

PSEUDOWIGHT

PSEUDOWRAITH

PSEUDOSPECTRE

PSEUDOVAMPIRE

 

[Shade]

That looks like a good start.

PSEUDOWIGHT

Slam and a +8 racial bonus on Move Silently checks.

PSEUDOWRAITH

Maybe a lesser form of this...

Daylight Powerlessness (Ex): Wraiths are utterly powerless in natural sunlight (not merely a daylight spell) and flee from it.

...as well as deflection bonus to AC.


PSEUDOSPECTRE

Maybe a lesser form of this...

Sunlight Powerlessness (Ex): Spectres are powerless in natural sunlight (not merely a daylight spell) and flee from it. A spectre caught in sunlight cannot attack and can take only a single move or attack action in a round.

...as well as deflection bonus to AC.

 

[BOZ]

i'll try to get more work in on this one tomorrow.

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

I think the wraith and spectre will simply do well with this:

Light Sensitivity (Ex): Creatures are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.


As for their other special attacks:

Wight: Energy Drain (1 negative level)
Wraith: Constitution Drain (1d6), also Unnatural Aura
Spectre: Energy Drain (2 negative levels), also Unnatural Aura
Vampire: Blood Drain (1d4 Con), Energy Drain (2 neg levels) – maybe also give them some sort of weak hypnosis power?

As I mentioned before, I’d like to consider replacing some or all of these abilities with various Ex abilities. for example, we could switch out the energy drains for diseases and the ability drains for poisons (or vice versa).

 

[Shade]

I think the wraith and spectre will simply do well with this:

Light Sensitivity (Ex): Creatures are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.

Sounds good.

As for their other special attacks:

Wight: Energy Drain (1 negative level)
Wraith: Constitution Drain (1d6), also Unnatural Aura
Spectre: Energy Drain (2 negative levels), also Unnatural Aura
Vampire: Blood Drain (1d4 Con), Energy Drain (2 neg levels) – maybe also give them some sort of weak hypnosis power?

As I mentioned before, I’d like to consider replacing some or all of these abilities with various Ex abilities. for example, we could switch out the energy drains for diseases and the ability drains for poisons (or vice versa).

Hmmm...

Wight could have filth fever or mild poison (1d2 Str/1d2 Str).
Wraith poison could do 1d2 Con/1d2 Con and unnatural aura could be replaced with a penalty on Handle Animal checks.
Spectre could have greater Str damage poison and same Handle Animal penalty.
Vampire could have bleeding wounds with bite, spread red ache, and bonus on Bluff and/or Diplomacy checks.