How about these?
muzick said:
I like this idea a lot. In fact, even without running a whole campaign or adventure centered around these guys, I think I may take this and whip up some stats to throw at one of my parties in the next couple of weeks. At the very least, it'll scare the crap out of them when they realize these aren't "normal" zombies.
I made these a bit tougher than I previously suggested, so that they might last a bit longer against a typical mid-level party and more fully horrify a low(er) level party. There is nothing quite like seeing your attack have little or no effect against a relentless foe. Their hp is not that great, but their protection is enough that I think they are at least a CR 2 foe and maybe even a CR 3 foe.
Horror Zombie
Size / Type: Medium Undead (Cold)
HD: 2d12 (13 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 40 ft (8 squares)
Base Atk/Grpl: +1/+3
Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d8+2 + Withering Infection), 2 Claws +1 melee (1d3+1)
Full Attack: Bite +3 melee and 2 Claws +1 melee
Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Craving Rage, Horrific Rend, Sudden Lunge, Terrifying Presence, Withering Infection
Special Qualities: Brief Respite, Cold Subtype, Critical Vulnerability, Dark Vision 90 ft, DR 10 / magic, Life Sense 45 ft, Resistance 5 (acid), Resistance 10 (electric, sonic), SR 3, +4 Turn Resistance, Undead Traits
Saves: Fort +0, Refl +1, Will +5
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 13, Con --, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 8
Skills (2 ranks): Balance +1, Climb +2, Escape Artist +1, Hide +1, Jump +2, Listen +3 [1r], Move Silently +1, Spot +3 [1r], Swim +2.
Feats: Multiattack
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, Gang (2d4, 5), Pack (6d6, 21), Wave (20d10, 110)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: none
Alignment: Always Neutral Evil
Advancement: none (?)
Brief Respite (Su): A Horror Zombie that successfully deals a Bite attack gains temporary hit points equal to half those dealt the victim. These points last for one minute (10 rounds). Should the Horror Zombie manage to consume enough to double its maximum possible hit points (to 24, for a standard 2d12 Horror Zombie) it experiences a brief ending of its hunger. If it is in a Craving Rage it must immediately make a Will save or calm out of the rage for 1d4 rounds or until its hit points are less than double its normal maximum - whichever comes first. The Horror Zombie may still choose to attack and feast while its hp is doubled, but it will not be able to (re-)enter a Craving Rage until the hit points start to fade or it takes damage. Note that a Horror Zombie no longer gains temporary hit points for bite attacks once its total of hit points and temporary hit points reaches double its normal maximum (24, usually).
Cold Sub-type: Horror Zombies are immune to Cold and take double damage from Fire.
Craving Rage (Su): Horror Zombies are ever filled with a continuous, never satiated hunger for living flesh. Should a Horror Zombie notice a living creature - either through its sight, its hearing, or its Life Sense, it will immediately enter a Craving Rage if it is not already enraged. It immediately seeks out the straightest, most direct route towards the living creature - usually Charging, followed by Sudden Lunge.
While in a Craving Rage the Horror Zombie receives a +4 bonus to its Strength, a +2 bonus to its Will saves and Turn Resistance, and a +5 bonus to its base speed (to 45 ft, 9 squares). However, its rush into combat grants it a -1 AC penalty.
Critical Vulnerability: Unlike most undead, Horror Zombies do have a location where they can be critically harmed - their head. As such, any successful critical strike against a Horror Zombies deals more than typical damage. Successful critical attacks with non-magic weaponry by-pass their Damage Reduction as if the strike had been made with a magical weapon. Critical strikes with a magical weapon, a spell, or similarly magical form of attack deal twice as much damage - irregardless of the actual critical multiplier.
Damage Reduction 10 / magic: Horror Zombies ignore the first 10 points of damage from any non-magical weapon. This can be by-passed by their Critical Vulnerability, however.
Resistance (Electric and Sonic) 10, Resistance (Acid) 5: Horror Zombies ignore the first 10 points of Electric and Sonic damage they receive and the first 5 points of Acid damage they receive.
Horrific Rend (Ex): Should a Horror Zombie strike with both claws, and should at least one of the claw attacks roll a critical hit, the Horror Zombie can immediately make an additional rend attack dealing 2d8 damage. Those that witness this horrific act or the splatter of blood that results must immediately make a Will save (DC 13: 10 + half HD + Cha) or be shaken for 1d4 rounds.
Life Sense 45 ft (Su): Horror Zombies can sense the positive energy that fills and surrounds living creatures. This special form of Blindsense allows a Horror Zombie to automatically detect the presence and direction towards any living creature that comes with 45 ft of the Horror Zombie. It cannot determine the distance towards the living creature.
Spell Resistance 3 (Su): Horror Zombies are slightly resistant to magic, perhaps due to the nature of the curse that animates them. Whenever a magical effect is used against them, there is a small chance that it will fail. (3 = HD + Cha)
Sudden Lunge (Ex): A Horror Zombie can make a full attack at the end of a charge. (Based on Pounce)
Terrifying Presence (Su): One Horror Zombie is dreadful enough, but when they attack in numbers their horrific presence can inspire fear. Whenever more than one attacking Horror Zombie is within 30 ft of a N/PC the character must make a Will save (DC 5 + half HD of Horror Zombies present) or become Shaken. Should they fail by 10 or more, they instead become Frightened. Should they fail by 20 or more they become Panicked.
Withering Infection (Su): Horror Zombies are the result of a horrific cursed disease. Should a Horror Zombie succeed in a Bite attack the victim must immediately make a Fortitude save (DC 24 = 20 + HD + Cha). Should they fail they are cursed. They immediately take 1d2 Con drain, and every morning thereafter they must make a Fort save or take another 1d2 Con drain. Remove Disease will not remove Withering Infection until after the curse is broken. The victim is considered to have SR 20 + half their own HD + their own Cha to resist Remove Curse or similar spells that typically remove or negate curses. Upon death due to Con drain they arise 1d4 minutes later as a Horror Zombie. Should they die by any other means, they make an immediate Fort save as if it were the next morn. Should they fail, they arise 4d4 minutes later as a Horror Zombie.
A Few Notes
Horror Zombies typically react instinctively. They possess only enough intellect to dodge around obvious traps. If they detect a living creature nearby, they will rush around an open unhidden pit between themselves and their victim rather than rush forward and fall. They cannot speak, nor do they think beyond an animal level, nor can they recall their former lives.
Horror Zombies are occasionally mistaken for wights or certain types of (unwrapped) mummies, but most often they are mistaken for zombies. Horror zombies resemble typical zombies in most respects, save that their flesh may not as readily rot as is the case with zombies. Rotting does occur, but at a slower pace, seeming to become ever slower until it halts with the Horror Zombie in a partially mummified state.
Lastly, while typical Horror Zombies are of a Cold subtype and vulnerable against fire, in deserts and some tropical locations a variant Horror Zombie exists that is quite the opposite - having immunity to fire and vulnerability to cold. Unlike normal Horror Zombies, who seem to catch fire rather easily, these Fire subtype Horror Zombies instead seem to crumble as the chill energies stiffen and crackle their bodies.