Ghoulish alternatives

[Tonguez]

Okay, here it is, shafting Elves like no-one's business:

If a ghoul strikes you with a natural attack, you must make a Fort save or contract Ghoul Shakes. You need only save once per round in the case that you are struck multiple times.

Ghoul Shakes Disease (supernatural); Incubation time: 1 round.
Penalty: You lose your Dexterity bonus to AC, your movement speed is reduced by 10 ft., and you may not make attacks of opportunity.
Every day that you are infected, you must make another Fort save or suffer 1d4 points of Dexterity damage.

It's bad for Elves (low Fort, high Dex), and it's bad for heavy armor dudes (low movement).

Cheers, -- N

This I like mucho

 

[Varianor Abroad]

The Ghoul Shakes are cool. I think the penalties are very high. PCs will be scared enough by losing -2 Dex and 10 feet of movement to every failed save. Especially if you make it a Will save....

Alternate ghoul abilities are a good idea.

 

[Set]

I like replacing (or augmenting) most negative energy undead effects with a Fatigue / Exhaustion attack. Sucking the life out of you, each touch causes a Fatigued condition, and they stack, so that a second touch might Exhaust you, and a third drop you to Unconscious! (assuming that you fail all three saves)

Plus the fatigue conditions have their own rules for recovery time. Eight hours is a long time to wait to recover from the penalties you've gotten from that Spectre trying to suck the life out of you...

 

[frankthedm]

Toxic claws: Those struck by a ghoul's natural weapons must roll a fort save or take 1d6 subdual damage. Ghast's claws deal 2d6 non lethal damage on a failed save. If the non lethal damage causes the victim to become unconscious, a death like rigor overtakes the victim until the damage is healed. To notice the victim is still alive requires a DC 20 Spot check or a DC 15 Heal check.