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*Pathfinder & Starfinder
Horror zombie template (reworked and with examples)
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<blockquote data-quote="Sir Brennen" data-source="post: 3424017" data-attributes="member: 553"><p>This is a cool idea, and I'm working through some of the same things for zombies in another game system. My comments:</p><p></p><p><strong>Cold subtype</strong> is inappropriate for these guys. That usually applies to extraplanar creatures affiliated with cold, winter, etc. or creatures like a white dragon. These zombies don't really have that sort of association.</p><p></p><p>I'd simply give them Cold Resistance (10) and Fire Vulnerability as an extraordinary ability, just like a mummy. Per the SRD:</p><p></p><p>I also agree with the <strong>Scent</strong> thing. The fairly high Racial bonus on Spot and Listen reflects their predatory nature enough, as they're more attuned to the way living beings move differently from themselves. Alertness as a bonus feat would be appropriate.</p><p></p><p>I think DR 10/- <em>and</em> Fast Healing 10 <em>and</em> bonus hit points for Frenzy <em>and</em> Toughness [x3] is way over the top. I'd at least lose the Fast healing (or scale it *way* down to only 2 or 3). Horror Zombies are dead. They don't regenerate. Damage resistance 10 that can't be bypassed is already pretty good at showing "Yeah, you hit him. He just doesn't care..." I'd also scale down Toughness to only 1 level.</p><p></p><p>Also remember, it's not neccessarily that any individual zombie is super tough; it's just that there's so *many* of them...</p><p></p><p>For the <strong>Curse</strong>, why not just use the standard formula of 10 + 1/2 HD and make it STR based? I dislike creatures which have "special" formulas for their abilities.</p><p></p><p>Also, you might want to add this nasty bit, based on Mummy Rot:</p><p></p><p>In the fluff, I also don't know of too many creatures that "can live for several weeks with this curse before finally dying" when they're taking 1d3 CON damage a day, unless you're allowing a save to avoid damage each day (which isn't stated.)</p><p></p><p><strong>Frenzy</strong> Keep it simple. Here's someplace where I think you <em>don't</em> need to try to emulate existing rules, in this case Rage. A barbarian loses his extra hit points from Rage because he's a living being who's exhausted. A zombie simply throttles down after frenzy, no worse for the wear, not tired at all. </p><p></p><p>Also, since undead are already immune to most effects which require a Will Save, giving them a +2 Will in this state is just adding insult to injury.</p><p></p><p>I'd redo the crunchy bits of Frenzy like so: While in this frenzy, a Horror Zombie gains a +4 bonus to Strength and +2 temporary hit points per Hit Die, but it takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class. Note that this increase in Strength adds +2 to the DC of the Horror Zombie's Curse.</p><p></p><p>I wonder though, if Frenzy should be an x times per day ability, say once per 3 HD, and have it last a number of rounds equal to 3 + the creature’s (newly improved) Strength modifier. The ability is usable only once per encounter.</p><p></p><p><strong>Feats</strong>: These near mindless guys can't learn feats, but I'd go crazy on the bonus ones (following <a href="http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/monsters/fleshboundvampire_3p5.html" target="_blank"> <strong><span style="color: DarkOrange">Sean K. Reynold's Fleshbound Vampire</span></strong></a> as an example): Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Lightning Reflexes, and Toughness</p><p></p><p>Also, FYI, on Ability Scores in the template, you still have INT as zero.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Sir Brennen, post: 3424017, member: 553"] This is a cool idea, and I'm working through some of the same things for zombies in another game system. My comments: [b]Cold subtype[/b] is inappropriate for these guys. That usually applies to extraplanar creatures affiliated with cold, winter, etc. or creatures like a white dragon. These zombies don't really have that sort of association. I'd simply give them Cold Resistance (10) and Fire Vulnerability as an extraordinary ability, just like a mummy. Per the SRD: I also agree with the [b]Scent[/b] thing. The fairly high Racial bonus on Spot and Listen reflects their predatory nature enough, as they're more attuned to the way living beings move differently from themselves. Alertness as a bonus feat would be appropriate. I think DR 10/- [i]and[/i] Fast Healing 10 [i]and[/i] bonus hit points for Frenzy [i]and[/i] Toughness [x3] is way over the top. I'd at least lose the Fast healing (or scale it *way* down to only 2 or 3). Horror Zombies are dead. They don't regenerate. Damage resistance 10 that can't be bypassed is already pretty good at showing "Yeah, you hit him. He just doesn't care..." I'd also scale down Toughness to only 1 level. Also remember, it's not neccessarily that any individual zombie is super tough; it's just that there's so *many* of them... For the [b]Curse[/b], why not just use the standard formula of 10 + 1/2 HD and make it STR based? I dislike creatures which have "special" formulas for their abilities. Also, you might want to add this nasty bit, based on Mummy Rot: In the fluff, I also don't know of too many creatures that "can live for several weeks with this curse before finally dying" when they're taking 1d3 CON damage a day, unless you're allowing a save to avoid damage each day (which isn't stated.) [b]Frenzy[/b] Keep it simple. Here's someplace where I think you [i]don't[/i] need to try to emulate existing rules, in this case Rage. A barbarian loses his extra hit points from Rage because he's a living being who's exhausted. A zombie simply throttles down after frenzy, no worse for the wear, not tired at all. Also, since undead are already immune to most effects which require a Will Save, giving them a +2 Will in this state is just adding insult to injury. I'd redo the crunchy bits of Frenzy like so: While in this frenzy, a Horror Zombie gains a +4 bonus to Strength and +2 temporary hit points per Hit Die, but it takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class. Note that this increase in Strength adds +2 to the DC of the Horror Zombie's Curse. I wonder though, if Frenzy should be an x times per day ability, say once per 3 HD, and have it last a number of rounds equal to 3 + the creature’s (newly improved) Strength modifier. The ability is usable only once per encounter. [b]Feats[/b]: These near mindless guys can't learn feats, but I'd go crazy on the bonus ones (following [url=http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/monsters/fleshboundvampire_3p5.html] [B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Sean K. Reynold's Fleshbound Vampire[/COLOR][/B][/url] as an example): Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Lightning Reflexes, and Toughness Also, FYI, on Ability Scores in the template, you still have INT as zero. [/QUOTE]
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Horror zombie template (reworked and with examples)
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