Memento Mori monster

[Shroomy]

I like it.

 

[freyar]

Advancement: By character class (representing levels the deceased had in life?) Otherwise, 5-12HD Medium with a note that memento mori based on larger or smaller creatures would be the appropriate size.

Treasure: I'm inclined to go for double standard, since people who can afford to create these are probably wealthy.

LA: -

CR: 3?

Do we need to convert the creation spell?

 

[Shade]

Updated.

 

[Shroomy]

I agree with advancement by character class based on the flavor text.

One other thing that I think the memento mori needs is some form of turn resistance or turning immunity, especially when guarding its body. Maybe a +2 bonus?

 

[freyar]

I kind of like immunity myself. This is easy enough to plug-and-play, though:

Devoted Guardian (Su): A memento mori is immune to turning (or receives turn resistance 2) when it is guarding its body or designated possessions. However, on the rare occasions that it leaves its guardianship, the memento mori is turned as an undead of its hit dice.

 

[Echohawk]

I also like immunity over turn resistance; it seems fair that they can't be turned from the place it is their entire purpose to guard.

 

[Shade]

Good suggestions, everyone.

Challenge Rating: 3?

Treasure: Standard?

Alignment: Always neutral?

Advancement: None?

 

[freyar]

I'll refer you to a post of mine that I think you missed:

Advancement: By character class (representing levels the deceased had in life?) Otherwise, 5-12HD Medium with a note that memento mori based on larger or smaller creatures would be the appropriate size.

Treasure: I'm inclined to go for double standard, since people who can afford to create these are probably wealthy.

LA: -

CR: 3?

Do we need to convert the creation spell?

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Regarding the conversion spell...

Is there an alternative to create undead that doesn't have the Evil descriptor? If not, we should probably convert it.

 

[freyar]

Is there an alternative to create undead that doesn't have the Evil descriptor? If not, we should probably convert it.

A quick glance through the SRD doesn't find one.

The original spell is

Create memento mori (Necromantic)
Priest 3
Sphere: Necromantic
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 2 hours, plus 1 hour for every die of energy imparted
Area of Effect: Body touched
Saving Throw: See below

The casting of this spell on a dead body causes a sliver of the soul that once inhabited the body to return to the Prime Material plane and become a memento mori, standing guard over its body. Only one memento mori can be made from each person’s soul, as a loss of a greater number of soul-slivers would be detrimental to the soul wherever it now rests. In addition, a memento mori cannot be created if the body of the deceased is not present, nor if the body or soul of the deceased has already been turned into some other form of undead. Unlike other spells that create undead, this use of create memento mori is not considered evil if, when he was alive, the person who becomes the memento mori was part of a culture believing in this practice as an accepted custom. Each memento mori is able to cause a mild, static-electric effect that they use to defend their bodies against cowardly pests, and most are also imbued with electrical energy they can use in combat. The material component for this spell is a collection of herbs, spices, oils, and precious substances that are placed in or about the body as it is prepared for internment. The cost of these stuffs is 500 gp, with an additional 25 gp worth of these things being required for every hit die of electrical energy the memento mori is to be imbued with (e.g., a memento mori to be imbued with two hit dice worth of energy would cost 550 gp, while 1,000 gp would produce a memento mori with 20 hit dice available to it). These oils and such are all incorporated into the body when the spell is cast and are not recoverable.

A first go at it:

Create Memento Mori (Necromancy)
Cleric 3?
Components: V, S, DF, M ?
Casting Time: 2 hours
Range: Touch
Targets: One body touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Casting this spell on a dead body causes a sliver of the soul that once inhabited the body to become a memento mori, standing guard over its body. Only one memento mori can be made from each person’s soul. A memento mori cannot be created if the body of the deceased is not present or if the body or soul of the deceased has already been turned into some other form of undead.

Material Component: A collection of herbs, spices, oils, and precious substances worth 500 gp that are placed in or about the body during casting. These oils and such are all incorporated into the body and are not recoverable.