Mmmm...Libris Mortis.

[Felon]

OK, sorry to try to get back on topic, I have actual questions about Libris Mortis that I'm hoping someone can answer

1) Are the avolakia mentioned at all? (asked already, but I think it got overlooked during all the true necromancer hoopla).

2) Looks like the ghost brute and mummy templates from Savage Species were carried over. Are there templates for mohrgs and bodaks provided?

 

[Samurai]

OK, sorry to try to get back on topic, I have actual questions about Libris Mortis that I'm hoping someone can answer

1) Are the avolakia mentioned at all? (asked already, but I think it got overlooked during all the true necromancer hoopla).

2) Looks like the ghost brute and mummy templates from Savage Species were carried over. Are there templates for mohrgs and bodaks provided?

1) nothing I've seen on avolakia.

2) Not as templates, but the Mohrg is one of the Monster Classes presented in Savage Species style... a full 20 levels!

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Did they ever explain what had to die and what had to happen, for something like a Nightshade to be created?

Is there anything in the book such as something explainingl that if someone dies a certain way, they have a chance of coming back as a particular type of undead?

 

[Felon]

Did they ever explain what had to die and what had to happen, for something like a Nightshade to be created? Is there anything in the book such as something explainingl that if someone dies a certain way, they have a chance of coming back as a particular type of undead?

In the majority of cases, an undead monster's original entry explains what the criteria are for becoming that type of undead. Mohrgs, for instance, are "the animated corpses of mass murderers or similar villains who died without atoning for their crimes." Bodaks are "the undead remnants of humanoids who have been destroyed by the touch of absolute evil."

Of course, many undead create their own spawn (e.g. wights, shadows, vamps). Many are also accounted for through the various undead creation spells.

Now, as for nightshades, to my understanding they don't possess either the shell or spirit of a formerly-living creature, but are rather composed of "equal parts darkness and absolute evil", i.e. negative energy. They're the undiluted stuff of undeath made sentient. Some folks have a problem with these "undead that were never alive", but that just seems like getting caught up on semantics IMO (then again, I have to admit I do wince a bit whenever Monte Cook or whoever tries to pawn off a medium-sized giant as a 0HD PC race).

What are you looking for? Like some percentage chance that if a player is destroyed by the touch of absolute evil that he might come back as a bodak? Seems pretty much a plot device for the DM to work out.

Btw, while we're on the subject, can anyone tell us if Libris Mortis gives us any new nightshades? How about anything on bodaks?

 

[Felon]

1) nothing I've seen on avolakia.

2) Not as templates, but the Mohrg is one of the Monster Classes presented in Savage Species style... a full 20 levels!

Thanks for the info. It's a bit disappointing that there's no template, as that would make for some killer monster combos. then again, they wouldn't be that hard to make either.

Now a mohrg PC, I have to wonder how well that would work. 6 shaft levels aside, we're talking about a 20-level class that only gets the ability to grab folks and paralyze them. Not much to work with.

I'd like to hear from anyone who has LM that thinks that ANY of the mosnter classes look actually playable. Just seeking opinions.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Heres one!

Does the book talk about why spawning undead don't take over the world? we've had a couple of interesting threads on that topic here at En World and I was wondering if they touched on that at all.

 

[Nightchilde-2]

I'll bite! I'm curious about those two. My cleric PC's nemesis is a vampire. He also has some hunter of the dead levels, so I wonder if Spurn Death's Touch is the same as the 3rd level hunter of the dead class ability.

Oh! And thanks to the person who gave me the sacred purifier prereqs.

Milkman Dan, eh? Red Meat fan?

Vampire Hunter: Detect vampires, immunity to vampires' dominating gaze.

Spurn Death's Touch: Spend a turn attempt to heal 1d4 ability damage, paralysis or a negative level caused by undead.

 

[Nightchilde-2]

Heres one!

Does the book talk about why spawning undead don't take over the world? we've had a couple of interesting threads on that topic here at En World and I was wondering if they touched on that at all.

Not really. They mention spawning and how it's basically like a plague that must be stopped at the source. A little later they point out the advantages of creating spawn (i.e. allies under your control) but they never address how the undead don't rule the world.

There's a variant rule, however, that lets an undead decide not to spawn by making an Intelligence check (DC 15), even if they would normally automatically create spawn.

 

[Li Shenron]

Did they ever explain what had to die and what had to happen, for something like a Nightshade to be created?

Is there anything in the book such as something explainingl that if someone dies a certain way, they have a chance of coming back as a particular type of undead?

This is exactly the sort of flavor text I would like to see in a "prestige format" book as Libris Mortis is advertised.

It looks like they bothered to put a chapter on undead physiology (what there is to say about it beside that they're dead so no physiology at all? ) they could have thought about explaining really what is the in-game reason for the different undead to exist... Obviously the basic ones are already known, but the others need some explanation.

 

[Nightchilde-2]

This is exactly the sort of flavor text I would like to see in a "prestige format" book as Libris Mortis is advertised.

It looks like they bothered to put a chapter on undead physiology (what there is to say about it beside that they're dead so no physiology at all? ) they could have thought about explaining really what is the in-game reason for the different undead to exist... Obviously the basic ones are already known, but the others need some explanation.

I agree that this would have been some good info to put in. But, alas, it was not meant to be...