[PEACH] Zombie as a race character option

[Bishop_]

Disclaimer: I'd an idea for a zombie character. Unfortunately, the DnD 5e current rules don't support this concept very well (even the Revenant from Gothic Heroes UA imho). So I decided to design my own. What I've done so far

Zombie playable race

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Undead. You are considered an undead creature for the purpose of effects that relate to the undead type, like the Turn Undead and Destroy Undead features from Cleric class.
Past Life. Select a race other than zombie. You are also considered a member of that race for the purpose of meeting prerequisites, such as the Bladesinger Wizard’s Arcane Tradition. In addition, you know the same languages you knew in life as well as your appearance at the time of your death. You do not age, but do rot.
Size. Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Undead Fortitude. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison and necrotic damage. In addition, you are immune to exhaustion condition.
Unnatural Vitality. At the start of each of your turns, you regain hit points equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier if you have no more than half of your hit points left.



Design notes

• I designed Zombie as a race rather than a sub-race because I think it can stand on his own and because I don't want to mess with the sub-race system (one of the UA Revenant's problems in my opinion). In a sense, "Past Life" does what a zombie as sub-race could have accomplished.
• When imagining Zombie as a playable race I'd two main things in mind: i) a "open" race, that is, without favoring a particular class; ii) that it embodied (no pun indeed) my general vision about zombies as tough beings. For this the +2 ASI goes to CON: it represents toughness (determining HPs and ST linked to it) and is an ability useful to everyone.
• "Unnatural Vitality" (which name comes from Heroes of Shadows Revenant) is a way to reinforce the racial toughness and to work around the problem that "Undead" gives (like not being subject to healing spells like Healing Word ou Cure Wounds). This feature is based on the 18th level Champion (Fighter martial archetype) feature, without the 0 hit points limit. At first, I gave it the same numbers (5+CON), but this seemed too much for low levels. But now, I think it is useless in high levels. Perhaps scaling it through the tiers of play (1/3/5+CON)?
• Although logical, "Undead" poses more problems than solutions (except for a Oathbreaker partner). Perhaps cutting it off?
• "Undead Fortitude" deal with all tropes about zombies not eating, drinking, sleeping, enduring strenuous activties (like marching for days) and suffering less from poison and necrotic energy.

What do you think? Critics and suggestions are welcomed!

 

[Bitbrain]

Undead Fortitude is already strong, I don't think you need Unnatural Vitality.

 

[Bishop_]

Undead Fortitude is already strong, I don't think you need Unnatural Vitality.

So I get to rid "Undead" too, because without "Unnatural Vitality" the Zombie can't regain HPs through healing spells.

And I have to deal with long rest yet. Perhaps something like the "Living Construct" feature from Warforged (Eberron UA). Copied below for your convenience:

Living Construct. Even though you were constructed, you are a living creature. You are immune to disease. You do not need to eat or breathe, but you can ingest food and drink if you wish.
Instead of sleeping, you enter an inactive state for 4 hours each day. You do not dream in this state; you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.