Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
White Dwarf Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Nest
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
EN Publishing
Twitter
BlueSky
Facebook
Instagram
EN World
BlueSky
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter
Twitch
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Pseudo-undead
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="BOZ" data-source="post: 182795" data-attributes="member: 1241"><p><strong>PSEUDO-UNDEAD (template)</strong></p><p></p><p>Pseudo-undead are humanoids that have evolved to appear physically similar to undead creatures. To all of the normal five senses, these beings appear to be the undead creature they resemble. They behave in the same manner as undead, and are moderately dangerous to those unprepared. These beings are not actually undead, do not have the powers of undead, and do not associate with true undead. They are never met in the day, as despite the fact that sunlight does not harm them, they find it intolerable all the same.</p><p> These humanoids benefit from a deception that makes other beings frightened of them, for powers that they do not have. They are also safe from clerical turning, as well as any magic designed to work against undead, and they have no connection to the Negative Energy plane. They are often found working among evil humans and humanoids, where they interbreed and add to the general menace of groups of evil characters such as bandits.</p><p></p><p>CREATING A PSEUDO-UNDEAD</p><p> "Pseudo-undead" is a template that can be added to any undead creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or more (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). The creature's type changes to "humanoid." It uses all the base creature's statistics except as noted here. All supernatural powers are lost, and some extraordinary powers are lost as well.</p><p> The most common types of pseudo-undead are pseudo-ghouls, ghasts, wights, wraiths, specters, and vampires. Note that due to body construction, some types of undead are not well suited to be used as pseudo-undead. Undead types with a greatly decomposed or rotten appearance (lich, mohrg) or a very alien form (allip, bodak, devourer, nightshade) may not be very suitable as pseudo-undead creatures.</p><p></p><p>Hit Dice: Decrease to d8. The creature gains bonus hit points from its Constitution score.</p><p>Speed: Same as the base creature. If the base creature could fly, its flight speed is lost, and the creature appears to be flying when it walks.</p><p>AC: Same as the base creature. If the base creature was incorporeal, its deflection bonus is doubled and transferred to natural armor.</p><p>Attacks: Same as the base creature. If the base creature had an incorporeal touch, this becomes a slam attack that causes the same amount of damage. Pseudo-undead may use weapons, but usually do not, to maintain their deception of being undead.</p><p>Damage: Same as the base creature.</p><p>Special Attacks: All supernatural attacks and some extraordinary attacks are lost (including paralysis, create spawn, energy drain or ability drain).</p><p>Pseudovampires have the blood drain ability, but the Constitution damage is temporary instead of permanent. Psuedoghasts retain their stench attack.</p><p>Special Qualities: All supernatural qualities and some extraordinary qualities are lost (including spell resistance, damage reduction, turn resistance, unnatural aura, and the undead and incorporeal type modifiers). The creature retains darkvision at 60 ft.</p><p>Abilities: Same as the base creature. The creature gains a Constitution score, which is 10 + its HD. If the base creature was incorporeal, it gains a Strength score, which is 10 + 1/2 its HD.</p><p>Skills: A pseudo-undead has 6 skill points, plus its Intelligence modifier, plus 1 skill point per extra Hit Die. Treat skills from the base creature's list as class skills and other skills as cross-class. If the creature has a class, it gains skills for class levels normally. The creature retains any racial bonus to skills that the base creature had.</p><p>Feats: Pseudo-undead have one feat for every four levels or the base creature's total of feats, whichever is greater. The creature retains any bonus feats that the base creature had.</p><p></p><p>Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground</p><p>Organization: Same as the base creature.</p><p>Challenge Rating: 1/2 of the base creature, rounding down.</p><p>Treasure: Standard</p><p>Alignment: Always neutral evil</p><p>Advancement: Same as the base creature, or by character class.</p><p></p><p>SAMPLE PSEUDO-UNDEAD</p><p> This example uses a standard wight as the base creature.</p><p></p><p>PSEUDOWIGHT</p><p>Medium-Size Humanoid (Pseudo-undead)</p><p>Hit Dice: 4d8+8 (26 hp)</p><p>Initiative: +1 (Dex)</p><p>Speed: 30 ft</p><p>AC: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 natural)</p><p>Attacks: Slam +4</p><p>Damage: Slam 1d4+1</p><p>Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft</p><p>Special Qualities: Darkness 60 ft</p><p>Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +2</p><p>Abilities: Str 12, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 15</p><p>Skills: Hide +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +9, Spot +4</p><p>Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight</p><p></p><p>Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground</p><p>Organization: Solitary, gang (2-5), or pack (6-11)</p><p>Challenge Rating: 1</p><p>Treasure: Standard</p><p>Alignment: Always neutral evil</p><p>Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium-size) or by character class</p><p></p><p>Pseudowights appear identical to actual wights, having the same sort of twisted, wild appearance.</p><p></p><p>COMBAT</p><p>Pseudowights hammer with their fists, using their appearance to frighten opponents into backing down, for fear of energy drain.</p><p></p><p>Skills: Pseudowights receive a +8 racial bonus to Move Silently checks.</p><p></p><p>Pseudo-undead first appeared in Monster Manual II (1983).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="BOZ, post: 182795, member: 1241"] [b]PSEUDO-UNDEAD (template)[/b] Pseudo-undead are humanoids that have evolved to appear physically similar to undead creatures. To all of the normal five senses, these beings appear to be the undead creature they resemble. They behave in the same manner as undead, and are moderately dangerous to those unprepared. These beings are not actually undead, do not have the powers of undead, and do not associate with true undead. They are never met in the day, as despite the fact that sunlight does not harm them, they find it intolerable all the same. These humanoids benefit from a deception that makes other beings frightened of them, for powers that they do not have. They are also safe from clerical turning, as well as any magic designed to work against undead, and they have no connection to the Negative Energy plane. They are often found working among evil humans and humanoids, where they interbreed and add to the general menace of groups of evil characters such as bandits. CREATING A PSEUDO-UNDEAD "Pseudo-undead" is a template that can be added to any undead creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or more (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). The creature's type changes to "humanoid." It uses all the base creature's statistics except as noted here. All supernatural powers are lost, and some extraordinary powers are lost as well. The most common types of pseudo-undead are pseudo-ghouls, ghasts, wights, wraiths, specters, and vampires. Note that due to body construction, some types of undead are not well suited to be used as pseudo-undead. Undead types with a greatly decomposed or rotten appearance (lich, mohrg) or a very alien form (allip, bodak, devourer, nightshade) may not be very suitable as pseudo-undead creatures. Hit Dice: Decrease to d8. The creature gains bonus hit points from its Constitution score. Speed: Same as the base creature. If the base creature could fly, its flight speed is lost, and the creature appears to be flying when it walks. AC: Same as the base creature. If the base creature was incorporeal, its deflection bonus is doubled and transferred to natural armor. Attacks: Same as the base creature. If the base creature had an incorporeal touch, this becomes a slam attack that causes the same amount of damage. Pseudo-undead may use weapons, but usually do not, to maintain their deception of being undead. Damage: Same as the base creature. Special Attacks: All supernatural attacks and some extraordinary attacks are lost (including paralysis, create spawn, energy drain or ability drain). Pseudovampires have the blood drain ability, but the Constitution damage is temporary instead of permanent. Psuedoghasts retain their stench attack. Special Qualities: All supernatural qualities and some extraordinary qualities are lost (including spell resistance, damage reduction, turn resistance, unnatural aura, and the undead and incorporeal type modifiers). The creature retains darkvision at 60 ft. Abilities: Same as the base creature. The creature gains a Constitution score, which is 10 + its HD. If the base creature was incorporeal, it gains a Strength score, which is 10 + 1/2 its HD. Skills: A pseudo-undead has 6 skill points, plus its Intelligence modifier, plus 1 skill point per extra Hit Die. Treat skills from the base creature's list as class skills and other skills as cross-class. If the creature has a class, it gains skills for class levels normally. The creature retains any racial bonus to skills that the base creature had. Feats: Pseudo-undead have one feat for every four levels or the base creature's total of feats, whichever is greater. The creature retains any bonus feats that the base creature had. Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground Organization: Same as the base creature. Challenge Rating: 1/2 of the base creature, rounding down. Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: Same as the base creature, or by character class. SAMPLE PSEUDO-UNDEAD This example uses a standard wight as the base creature. PSEUDOWIGHT Medium-Size Humanoid (Pseudo-undead) Hit Dice: 4d8+8 (26 hp) Initiative: +1 (Dex) Speed: 30 ft AC: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 natural) Attacks: Slam +4 Damage: Slam 1d4+1 Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft Special Qualities: Darkness 60 ft Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +2 Abilities: Str 12, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 15 Skills: Hide +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +9, Spot +4 Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground Organization: Solitary, gang (2-5), or pack (6-11) Challenge Rating: 1 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium-size) or by character class Pseudowights appear identical to actual wights, having the same sort of twisted, wild appearance. COMBAT Pseudowights hammer with their fists, using their appearance to frighten opponents into backing down, for fear of energy drain. Skills: Pseudowights receive a +8 racial bonus to Move Silently checks. Pseudo-undead first appeared in Monster Manual II (1983). [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Pseudo-undead
Top