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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BOZ" data-source="post: 224748" data-attributes="member: 1241">DREADwhat's next?  how about this little fella?  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />DREADSmall UndeadHit Dice: 3d12 (19 hp)Initiative: +6 (Dex, Improved Initiative)Speed: 15 ft, fly 40 ft (good), swim 20 ftAC: 17 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural)Attacks: Claw +3 melee; or masterwork longsword +4 meleeDamage: Claw 1d4+1; or masterwork longsword 1d8+2Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ftSpecial Qualities: Undead, half damage from slashing and piercing, immunities, blindsight, flightSaves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3Abilities: Str 13, Dex 15, Con ---, Int ---, Wis 10, Cha 12Skills: Jump +5, Swim +5Feats: Improved InitiativeClimate/Terrain: Any land, underground, and aquaticOrganization: Solitary or patrol (1-6)Activity Cycle: AnyChallenge Rating: 4Treasure: NoneAlignment: Always neutralAdvancement: 4-9 HD (Small)Dread are animated humanoid skeletal arms created to be guardians.  Wizards and clerics may create these undead using magic that gives them a specific set of instructions on how and where to operate.  They are often ordered to attack all intruders into an area that don’t present a particular badge or speak a set password.  They exist only to serve their creator (even after the creator’s death) as guardians, or sometimes for other practical purposes, such as sparring partners or wizards’ laboratory assistants.  Sometimes, they are created for families to guard a tomb or treasure vault, wielding magical or masterwork swords, as these mindless undead are more trustworthy than mercenaries.COMBATDread often wield weapons, such as scimitars or hand axes (they can carry up to 50 pounds of weight, and wield anything 10 feet or less in overall length).  They can also use their sharpened fingertips as claws.  They fly through the darkness, or hide in small spaces, positioning themselves to surprise opponents.  They can also hurl rocks and thrown weapons (but are not coordinated enough to use bows or crossbows).  They are often concealed among normal bones, where they lie in wait, and then use the bones as skulls as weapons (1d4 damage each, 50% chance to shatter on impact).   Dread can be turned like most undead, but are often found in areas where magic is used to prevent or weaken clerical turning.  The magic used to create them allows them to regenerate all damage in time, healing at a rate of 2 hit points per day.   Undead: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, and disease.  Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.   Half Damage From Piercing and Slashing (Ex): Piercing and slashing weapons deal only half damage to a dread, with a minimum of 1 point of damage.   Immunities (Ex): Dread are immune to cold, polymorph, hold spells, and shatter and disintegrate spells and effects.   Flight (Su): The magic that creates a dread allows it to fly as the spell, as a free action, at a speed of 40 feet.  This magic also grants it a permanent feather fall effect with personal range.   Skills: Dread receive a +4 racial bonus to Jump and Swim checks.VAMPIRIC DREADCertain specimens of dread have been enspelled in a way that requires them to slay a living creature at least once a year.  When such a dread hits with a claw attack, half of the hit points (rounding down) caused by the attack are transferred to the dread.  Any hit points above the dread’s normal hit point total are bonus hit points, and remain with the dread until they fade away at a rate of one hit point per ten days.  If a whole year passes before a vampiric dread is able to kill a living being, it will crumble into dust.The dread first appeared in the Ruins of Myth Drannor boxed set, then in the Monstrous Compendium Annual One.Edit: added the flight ability, fixed some minor errors.</blockquote>

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