Special Conversion Thread: Moldvay's Undead

[demiurge1138]

Wait... did I say it should be a template? My apologies. I think it shouldn't be a template. Sorry about that.

Demiurge out.

 

[freyar]

Ah, well, let's go with Str 24, Dex 14, Con -, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 19 or something. I added comments about the table above.

 

[demiurge1138]

I agree that a table should be kept, but I think that the table we have needs significant paring down to make it workable. It's a weird one.

Demiurge out.

 

[Shade]

OK, so it's not a template.

I think the ability scores are a good start, but I'd like to see a bit higher Int. How about:

Str 24, Dex 14, Con -, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 19?

This is still less than the true "super-mummy", the hunefer, which has Int 18.

I agree that the random table is too complex. Perhaps we should give it its choice of curses? Or list the various curses, and say that each ka can use one specific curse?

We can also look at the greater mummy template in Deities & Demigods for further inspiration.

 

[freyar]

Those scores seem fine.

I'd say we make a list of curses and say that each ka can choose to use any of some number of them, kind of like the ghost template. That's probably the simplest. Edit: or just make a simplified table for rolling on a d6 or d8 or something.

 

[demiurge1138]

I think a d8 of curses would work nicely.

Demiurge out.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews, using mummy information as placeholders.

First, is 9 HD enough? A standard mummy is 8 HD. The 2e mummy was 6 HD, so to maintain the difference, the ka should be at least 11 HD.

Also, Strength is currently equal to a standard mummy. Should we increase it a tad, since compared to the 2e mummy, it did 2d10 vs. the mummy's 1d12.

AC was 2 better than standard 2e mummy. Currently, with the increased Dex, it is exactly 2 higher. Did we want higher natural armor as well?

 

[demiurge1138]

I say:

11 HD for the ka.

Higher strength for the ka.

Give it a small boost to its natural armor, maybe a +2. AC has devalued somewhat from 2nd to 3rd edition, so...

Demiurge out.

 

[freyar]

Let's go with 11HD.

I'd say either Str +4 or increase the slam damage by a step (maybe favoring the latter).

I'm wishy-washy on natural armor. Maybe an additional +1.

 

[Shade]

Updated with 11 HD, Str +4, and +1 natural armor.

As with mummies, the mere sight of a ka may cause fear and revulsion in any creature. A save vs. spells must succeed or the victim will be paralyzed with fright for 1-6 melee rounds. There are no bonuses to the die roll.

Despair unchanged from mummy?

A ka can be harmed only by magical weapons, which do only half normal damage. Sleep, charm, hold, cold, poison, paralysis, polymorph, and electricity do not harm it. It suffers only half damage from fire or holy water. A raise dead spell turns a ka into a normal human (of 10thlevel fighting ability) unless the ka saves vs. spells.

Most of that is covered by undead immunities. We already gave it DR 5/-. Add immunity to electricty?

A ka has a limited magical ability. A word written by it has the force of a command spell. It takes a full round to inscribe such a word. Characters need not see the written word for the spell to take effect.

If it's gonna take a full round, I think it should function as greater command. Thoughts?

The ka is able to fragment its spirit. These spirit fragments can inhabit special magical stone statues within the ka's tomb. Treat these statues as stone golems. A ka can inhabit 1-4 statues at a time. If the ka's mummified body is destroyed, its will lives on in the statues. Inside a statue, however, a ka no longer possesses its curse or magical writing powers, and it may be affected by forms of attacks to which the mummified body is immune. Note that the ka has no power to activate any other statue but those in its tomb.

Fun!

It sounds like it needs something akin to a proto-dracolich.

A ka may also walk through special spirit doors carved into stone or wood or painted on a wall when the body was buried. A ka could walk through a spirit door carved into rock, attack the party, then retreat back inside its tomb.

Similar to phase door?

A cleric has the same chance to turn a ka as he does a vampire.

Add +4 turn resistance (like a vampire)