Special Conversion Thread: Moldvay's Undead

[demiurge1138]

I think so. We can boost the greaters up to two.

 

[freyar]

I'm fine with either flavor. And I think we're ready for the greater version.

 

[Shade]

Sounds good.

After 80 days, the vrykolakas gains enough power to become a great vrykolakas. The great vrokolakas has a better armor class and more hit points than an ordinary vrykolakas. It has two attacks per round, each of which does 2-20 hp damage. It also attacks by fear, but the power works on anyone who gazes at the great vrykolakas (in addition to anyone it touches). The fear power drains two levels if the save is unsuccessful. A great vrykolakas has a 30% resistance to all magic (except the exorcise spell).

The great vrykolakas is usually accompanied by 1-6 ordinary vrykolakas under its control. For purposes of turning it away, consider the great vrykolakas to be in the “special” category. If the great vrykolakas can be turned away, or the exorcism spell succeeds against it, the ordinary vrykolakas are also rendered harmless and “dead” again.

It looks like the greater gets 13 HD, gains DR and SR, deals greater damage, and Int remains unchanged.

+6 Str and Cha over the lesser? Improve Dex as well, or just natural armor, to account for the better AC?

 

[freyar]

+6 Str/Cha sounds right. Let's improve both Dex and natural. Maybe +2 or +4 Dex? Agreed to other adjustments. Isn't there also some near invincibility for these too?

 

[Cleon]

+6 Str/Cha sounds right. Let's improve both Dex and natural. Maybe +2 or +4 Dex? Agreed to other adjustments. Isn't there also some near invincibility for these too?

According to some legends, particularly powerful vrykolakas would reform even if their bodies were burnt to ash after being stuffed with holy wafers, so had to be shipped to an uninhabited island.

As for the AC, I too was thinking "a little from column A and a little from column B" on the NA and Dex question. We could give it +2 Dex and +2 NA, to give it the AC22 that match the original AD&D AC of -2, but I feel D&D number inflation demands a somewhat higher AC than that, since I feel it needs to be comparable to a midlevel Demon like a Glabrezu (12 Hit Dice, AC27).

Perhaps four more points of both Dexterity and natural armour, for Dex 22, NA +9 and AC 25?

 

[Shade]

That works for me!

Added to Homebrews.

 

[freyar]

Works for me, too. And let's put in the vampire-like weaknesses/destruction. I think we need to remember to up energy drain to 2 negative levels and also get rid of vulnerability to exorcism.

 

[Shade]

We also need the fear effect and energy-draining gaze.

 

[freyar]

Regular gaze attack?

Draining Gaze (Su): energy drain, 2 negative levels, 30 feet, Fortitude DC X negates. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Want to do an aura for the fear?

You know, looking back at the description, there should be some kind of exorcism against these, but we should probably up the ante in terms of how powerful the spells need to be.

 

[Shade]

Banishment or greater?

Fear aura similar to that of a pit fiend?

Gaze looks good.