Special Conversion Thread: Moldvay's Undead

[freyar]

Yes to the fear aura.

I think banishment or greater would work. That still requires at least caster level 11.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Damage reduction 10/silver?

+4 turn resistance?

 

[freyar]

That sounds good. Are these basically done?

 

[Shade]

Skills: Bluff +7, Hide +18, Intimidate +13, Listen +15, Move Silently +8, Search +4, Spot +15, 20 more ranks

Feats: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative (B), Lightning Reflexes (B), Power Attack, 2 more

 

[Cleon]

Regular gaze attack?

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

The mechanics look fine, but I would like to jazz up the name a bit - "Life-Sapping Gaze"?

Want to do an aura for the fear?

I agree with the Pit Fiend fear aura it's been given.

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.

I think banishment should destroy them, but only temporarily. I'd give them an ability like a Ghost's Rejuvenation (Level check vs DC16 to reform after destruction). Heck, I'd just give them Rejuvenation but call it something a bit less silly, like "Rematerialisation". I don't think they look younger after reforming from being burnt to ash or banished! We'll probably want to lay out some method to destroy them which circumvents this ability (learning the animating demon's true name? a holy word, limited wish, wish or miracle spell once they're destroyed?).

 

[Cleon]

Skills: Bluff +7, Hide +18, Intimidate +13, Listen +15, Move Silently +8, Search +4, Spot +15, 20 more ranks

Four more ranks in Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently and Spot?

I'd also give it a full vampire's +8 racial bonus to skills.

Feats: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative (B), Lightning Reflexes (B), Power Attack, 2 more

Weapon Focus (slam)?

Ability Focus (life-sapping gaze), just to be horrible? Although if I did that, I'd suggest dropping the uses of its gaze attack to something like 3/day or 1/hour.

 

[freyar]

I missed the missing skills and feats!

I think ability focus on the gaze would make them glass cannons of a sort. Very capable of taking out a party at a level potentially even above their HD but toast if anyone can get a few good attacks in.

I can agree to rejuvenation (I understand why you don't like the name, but I think we're stuck with it). I'm of the opinion that banishment might still let them rejuvenate, but burning should be a way to destroy them permanently.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

So we're skipping Ability Focus? I'd rather not reduce the usage of the gaze.

 

[demiurge1138]

I say go for Ability Focus, if not for the gaze, then for the fear aura.

Do they have a create spawn tied to their negative level dealing?

 

[freyar]

Ability focus for fear makes sense.

Per the original text, create spawn only goes with Oppress Sleeper. I guess the energy drain just creates wights like normal.