Special Conversion Thread: Moldvay's Undead

[demiurge1138]

Let's go 17 HD. Just because.

Demiurge out.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

OK, so we're going with carving a symbol (fear, persuasion, or pain) spell?

Greater command as SLA?

Animate 1-4 golems now that we've increased the HD?

 

[freyar]

Yes, Yes, and I'd say 2 golems plus 1 more per 2 HD advanced. Otherwise, I think the CR will probably go off. What do you think?

Should we get to work on the curse table?

 

[Shade]

Sounds good.

Combat: Like a normal mummy, a ka possesses supernatural strength that lets its blows do more than normal damage. Instead of a rotting disease, however, a successful hit by a ka imparts a curse upon the victim. DMs may make up their own curses or may use the following table (roll 1d20; all curses last until removed):

1-3: Ill luck. All future rolls for the cursed individual are -l on a roll of 1, -2 on a roll of 2, or -3 on a roll of 3.
4-7: Withering touch. An arm or leg withers and becomes useless. (4 = right arm, 5 = left arm, 6 = right leg, 7 = left leg; loss of a leg reduces movement by 3).
8-11: Mutation. A body part becomes mutated to some other form (8 = a leg, 9 = torso, 10 = an arm, 11 = head).
12-14: Alteration. An attribute chosen at random is lowered by -1.
15-18: Death wish. Extra damage is received in subsequent attacks. (15 = +1, 16 = +2, 17 = +3, 18 = double damage).
19-20: Cursed item. One magical item, chosen at random, loses its benefits on a 19 (as per cancellation). On a 20, the item actually becomes cursed (use the closest appropriate cursed item from the Treasure Tables; hence a sword +3 would become a cursed sword -2).

Ill luck should probably be a profane penalty to all ability checks, skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls.

Withering touch should simply mimic the wither limb spell.

Alteration should probably deal ability drain to a random ability.

 

[freyar]

The Tombraider's Curse (Su): Any time a ka makes a successful slam attack, its victim must make a DC X Will (?) save or suffer a curse. Many who tried to raid a ka's tomb have suffered this grievous fate. This curse may only be removed by X spells. The curse is determined randomly by rolling on the following table:

Curse Table (1d8)
1: Ill luck. The victim takes a -2 luck penalty to all ability checks, skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls.
2: Withering Touch. As wither limb, someone fill this in!
3: Disfigurement. The victim is horribly scarred and takes a -4 competence penalty to all Charisma-based skill checks.
4: Mutation. The victim's limbs take on characteristics of a different type of limb (for example, an elbow transforms into a knee, etc), so the victim takes a -4 competence penalty to all Dexterity-based skill checks.
5: Death Wish. The victim inexplicably moves into attacks and takes a -2 profane penalty to AC.
6: Dimwittedness. The victim's mind becomes incredibly slow and foggy, so the victim takes a -4 insight penalty to all Intelligence-based skill checks.
7: ?
8: ?

 

[Shade]

2. Withering Touch: The ka chooses to wither either the arms or the legs of the victim. Withered legs force a subject to fall prone while at the same time reducing the subject's land speed to 5 feet. Withered arms make it impossible for the subject to use objects or cast spells with somatic components. A withered limb can be restored to normal by a successful dispel magic from a spellcaster with a caster level greater than the ka's.

7. Plagued by Vermin: The victim is constantly assaulted by tiny, biting and stinging insects. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). Using skills that involve patience and concentration requires a DC 20 Concentration check. Additionally, creatures of the vermin type gain a +2 bonus on skill checks against the victim, and always attempt to attack the victim before any others in an encounter.

 

[freyar]

Do you want to take the line "A withered limb can be restored to normal by a successful dispel magic from a spellcaster with a caster level greater than the ka's" to apply to all of the curses?

8. Shrinking: The victim is instantly reduced to 1/12 height (as the effect of a rod of wonder or the reduce person spell).

Do all these seem balanced? I wondered if 3, 4, and 6 were too tough.

 

[demiurge1138]

They seem fair to me. Now, how to get rid of these curses? Remove curse? Break enchantment? A mere dispel magic?

Demiurge out.

 

[Shade]

How about same as mummy rot?

"To eliminate mummy rot, the curse must first be broken with break enchantment or remove curse (requiring a DC 20 caster level check for either spell)... "

 

[demiurge1138]

Going the mummy rot route seems right to me.

Demiurge out.