Special Conversion Thread: Moldvay's Undead

[freyar]

Paralysis feels more "traditional ghoulish" to me, so how about retaining that?

Works for me. How about this ability (I even found a way to work in the disease)?

Bound to Master (Su): Each baka is bound to a living master. As long as the master treats the baka favorably (which included providing a supply of fresh corpses), the baka grant the master a +1 luck bonus on all attack and damage rolls and most skill checks. The master instead receives a +5 bonus on all Craft and Profession skill checks made to earn money.

If the master fails to treat the baka properly, the baka can remove the luck bonus. At that time, the master contracts ghoul fever immediately with no incubation period. The master receives no saves to prevent ability damage from the disease until the baka is destroyed.

 

[Shade]

I like it!

Let's figure out ability scores. Ghouls got a huge Intelligence boost from 1e to 3e (from 5-7 to 13), so if we were to increase the baka similarly, it would go from 8-10 to probably around 16.

Baka are also faster than ghouls in 1e, but have the same AC.

Ghouls have: Str 13, Dex 15, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 12
Ghasts have: Str 17, Dex 17, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16

So how about:

Str 13, Dex 15, Con —, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 15?

Bite damage is a die higher, so we can either boost bite damage or increase Strength.

 

[freyar]

Let's put Str at 15, I think. That puts it between ghoul and ghast, like in HD.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

Skills: 36
Ghouls and ghasts have Balance, Climb, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Spot. Just max all these?

Feats: Multiattack, 1 more (Ghast has Toughness, but I'm sure we can do better)

Challenge Rating: 2 (right between a ghoul and ghast)?

Advancement: 4-6 HD (Medium)

Fill in the X's...

Aura of Despair (Su): Any creature other than the baka's master that enters within 30 ft of the baka must make a DC 13 Will save or be subject to the effects of crushing despair (as the spell) for X rounds. On a successful save, the creature is subject to bane as the spell for X rounds instead. The save DC is Charisma-based.

 

[freyar]

We shouldn't forget Command and Hold Person as SLAs (maybe 1/day each).

Let's max those skills.

I kind of like Ability Focus (aura of despair) for the other feat, if that doesn't make the DC too tough.

Let's make it 1d6 rounds in both cases for the aura durations.

 

[Shade]

I think Ability Focus is OK. DC 15 isn't exceptional at that CR.

Caster level equal to HD?

Since they are faster than ghouls in 1e, do we want to boost speed to 40 feet?

 

[freyar]

Yes and yes. You know, I kind of like these and really should use one sometime.

 

[Shade]

Yeah, these are fun.

Updated.

 

[freyar]

These look pretty much done. I'm going to say a weak CR 3; I think these are nearly as good as a ghast if not as good.

 

[Shade]

Yeah, looking at it again, they are probably worthy of CR 3.