Special Conversion Thread: Moldvay's Undead

[demiurge1138]

I'd rather keep the bite attack for the last stat-block. I'm seeing it as being just a head and torso at that point, maybe with one arm that it drags itself along with.

 

[freyar]

Well, at least this way, they'll end up being amusing!

The only thing I have against Cleon's progression is that they effectively have 9HD. Maybe that's ok since they don't get a Con bonus, but it seems like more than what these were intended to have.

 

[Shade]

I have no real preference for the HD "regression", but definitely want to keep the bite attack for the last bit!

 

[freyar]

Eh, we can go with the 9HD total. They won't be too strong probably. Should we introduce the "single action" SQ at some stage?

Also, I'd like to request that the last statblock be called "mostly dead."

 

[Shade]

Eh, we can go with the 9HD total. They won't be too strong probably. Should we introduce the "single action" SQ at some stage?

I'd rather not.

Also, I'd like to request that the last statblock be called "mostly dead."

Sure!

So take standard zombie, strip off the slow bits, add a second slam and a bite attack, and boost Str a bit for the undamaged version?

 

[freyar]

Sounds like a plan.

 

[demiurge1138]

Agreed.

 

[Cleon]

Suits me, the main reason I made the final stage's attack a slam was so it did the same damage as a regular zombie (1d6+3). If we're making it a bite, maybe boost it to the same damage?

"Mostly Dead" works for me. As for the single actions, I quite like the idea of giving it to them at the end. I suppose we could add Cannot Run to the "Half Dead" and single action SQ to the "Mostly Dead".

Putting all that together would make the progression:

Full Strength - 4HD, speed 30 ft, Strength 18, 2 1d6+4 slams and 1d6+2 bite.
Half Dead - 3HD, speed 30 ft (cannot Run), Strength 16, 1d6+3 slam and 1d6+1 bite.
Mostly Dead - 2HD, speed 30 ft. (cannot Run), Strength 14, 1d6+3 bite, single actions only.

 

[freyar]

I like Cleon's suggestion pretty well, though I don't like taking the bite from + 1/2 Str to + 1-1/2 Str at the end. It just seems, I don't know, counterproductive to the downgrading.

Also, if the rest of you don't like the single actions at "mostly dead" and cannot run at half dead, we could just do cannot run at mostly dead. That would fit with dragging themselves along with an arm.

 

[Cleon]

I like Cleon's suggestion pretty well, though I don't like taking the bite from + 1/2 Str to + 1-1/2 Str at the end. It just seems, I don't know, counterproductive to the downgrading.

Yes, it looks a bit odd to me too, I was just following the "monsters with a single attack get 1.5 Strength bonus on its damage" rule-of-thumb.

If y'all want to cut it to straight Strength (1d6+2) I would have no objection.