Special Conversion Thread: Moldvay's Undead

[Cleon]

Some kind of poltergeist-like power to throw a small object, causing wild panic in those that see it?

 

[freyar]

I don't know that I'd go so far as to inspire panic, but that's the general idea. Anyone remember what those half-ghosts were? I think they have just the ability I'd like.

By the way, we might look at gaze attacks for the shadow mechanic.

 

[Shade]

Telekinesis (Su): A kada can use telekinesis as a standard action (caster level 2nd). When a kada uses this power, it must wait 1d4 rounds before using it again. A kada can typically use its telekinesis only to affect a certain type of item (usually the same type as its bonded object). For example, a departed warrior might affect swords, while a farmer might affect scythes and an alchemist might have power over glass containers.

 

[freyar]

Yes, that fits. If we just keep the CL low on telekinesis, it can't do too much with it. We could also limit it to the "sustained force" version. Or even just switch to mage hand.

If these aren't going to be hazards, we might want to think about HD, too. 20 seems perhaps a bit high for the likely CR (though the shadow grab could end up pretty nasty).

 

[Cleon]

Yes, that fits. If we just keep the CL low on telekinesis, it can't do too much with it. We could also limit it to the "sustained force" version. Or even just switch to mage hand.

It all depends on whether we want it using it in combat or not.

I'm think the "Combat Maneuver" version of telekinesis would be the best option. It doesn't do damage directly, but it could use it to grapple & drag or bull rush an enemy into range of its deadly aura.

If these aren't going to be hazards, we might want to think about HD, too. 20 seems perhaps a bit high for the likely CR (though the shadow grab could end up pretty nasty).

The 20 Hit Dice is "stone only". I suspect that's just a means of giving the stone a lot of hit points.

We can just give the stone separate hp to the ghost, and hardness too, probably.

 

[Shade]

You know, couldn't we just make it a slight modification to the ghost template? Oriental Adventures, Monsters of Faerun, and Libris Mortis all offered slightly variant ghost with just a special ability or two different.

In this case, we could swap the standard telekinesis with limited telekinesis (or just state that the ghost's telekinesis ability has no power over its own stone), a "stone phylactery" rather than standard rejuvenation, and the shadow draining power?

 

[freyar]

It does depend on how we want to use telekinesis. I'm ok with all uses as long as the CL is fairly low.

Hardness is ok, following the animated object precedent. But I think I'd want to stick to size appropriate HD, like animated objects. Large animated objects only get 4HD, after all! I could go for more than that, but I don't think the hp have to represent all the physical hp of the stone, just the hp of the critter. I'd like to avoid having two hp totals if possible.

Edit: cross-posted with Shade. I think the variant ghost is probably the best idea after all. In that case, I can support having two hp totals: one to destroy the ghost and one to get rid of the phylactery (after the ghost has been removed for the time being).

 

[Shade]

Yep. We could make the stone fairly tough to destroy (maybe requring dispel evil or something else in addition to breaking it?) PCs can always throw it out of range during a battle, and deal with it later.

 

[freyar]

Works for me. Let's do that.

Stone Phylactery (Su): This sqecial quality of a ghost-stone replaces the standard ghost's rejuvenation special quality. Each ghost-stone is bound to a Large stone, which has hardness 8, 540 hp, and a break DC of 50, and the ghost is not capable of leaving the stone phylactery's space. If this stone phylactery is not destroyed, a ghost-stone which is reduced to 0 hp or less will rejuvenate in the stone in 1 day.

Points to consider about this:
Ghost-stone really bound to stone's space, or just within a short range?
Should hardness, hp, etc be increased if dispel evil, etc, not used first? I just took the values for 3 ft of hewn stone in the SRD.
I bumped up the rejuvenation power (no level check, faster rejuvenation) due to the phylactery.

 

[Shade]

Ghost-stone really bound to stone's space, or just within a short range?

I'd prefer short range, probably 90 or 120 feet.

Should hardness, hp, etc be increased if dispel evil, etc, not used first? I just took the values for 3 ft of hewn stone in the SRD.

I was thinking that using the proper spell to beat a significant caster level check is enough to permanently dislodge the ghost from its stone (and thus its next "death" is final). What do you think?

I bumped up the rejuvenation power (no level check, faster rejuvenation) due to the phylactery.

Good call.