Special Conversion Thread: Moldvay's Undead

[freyar]

Hmm, I meant short like 5 to 20 ft. Let's think about this.

Interesting idea about breaking the bond between ghost and stone (as an alternative to breaking the stone I guess). I think I like it.

 

[Shade]

Hmm, I meant short like 5 to 20 ft. Let's think about this.

Sure. Let's get Cleon's take.

Interesting idea about breaking the bond between ghost and stone (as an alternative to breaking the stone I guess). I think I like it.

It's a common film/TV trope, cutting off the villain from its source of invulnerability/immortality, then finishing the job.

 

[freyar]

While we wait, let's try a quick revision to account for these points:

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. The ghost is unable to move more than X ft from the stone phylactery. If this stone phylactery is not destroyed, a ghost-stone which is reduced to 0 hp or less will rejuvenate automatically in the stone in 1 day. Alternately, a dispel evil (other spells????) spell cast on the stone with a successful caster level check (DC equal to the ghost-stone's HD?) breaks the connection between the ghost and the phylactery; in that case, the ghost can no longer rejuvenate unless it undergoes a new ritual binding it to the stone (a process that takes at least an uninterrupted day).

 

[Cleon]

Points to consider about this:
Ghost-stone really bound to stone's space, or just within a short range?

My preference would be the ghost is bound to the stone's Shadow Draining aura. So it either has to stay within the draining power's area of effect, or can stray outside it but must remain within its Reach of the stone's aura.

 

[freyar]

In that case, how do we want to do the draining?

If the shadow of a character falls upon a ghost-stone, that person is trapped. The individual can still fight and cast spells, but is unable to move more than 10. away from the stone. The ghoststone uses the shadowy connection to drain the victim.s blood, doing 1-20 hp damage per round automatically.

I had thought about using some gaze type mechanic, but maybe just a 10 ft aura with a Will? save. That would mean the ghost can only move 10 ft from the stone. Sound ok to everyone?

 

[Cleon]

In that case, how do we want to do the draining?


I had thought about using some gaze type mechanic, but maybe just a 10 ft aura with a Will? save. That would mean the ghost can only move 10 ft from the stone. Sound ok to everyone?

I was thinking of a 10-foot radius aura, yes. Since it's blood drain are we having it attack Constitution?

How are we going to do the "trapping" effect.

The original writeup suggests it's a blanket "impossible to leave", so other creatures can't pull the victim away and they may not use dimension door or the like to escape.

Do we want to include methods of escape?

Maybe a clerical turn/rebuke attempt [or a consecrate spell?] can suppresses the aura for a round? Is a freedom of movement spell any use?

 

[freyar]

I was thinking of it as a compulsion, like hold person or (better yet) sympathy. I think I'd allow characters that made their save (assuming we allow one ) to drag affected characters out, but an affected character couldn't initiate dim door etc.

Con damage, yes. Drain maybe, but that seems possibly too much for a lower-HD ghost. 1d2 per round maybe?

Maybe an extra save to escape. Or turn/rebuke. If freedom of movement works against hold person (I think it does), maybe it should work here. Then again, we might want something higher level.

 

[Shade]

Wraiths are only CR 5 and deal 1d6 Con drain, so I think 1d2 drain is reasonable here.

Freedom of movement doesn't appear to work against hold person (as hold person paralyzes the victim, rather than "impede movment"). At least, that's how I read it.

 

[freyar]

You know, while drain is probably ok by CR, I think I prefer Con damage, since it doesn't seem to be a permanent hp loss (of course, I don't know what the wraith used to do). Not a big deal here, though.

Freedom of movement specifically calls out paralysis as something that impedes movement. "This spell enables you or a creature you touch to move and attack normally for the duration of the spell, even under the influence of magic that usually impedes movement, such as paralysis, solid fog, slow, and web." I think the question is if we want to limit to higher level spells or what. Thoughts about saves, etc, also?

 

[Shade]

Ahh...sure enough.

I think making it work like hold monster is probably the most elegant mechanic, and allowing victims to be freed in similar manners is fine with me.