AD&D "3RD EDITION" MONSTROUS MANUAL
AD&D “3rd Edition”
Lesser Undead: A character drained below 1st level is instantly slain. Depending on the creature that killed the character, the character may rise the next night as a monster of that kind. If not, the character rises as a wight. These lesser undead are controlled by their slayer and have half the listed Hit Dice for a creature of their new undead type.
Lesser Vampire: Lesser vampires, wights, and wraiths regain half of the class levels they had when slain.
Lesser Wight: Lesser vampires, wights, and wraiths regain half of the class levels they had when slain.
Lesser Wraith: Lesser vampires, wights, and wraiths regain half of the class levels they had when slain.
Vampire Thief 4: Lesser vampires, wights, and wraiths regain half of the class levels they had when slain. As such an 8th level thief, drained below 1st level by a vampire, returns as a 4th level vampire thief.
Banshee, Groaning Spirit: The banshee or groaning spirit, is the spirit of an evil female elf - a rare thing indeed.
Undead Beholder, Death Tyrant: Death tyrants occur spontaneously in very rare instances. In most cases, they are created through the magic of evil beings - from human mages to illithid villains. Some outcast, magic-using beholders have even been known to create death tyrants from their own unfortunate brethren.
Death tyrants are created from dying beholders. A spell, thought to have been developed by human mages in the remote past, forces a beholder from a living to an undead state, and imprints its brain with instructions.
Casharin: ?
Doomsphere: This ghost-like undead beholder is created by magical explosions.
Coffer Corpse: The coffer corpse is an undead creature seeking its final rest. It will always be encountered on a stranded funeral barge, unburnt pyre, or the scene of some other incomplete death ritual.
A coffer corpse has one overriding instinctive urge: as it was denied a complete death, so others shall be denied life. It is bitter over its incomplete death ritual and seeks to take the lives of others in revenge, particularly if it can deny its victims the release of a death ritual.
This bitterness can be used to some advantage, however, if the means to complete the coffer corpse's death journey can be determined. If the unfinished death ritual which binds the coffer corpse to undeath can be completed, the creature will be released and effectively destroyed. The DM must determine what constitutes a final death ritual.
Crawling Claw: The much feared crawling claw is frequently employed as a guardian by those magic-users and clerics who have learned the secret of its creation.
Crawling claws can be created by any magic-user or cleric who has knowledge of the techniques required to do so. To begin with, the creator must assemble the severed limbs that are to be animated. The maximum number of claws that can be created at any one time is equal to the level of the person enchanting them. The hands (or paws) can be either fresh, skeletal, or at any stage of decomposition in between.
Crypt Thing: ?
Crypt Thing Ancestral: There are two types of crypt things - ancestral and summoned. The former type is a “natural'' creature, while the other is called into existence by a magic-user or cleric of at least 13th level.
Ancestral crypt things are the raised spirits of the dead that have returned to guard the tombs of their descendants. This happens only in rare cases (determined by the DM).
Crypt Thing Summoned: There are two types of crypt things - ancestral and summoned. The former type is a “natural'' creature, while the other is called into existence by a magic-user or cleric of at least 13th level.
The most common crypt thing is the summoned variety. By use of a 7th level spell (see below), any caster capable of employing necromantic spells can create a crypt thing.
Create Crypt Thing spell.
Death Knight: A death knight is the horrifying corruption of a paladin or lawful good warrior cursed by the gods to its terrible form as punishment for betraying the code of honor it held in life.
Death knights are former good warriors who were judged by the gods to be guilty of unforgivable crimes, such as murder or treason. (For instance, Krynn's Lord Soth, the most famous of all death knights, murdered his wife so that he could continue an affair with an elf maid.)
Death knights are cursed to remain in their former domains, usually castles or other strongholds. They are further condemned to remember their crime in song on any night when the moon is full; few sounds are as terrifying as a death knight's chilling melody echoing through the moonlit countryside.
Dracolich: The dracolich is an undead creature resulting from the unnatural transformation of an evil dragon. The mysterious Cult of the Dragon practices the powerful magic necessary for the creation of the dracolich, though other practitioners are also rumored to exist.
A dracolich can be created from any of the evil dragon subspecies.
The creation of a dracolich is a complex process involving the transformation of an evil dragon by arcane magical forces, the most notorious practitioners of which are members of the Cult of the Dragon. The process is usually a cooperative effort between the evil dragon and the wizards, but especially powerful wizards have been known to coerce an evil dragon to undergo the transformation against its will.
Any evil dragon is a possible candidate for transformation, although old dragons or older with spell-casting abilities are preferred. Once a candidate is secured, the wizards first prepare the dragon's host, an inanimate object that will hold the dragon's life force. The host must be a solid item of not less than 2,000 gp value resistant to decay (wood, for instance, is unsuitable). A gemstone is commonly used for a host, particularly ruby, pearl, carbuncle, and jet, and is often set in the hilt of a sword or other weapon. The host is prepared by casting Enchant an Item upon it and speaking the name of the evil dragon; the item may resist the spell with a successful Item Saving Throw. If the spell is resisted, another item must be used for the host. If the spell is not resisted, the item can then function as a host. If desired, Glassteel can be cast upon the host to protect it.
Next, a special potion is prepared for the evil dragon to consume. The exact composition of the potion varies according to the age and type of the dragon, but it must contain precisely seven ingredients, among them a potion of evil dragon control, a potion of invulnerability, and the blood of a vampire. When the evil dragon consumes the potion, the results are determined as follows (roll percentile dice):
Roll Result
01-10 No effect.
11-40 Potion does not work. The dragon suffers 2d12 points of necrotic damage and is helpless with convulsions for 1-2 rounds.
41-50 Potion does not work. The dragon dies. A Wish or similar spell is needed to restore the dragon to life; a Wish to transform the dragon into a dracolich results in another roll on this table.
51-00 Potion works.
If the potion works, the dragon's spirit transfers to the host, regardless of the distance between the dragon's body and the host. A dim light within the host indicates the presence of the spirit. While contained in the host, the spirit cannot take any actions; it cannot be contacted nor attacked by magic. The spirit can remain in the host indefinitely.
Once the spirit is contained in the host, the host must be brought within 90 feet of a reptilian corpse; under no circumstances can the spirit possess a living body. The spirit's original body is ideal, but the corpse of any reptilian creature that died or was killed within the previous 30 days is suitable.
The wizard who originally prepared the host must touch the host, cast a Magic Jar spell while speaking the name of the dragon, then touch the corpse. The corpse must fail its CHA Saving Throw against the Magic Jar spell for the spirit to successfully possess it; if it saves, it will never accept the spirit. The following modifiers apply to the roll:
Modifier Condition
-10 The corpse is the spirit's own former body (which can be dead for any length of time).
-4 The corpse is of the same alignment as the dragon.
-4 The corpse is that of a true dragon (any type).
-3 The corpse is that of a firedrake, ice lizard, wyvern, or fire lizard.
-1 The corpse is that of a dracolisk, dragonne, dinosaur, snake, or another reptile.
If the corpse accepts the spirit, it becomes animated by the spirit. If the animated corpse is the spirit's former body, it immediately becomes a dracolich; however, it will not regain the use of its voice and breath weapon for another seven days (note that it will not be able to cast spells with verbal components during this time). At the end of seven days, the dracolich regains the use of its voice and breath weapon.
If the animated corpse is not the spirit's former body, it immediately becomes a proto-dracolich. A proto-dracolich has the mind and memories of its original form but has the hit points and immunities to spells and clerics’ turning abilities of a dracolich. A proto-dracolich can neither speak nor cast spells; further, it cannot cause chilling damage, use a breath weapon, or cause fear as a dracolich. Its strength, movement, and Armor Class are those of the possessed body.
To become a full dracolich, a proto-dracolich must devour at least 10% of its original body. Unless the body has been dispatched to another plane of existence, a proto-dracolich can always sense the presence of its original body, regardless of the distance. A proto-dracolich will tirelessly seek out its original body to the exclusion of all other activities. If its original body has been burned, dismembered, or otherwise destroyed, the proto-dracolich need only devour the ashes or pieces equal to or exceeding 10% of its original body mass (total destruction of the original body is possible only through use of a disintegrate or similar spell; the body could be reconstructed with a wish or similar spell, so long as the spell is cast in the same plane as the disintegration). If a proto-dracolich is unable to devour its original body, it is trapped in its current form until slain.
A proto-dracolich transforms into a full dracolich within seven days after it devours its original body. When the transformation is complete, the dracolich resembles its original body; it can now speak, cast spells, and employ the breath weapon of its original body, in addition to having all of the abilities of a dracolich.
Ghost: Ghosts are the spirits of humans who were either so greatly evil in life or whose deaths were so unusually emotional they have been cursed with the gift of undead status.
A ghost often has a specific purpose in its haunting, sometimes trying to “get even'' for something that happened during the ghost's life. Thus, a woman who was jilted by a lover, and then committed suicide, might become a ghost and haunt the couple's secret trysting place. Similarly, a man who failed at business might appear each night at his storefront or, perhaps, at that of a former competitor.
Another common reason for an individual to become a ghost is the denial of a proper burial. A ghost might inhabit the area near its body, waiting for a passerby to promise to bury the remains. The ghost, in its resentment toward all life, becomes an evil creature intent on destruction and suffering.
In rare circumstances, more than one ghost will haunt the same location. The classic example of this is the haunted ship, a vessel lost at sea, now ethereal and crewed entirely by ghosts. These ships are most often encountered in the presence of St. Elmo's fire, an electrical discharge that causes mysterious lights to appear in the rigging of a ship.
In many cases, a ghost can be overcome by those who might be no match for it in combat simply by setting right whatever events led to the attainment of the ghost's undead status. For example, a young woman who was betrayed and murdered by someone who pretended to love her might be freed from her curse if the cad were humiliated and ruined. In many cases, however, a ghost's revenge will be far more demanding, often ending in the death of the offender.
Ghoul: Any human or demihuman (except elves) killed by a ghoulish attack will become a ghoul unless blessed. Obviously, this is also avoided if the victim is devoured by the ghouls.
Lacedon: ?
Ghast: ?
Huge Undead Horse of Shifting Bone: ?
Huecuva: Legends tell that huecuva are the restless spirits of monastic clerics who were less than faithful to their holy vows. In punishment for their heresies, they are forced to roam the dark. Their spirits, appearance, and holy powers have become perverted mockeries of their old selves.
Huecuva are malignant spirits that seek to destroy those who still live. They are used as examples to remind clerics the fate that befalls those who stray from their devotion or use their religion as a mask to hide unpious deeds.
Lich: They were originally magic-users of at least 18th level.
In order to become a lich, the wizard must prepare its phylactery using the Enchant an Item, Magic Jar, Permanency and Reincarnation spells. The phylactery, which can be almost any manner of object, must be of the finest craftsmanship and materials with a value of not less than 1,500 gold pieces per level of the magic-user. Once this object is created, the would-be lich must craft a poison potion, which is then enchanted with the following spells: Wraithform, Permanency, Cone of Cold, Feign Death, and Animate Dead. When next the moon is full, the potion is imbibed. Rather than death, the potion causes the wizard to undergo a transformation into its new state. A DC 13 Constitution Saving Throw is required, with failure indicating an error in the creation of the potion which kills the wizard and renders him forever dead.
Demilich: The demilich is not, as the name implies, a weaker form of the lich. Rather, it is the stage into which a lich will eventually evolve as the power which has sustained its physical form gradually begins to fail.
In order to attain the status of a demilich, a lich must have replaced 5-8 (1d4+4) of its teeth with gems. Each of these gems now serves as a powerful magical device which can trap the soul of its adversaries.
Archlich: ?
Mummy: Mummies are corpses native to dry desert areas, where the dead are entombed by a process known as mummification. When their tombs are disturbed, the corpses become animated into a weird undead state, whose unholy hatred of life causes them to attack living things without mercy.
Mummies are the product of an embalming process used on wealthy and important personages. Most mummies are corpses without magical properties. On occasion, perhaps due to powerful evil magic or perhaps because the individual was so greedy in life that he refuses to give up his treasure, the spirit of the mummified person will not die, but taps into energy from the Positive Material plane and is transformed into an undead horror. Most mummies remain dormant until their treasure is taken, but then they become aroused and kill without mercy.
To create a mummy, a corpse should be soaked in a preserving solution (typically carbonate of soda) for several weeks and covered with spices and resins. Body organs, such as the heart, brain, and liver, are typically removed and sealed in jars. Sometimes gems are wrapped in the cloth (if the treasure listing for the mummy indicates it possesses gems, a few may be placed in the wrappings).
When a greater mummy wishes to create normal mummies as servants, it does so by mummifying persons infected with its rotting disease. This magical process requires 1 day and cannot be disturbed without ruining the enchantment. Persons to be mummified are normally Held or Charmed so that they cannot resist the mummification process. Once the process is completed, victims are helpless to escape the bandages that bind them. If nothing happens to free them, they will die of the mummy rot just as they would have elsewhere. Upon their death, however, a strange transformation takes place. Rather than crumbling away into dust, these poor souls rise again as normal mummies.
Greater Mummy: Greater mummies are a powerful form of undead created when a high-level lawful evil cleric of certain religions is mummified and charged with the guarding of a burial place.
Greater mummies are powerful undead creatures that are usually created from the mummified remains of powerful, evil clerics. This being the case, the greater mummy now draws its mystical abilities from evil powers and darkness. In rare cases, however, the mummified clerics served non-evil god in life and are still granted the powers they had in life from those gods.
The first of these creatures is known to have been produced by Anhktepot, the Lord of Har'akir, in the years before he became undead himself.
The process by which a greater mummy is created remains a mystery to all but Anhktepot. It is rumored that this process involves a great sacrifice to gain the favor of the gods and an oath of eternal loyalty to the Lord of Har'akir.
Greater Mummy Age 99 or Less: ?
Greater Mummy Age 100-199: ?
Greater Mummy Age 200-299: ?
Greater Mummy Age 300-399: ?
Greater Mummy Age 400-499: ?
Greater Mummy Age 500 or More: ?
Anhktepot: ?
Penanggalan: If a penanggalan kills a male victim, he does not return as undead and may be raised normally. A female victim will rise from the grave in three days as a penanggalan, as a free-willed undead. Should a female victim be raised within those three days, she will be unable to do anything other than rest for a week, after which all damage done by the penanggalan is healed.
Poltergeist: Poltergeists are the spirits of restless dead.
Some say that poltergeists are the spirits of those who committed heinous crimes that went unpunished in life.
Revenant: Revenants are vengeful spirits that have risen from the grave to destroy their killers.
Under exceptional circumstances, a character who has died a violent death may rise as a revenant from the grave to wreak vengeance on his killer(s). The chance of this occurring is 1% for every point in ability scores that are 13 or greater.
If the character died a particularly violent death, it may b unable to reoccupy its original body. In this case, the spirit occupies any available, freshly-dead corpse.
Shadow: If a human, humanoid, or demihuman opponent is reduced to zero Strength or zero hit points by a shadow, the shadow has drained the life force and the opponent becomes a shadow as well.
According to most knowledgeable sages, shadows appear to have been magically created, perhaps as part of some ancient curse laid upon some long-dead enemy. The curse affects only humans, humanoids, and demihumans, so it would seem that it affects the soul or spirit. When victims no longer can resist, either through loss of consciousness (hit points) or physical prowess (Strength points), the curse is activated, and the majority of the character's essence is shifted to the Negative Material Plane. Only a shadow of their former self remains on the Prime Material Plane, and the transformation always renders the victim both terribly insane and undeniably evil.
The original body of a victim is destroyed when changed to a shadow whether by the curse itself or by unprotected exposure to the Negative Material Plane.
Skeleton: All skeletons are magically animated undead monsters, created as guardians or warriors by evil magic-users and clerics.
Skeletons appear to have no ligaments or musculature which would allow movement. Instead, the bones are magically joined together during the casting of an Animate Dead spell. Skeletons have no eyes or internal organs.
Skeletons can be made from the bones of humans and demihumans, animals of human size or smaller, or giant humanoids like bugbears and giants.
Animal Skeleton: All skeletons are magically animated undead monsters, created as guardians or warriors by evil magic-users and clerics.
Skeletons appear to have no ligaments or musculature which would allow movement. Instead, the bones are magically joined together during the casting of an Animate Dead spell. Skeletons have no eyes or internal organs.
Skeletons can be made from the bones of humans and demihumans, animals of human size or smaller, or giant humanoids like bugbears and giants.
Monster Skeleton: All skeletons are magically animated undead monsters, created as guardians or warriors by evil magic-users and clerics.
Skeletons appear to have no ligaments or musculature which would allow movement. Instead, the bones are magically joined together during the casting of an Animate Dead spell. Skeletons have no eyes or internal organs.
Skeletons can be made from the bones of humans and demihumans, animals of human size or smaller, or giant humanoids like bugbears and giants.
Giant Skeleton: Giant skeletons are similar to the more common undead skeleton, but they have been created with a combination of spells and are, thus, far more deadly than their lesser counterparts.
A small, magical fire burns in the chest of each giant skeleton, a byproduct of the magics that are used to make them.
The first giant skeletons to appear in Ravenloft were created by the undead priestess Radaga in her lair within the domain of Kartakass. Others have since mastered the spells and techniques required to create these monsters; thus, giant skeletons are gradually beginning to appear in other realms where the dead and undead lurk.
They are created from the bones of those who have died and are abominations in the eyes of all who belief in the sanctity of life and goodness.
The process by which giant skeletons are created is dark and evil.
Attempts to manufacture them outside of Ravenloft have failed, so it is clear that they are in some way linked to the Dark Powers themselves. In order to create a giant skeleton, a spellcaster must have the intact skeleton of a normal human or demihuman. On a night when the land is draped in fog, they must cast an Animate Dead, Produce Fire, Enlarge Person, and a Resist Fire spell over the bones. When the last spell is cast, the bones lengthen and thicken, and the creatures rises up.
Radaga: ?
Skeleton Warrior: Formerly powerful fighters, skeleton warriors are undead lords forced into their nightmarish states by powerful wizards or evil demigods who trapped their souls in golden circlets.
Son of Kyuss: Sons of Kyuss are horrible undead beings that convert living humans and demihumans into cursed undead like themselves.
In addition to flailing fists, one worm per round attempts to jump from a son’s head to a character the son is in melee with. The worm needs only to roll a successful attack roll (as a 4 Hit Die creature) to land on the victim. The worm burrows into the victim on the next round unless torn free (DC 12 Athletics skill check) or killed by the touch of cold iron, holy water, or a blessed object. A worm that is torn from a victim immediately attacks the creature that tore it free.
After penetrating the victim's skin, the worm burrows toward the victim’s brain, taking 1d4 rounds to reach it. During this time a Remove Curse or Cure Disease spell will kill the worm and Neutralize Poison or Dispel Evil will delay the worm for 1d6 x 10 minutes. If the worm reaches the brain, the victim dies immediately and becomes a son of Kyuss. Decay and putrification set in without further delay.
Kyuss was an evil high priest who created the first of these creatures, via a special curse, under instruction from an evil deity. Since then the number of sons has increased dramatically.
Spectre: Any being totally drained of life energy by a spectre becomes a full-strength spectre under the control of the spectre which drained him.
No one knows who the first spectre was or how it came to be.
Lemures are occasionally transformed into wraiths or spectres, as well.
Spectral Troll, Troll Wraith: ?
Vampire: Any human or humanoid creature slain by the life energy drain of a vampire is doomed to become a vampire himself.
The transformation takes place one day after the burial of the creature.
Those who are not actually buried, however, do not become undead and it is thus traditional that the bodies of a vampire's victims be burned or similarly destroyed.
Eastern Vampire: ?
Wight: Persons who are slain by the energy draining powers of a wight are doomed to rise again as wights under the direct control of their slayer.
A character drained below 1st level is instantly slain. Depending on the creature that killed the character, the character may rise the next night as a monster of that kind. If not, the character rises as a wight.
Wraith: The wraith is an evil undead spirit of a powerful human that seeks to absorb human life energy.
Persons who are slain by the energy draining powers of a wraith are doomed to rise again as wraiths under the direct control of their slayer.
A wraith is an undead spirit of a powerful, evil human. As such, it is usually found in tombs or places where such men and
women would have died. Since such men and women are frequently buried together, in the case of the wealthy, or with their families, wraiths are most commonly encountered in packs. Those that died or were buried alone might still be encountered in packs, because a human who dies from the touch of a wraith becomes a wraith under the sway of its slayer.
Lemures are occasionally transformed into wraiths or spectres, as well.
It is noted that a humanoid slain by a spectral troll becomes a wraith in three days, unless a proper burial ceremony is performed by a cleric of the victim's religion.
Zombie: A Cure Disease or Remove Curse spell will transform a son of Kyuss into a zombie, but both spells require that the cleric touch the son.
The odor of death surrounding the zombie lord is so potent it causes horrible effects in those who breathe it. On the first round a character comes within 60 feet, he must make a DC 13 CON save or be affected in some way. The following results are possible:
1d6 Roll Effect
1 Weakness (as the Symbol of Weakness spell).
2 Cause disease (as the spell).
3 -1d3 points of Constitution.
4 Contagion (as the spell).
5 Character unable to act for 1d4 rounds due to nausea.
6 Character dies in 1d4 rounds and becomes a zombie under control of the zombie lord.
Common Zombie: Zombies are mindless, animated corpses controlled by their creators, usually evil wizards or clerics.
The dead body of any humanoid creature can be made into a zombie.
Monster Zombie: Zombies are mindless, animated corpses controlled by their creators, usually evil wizards or clerics.
The dead body of any humanoid creature can be made into a zombie.
Ju-Ju Zombie: These creatures are made when a magic-user drains the life force from a Medium-sized humanoid creature with an Energy Drain spell.
Zombie Lord: They are formed on rare occasions as the result of a Raise Dead spell gone awry.
The zombie lord comes into being by chance, and only under certain conditions. First, an evil human must die at the hand of an undead creature. Second, an attempt to raise the character must be made. Third, the corpse must be on desecrated ground or in an area of great evil. Fourth and last, a deity of evil must show “favor” to the deceased and curse him or her with the “gift of eternal life.” Within one week of the raise attempt, the corpse awakens as a zombie lord.
Sea Zombie, Drowned One: Sea zombies (also known as drowned ones) are the animated corpses of humans who died at sea. Although similar to land-dwelling zombies, they are free-willed and are rumored to be animated by the will of the god Nerull the Reaper (or another similar evil deity).
Many of the humans who become drowned ones were clerics while alive, and they retain their powers as undead.
Vampire Cleric 7: ?
Vampire Cleric 8: ?
Vampire Cleric 9: ?
Vampire Cleric 10: ?
Vampire Mage 9: ?
Vampire Mage 10: ?
Vampire Mage 11: ?
Vampire Mage 12: ?
Create Crypt Thing (Reversible)
Necromantic
Level: Cleric 7, Magic-User 7
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: 1 corpse
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None; Charisma negates for reverse of spell
Magic Resistance: None; Yes for the reverse of spell
This spell enables the caster to cause a single dead body to animate and assume the status of a crypt thing. This spell can be cast only in the tomb or grave area the crypt thing is to protect; the spell requires that the caster touch the skull of the subject body. Once animated, the crypt thing remains until destroyed. Only one crypt thing may guard a given tomb.
A successful Dispel Magic spell returns the crypt thing to its original unanimated state. Attempts to restore the crypt thing before this is done fail for any magic short of a Wish.
The reverse of this spell, Destroy Crypt Thing, utterly annihilates any one such being as soon as it is touched by the caster. The target is allowed a Charisma Saving Throw to avoid destruction.
