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<blockquote data-quote="Voadam" data-source="post: 7827825" data-attributes="member: 2209"><p><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/19876/Behind-the-Spells-Animate-Dead?affiliate_id=17596" target="_blank">Behind the Spells: Animate Dead</a></p><p>3.5</p><p><strong>Kritak Gnoll Lich:</strong> Kritak, it is said, battled to the death; but even as the final blow was struck upon him, a specially prepared wand exploded.</p><p>After his exile, Kritak fashioned the wand as a security measure. For you see, even if his body perished the prepared magics of the wand would preserve the gnoll’s consciousness in a nearby body, allowing him to forever pursue his necromantic sorcery. In this case, an elven survivor became the vessel of Kritak’s soul and mind. Those other elves that were not killed in the wand’s blast were shortly slain thereafter by their “trusted friend.” But an unforeseen side effect of the possession magic soon showed itself. Apparently, the raw power which fed the wand’s magic continues in the new body, which becomes a surrogate wand itself. Not designed to contain such necromantic energies, each body Kritak jumps into slowly deteriorates. Within months, perhaps a year, the gnoll’s current body disintegrates and his consciousness must jump into another living creature or be forever lost.</p><p>The shaman is rumored to still exist, within Noras no less (although that nation has been split and renamed many times since) as some form of demi-lich. You can easily tell his true nature, for even if the host body has not yet deteriorated badly, the original “U” branded on him by Xox carries over from body to body as some kind of curse. This brand no longer means “exile” to the gnolls but rather is identified with Kritak directly. Many gnolls worship the former shaman as a deity of undeath. “Was Kritak the first lich?” you ask. No, but he is probably the first gnoll lich.</p><p></p><p><strong>Skeleton:</strong> <em>Corpse Soldiers</em> spell.</p><p>Animating weapon quality.</p><p><strong>Zombie:</strong> <em>Corpse Soldiers</em> spell.</p><p>Animating weapon quality.</p><p></p><p>VARIANT SPELL:</p><p>Corpse Soldiers</p><p>As the spell animate dead with the following exceptions.</p><p>Level: Clr 5, Death 5, Sor/Wiz 5</p><p>Casting Time: 10 minutes</p><p>Range: 300-ft.-radius, centered on you</p><p>Target: Any whole corpse in range </p><p>The spell’s power reaches into the earth which allows even buried undead to come to the magic’s call. There is no limit to the amount of undead affected by a single casting of corpse soldiers. All corpses within range walk, shuffle, claw, or swim their way to you after casting. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 7 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level, instead of the 4 HD maximum as imposed by animate dead. In addition, each undead receives a +1 profane bonus to attack and damage rolls.</p><p>Material Component: A black onyx gem worth 1,000 gold pieces which you must smash at the end of the casting time.</p><p></p><p>Animating</p><p>If a weapon with this quality inflicts enough damage to bring a living target below zero hit points, the target must succeed a Fortitude save (DC 20) or be instantly turned into a skeleton or zombie (wielder’s choice). The created undead is under direct control of the weapon wielder as per the animate dead spell. The maximum Hit Dice worth of undead that can be controlled through the weapon is 36. This number is cumulative with undead controlled by any other means.</p><p>Moderate necromancy; CL 9th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate dead, creator must be evil; Price +3 bonus.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Voadam, post: 7827825, member: 2209"] [URL=https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/19876/Behind-the-Spells-Animate-Dead?affiliate_id=17596]Behind the Spells: Animate Dead[/URL] 3.5 [b]Kritak Gnoll Lich:[/b] Kritak, it is said, battled to the death; but even as the final blow was struck upon him, a specially prepared wand exploded. After his exile, Kritak fashioned the wand as a security measure. For you see, even if his body perished the prepared magics of the wand would preserve the gnoll’s consciousness in a nearby body, allowing him to forever pursue his necromantic sorcery. In this case, an elven survivor became the vessel of Kritak’s soul and mind. Those other elves that were not killed in the wand’s blast were shortly slain thereafter by their “trusted friend.” But an unforeseen side effect of the possession magic soon showed itself. Apparently, the raw power which fed the wand’s magic continues in the new body, which becomes a surrogate wand itself. Not designed to contain such necromantic energies, each body Kritak jumps into slowly deteriorates. Within months, perhaps a year, the gnoll’s current body disintegrates and his consciousness must jump into another living creature or be forever lost. The shaman is rumored to still exist, within Noras no less (although that nation has been split and renamed many times since) as some form of demi-lich. You can easily tell his true nature, for even if the host body has not yet deteriorated badly, the original “U” branded on him by Xox carries over from body to body as some kind of curse. This brand no longer means “exile” to the gnolls but rather is identified with Kritak directly. Many gnolls worship the former shaman as a deity of undeath. “Was Kritak the first lich?” you ask. No, but he is probably the first gnoll lich. [b]Skeleton:[/b] [i]Corpse Soldiers[/i] spell. Animating weapon quality. [b]Zombie:[/b] [i]Corpse Soldiers[/i] spell. Animating weapon quality. VARIANT SPELL: Corpse Soldiers As the spell animate dead with the following exceptions. Level: Clr 5, Death 5, Sor/Wiz 5 Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: 300-ft.-radius, centered on you Target: Any whole corpse in range The spell’s power reaches into the earth which allows even buried undead to come to the magic’s call. There is no limit to the amount of undead affected by a single casting of corpse soldiers. All corpses within range walk, shuffle, claw, or swim their way to you after casting. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 7 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level, instead of the 4 HD maximum as imposed by animate dead. In addition, each undead receives a +1 profane bonus to attack and damage rolls. Material Component: A black onyx gem worth 1,000 gold pieces which you must smash at the end of the casting time. Animating If a weapon with this quality inflicts enough damage to bring a living target below zero hit points, the target must succeed a Fortitude save (DC 20) or be instantly turned into a skeleton or zombie (wielder’s choice). The created undead is under direct control of the weapon wielder as per the animate dead spell. The maximum Hit Dice worth of undead that can be controlled through the weapon is 36. This number is cumulative with undead controlled by any other means. Moderate necromancy; CL 9th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate dead, creator must be evil; Price +3 bonus. [/QUOTE]
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