What if undead had Constitution scores?

[Algolei]

When I played 3.0, I houseruled that all undead had "effective Constitution scores" equal to their Wisdom. They weren't alive, but they had will-power, and I equated that to stamina.

I see this new Charisma modifier (as found in the MM III) in the same light.

 

[Kemrain]

Golems, after all, can walk, can perceive things, and so forth. Yes, they have very limited things they can do, but I don't see them as 'less' than the simplest animals, just focused differently. Same with vermin.

This confuses me... Golems are as intelligent as the simpelist animals. Virmin are animals, too. And Vermin aren't less inteligent than themselves...

- Kemrain the Confused.

 

[Ferret]

Yeah, I'd much rather give them a non inteligent subtype or modifier or something.

Ants act in a similiar way to wolves, they both wortk in groups and both might seem mindless. Rather then being individuals they help the group. But ants are mindless. Aren't they?

I think of what holds undead together is will power, so I would use wisdom instead not charisma, but then again the two are very close....

 

[SpuneDagr]

Will, I like your idea. If and when I decide to do this in practice, I'll use your method.

Thanks everybody!

 

[niastri]

Shock, this is added to what crits mean to me, no not "oh my god" type of shock but trauma the mental shut down of function. It is not just the wound, it is your body and mind dealing with the wound, undead and such do not deal with this.

Any intelligent undead will have the same fear of "death" as any living creature. The shock and mental shutdown from a vampire would be very real when he realizes he is about to go down.

Ask Lestat if he gets hurt. I realize that isn't classic D and D vampire, but I like the model much more than the classic Bram Stoker vampire anyway.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

Wouldn't it be simpler? What would suffer?

It seems to me that for most undead, the only aspect of having a Constitution that they're seriously lacking is the bonus hit points. Things like Concentration skill, 3.0 psychokinesis powers, and such don't hold a candle to that one, big item.

So, no, it wouldn't be simpler to give them a Con, and then have to say that in most ways they act like creatures who don't have one. It's simpler to have a mechanism that only addresses the lacking item.

 

[Will]

This confuses me... Golems are as intelligent as the simpelist animals. Virmin are animals, too. And Vermin aren't less inteligent than themselves...

- Kemrain the Confused.

Well, both golems and vermin are given Int of '-'. Animals are generally between 1-2, with things like squid and snakes at 1 and most others at 2.

3 is reserved with things that are generally considered 'sapient' to some vague degree.