Big Zombies [Archive] - Wizards Community

Big Zombies [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
kinem
02-21-04, 11:43 PM How does this seem? I'm not too sure of the CR for the example creature, either. Thanks.

Animate Improved Dead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 9, Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Targets: One or more corpses touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell functions like animate dead, but it creates improved skeletons or improved zombies. These are like regular skeletons or zombies except:
- The only limit on the hit dice of the creatures is that the spell can animate up to 4 HD per caster level, so creatures with more than 20 HD can be animated
- Turn Resistance 2
- Additional Bonus Feat: Toughness
- They are not quite mindless, having an intelligence of 1, and can follow slightly more complex commands
- CR = as ordinary undead, or HD/3 if zombie HD>20, HD/3+2 if skeleton HD >20 ?

The caster can control up to 4 HD worth of improved undead creatures per caster level, which is independent of any regular undead controlled due to casting animate dead.

If the undead become uncontrolled, they will carry out their last orders until after they engage in battle, at which point they will try to go on a rampage and attack anyone they see except for other skeletons or zombies.

Material Component: You must place a black onyx gem worth at least 50 gp per Hit Die of the undead into the mouth or eye socket of each corpse you intend to animate. The magic of the spell turns these gems into worthless, burned-out shells.

Cloud Giant Improved Zombie
Huge Undead (Air)
Hit Dice: 34d12+6 (227 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 50 ft. (can’t run)
Armor Class: 28 (–2 size, +16 natural, +4 chain shirt), touch 8, flat-footed 28
Base Attack/Grapple: +17/+38
Attack: Gargantuan morningstar +28 melee (4d6+19) or slam +28 melee (2d6+19) or rock +16 ranged (2d8+13)
Full Attack: Gargantuan morningstar +28 melee (4d6+19) or slam +28 melee (2d6+19) or rock +16 ranged (2d8+13)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Rock throwing
Special Qualities: DR 5/slashing, undead, single actions only, darkvision 60’, oversized weapon, TR 2
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +19
Abilities: Str 37, Dex 11, Con --, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills: —
Feats: Toughness (x2)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 11
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: —
Cloud giant zombies’ skin ranges in color from sickly gray to light purple. Their hair is silvery white or brass, their eyes are iridescent blue, and they stink of decaying flesh and often sport several wounds. Adult males are about 18 feet tall and weigh about 5,000 pounds. Females are slightly shorter and lighter.
Combat
Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 140 feet for a cloud giant’s thrown rocks.
Oversized Weapon (Ex): A cloud giant wields a great, two-handed morningstar (big enough for Gargantuan creatures) without penalty.
Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombies have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A zombie can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.
kinem
02-23-04, 11:20 AM :bump:
fruits and vegetables
02-23-04, 11:24 AM did not read your posT. i just want to know, do your zombies have junk in the trunK? do they have that padunk-a-dunkdunK (i think the short is "that dunK)?:)
Donnavin Snowolf
02-23-04, 11:42 AM I thought it would be about Colossal Donkey Zombies :(
Vorpal Warhammer
02-23-04, 12:55 PM I don't understand the need for this spell. Animate Dead can already create a 80HD skeleton or zombie at 20th level if cast within a Desecrate spell.

It sounds like you get Turn Resistance 2, Toughness, and Intelligence 1, all for an increase of 6 spell levels.

Animate Dead's material component is even half the cost.

:confused:
kinem
02-23-04, 02:16 PM Originally posted by Vorpal Warhammer
I don't understand the need for this spell. Animate Dead can already create a 80HD skeleton or zombie at 20th level if cast within a Desecrate spell.

It sounds like you get Turn Resistance 2, Toughness, and Intelligence 1, all for an increase of 6 spell levels.

Animate Dead's material component is even half the cost.

:confused:

Animate dead can only create skeletons or zombies of 20 HD or less. Where does it say that? Certainly not in the spell description, that would be too easy. But check the description of the actual monsters.

And Intelligence 1 is a major improvement because it means they get a saving throw against command undead. Otherwise a big zombie would be worse than useless as a guard or such since that spell would automatically commandeer it.
R.M.G.C.L.F.
02-24-04, 06:24 AM Well, it's nice to finally see some zombies with an excuse for being neutral evil (unlike the current 3.5 "my-sou-is-filled-with-malevolence-towards-all-things-living-even-though-I-don't-have-one (a soul that is)). :)

Of course, since they aren't mindless, you should probably describe what the undead do if they become uncontrolled.
kinem
02-24-04, 07:42 PM I agree, 3.5's evil mindless undead don't make much sense. More of WoTC's usual standards of quality.

I added the description as you suggested.

So how about balance?

As you see some of the cloud giant zombie's figures of merit (AC, attack bonus) are quite high. A 17th level caster can have 2 of them and they'd reliably dish out a good bit of damage each round, while being hard to put down and without hampering the caster's own actions.

Ordinary zombies, being limited to 10 HD base creatures, don't have such high natural armor or strength. Ordinary skeletons can be cloud giants but don't get much natural armor. 3.0 zombies weren't templated.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
kinem 02-21-04, 11:43 PM	How does this seem? I'm not too sure of the CR for the example creature, either. Thanks. Animate Improved Dead Necromancy [Evil] Level: Clr 9, Sor/Wiz 9 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Targets: One or more corpses touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No This spell functions like animate dead, but it creates improved skeletons or improved zombies. These are like regular skeletons or zombies except: - The only limit on the hit dice of the creatures is that the spell can animate up to 4 HD per caster level, so creatures with more than 20 HD can be animated - Turn Resistance 2 - Additional Bonus Feat: Toughness - They are not quite mindless, having an intelligence of 1, and can follow slightly more complex commands - CR = as ordinary undead, or HD/3 if zombie HD>20, HD/3+2 if skeleton HD >20 ? The caster can control up to 4 HD worth of improved undead creatures per caster level, which is independent of any regular undead controlled due to casting animate dead. If the undead become uncontrolled, they will carry out their last orders until after they engage in battle, at which point they will try to go on a rampage and attack anyone they see except for other skeletons or zombies. Material Component: You must place a black onyx gem worth at least 50 gp per Hit Die of the undead into the mouth or eye socket of each corpse you intend to animate. The magic of the spell turns these gems into worthless, burned-out shells. Cloud Giant Improved Zombie Huge Undead (Air) Hit Dice: 34d12+6 (227 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 50 ft. (can’t run) Armor Class: 28 (–2 size, +16 natural, +4 chain shirt), touch 8, flat-footed 28 Base Attack/Grapple: +17/+38 Attack: Gargantuan morningstar +28 melee (4d6+19) or slam +28 melee (2d6+19) or rock +16 ranged (2d8+13) Full Attack: Gargantuan morningstar +28 melee (4d6+19) or slam +28 melee (2d6+19) or rock +16 ranged (2d8+13) Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Rock throwing Special Qualities: DR 5/slashing, undead, single actions only, darkvision 60’, oversized weapon, TR 2 Saves: Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +19 Abilities: Str 37, Dex 11, Con --, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 1 Skills: — Feats: Toughness (x2) Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or pair Challenge Rating: 11 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: None Level Adjustment: — Cloud giant zombies’ skin ranges in color from sickly gray to light purple. Their hair is silvery white or brass, their eyes are iridescent blue, and they stink of decaying flesh and often sport several wounds. Adult males are about 18 feet tall and weigh about 5,000 pounds. Females are slightly shorter and lighter. Combat Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 140 feet for a cloud giant’s thrown rocks. Oversized Weapon (Ex): A cloud giant wields a great, two-handed morningstar (big enough for Gargantuan creatures) without penalty. Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombies have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A zombie can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.
kinem 02-23-04, 11:20 AM	:bump:
fruits and vegetables 02-23-04, 11:24 AM	did not read your posT. i just want to know, do your zombies have junk in the trunK? do they have that padunk-a-dunkdunK (i think the short is "that dunK)?:)
Donnavin Snowolf 02-23-04, 11:42 AM	I thought it would be about Colossal Donkey Zombies :(
Vorpal Warhammer 02-23-04, 12:55 PM	I don't understand the need for this spell. Animate Dead can already create a 80HD skeleton or zombie at 20th level if cast within a Desecrate spell. It sounds like you get Turn Resistance 2, Toughness, and Intelligence 1, all for an increase of 6 spell levels. Animate Dead's material component is even half the cost. :confused:
kinem 02-23-04, 02:16 PM	Originally posted by Vorpal Warhammer I don't understand the need for this spell. Animate Dead can already create a 80HD skeleton or zombie at 20th level if cast within a Desecrate spell. It sounds like you get Turn Resistance 2, Toughness, and Intelligence 1, all for an increase of 6 spell levels. Animate Dead's material component is even half the cost. :confused: Animate dead can only create skeletons or zombies of 20 HD or less. Where does it say that? Certainly not in the spell description, that would be too easy. But check the description of the actual monsters. And Intelligence 1 is a major improvement because it means they get a saving throw against command undead. Otherwise a big zombie would be worse than useless as a guard or such since that spell would automatically commandeer it.
R.M.G.C.L.F. 02-24-04, 06:24 AM	Well, it's nice to finally see some zombies with an excuse for being neutral evil (unlike the current 3.5 "my-sou-is-filled-with-malevolence-towards-all-things-living-even-though-I-don't-have-one (a soul that is)). :) Of course, since they aren't mindless, you should probably describe what the undead do if they become uncontrolled.
kinem 02-24-04, 07:42 PM	I agree, 3.5's evil mindless undead don't make much sense. More of WoTC's usual standards of quality. I added the description as you suggested. So how about balance? As you see some of the cloud giant zombie's figures of merit (AC, attack bonus) are quite high. A 17th level caster can have 2 of them and they'd reliably dish out a good bit of damage each round, while being hard to put down and without hampering the caster's own actions. Ordinary zombies, being limited to 10 HD base creatures, don't have such high natural armor or strength. Ordinary skeletons can be cloud giants but don't get much natural armor. 3.0 zombies weren't templated.