Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dracomortis 07-01-06, 10:27 AM	Corpus Morti Corpus morti are the animated body parts of a dead humanoid, created using the animate parts spell (see below). They are generally physically weak, but some, such as the chatterskull and the necerebro, possess supernatural abilities. Corpus morti can also be taken as familiars by a spellcaster who has the Undead Familiar feat (see below). The seven known types of corpus morti are described below. Chatterskull Tiny Undead Hit Dice: 1d12+3 (9 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 5 ft. (1 square), fly 40 ft. (perfect) Armor Class: 16 (+2 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-8 Attack: Bite +1 melee (1d3-1) Full Attack: Bite +1 melee (1d3-1) Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Chatter Special Qualities: Darkvision 30 ft., undead traits Saves: Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +2 Abilities: Str 8, Dex 16, Con —, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 13 Skills: Hide +15, Intimidate +9, Move Silently +7, Spot +4 Feats: Toughness Environment: Any Organization: Solitary, decapitation (2-5), or guillotine (6-10) Challenge Rating: 1 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic neutral Advancement: — Level Adjustment: — A floating skull looks at you briefly, and then lets out an exaggerated cackle as it flies towards you. A chatterskull is a flying, animated skull with glowing yellow or orange eyes, created through the powers of necromancy. It derives its name from the constant, loud cackling sound it makes as it speeds along. This laughter is unsettling to living creatures and can cause weaker foes to flee in fear. Although not necessarily evil, chatterskulls have a twisted sense of humor. They delight in scaring other creatures, flying around them while emitting their eerie laugh, perhaps unable to comprehend that others usually don’t find it so amusing. If its habits are accepted with good humor by an individual, a chatterskull may follow the creature for a time. The chatterskull may not be accepted with such good humor later, however, as it will still scare off the creature’s companions. A chatterskull does not speak, but it constantly laughs and cackles. It weighs about five pounds. Combat Chatterskulls prefer to avoid combat. However, most creatures interpret its actions as hostile, forcing the chatterskull to scare off or flee from opponents. Chatter (Su): A chatterskull’s constant chatter is unsettling to those who hear it. Any creature within 30 feet of a chatterskull must succeed on a Will save (DC 12) or be affected as though by a cause fear spell. The save DC is Charisma-based. A chatterskull may choose to suppress the fear effect (but not the chattering), or exclude specific creatures from the effect. Skills: Chatterskulls have a +4 racial bonus on Intimidate checks. Chatterskull Familiars A chatterskull is an appropriate undead familiar for a 3rd-level or higher arcane spellcaster with the Undead Familiar feat. Crawling Arm Tiny Undead Hit Dice: 1/2d12 (3 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares) Armor Class: 12 (+2 size), touch 12, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-7 Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d3+1) Full Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d3+1) Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Blindsense 30 ft., undead traits Saves: Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +1 Abilities: Str 12, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 8, Cha 4 Skills: Climb +5, Hide +12, Move Silently +4, Swim +5 Feats: Weapon Focus (slam) Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or pair Challenge Rating: 1/4 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually neutral Advancement: — Level Adjustment: — A pale, partially decayed arm pulls itself along the shelf, pulling out books and replacing them as if searching for a specific volume. A crawling arm is the animated arm of a dead humanoid creature. The are most commonly encountered in a necromancer’s study, where it helps with mundane tasks such as flipping pages in a spellbook, holding objects like candles or potions, or simply waiting until its creator finds a use for it—an itch on his back he cannot reach, for example. Crawling arms are also fairly decent at finding and retrieving hard-to-reach items, such as tomes at the top of a bookshelf or a quill dropped beneath a grimoire. Although they are usually employed for menial tasks such as those mentioned above, some necromancers take them on as familiars, realizing that they pack quite a punch and make a good last resort attack—few things surprise an opponent more than when an undead arm leaps off of your back and grabs onto their face, after all. Combat Crawling arms usually avoid combat, but their slam attack is quite effective if forced to fight. Crawling Arm Familiars A crawling arm is an appropriate undead familiar for a 1st-level or higher arcane spellcaster with the Undead Familiar feat. Deathgut Small Undead Hit Dice: 2d12 (13 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares) Armor Class: 13 (+1 size, +2 Dex), touch 13, flat-footed 11 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-2 Attack: Tentacle +4 melee (1d3+2 plus 1d3 acid) Full Attack: Tentacle +4 melee (1d3+2 plus 1d3 acid) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Acid, constrict 1d3+2 plus 1d3 acid, improved grab Special Qualities: Blindsense 30 ft., undead traits Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +2 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 14, Con —, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 4 Skills: Hide +11, Move Silently +7, Search +4, Spot +4, Swim +5 Feats: Great Fortitude Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or digestion (2-7) Challenge Rating: 1 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually neutral Advancement: — Level Adjustment: — An oozing pile of some revolting substance sits on the ground. Without warning, it lashes out towards you with a slick tentacle. A deathgut is a revolting undead creature created from the organs of a freshly killed humanoid. It constantly oozes and bubbles, its body covered in a caustic acid. Deathguts, unlike other corpus morti, are active hunters, and unchecked deathguts are often evil, killing any living creature it comes into contact with. Although it actually needs very little to survive, a deathgut will consume anything it encounters, adding the slain creature’s organs into its mass. Deathguts are the most difficult corpus morti to control, as their natural instinct is to attack everything. If a necromancer is not careful, he could very easily wind up being a victim to his own familiar. Deathguts do not speak, but they understand any languages spoken by their creator. An average deathgut weighs about 25 pounds. Combat Deathguts, if left uncontrolled, attack anything they view as food. They usually grapple an opponent and try to dissolve it as quickly as possible with their acid. Acid (Ex): A deathgut secretes a digestive acid that dissolves only flesh. Any melee hit or constrict attack deals acid damage. Constrict (Ex): A deathgut deals automatic tentacle and acid damage with a successful grapple check. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a deathgut must hit with its tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict. Deathgut Familiars A deathgut is an appropriate undead familiar for a 5th-level or higher arcane spellcaster with the Undead Familiar feat. Lolling Jaw Diminutive Undead Hit Dice: 1/4d12 (1 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 5 ft. (1 square) Armor Class: 16 (+4 size, +2 Dex), touch 16, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-16 Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d2-4) Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d2-4) Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Blindsense 30 ft., undead traits Saves: Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +1 Abilities: Str 2, Dex 14, Con —, Int 6, Wis 8, Cha 4 Skills: Hide +18, Move Silently +6 Feats: Weapon Finesse Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 1/8 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually neutral Advancement: — Level Adjustment: — A humanoid jaw sits on the table, its two jaws and tongue fused together unnaturally, quietly muttering to itself. A lolling jaw is a tiny undead creature created from a humanoid jaw. Its upper and lower jaws join at the back, where they connect with the creature’s tongue. Although it has no mind, a lolling jaw has a limited intelligence and the ability to speak. In fact, speaking is about all it can do. Lolling jaws like talking simply for the sake of talking. They don’t talk about much of any importance, however; their intelligence limits them to small talk—the weather, random tidbits about recent events, and the like. A lolling jaw can be given commands to say a certain word or phrase under a given condition—for example, it might say “Looks like it’s going to rain” when a cleric comes near. The phrases are usually innocuous enough that they just sound like more of the lolling jaw’s babble, but a careful listener can make an Intelligence check (typically DC 15) to notice something strange—for example, the lolling jaw saying it’s going to rain on a bright and cloudless day. Lolling jaws speak and understand one language of their creator, usually Common. A rare lolling jaw (about 1 in 20) also knows Deathspeak, the language of death, picked up during its creation. Combat Lolling jaws are usually too busy talking to fight, biting only as a last resort. Lolling Jaw Familiars A lolling jaw is an appropriate undead familiar for a 1st-level or higher arcane spellcaster with the Undead Familiar feat. Mortifilch Diminutive Undead Hit Dice: 1/4d12 (1 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares) Armor Class: 16 (+4 size, +2 Dex), touch 16, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-16 Attack: Slam +6 melee (1 damage) Full Attack: Slam +6 melee (1 damage) Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Blindsense 30 ft., undead traits Saves: Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +1 Abilities: Str 3, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 8, Cha 4 Skills: Escape Artist +10, Open Lock +10, Sleight of Hand +13, Use Rope +10 Feats: Skill Focus (Sleight of Hand), Weapon Finesse(B) Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or pair Challenge Rating: 1/8 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually neutral Advancement: — Level Adjustment: — As the door swings inward, you glance down at the door knob, and realize a humanoid hand is hanging from it. A mortifilch is a preserved undead hand. Despite (or perhaps because of) its undeath, a mortifilch is quite dexterous and capable of performing difficult tasks—assuming, of course, that it only requires one hand to complete. Mortifilch are sometimes employed as doormen of sorts, where they are complacent opening, closing, locking, and unlocking doors. Other, more resourceful creators use them for less respectable work—such as picking locks, pick pocketing, and breaking into houses. Whatever they are assigned to do, mortifilch do so unquestionably—they exist only to follow the commands of their creators. Combat Mortifilch rarely need to worry about combat. However, sometimes when one is caught in an unlawful act, it must resort to its slam attack, hoping to startle its opponent and make an escape. Skills: Mortifilch have a +4 racial bonus on Escape Artist, Open Lock, Sleight of Hand, and Use Rope checks. Mortifilch Familiars A mortifilch is an appropriate undead familiar for a 1st-level or higher arcane spellcaster with the Undead Familiar feat. Necerebro Tiny Undead (Psionic) Hit Dice: 1/2d12 (3 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 5 ft. (1 square; can’t run) Armor Class: 12 (+2 size), touch 12, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-11 Attack: Tentacle -1 melee (1 damage) Full Attack: Tentacle -1 melee (1 damage) Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Psi-like abilities Special Qualities: Blindsense 30 ft., telepathy 30 ft., undead traits Saves: Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +4 Abilities: Str 4, Dex 10, Con —, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14 Skills: Concentration +6, Hide +12, Knowledge (psionics) +4, Sense Motive +4 Feats: Iron Will Environment: Any land and underground Organization: Solitary, mind (2-5), or master mind (6-11) Challenge Rating: 1/3 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: — Level Adjustment: — A sickly, grey brain slithers slowly along the ground, pulled by one tentacle-like appendage. Its surface ripples, as if some thought still lingers. Necerebros, also called undead brains, are revolting creatures created from the brain of a deceased humanoid. Although they are thought to have been first created by mind flayers, this theory seems unlikely, as an illithid is more likely to consume a brain or use it for something more useful, like a brain golem, than waste it on an abomination like the necerebro. In fact, its psionic abilities have led some to speculate that they may in fact be the brains of mind flayers. A necerebro is most commonly encountered in a necromancer’s laboratory or study, where it is kept immobile in a sealed glass jar or other container. More than one particularly perverse necromancer has been known to keep a necerebro on their person, carrying it around in its jar as if it were a pet. Combat Necerebros are very fragile and avoid close combat. If forced into combat, they use their psionic powers to confuse and distract opponents, hoping to catch them off guard. Psi-Like Abilities: At will—detect psionics, far hand, psionic daze (DC 13), psionic levitate (ML 3rd, self only); 3/day mind thrust (DC 13); 1/day inflict pain (ML 3rd, DC 14). Manifester level 1st. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Telepathy (Su): A necerebro can communicate telepathically with any creature within 30 feet that has a language. Non-Psionic Necerebros If you do not have the Expanded Psionics Handbook, make the following changes to the necerebro. Type: Remove the psionic subtype. Skills: Replace Knowledge (psionics) with Knowledge (arcana). Psi-Like Abilities: Replace this special attack with the following spell-like abilities: Spell-Like Abilities: At will—detect magic, daze (DC 12), levitate (CL 3rd, self only), mage hand; 3/day inflict light wounds (DC 13); 1/day levitate (CL 3rd, DC 14). Caster level 1st. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Necerebro Familiars A necerebro is an appropriate undead familiar for a 3rd-level or higher arcane spellcaster with the Undead Familiar feat. Watcher Fine Undead Hit Dice: 1/4d12 (1 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares) Armor Class: 18 (+8 size), touch 18, flat-footed 18 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-21 Attack: — Full Attack: — Space/Reach: 1/2 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits Saves: Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +2 Abilities: Str 1, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 4 Skills: Hide +20, Move Silently +4, Search +12, Spot +15 Feats: Skill Focus (Spot) Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or pair Challenge Rating: 1/10 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually neutral Advancement: — Level Adjustment: — A tiny eyeball, possibly from a human, sits on the shelf in front of you. Suddenly you stumble back as it turns towards you. Watchers are minor undead created from the eye of a deceased humanoid and then treated in a special alchemical substance to enhance their visual senses, used primarily as guards and spies. A watcher needs no form of sustenance, so it is content to remain in one spot indefinitely. However, as their name implies, a watcher has an almost insatiable craving to watch and observe, and a watcher with little to keep it occupied is apt to wander off in search of something better to stare at. Because of their highly developed sight and very small size, watchers are often employed to watch over an area a necromancer does not wish to be host to others. Alternatively, some necromancers employ them as spies. A watcher can crawl unnoticed into a specific location, and the master can see even better than if he were there himself. They can also provide a useful way for necromancers to show up unexpected via a teleport spell. Combat Watchers cannot fight. They rely on their small size to hide from attackers, particularly crows and ravens, whom find watchers quite delectable. Skills: Watchers have a +8 racial bonus on Search and Spot checks. Watcher Familiars A watcher is an appropriate undead familiar for a 1st-level or higher arcane spellcaster with the Undead Familiar feat.
Dracomortis 07-01-06, 10:32 AM	Animate Parts Necromancy Level: Clr 1, Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Targets: One or more body parts touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No This spell allows you to animate dead body parts, granting them unlife and mobility. The parts to be animated must come from a humanoid of Medium size who died within 1 day per caster level. Once animated, the body parts are completely under your control. They can obey only simple commands such as “Attack” or “Stay here” (the exception to this is if you animate a necerebro, which is quite intelligent). You may animate a total number of undead body parts equal to your caster level with a single casting of this spell. No mater how many times you cast this spell, you can control only up to half your caster level in Hit Dice of undead body parts. Undead created by this spell do not count towards the limit for other spells, such as animate dead. Use the statistics for the indicated creature, based upon what body part(s) you animate: Body Part Creature Arm (includes hand) Crawling arm Brain Necerebro Eye Watcher Hand Mortifilch Head Chatterskull Intestines Deathgut Jaw (includes tongue) Lolling jaw Undead Familiar [General] You are able to obtain an undead familiar instead of a living one. Prerequisites: Ability to acquire a new familiar, sufficiently high level (see below). Benefit: When choosing a familiar, the creatures listed below are also available to the spellcaster. Undead familiars otherwise use the rules on page 52 of the Player’s Handbook, with two exceptions: The creature’s type does not change; and undead familiars do not gain the ability to speak with other creatures of their kind (although some already have the ability to communicate). Also, undead familiars do not gain the standard increased Intelligence score for being a familiar if they are mindless. Arcane Spellcaster Familiar Level Special Chatterskull 3rd Master gains a +3 bonus on Intimidate checks Crawling arm 1st Master gains a +3 bonus on Climb checks Deathgut 5th Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves Lolling jaw* 1st Master gains a +3 bonus on Appraise checks Mortifilch 1st Master gains a +3 bonus on Sleight of Hand checks Necerebro 3rd Master gains a +3 bonus on any one Knowledge skill checks Watcher 1st Master gains a +3 bonus on Spot checks *A lolling jaw familiar can speak one language of its master’s choice as a supernatural ability.
Dracomortis 07-03-06, 01:27 PM	And....:bump:
thasis 07-03-06, 04:49 PM	OMG! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS! This is definitly good enough quality to be fit into the book. I'm going to save this to favorites right now, as so I don't loose the link. Great job!
Dracomortis 07-03-06, 05:12 PM	I'm glad somebody likes it. I seem to be having trouble getting anyone to reply to these guys. Oh well, maybe they're all doing exactly what my friend did when I showed these to him: twitching in horror, excitement, and confusion all at once. I figure I'll get some responses in about 2 hours when the paralysis finally wears off :D.
nightmaredragon 07-03-06, 06:16 PM	:eek: Twitches in awe :OMG! SWEET! Have you seen the Magic Card "Severed Legion (http://mi.wizards.com/global/images/magic/general/severed_legion.jpg) "? :D Mortifilch+Multiple Familiar Feat=Severed Legion
Dracomortis 07-03-06, 06:27 PM	Sweet, paralysis wore off 56 minutes sooner than planned :D. So, it's a long read, but anyone see any balance issues with these guys? I found a couple that I fixed but don't see any more. Also, does anyone have any suggestions for new corpus morti? The above are just as many different body parts as I could think of. I was going to do a foot and a leg, but I couldn't really think of any possible use for those.
thasis 07-03-06, 08:32 PM	How bout hoving dismembered eyeballs with magical scrying powers, I think that would be useful for Necromancer/Diviners.
Dracomortis 07-03-06, 09:01 PM	Wouldn't that be covered by the scry on familiar ability?
Dorksteel_colossus 10-02-06, 03:59 PM	Wow! Great idea! I'm currently running an undead-themed campaign, and this seems to fit it perfectly. One of my players is particularly into necromancy, and I'd like to pass this concept by him. I can't see anything wrong with these things, and overall, the whole Idea sounds pretty awesome!:bravo: