Dead Man Walking [ PEACH ] [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dead Man Walking [ PEACH ] [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
KublaiKhan
03-15-06, 11:03 AM G'morning.

I've been developing a variant undead for use in my custom campaign setting...mostly because I wanted something that resembles a zombie, but with a few twists suitable for the place where it came from, and the casters who are making them.

"Dead Man Walking" is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid [other than an undead] that is still mostly [ 70% or greater ] intact [ referred to hereafter as the base creature].

Size and Type

The creature’s type changes to undead. It retains any subtypes except alignment subtypes and subtypes that indicate kind. It does not gain the augmented subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Hit Dice

Change all Hit Dice to d12's.

Speed

Subtract 10' from the base creature's speed. If the base creature could fly, their maneuverability drops to clumsy.

Armor Class

The Dead Man Walking gains a natural armor bonus according to size, as per the normal Zombie.

Base Attack

If intelligence is retained, the Dead Man Walking retains the base creature's Base Attack Bonus. Otherwise, the BAB is 1/2 HD.

Attacks

The Dead Man Walking retains all of the base creature's natural and manufactured weapon attacks and proficiencies. If it does not already posess one, they gain a claw attack.

Damage

The Dead Man Walking deals damage normally with its weapons. The claw attack deals slashing/piercing damage equal to the equivalent zombie's slam attack.

Special Attacks

The Dead Man Walking does not retain any biologically-based special attacks.

Special Qualities

Impaired Actions[Ex]: A Dead Man Walking normally has the Single Actions Only trait. However, once every d4 rounds, the Dead Man Walking may make actions as the base creature could.

Unholy Sight[Su]: The Dead Man Walking is unaffected by any spells of the illusion school without the Shadow descriptor.

Stubborn Lifeforce[Su]: The Dead Man Walking has a 10% chance of retaining intelligence, skills, and feats.

Lazybones[Su]: The Dead Man Walking will collapse as though dead, and de-animate, if it takes more than 10% of its total HP in damage during a round. Two rounds later, it will re-animate at the same number of HP, unless its body has been fully disintegrated in the meantime.

The Dead Man Walking does not take any actual damage during the time spent de-animated, though any effects such as igniting the body or dropping it in acid will affect it upon re-animation. Actions such as burning the body into ash, dissolving it in acid, subjecting it to a disintigrate spell, or putting it into a blender will prevent the Dead Man Walking from reanimating, as insufficient body will be left to accomplish that.

Saves

Fort: +1/3 HD
Ref: +1/3 HD
Will: +1/2 HD+2

Abilities

The Dead Man Walking gains Str +2 and Dex -2. Its Con changes to --; charisma to 1, and wisdom is unchanged. It has a 10% chance to retain 1/3 of the base creature's int score.

Skills

The Dead Man Walking only has skills if it retains intelligence. If so, adjust the skills as per the new int score.

Feats

If the Dead Man Walking has retained intelligence, it may keep the feats that the Base Creature knew. Otherwise, it loses all feats.

Environment

Any land or underground.

Organization

Any.

Challenge Rating

Depends on Hit Dice.

Treasure

Varies heavily. Intelligent specimens may have some; nonintelligent specimens usually have none.

Alignment

Usually NE.

Advancement

Nonintelligent, by HD. Intelligent, by base creature's class.

Level Adjustment

+1

Creation
A Dead Man Walking can arise spontaneously from the corpse of anyone who died while in a coma. They can be created purposefully by casting Animate Dead and Gentle Repose while using a 100gp piece of jade for the material component, instead of Onyx.

"Well, that wasn't so hard," he said, as he sheathed his sword. "Just another zombie infestation to take care of."

He paused as he was walking away, to look back...and saw the grinning rictus of the dead face right behind him--the Dead Man was Walking again. His scream was cut off as the Dead Man's claw ripped into his throat.
pileobone
03-15-06, 11:30 AM Wow, this is a cool idea. I really like what you've done with this. It add's a much more cinematic view to "mindless" undead. I have a couple small questions.

Size and Type

The creature’s type changes to undead. It retains any subtypes except alignment subtypes and subtypes that indicate kind. It does not gain the augmented subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

The wording on this kind of confuses me. What exactly do you mean as a subtype that indicates kind? Could you give an example?

Abilities

The Dead Man Walking gains Str +2 and Dex -2. Its Con changes to --; charisma to 1, and wisdom is unchanged. It has a 10% chance to retain 1/3 of the base creature's int score.

When the creature doesn't retain it's former int, does it change to Int --? Probably a dumb question, but I'd like to know.

This is quite a cool template, I like it quite a bit.
KublaiKhan
03-15-06, 11:34 AM My bad. Posted before the coffee had kicked in all the way.

The subtypes it'd retain would be things like [ Fire ] [ ie, the Harssaf, from MM3 has that subtype ]. It wouldn't retain [ Goblinoid ] as a subtype of Humanoid.

And yes, if it does not retain int, the int score changes to --

[ Edit: I need more coffee. And to fully complete my thoughts. ]
Shaggy_Shaggs
03-15-06, 07:16 PM So this is what those things were. *was right, you just need to beat them into paste when they're down to keep them down* :D

Base Attack

The Dead Man Walking retains 3/4 of the base creature's BAB.
This is rather clumsy. I suggest giving it a normal BAB progression - either 4/4, 3/4, or 2/4 if it loses Int (2/4 is undead standard), and retaining whatever BAB it had before if it retains Int.
The Dead Man Walking deals damage normally with its weapons. The claw attack deals slashing damage equal to the equivalent zombie's slam attack.
Why does this claw attack only deal slashing damage when claw attacks normally deal piercing and slashing damage?
KublaiKhan
03-15-06, 09:42 PM So this is what those things were. *was right, you just need to beat them into paste when they're down to keep them down* :D

Well, if you can manage "paste"...then yeah, I suppose so. ^^;

This is rather clumsy. I suggest giving it a normal BAB progression - either 4/4, 3/4, or 2/4 if it loses Int (2/4 is undead standard), and retaining whatever BAB it had before if it retains Int.

How about retaining the base creature's BAB if it retains intelligence, and replacing it with 1/2HD if it loses it?

Why does this claw attack only deal slashing damage when claw attacks normally deal piercing and slashing damage?

Whoops, my bad. My coffee isn't working today, I guess.
KublaiKhan
03-16-06, 11:13 AM Edited to make the changes.

Anyone else have any comments?
Talisman
03-16-06, 11:18 AM :thumbsup:

Very Deadlands-esque.
KublaiKhan
03-16-06, 11:24 AM Not familiar with the Deadlands, I'm afraid....what's it like?
Talisman
03-16-06, 11:38 AM Deadlands is an RPG by Pinnacle. A mix of Old West, Cthulhu-esque horror, and zombie cowboys. Find it. Buy it. Play it. Avoid the d20 version.
KublaiKhan
03-16-06, 11:43 AM Sounds like fun....and the Dead Man Walking sounds like it could fit in, yeah.
ReverendCow
03-27-06, 11:38 PM This sounds really cool. I think I'm going to have to "hire" a couple of these "guys" to keep an eye on my lair.
KublaiKhan
03-28-06, 10:47 AM You're more than welcome. Always pleased to have someone use my creations. These guys kinda fall under the "Easy if handled properly" category--as when they're down, you could conceivably just light 'em on fire, and only the intelligent ones would notice.

I last used 'em in the sewer system....part of the party was finding the other part, and they ran across one. They dropped it, and kept going...and didn't realize it'd gotten up and kept following 'em. Got the drop on one of the meatshields...it was fun. *grin*
Greenintern
03-28-06, 11:04 AM The Lazybones ability:

If the DMW takes enough damage to go to 0 HP, it is destroyed, correct?
KublaiKhan
03-28-06, 11:21 AM Yes, certainly.

Note, though, that while it's inanimate, it doesn't officially "take" damage--so long as it's reasonably intact enough, it'll get back up and start trying to kill things again.

Reasonably intact is left to the discretion of the DM...though I should think that things like tossing the de-animated corpse into a pool of acid, smashing it to a pulp beneath a boulder, incinerating it into ash, or disintigrating it, would count towards a prohibition of re-animation.
ReverendCow
03-28-06, 03:46 PM Note, though, that while it's inanimate, it doesn't officially "take" damage--so long as it's reasonably intact enough, it'll get back up and start trying to kill things again.

Reasonably intact is left to the discretion of the DM...though I should think that things like tossing the de-animated corpse into a pool of acid, smashing it to a pulp beneath a boulder, incinerating it into ash, or disintigrating it, would count towards a prohibition of re-animation.

Do you think you could possible throw that in with the description in your original post? Just to make it a little more, "official."

And how do you create one of these guys?
KublaiKhan
03-28-06, 04:06 PM It is sorta there, in the description of the Lazybones ability, but I'll edit that in a second to make it a bit more clear.

As for making 'em...that's a pretty good question, actually. I'll add that into the description, but I'll throw it down here for ease of reading, so you don't have to go searching:

A Dead Man Walking can arise spontaneously from the corpse of anyone who died while in a coma. They can be created purposefully by casting Animate Dead and Gentle Repose while using a 100gp piece of jade for the material component, instead of Onyx.
ReverendCow
09-14-06, 07:41 PM Hello again, all. I know it's been awhile since I've been here, and even longer since this thread was posted in, but I had an idea:

They can be created purposefully by casting Animate Dead and Gentle Repose while using a 100gp piece of jade for the material component, instead of Onyx.

What if you could use a 1000gp jade to guarantee that the base creature retains 1/3 of it's Int, +1? Also, for every additional 1000gp of the value of the jade, the retained Int of the DMW increases by +1, to a maximum of the base creatures pre-death Int score? Got a buddy who keeps dying? Raise him as one of these baddies and you won't have to worry quite so much.

How's that sound?
KublaiKhan
09-15-06, 12:07 AM That's an interesting thought, and something that I'd have to playtest extensively before I came to a final decision on...at least, in my games.

Try it out, tell me how it goes....I'd be curious to know. :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
KublaiKhan 03-15-06, 11:03 AM	G'morning. I've been developing a variant undead for use in my custom campaign setting...mostly because I wanted something that resembles a zombie, but with a few twists suitable for the place where it came from, and the casters who are making them. "Dead Man Walking" is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid [other than an undead] that is still mostly [ 70% or greater ] intact [ referred to hereafter as the base creature]. Size and Type The creature’s type changes to undead. It retains any subtypes except alignment subtypes and subtypes that indicate kind. It does not gain the augmented subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. Hit Dice Change all Hit Dice to d12's. Speed Subtract 10' from the base creature's speed. If the base creature could fly, their maneuverability drops to clumsy. Armor Class The Dead Man Walking gains a natural armor bonus according to size, as per the normal Zombie. Base Attack If intelligence is retained, the Dead Man Walking retains the base creature's Base Attack Bonus. Otherwise, the BAB is 1/2 HD. Attacks The Dead Man Walking retains all of the base creature's natural and manufactured weapon attacks and proficiencies. If it does not already posess one, they gain a claw attack. Damage The Dead Man Walking deals damage normally with its weapons. The claw attack deals slashing/piercing damage equal to the equivalent zombie's slam attack. Special Attacks The Dead Man Walking does not retain any biologically-based special attacks. Special Qualities Impaired Actions[Ex]: A Dead Man Walking normally has the Single Actions Only trait. However, once every d4 rounds, the Dead Man Walking may make actions as the base creature could. Unholy Sight[Su]: The Dead Man Walking is unaffected by any spells of the illusion school without the Shadow descriptor. Stubborn Lifeforce[Su]: The Dead Man Walking has a 10% chance of retaining intelligence, skills, and feats. Lazybones[Su]: The Dead Man Walking will collapse as though dead, and de-animate, if it takes more than 10% of its total HP in damage during a round. Two rounds later, it will re-animate at the same number of HP, unless its body has been fully disintegrated in the meantime. The Dead Man Walking does not take any actual damage during the time spent de-animated, though any effects such as igniting the body or dropping it in acid will affect it upon re-animation. Actions such as burning the body into ash, dissolving it in acid, subjecting it to a disintigrate spell, or putting it into a blender will prevent the Dead Man Walking from reanimating, as insufficient body will be left to accomplish that. Saves Fort: +1/3 HD Ref: +1/3 HD Will: +1/2 HD+2 Abilities The Dead Man Walking gains Str +2 and Dex -2. Its Con changes to --; charisma to 1, and wisdom is unchanged. It has a 10% chance to retain 1/3 of the base creature's int score. Skills The Dead Man Walking only has skills if it retains intelligence. If so, adjust the skills as per the new int score. Feats If the Dead Man Walking has retained intelligence, it may keep the feats that the Base Creature knew. Otherwise, it loses all feats. Environment Any land or underground. Organization Any. Challenge Rating Depends on Hit Dice. Treasure Varies heavily. Intelligent specimens may have some; nonintelligent specimens usually have none. Alignment Usually NE. Advancement Nonintelligent, by HD. Intelligent, by base creature's class. Level Adjustment +1 Creation A Dead Man Walking can arise spontaneously from the corpse of anyone who died while in a coma. They can be created purposefully by casting Animate Dead and Gentle Repose while using a 100gp piece of jade for the material component, instead of Onyx. "Well, that wasn't so hard," he said, as he sheathed his sword. "Just another zombie infestation to take care of." He paused as he was walking away, to look back...and saw the grinning rictus of the dead face right behind him--the Dead Man was Walking again. His scream was cut off as the Dead Man's claw ripped into his throat.
pileobone 03-15-06, 11:30 AM	Wow, this is a cool idea. I really like what you've done with this. It add's a much more cinematic view to "mindless" undead. I have a couple small questions. Size and Type The creature’s type changes to undead. It retains any subtypes except alignment subtypes and subtypes that indicate kind. It does not gain the augmented subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. The wording on this kind of confuses me. What exactly do you mean as a subtype that indicates kind? Could you give an example? Abilities The Dead Man Walking gains Str +2 and Dex -2. Its Con changes to --; charisma to 1, and wisdom is unchanged. It has a 10% chance to retain 1/3 of the base creature's int score. When the creature doesn't retain it's former int, does it change to Int --? Probably a dumb question, but I'd like to know. This is quite a cool template, I like it quite a bit.
KublaiKhan 03-15-06, 11:34 AM	My bad. Posted before the coffee had kicked in all the way. The subtypes it'd retain would be things like [ Fire ] [ ie, the Harssaf, from MM3 has that subtype ]. It wouldn't retain [ Goblinoid ] as a subtype of Humanoid. And yes, if it does not retain int, the int score changes to -- [ Edit: I need more coffee. And to fully complete my thoughts. ]
Shaggy_Shaggs 03-15-06, 07:16 PM	So this is what those things were. was right, you just need to beat them into paste when they're down to keep them down :D Base Attack The Dead Man Walking retains 3/4 of the base creature's BAB. This is rather clumsy. I suggest giving it a normal BAB progression - either 4/4, 3/4, or 2/4 if it loses Int (2/4 is undead standard), and retaining whatever BAB it had before if it retains Int. The Dead Man Walking deals damage normally with its weapons. The claw attack deals slashing damage equal to the equivalent zombie's slam attack. Why does this claw attack only deal slashing damage when claw attacks normally deal piercing and slashing damage?
KublaiKhan 03-15-06, 09:42 PM	So this is what those things were. was right, you just need to beat them into paste when they're down to keep them down :D Well, if you can manage "paste"...then yeah, I suppose so. ^^; This is rather clumsy. I suggest giving it a normal BAB progression - either 4/4, 3/4, or 2/4 if it loses Int (2/4 is undead standard), and retaining whatever BAB it had before if it retains Int. How about retaining the base creature's BAB if it retains intelligence, and replacing it with 1/2HD if it loses it? Why does this claw attack only deal slashing damage when claw attacks normally deal piercing and slashing damage? Whoops, my bad. My coffee isn't working today, I guess.
KublaiKhan 03-16-06, 11:13 AM	Edited to make the changes. Anyone else have any comments?
Talisman 03-16-06, 11:18 AM	:thumbsup: Very Deadlands-esque.
KublaiKhan 03-16-06, 11:24 AM	Not familiar with the Deadlands, I'm afraid....what's it like?
Talisman 03-16-06, 11:38 AM	Deadlands is an RPG by Pinnacle. A mix of Old West, Cthulhu-esque horror, and zombie cowboys. Find it. Buy it. Play it. Avoid the d20 version.
KublaiKhan 03-16-06, 11:43 AM	Sounds like fun....and the Dead Man Walking sounds like it could fit in, yeah.
ReverendCow 03-27-06, 11:38 PM	This sounds really cool. I think I'm going to have to "hire" a couple of these "guys" to keep an eye on my lair.
KublaiKhan 03-28-06, 10:47 AM	You're more than welcome. Always pleased to have someone use my creations. These guys kinda fall under the "Easy if handled properly" category--as when they're down, you could conceivably just light 'em on fire, and only the intelligent ones would notice. I last used 'em in the sewer system....part of the party was finding the other part, and they ran across one. They dropped it, and kept going...and didn't realize it'd gotten up and kept following 'em. Got the drop on one of the meatshields...it was fun. grin
Greenintern 03-28-06, 11:04 AM	The Lazybones ability: If the DMW takes enough damage to go to 0 HP, it is destroyed, correct?
KublaiKhan 03-28-06, 11:21 AM	Yes, certainly. Note, though, that while it's inanimate, it doesn't officially "take" damage--so long as it's reasonably intact enough, it'll get back up and start trying to kill things again. Reasonably intact is left to the discretion of the DM...though I should think that things like tossing the de-animated corpse into a pool of acid, smashing it to a pulp beneath a boulder, incinerating it into ash, or disintigrating it, would count towards a prohibition of re-animation.
ReverendCow 03-28-06, 03:46 PM	Note, though, that while it's inanimate, it doesn't officially "take" damage--so long as it's reasonably intact enough, it'll get back up and start trying to kill things again. Reasonably intact is left to the discretion of the DM...though I should think that things like tossing the de-animated corpse into a pool of acid, smashing it to a pulp beneath a boulder, incinerating it into ash, or disintigrating it, would count towards a prohibition of re-animation. Do you think you could possible throw that in with the description in your original post? Just to make it a little more, "official." And how do you create one of these guys?
KublaiKhan 03-28-06, 04:06 PM	It is sorta there, in the description of the Lazybones ability, but I'll edit that in a second to make it a bit more clear. As for making 'em...that's a pretty good question, actually. I'll add that into the description, but I'll throw it down here for ease of reading, so you don't have to go searching: A Dead Man Walking can arise spontaneously from the corpse of anyone who died while in a coma. They can be created purposefully by casting Animate Dead and Gentle Repose while using a 100gp piece of jade for the material component, instead of Onyx.
ReverendCow 09-14-06, 07:41 PM	Hello again, all. I know it's been awhile since I've been here, and even longer since this thread was posted in, but I had an idea: They can be created purposefully by casting Animate Dead and Gentle Repose while using a 100gp piece of jade for the material component, instead of Onyx. What if you could use a 1000gp jade to guarantee that the base creature retains 1/3 of it's Int, +1? Also, for every additional 1000gp of the value of the jade, the retained Int of the DMW increases by +1, to a maximum of the base creatures pre-death Int score? Got a buddy who keeps dying? Raise him as one of these baddies and you won't have to worry quite so much. How's that sound?
KublaiKhan 09-15-06, 12:07 AM	That's an interesting thought, and something that I'd have to playtest extensively before I came to a final decision on...at least, in my games. Try it out, tell me how it goes....I'd be curious to know. :)