Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tavenknaughtlin 01-06-06, 04:08 PM	The character I play in my current group is a Goblin Cleric/Wizard/True Necromancer. From the beginning, I planned to kill and zombify (or skeletonize) a Large or Huge creature, preferably one with a carapace. I would then hollow out the interior (if it's a zombie) then issue commands to my new undead-mech from the inside, using slits carved out of the flesh. Or if it was a skeleton, just climb up into the rib cage and command from there, maybe adding some metal plates for protection. I would have it attack enemies while I lob Fireballs out of the vision-slits and use Inflict spells or Harm to keep my undead war machine up and running. I have not told my DM about this plan yet, but he said that anything not forbidden in the books or isn't too unbelievable is ok. I just wanted to know if this was possible to do, and if there are any specific rules on it. I'm a pretty small guy, easily capable of fitting inside of a large or huge creature. I also have plans on equipping the creature with armor and weapons (if it's humanoid and after i cast Awaken Undead on it). I wonder what my title should be. Skizziks the Flesh Pilot. That just doesn't sound right ;) .
Andorxor 01-06-06, 05:10 PM	Skizziks the Deadrider or Skizziks the last lunch of the giant undead
Tavenknaughtlin 01-06-06, 05:37 PM	Hmm, maybe i'll go with He-Who-Smells-Of-Ogre-Bowels :smirk:
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi 01-06-06, 10:25 PM	Ooh. AWESOME idea! I think I know what type of villain I'll want for when I design a campaign. Might be even scarier as a Necrocarnate (Essentia investments to power up the zombie/skeleton? That's just evil). Personally, I love the idea of riding inside a Skeletal Dragon (Black maybe?). Heading away from traditional mech into the realm of undead Zoids, but it'd be awesome. But what do YOU want to "pilot"? Honestly, the only thing I know of with a carapace is the Tarrasque. And that'd be like, I dunno, EPIC level?! I don't know about names, but I'd advise giving thought to (preferably consulting your DM about), ways to control the "mech". What do you have for controls? All I'm seeing is a highly tweaked form of the Symbiotic Creature template from Savage Species (normally can't be applied to Undead, and does not allow for separation). But using this, you'd be hooked up to the Undead, effectively its mind. Come to think of it, golems could make good mechs as well . . . Skizziks the Doomrider.
ressurrector 01-06-06, 10:39 PM	Just wondering, is your name Jeff? I used to know someone who had the exact same idea...
Tavenknaughtlin 01-07-06, 05:40 AM	Really? Damn. I thought I was being original. Oh well, no biggie :) I'm probably going to go on a hunt for a Bulette, or get one of the nearby Ogres. I'll probably go with the ogre, since with Awaken Undead they gain their weapon and armor prof they had in life. I might need something with a bit more kick to it though, so I might go with a Triceratops (when I get high enough level). So many choices, :evillaugh the only problem is finding a creature tough enough to stand up to the battles we are doing now. I have most of the Corpsecrafter feats from Libris Mortis, so my undead are a bit tougher. This is particularly difficult since character levels are dropped when animating an undead, so I need to find a creature with a lot of hit dice but no levels. It's actually kinda fun scheming which creature to turn into my vile-mech. :devil:
Zhymth 01-07-06, 04:42 PM	You should be careful with that idea. If you do that to any fiend or evil creature you run the risk of that being somewhat cursed. The "flesh mech" might hold an intelligence or penalty to a lawful good creature. Look into the Fiend's Embrace and you'll see what I mean. An undead corpse seems pretty risky.But ths depends entirely on your DM and is unlikely in that sense. It sounds like a good idea and I don't give compliments out unless they're deserved. Also make sure the corpse has no penalty on speed, Dexterity or will.
Tavenknaughtlin 01-08-06, 05:46 AM	Oh, we don't have to worry about any Lawful Good penalty for me :devil: . Thanks for the compliment though :D. I've decided i'll use a skeleton creature, since they don't lose any speed and gain a small increase to their dex. I've also decided it'll be a Hill or Stone giant, whichever one I see first. Both have decent Hit Dice, not too mention really good weapon choices. I'm also going to create a dire bat or young dragon Bone Creature (from Book of VIle Darkness) as a flyer-type encasement, for the times I need to travel a long ways or lay siege to some fortification. Heck, if I can find a Gargantuan creature with low Hit Dice I can probably be inside the flyer undead, which is inside the Gargantuan one, then bust out of the rib cage if things start to look grim and fly away. Lol, undead escape pod :). But that would hinder my vision to nearly-blind, so it might not be such a great idea. Oh well. My greatest enemy would of course be rival clerics or necromancers. Especially ones who rebuke and command undead. Nothing would be more humiliating than to be ripped out of my Skele-mech BY my Skele-mech. Luckily we haven't found any evil clerics yet (well, except for me :evillaugh ) but I have a feeling that's about to change after I fulfill my plans. If anyone has any other ideas that would help this plan, I'd love to hear some :D.
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi 01-08-06, 09:05 AM	Well, if clerics worry you, have you considered taking a Dragonbone Golem as your mech instead? It's a golem, so clerics can't turn it, but it's still a skeleton - it'll have the same flavor as before. Too bad it can't fly. But I guess undead is more in character for you. Your undead-related feats will help on it, and you can try using the spell-stitched template. I wonder . . . Could you try to "graft" crossbows or something onto it, to enhance your mech with weapons? They'd have to magically be animated/incorporated into the mech to fire though. And you'd need another spell to provide amunition. So troubling. I'll be coming back to see what we figure out for this awesome idea. I may choose to borrow the idea for a BBEG once I finally find some players and start a game. (Advice from somebody who's never played a game - how strange :D ).
Tavenknaughtlin 01-08-06, 05:16 PM	Hmmm, I don't know if I can animate weapons to put on him, that would be stretching the "too unbelievable" llimit a bit too far. I could always just kill a bunch of Kobold mages then raise them as Corpse Creatures (again from BoVD). Then maybe get some harnesses so they can be strapped to the skeleton from the outside. Undead turrets :). Oh and I almost forgot. In response to your first post Omnirohk: I'm going to control him by giving him orders just like any other undead, with the exception them I'm inside of him. I'll see through his ribs and slits that I'll cut in the metal plates that i'm going to put on him. While my vision will be reduced, I'll get cover from my mighty behemoth (I will get cover from being inside of him right? My group is using 3rd ed. rules for cover, and it seems like I should). Sure, it will take extra actions just to move him, but I think the defensive bonuses are worth it. Also, if I do get cover from being inside of him, doesn't that mean I can't get Attacks of Opportunity against me? That means I can be casting my Fireballs and Lightning bolt without the threat of retaliation :evillaugh .
Shaggy_Shaggs 01-08-06, 05:25 PM	Keep in mind you have to make an attack roll to shoot a fireball through a small space, and if you miss, you hit one of the edges and it blows up prematurely - in your face, in this particular case. As for limited visibility and cover - your character is a wizard, he's got high Int, surely he's smart enough to forego the eyeholes in the plate and instead get a couple mirrors and rig up a periscope, right? Would block line of effect altogether (full cover) and still provide visibility.
Morbid 01-09-06, 11:26 PM	Nice little trick, I think it should go over well.
Tavenknaughtlin 01-10-06, 10:02 PM	Uh-oh, ihad not thought about that Shaggy_Shagg. I'll use those spells only as a last resort then. Do you have to aim spells liek Lightning Bolt or Disentergrate? Are spells like Charm and Dominate adhered to this rule? I also realize I can't cast some of my best touch spells on my enemies without Spectral Hand. I've talked to my DM about my idea, and at first he was a little against it, but then he said it's ok (while grinning alot, so I think my little goblin necromancer might be in some trouble in the near future :eek: ). He said I need to take a home-made feat, called Corpse Rider. And I have to make a concentration check whenever I cast a spell. Does this sound good to everyone or am I getting shafted? I can understand the Concentration check, in fact I was planning on that hindrance, put to take a feat? I won't get another feat until two levels (and at our level and play time, that may be in amonth or so). Could it just be counted as a Ride:Undead check with the ride skill?
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi 01-11-06, 07:50 PM	That's the question. If you "ride" a mech, I'd say a modified Ride Check is fine. But if you're using it as a mech, you're inside it. I wouldn't call that riding. Personally, I don't think a feat would be required to sit in there and direct it. If anything, talk to your DM about incurring some sort of penalty (such as the concentration) that's a little harsh, but can reduced a bit by the homebrew feat. Yeah, that'll work. Wish you luck. The Omnirahk
Tavenknaughtlin 01-12-06, 03:09 AM	Yeah, I talked to him, and he said that I make concentration checks as if I were casting from a running horse, due to the violent jostling while inside my undead mech. He said that pretty much covers the feat cost, so I don't have to take a feat now :D . Thanks for all the feedback guys :D.
Kidthulu 01-12-06, 09:41 AM	Dude this always made me so giddy....right as this thread started I had jsut about finished plans for my power ranger esc- neutral cleric......But I went a step further...after i'm inside and we're really taking a beating I poly any object my skeleton into a gargantuan golem(one from a book called creature collection swords and sorc) called the mithril golem.....what could be any better? Oh yeah raising my fallen comrades who had served me in the past....skele's with spandex =)
Yoho1.5 01-12-06, 12:15 PM	Way back in 2nd ed I ran a campaign that was in the desert; the BBEG was running a few paleontology dig sites and was animating dinosaurs. He had a couple of bachosaurs skeletons with armoured mid sections filled with archers, the things were like AT-ATS, with a wand armed wizard in a throne of bones in place of the creatures head. It was lots of fun. :D
Bellator_33 01-12-06, 01:22 PM	that thing about the ranged touch to put fireball through wouldnt apply if you ask me. presumably he can stick his finger through a hole and fire it from there. Or even little hatches on the front to push his hands through for spells. what would be cool is cast a "mordenkaimer's magnificent mansion", command the skellie to walk/fly wherever, and then invite the party up to travel in style.