Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Swords & Wizardry Monsters: Four Elemental Undead...

Good Morning:

Over the last few days, I began to consider the possibilities of using other forms of undead in my next campaign. I kept trying to come up with ways to make them distinctive from the usual forms of undead encountered in most campaigns. Eventually, I stumbled upon the concept of elementally based undead. I looked at the four classic Greek elements, being air, fire, water and earth, and came up with a new undead with a theme based on each element. The following are my four basic creations. What do you think? Would you use them in your campaign?

Bloatghoul
Having the appearance of a decomposing sailor with distended belly, leaking murky brine from various wounds, the bloatghoul is an undead revenant infused with the element of water. When the bloatghoul's claws inflict damage on a foe, the target must succeed in a saving throw or fall unconscious and begin to drown as water begins to fill its lungs. A drowning victim will die in three rounds unless someone comes to their aid. Like most undead, bloatghouls do not heal naturally, recovering hitpoints only when they devour the flesh of the recently slain (at a rate of 2d6 hitpoints healed per corpse devoured), and are immune to death effects or effects that require a living body, such as disease or poison.
Bloatghoul: AC 6 [13]; HD 3; Atk: bite (1d8), two claws (1d6); ST: 14; SP: drowning strike, unliving traits; MV: 12; CL 5; XP 240.

Cindercorpse
Having the appearance of a charred corpse, burned and cracked from exposure to flame, the cindercorpse is an undead revenant infused with the element of fire. The heat of the flames still flows beneath its crispy exterior, causing 1d4 fire damage to anyone standing adjacent to the cindercorpse. When destroyed, the cindercorpse explodes in a ball of flame ten feet in radius that inflicts 3d6 damage on anyone who fails a saving throw. In addition, cindercorpses are immune to fire. Like most undead, cindercorpses do not heal naturally, recovering hitpoints only when they devour the flesh of the recently slain (at a rate of 2d6 hitpoints healed per corpse devoured), and are immune to death effects or effects that require a living body, such as disease or poison.
Cindercorpse: AC 5 [14]; HD 3; Atk: bite (1d8), two claws (1d6); ST: 14; SP: burn (1d4), death burst (save or suffer 3d6 fire damage), immune (fire), unliving traits; MV: 12; CL 6; XP 400.

Stonewight
Having the appearance of an albino corpse with dark blue claws, its frozen features reminiscent of stone, the stonewight is an undead revenant infused with the element of earth. When an stonewight's claws strike a foe, the target must make a successful saving throw or be transformed into stone. In addition, stonewights are immune to pertification. Like most undead, stonewights do not heal naturally, recovering hitpoints only when they devour the flesh of the recently slain (at a rate of 2d6 hitpoints healed per corpse devoured), and are immune to death effects or effects that require a living body, such as disease or poison.
Stonewight: AC 4 [15]; HD 4; Atk: bite (1d8), two claws (1d6); ST: 13; SP: immune (petrification), petrifying strike, unliving traits; MV: 12; CL 6; XP 400.

Stormwraiths
Having the appearance of dark humanoid form crackling with waves of blue electrical energy, the stormwraith is an undead revenant infused with the element of air. The stormwraith can create a 5d6 lightning bolt that is five feet wide and sixty feet long, once per 1d4 rounds. In addition, stormwraiths are immune to electricity. Like most undead, stormwraiths do not heal naturally, recovering hitpoints only when they devour the flesh of the recently slain (at a rate of 2d6 hitpoints healed per corpse devoured), and are immune to death effects or effects that require a living body, such as disease or poison.
Stormwraith: AC 6 [13]; HD 4; Atk: bite (1d8), two claws (1d6); ST: 14; SP: lighting bolt, immune (electricity), unliving traits; MV: 12; CL 7; XP 600.

Enjoy,
Flynn

3 comments:

rainswept said...

Great concept. I would definitely use the Bloatghoul and Cindercorpse as is, but would make an entirely cosmetic change to the Stonewight to have it based upon an ancient undead that has become fossilized.

As for undead plus air, I can't help but think of an insubstantial sound based undead - the last breath escaping a corpse and insidiously whispering its deranged terror into your ear as you creep about its resting place.

Or perhaps an odour-based concept, a fuming pillar of luminescent and malevolently intelligent corpse gas.

Very inspirational territory :)

You might be interested in my Corpse Ooze.

John Matthew Stater said...

Nice work - I would use them - they're evocative and should come as a surprise to players.

James said...

Hi Flynn.

Sorry to clog up your blog, but I thought I'd let you know I posted a review of your MyD20 Lite Player's Guide at dragonsfoot:
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=43372