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Death is boring. You die and you come back, or you die and you don't. This is my solution!
Ability Modifiers: Death changes us. A creature who has attained the living dead template receives a +2 racial bonus to one ability, and a -2 to another. This represents what has changed with death. What changes occur is best discussed between the player and GM. Death is an experience, and the GM may determine the experience, but the player determines the reaction.
Special Qualities: Your body no longer functions on its own. When risen, you are powered by an outside force. This force can be from an elemental plane, a spirit who invest itself in you, and a number of other things. Whatever the source, a living dead is no longer lives in the same way other creatures do. Though they still breathe, eat, and sleep, they are powered by that energy. Those energies may bless the creature with negative energy affinity. This is up to GM's digression.
Special Abilities: There is a spark of magic within you. A living dead gains an at will cantrip based upon their affinity or means of death as a spell-like ability. A particularly strong creature may possess a more powerful spell or ability at the GM's digression.
The living dead template can have a variety of origins. Here we'll explore some examples.
Example: Kylee 'Lightbringer' died of entirely natural causes, without accomplishment, and without reason. She was brought back and blessed with visions of another world, and deep inside of her something new existed. A powerful light that could be shared with others, and a divine sight of what could be. She was given wisdom to see what could be. Though her body suffered, she feels the need to do good in the world.
Kylee 'lightbringer' is a life oracle with a +2 wisdom and -2 constitution. She has an at-will cure light wounds. She can cast light at will.
Example: 'Gallows' was cut down in the prime of his life, and a killing spree. Gallows death only made him more mad, and made him stronger. It is something of nightmares, and seeks not those who killed him, but all life. He keeps the noose that took his life around his neck and hidden under his collar. Perfectly capable of blending in with the rest of humanity, 'Gallows' doesn't go long before killing another. He gave up his human name after he came back, and his humanity before he died. Long after they killed him, his noose broke, and he got up powered by the negative energy that surrounded him when he died and the hatred of others within his heart.
'Gallows' is a Wild Stalker Ranger. He has bleed at-will and can cast dimensional door at will also. In combat he uses his demisinonal dervish feats to pick off those that separate from the group and escape when injured. Gallow's wisdom though is only five, death and life haven't treated him well. Though he sees the world around him, his sanity is drained and he cannot cast his ranger spells.
Example: Leon 'Blackheart' was slain in a horrific fashion, his body burned and covered in bleeding wounds. In his dying moments a spirit appeared before him and offered him a second chance at life. Leon took it, and in turn the spirit filled him and his blood turned black and his body felt twisted and wrong, but he was alive again.
Leon 'Blackheart' is a bladebound magus, and his sword is the physical manifestation of his symbiotic spirit. He has Deathwatch At-Will. His sword takes dominance when it feels Leon is filled with fear of death or in a true crisis. The spirit has alien motives, wanting to understand humanity but hating the feelings of emotions to much to stay in the actual body of Leon for any longer than it has to.
Everything look cool? Any commentary? Anything to add?
I like the mechanic part. Reminded me of Pet Sematary.
Personally, I would prefer to leave things up to the player and GM as mentioned there, and I'd prefer to keep it dark. Didn't really care for the other three sections. Stole some of the mystery away.
I like the mechanic part. Reminded me of Pet Sematary.
Personally, I would prefer to leave things up to the player and GM as mentioned there, and I'd prefer to keep it dark. Didn't really care for the other three sections. Stole some of the mystery away.
They are just examples. For all I care you can come back because some guy thought bringing your corpse to the cemetery haunted by a mythical creature that he was explicitly told not to go to was a great idea. Ideally you could just never look at the examples I guess... I just wanted to give a few examples of how to work it into a backstory or campaign.
At least the mechanics work! That's important.