First attempt at an Undead Race using the pathfinder system-The Stiched


Homebrew and House Rules

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How far from humanoid can you deviate?

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Goddity wrote:
How far from humanoid can you deviate?

Well considering the potentials for surgery going potentially as far as brain transplant, full body reconstructions and The Formation of a multi-trait-ed chimera, I would say as far as the potential for surgery and the limitations of the neural network. Brain transplant into the body of a dragon, add some additional material to make up the difference in nerve connections, or even running the whole dragons physiology through the mind of the person stitched into it and suddenly the Stitching is like a Titan from ATTACK ON TITAN, with the body controlling the larger beast like a biological mecha. Bonus points if you can work out how to kill it then.

"AIM FOR THE NECK(or rather the Bulge of stitched tissue that is the person controlling it)"


Next time on Undead Builders: We show you how to make an undead manticore that flies like a dragon with all of the powers of a vampire!

Did we make a decision on using someones brain for memories? That could be fun for the aforementioned Race For The Body of A Dead God campaign. First you must race to steal the body of the only person who can find the god.

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And the whole thing might start with a Rumor that a dead god might be somewhere on this plane, and that whoever manages to gain its power will be unstoppable. Naturally, the players might have an intrest already, or are hired by a man seeking to claim the body before another party gets to it first.

And so a race for the dead god's remains begins with the players trying to outwit dark cults, religious zealots, Necromancers, crazed scientists, eccentric nobles, mad kings, and many others all seeking the potential power promised by such a body. The whole thing is like a fantasy 'it's a Mad,Mad,mad,mad world' except it's not just gold at the end, it's potential power divine.

I would run the campaign as a race, with events transpiring that aid or hinder the party and other groups, with personalities leading to different results, especially if they aid one group in limiting another, only to give them the chance to try and slow them down too. In the end, the surviving parties that reach the remains first will have to fight those following on to prevent their opposition from getting the prize.

Liberty's Edge

Goddity wrote:

Next time on Undead Builders: We show you how to make an undead manticore that flies like a dragon with all of the powers of a vampire!

Did we make a decision on using someones brain for memories? That could be fun for the aforementioned Race For The Body of A Dead God campaign. First you must race to steal the body of the only person who can find the god.

In my mind, that would be possible for memories to be extracted from a brain (one way or another), especially with the variety of surgical techniques, magical spells, and chemical probing that can be done in the pathfinder universe. The choice is more in either dissolving the memories into a more focused solution to give information, or simply ripping the memories out of the brain and sorting them later.


Okay, this might start to be better in a call of Cthulu campaign.

The feat should look like this:

Stitched Surgeon:

Requirements: Heal 1 rank

You can edit a stitched. You can replace parts of their bodies with any of the following:

Eyes. If you replace eyes they gain all of the senses of the new pair, Dark vision, low light vision or long-range vision. The eyes must be about the same size as their old pair. Implanting eyes takes 3 days where the stitched cannot move, and the stitched is blind for 1d4+2 days afterwards. The person performing the surgery must perform a DC 16 heal check at the end or both pairs are ruined and the stitched is left blind. You can chose to put eyes in a spot where eyes don't normally go (like the back of the head), which requires 2 weeks of work and a DC 21 heal check. Additional eyes are worth +2 on visual perception checks per eyes that can see and can provide all around vision.

Weakness: If not using the original eyes, the nerve circuits are frayed. If presented with a pattern of significant complexity, they cannot process it and shut down. If presented with a complicated enough pattern any stitched not using their first pair of eyes must make a DC 20 will save or be blinded for 1d4+1 rounds. A cumulative -2 penalty is earned for each extra pair of eyes that saw it.

Mouth. If you replace the mouth they gain the bite attack of the new pair. Implanting a mouth takes 5 days where the stitched cannot move, and the stitched cannot talk for 1d4+1 days afterwards. The person performing the surgery must perform a DC 18 heal check at the end the mouth and teeth are broken and the stitched is left mute. You can chose to put the mouth in a spot where there is not normally a mouth, which requires 4 weeks of work and a DC 31 heal check. Additional mouths allow for automatic bites on people who grapple you.

I will put more up later. What do you think?


Ears: Can gain equivalent perception bonuses
DC 14
6 Days
deaf for 1d4 + 1
If subjected to certain noises can be rendered deaf for 1d4 + 3 rounds.

Next feat:

Advanced Surgeon
requirements: Stitched Surgeon, Heal 3 ranks, profession surgeon 1 rank

Gain a plus 1 bonus on all heal checks related to editing stitched.

You can also replace arms and legs with better ones. You can install arms or legs from a species with a natural strength bonus to gain +1 str but -1 dex. this takes 4 weeks and requires a DC 23 heal check. Y

Legs require 3 weeks and DC 24 and are worth 1/6 of a two legged creatures natural speed as a bonus.

You can also replace their skin to grant up to 3 points of damage reduction or 2 points of natural armour per 2 weeks work. this requires a DC 30 check.

Liberty's Edge

Goddity wrote:

Ears: Can gain equivalent perception bonuses

DC 14
6 Days
deaf for 1d4 + 1
If subjected to certain noises can be rendered deaf for 1d4 + 3 rounds.

Next feat:

Advanced Surgeon
requirements: Stitched Surgeon, Heal 3 ranks, profession surgeon 1 rank

Gain a plus 1 bonus on all heal checks related to editing stitched.

You can also replace arms and legs with better ones. You can install arms or legs from a species with a natural strength bonus to gain +1 str but -1 dex. this takes 4 weeks and requires a DC 23 heal check. Y

Legs require 3 weeks and DC 24 and are worth 1/6 of a two legged creatures natural speed as a bonus.

You can also replace their skin to grant up to 3 points of damage reduction or 2 points of natural armour per 2 weeks work. this requires a DC 30 check.

Definitly a good set of things for a feat tree, and possibly might include a branching for doing this sort of thing with non-stitched, though quite far down the line though(since undead and living subjects are very different, and much more difficult to work with). Also have specific traits(like breath weapon, or regeneration) being harder to salvage and install(since regeneration is normally cellular and cells start to die after death, while breath weapon(if non-magical) probably uses a complex series of mechanisms that need careful removal and attachment to function properly).

Maybe as part of a 'master surgeon' feat.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formaldehyde
Basically you are dissolving part of natural gas into water. You could instead make a variant gentle repose oil.

Liberty's Edge

Goth Guru wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formaldehyde

Basically you are dissolving part of natural gas into water. You could instead make a variant gentle repose oil.

That's a definate good idea, especially as that stuff is lethal for nearly everything in pathfinder, and you would never be able to get that behind the counter of a shop, without someone thinking you are trying to poison a dragon.

Though if a stitched wanted to use this, it would be very effective(2x duration compared to regular stuff) but it would also be very expensive (6000gp for 1 small bottle of the stuff) and more likely to be a poison that deals a massive amount of toxic damage and be very clear in what it is. The wound would be virtually be smoking from the reacting fumes.


Undead are immune to poison.
Taxidermist is more a craftsman, but they could be an Alchemist with the discovery Formaldehyde. If a taxidermist was a Stitched, how creepy would that be!


Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscriber
Kazaan wrote:
- Mostly Undead: Stitched have a semi-living central nervous system contained within their otherwise undead body. As such, instead of being immune to mind-affecting effects, they gain +4 to saving throws vs such effects. They are also susceptible to being decapitated. A Stitched who has been decapitated must make a DC 20 fortitude save or be instantly destroyed. If it survives, its head must be sewn back on for it to regain control over its body. A coup-de-grace attempt may decapitate in this manner as can a debilitating called shot to the neck. (-4 RP)

undead are immune to effects that require fortitude saves... just saying.

also, undead are priced so high because of their lack of constitution and instead using charisma.

Liberty's Edge

Bandw2 wrote:
Kazaan wrote:
- Mostly Undead: Stitched have a semi-living central nervous system contained within their otherwise undead body. As such, instead of being immune to mind-affecting effects, they gain +4 to saving throws vs such effects. They are also susceptible to being decapitated. A Stitched who has been decapitated must make a DC 20 fortitude save or be instantly destroyed. If it survives, its head must be sewn back on for it to regain control over its body. A coup-de-grace attempt may decapitate in this manner as can a debilitating called shot to the neck. (-4 RP)

undead are immune to effects that require fortitude saves... just saying.

also, undead are priced so high because of their lack of constitution and instead using charisma.

Okay, I agree with the first part since that is a mechanical problem, but how exactly would you handle trying to survive having your head cut off. Since you just ruled out one of 3 possible save options, The others being will and reflex. And I doubt reflex would help with getting your head to survive a complete decapitation.

Also you are only somewhat right the second, since undead are also immune to a wide range of other things, including the need to eat, drink, breathe and sleep and a whole range. They are second only to the constructs in terms of price because constructs are affected by even less than undead.

So running a race with only what you stated making them expensive is not exactly true.


Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscriber
ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester wrote:
Bandw2 wrote:
Kazaan wrote:
- Mostly Undead: Stitched have a semi-living central nervous system contained within their otherwise undead body. As such, instead of being immune to mind-affecting effects, they gain +4 to saving throws vs such effects. They are also susceptible to being decapitated. A Stitched who has been decapitated must make a DC 20 fortitude save or be instantly destroyed. If it survives, its head must be sewn back on for it to regain control over its body. A coup-de-grace attempt may decapitate in this manner as can a debilitating called shot to the neck. (-4 RP)

undead are immune to effects that require fortitude saves... just saying.

also, undead are priced so high because of their lack of constitution and instead using charisma.

Okay, I agree with the first part since that is a mechanical problem, but how exactly would you handle trying to survive having your head cut off. Since you just ruled out one of 3 possible save options, The others being will and reflex. And I doubt reflex would help with getting your head to survive a complete decapitation.

Also you are only somewhat right the second, since undead are also immune to a wide range of other things, including the need to eat, drink, breathe and sleep and a whole range. They are second only to the constructs in terms of price because constructs are affected by even less than undead.

So running a race with only what you stated making them expensive is not exactly true.

no the most powerful thing they have is most definitely to make their character more SAD. Sorcerer's and other charisma stats classes will have higher HP making them harder to kill than normal.

as for decapitation, a charisma check with a DC of 15 or so should suffice.

if as was mentioned they have a half-living nervous system, then they should be half-undead.

Liberty's Edge

ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester wrote:
Bandw2 wrote:
Kazaan wrote:
- Mostly Undead: Stitched have a semi-living central nervous system contained within their otherwise undead body. As such, instead of being immune to mind-affecting effects, they gain +4 to saving throws vs such effects. They are also susceptible to being decapitated. A Stitched who has been decapitated must make a DC 20 fortitude save or be instantly destroyed. If it survives, its head must be sewn back on for it to regain control over its body. A coup-de-grace attempt may decapitate in this manner as can a debilitating called shot to the neck. (-4 RP)

undead are immune to effects that require fortitude saves... just saying.

also, undead are priced so high because of their lack of constitution and instead using charisma.

Okay, I agree with the first part since that is a mechanical problem, but how exactly would you handle trying to survive having your head cut off. Since you just ruled out one of 3 possible save options, The others being will and reflex. And I doubt reflex would help with getting your head to survive a complete decapitation.

Also you are only somewhat right the second, since undead are also immune to a wide range of other things, including the need to eat, drink, breathe and sleep and a whole range. They are second only to the constructs in terms of price because constructs are affected by even less than undead.

So running a race with only what you stated making them expensive is not exactly true.

How I would solve the first bit would be to make it a flat save with a fortitude bonus, or make it a fortitude save that they are not immune to the effects of.


Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscriber
ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester wrote:
ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester wrote:
Bandw2 wrote:
Kazaan wrote:
- Mostly Undead: Stitched have a semi-living central nervous system contained within their otherwise undead body. As such, instead of being immune to mind-affecting effects, they gain +4 to saving throws vs such effects. They are also susceptible to being decapitated. A Stitched who has been decapitated must make a DC 20 fortitude save or be instantly destroyed. If it survives, its head must be sewn back on for it to regain control over its body. A coup-de-grace attempt may decapitate in this manner as can a debilitating called shot to the neck. (-4 RP)

undead are immune to effects that require fortitude saves... just saying.

also, undead are priced so high because of their lack of constitution and instead using charisma.

Okay, I agree with the first part since that is a mechanical problem, but how exactly would you handle trying to survive having your head cut off. Since you just ruled out one of 3 possible save options, The others being will and reflex. And I doubt reflex would help with getting your head to survive a complete decapitation.

Also you are only somewhat right the second, since undead are also immune to a wide range of other things, including the need to eat, drink, breathe and sleep and a whole range. They are second only to the constructs in terms of price because constructs are affected by even less than undead.

So running a race with only what you stated making them expensive is not exactly true.

How I would solve the first bit would be to make it a flat save with a fortitude bonus, or make it a fortitude save that they are not immune to the effects of.

they do not have a constitution modifier, they cannot have a fort save, this is why they made them immune to them, so that they could ignore this weird hole from not having a constitution.

also did you happen to go with +2 str, +2 charisma, this is a REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY good stat combo, and you'll probably notice it never shows up in normal races, even with the use of charisma on HP already these guys are good, but the stat combo is basically fantastic for any charisma caster that also stays in melee. you have a good bad touch oracle in the mix, or a blood rager, or a paladin, or a bard, or a summoner, all REAAAALLLY like these stats.

-4 to dex, +2 chr, +2 str is probably more balanced if you want to keep this. or maybe +2 str, -2 dex, -4 wisdom, +2 charisma

you have to realize that the point costs for RP are pretty bad and inaccurate, for instance in this particular situation, a bonus applied to charisma is twice as useful so the RP cost wouldn't reflect actually how it stands up to other races.


Sure you say the nervous system is still alive, but it's getting no blood supply so science has looked the other way. If you put a bullet's head on it, the entire creature's AC goes up by one. The nervous system still has the soul or spirit in it, making it a partial living construct like Gearforged.

Liberty's Edge

Bandw2 wrote:
ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester wrote:
ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester wrote:
Bandw2 wrote:
Kazaan wrote:
- Mostly Undead: Stitched have a semi-living central nervous system contained within their otherwise undead body. As such, instead of being immune to mind-affecting effects, they gain +4 to saving throws vs such effects. They are also susceptible to being decapitated. A Stitched who has been decapitated must make a DC 20 fortitude save or be instantly destroyed. If it survives, its head must be sewn back on for it to regain control over its body. A coup-de-grace attempt may decapitate in this manner as can a debilitating called shot to the neck. (-4 RP)

undead are immune to effects that require fortitude saves... just saying.

also, undead are priced so high because of their lack of constitution and instead using charisma.

Okay, I agree with the first part since that is a mechanical problem, but how exactly would you handle trying to survive having your head cut off. Since you just ruled out one of 3 possible save options, The others being will and reflex. And I doubt reflex would help with getting your head to survive a complete decapitation.

Also you are only somewhat right the second, since undead are also immune to a wide range of other things, including the need to eat, drink, breathe and sleep and a whole range. They are second only to the constructs in terms of price because constructs are affected by even less than undead.

So running a race with only what you stated making them expensive is not exactly true.

How I would solve the first bit would be to make it a flat save with a fortitude bonus, or make it a fortitude save that they are not immune to the effects of.

they do not have a constitution modifier, they cannot have a fort save, this is why they made them immune to them, so that they could ignore this weird hole from not having a constitution.

also did you happen to go with +2 str, +2 charisma, this is a...

Okay, that could work for stablising it, but there is a means that they can take a fortitude save, through their charisma. Since they use that in areas for working out fortitude saves.

Liberty's Edge

Goth Guru wrote:

Sure you say the nervous system is still alive, but it's getting no blood supply so science has looked the other way. If you put a bullet's head on it, the entire creature's AC goes up by one. The nervous system still has the soul or spirit in it, making it a partial living construct like Gearforged.

Semi-living,though more like pseudo-living, since they are still susceptible to mental effects, unlike other undead. They still sort of have a circulatory system, to help distribute the body preserving toxics.

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