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Can the upgrades like plague zombie be added to the Ju Ju Zombie?

Is there such a thing as a zombie champion like the skeletal champion? And if so, can it also take the improvements?

The Warlock was a good class. I changed the origin of it to be more like the sorcerer and less limited in alignment.

The Libris Mortis is also good. One gem in there is the non-evil lich option.

Thanks for the reply.

Powers? Basically none beyond speech and normal senses, though with some undead abilities like immunity to age, disease, poisons, etc. I suppose a spontaneous or divine caster might retain that ability, but since that goes against the intent of this version, such individuals wouldn't be subjected to this.

Since this version isn't supposed to be attacking, HD can be low. However, since it will use the brain of a living being, their HD could carry over for some things such as Will saves, skills, etc.

Hit points would mainly come from the container. The brain itself could be quite fragile, maybe a couple of hit points or it dies if the fluid is drained off.

The device would include a feature to put the brain to sleep until it was needed again.

The purpose of this would be to keep a brain handy for its particular knowledge or to keep an enemy for interrogation or as a kind of imprisonment. This brings up a design point. I don't want to be so cheap or widely known that it becomes commonplace for just about any enemy one might have or just any would-be scholar who wants a longer life but isn't powerful enough to become a lich, etc.

I'm also open to the idea of this not involving undead but that the machine is a kind of life support system that requires upkeep. Maybe a special kind of nutrient solution that needs to be replenished every month or so or the brain dies.

One way not to step on the other players' toes and get more bang for your spell slot is to cast boosting spells on their characters. Improved Invisibility turns the rogue into a sneak attack machine while Blur or Displacement makes the fighters harder to hit. A well timed Haste can work wonders.

Hindering spells aimed at the enemy can work, too, but they get a savings throw and if they succeed you've thrown away a spell slot. Still, having one or two ready or on scrolls can be handy.

Still keep some raw firepower spells handy just in case.

Other options: use Wizard Eye or the more powerful versions to scout around before the party actually goes in. You might not spot traps and such, but you can relay the layout and spot most monsters so the party will know what to look out for.

If the party is willing, you can create undead. They can haul gear, help on guard duty and can wrangle the weaker mooks while the party handles the stronger opposition. These will need to be upgraded over time to keep up with stronger enemies though. It is also possible to take the necessary materials along and if facing many enemies in a place, raise up some of the ones the party has killed as zombies and use them to lead attacks. The DM might allow that to panic or otherwise temporarily rattle each group you encounter giving the party an edge.

Brains in jars have been featured in a number of stories from H.P. Lovecraft's "Whisperer in the Dark," to the Brain in a Jar from 3.5's "Libris Mortis," and even the celebrity heads in jars from "Futurama."

The 3.5 version had one statted out but gave it offensive powers I don't want it to have. So I'm looking for something closer to the other two variations.

What I'm looking for help with is the game mechanics of making the thing such as spells, cost and time. This was lacking in the 3.5 entry. I'm thinking something on the order of "Magic Jar" but with a reduced cost of the gem because the brain itself would be required and the time spent harvesting it, the cost of the apparatus, etc.

Why would a non-evil wizard become a lich? Perhaps they are an historian and want to see how things play out over time. Most likely they would avoid directly influencing matters and work mainly by giving advice, providing items they might need, etc. They might continue to advance up to level 20 so that very little in the multiverse could be a serious threat to them and so they could more easily escape if attacked. They could also travel the planes and to other worlds more easily to continue their studies popping back to older locations every few decades or centuries to catch up on things.

The cloning idea can work. However, there is the matter than it will be physically like you were at the time the sample was taken. This might be an improvement for most wizards but if they invested in improve physical stats those would be lost. It is also possible to work with a friendly cleric and take many samples while at a young age and see them all preserved, even paying for the service until you can maintain it yourself. Turning it to stone is also an option. One sample can be worked into a clone which will then be maintained in readiness just in case. If the clone is used, you can then prepare another clone from the old sample pile without losing any aging in the process. If the pile runs out, start another one with the same process, and hope one's enemies never find the stash.

Very late coming to this.

The Libris Mortis from 3.5 said that most undead are frozen as they are, but does say that they can learn new things and even change, at least mentally, though not all do. Therefore it should be possible for an intelligent undead, particularly a lich, to function more or less normally in that regard. It might take longer to change a mental attitude but not impossible.

The only reason a lich rots away is game flavor. Some mythic liches from this world looked completely normal, just like vampires are supposed to look normal. There is also the 3.5 Lich Paragon class that allows a lich to look like itself at any age it wants and to pass as living, though True Sight will show its true form. That class also gives it more powers.

As for aging penalties and bonuses: I'd say you would keep the penalties accrued by the time of transformation but no more. If they are an intelligent undead, then adding the mental bonuses should also apply, though perhaps over a longer period of time.

Some good suggestions so far.

Zombies can also be magically enhanced as can characters. Greater Magic Weapon, Haste, Blur/Displacement, Improved Invisibility, etc.

Try adding brown or yellow mold to the zombie. Brown mold could be smeared on its skin and shouldn't have any effect on it. Several such zombies close together could cause characters to be in multiple zones of effect at once. Yellow mold could be hidden in the zombie's clothing and burst loose when it is struck.

Use fast zombies carrying a thin stone container of green slime in each hand or attached a vest and ordered to charge and grapple their target would be annoying. If one's campaign has musketeers, the zombies could be hollowed out, filled with powder (in canisters of course), and use the same tactics.

There is also a third party spell (I'd have to hunt around to find it) that created a wide area effect that caused all creatures which died within it to rise as zombies. I don't mean the small area spells from the official 3.5 books. This one was something like 100 foot radius/level, though I applied some house rules to it since it was rather potent. Cast over a city or besieged fortress, sneak in some commandos to get things rolling and then the characters find themselves in the middle of a zombie apocalypse movie since everyone who dies animates as a zombie shortly thereafter. Not only would they have to protect folks from the zombies, but they might be facing fallen friends and family as they try to find the focus of the spell and dispel it (thought they'd still have to hunt down existing zombies).

I am thinking about variants on two existing spells. I don't need full stats, just if these ideas are feasible.

The first is a variant of Greater Magic Weapon, the version that allows the spell to be cast over a number of targets in one hour blocks. I want it to do two things:

1: Make the effect "to hit" only. No damage increase just a better chance to hit with the same bonus schedule as the base spell.

2: Have it affect more targets.

3: Restricted to weapons only, not ammunition.

These changes should keep it at the same level as the original spell. Perhaps if the "to hit" change isn't sufficient, then what about increasing casting time to a full round or a minute?

The second is a variant of Telepathic Bond. Here I want to increase the number of beings that can be linked at a single casting. To accomplish this I am thinking reducing the range from near infinite to 1 mile/level and/or increasing casting time. This should keep it the same level as the original spell. Secondarily, a lower level version of the spell again with a higher number of targets in the listed spell but a much more restricted range, as in 100 yards/level or every few levels.

The object of these spells is to help on the battlefield. The magic weapon spell could help during a siege: enhanced archers where scoring hits is more important than damage (lower level targets, relatively safe from being overrun, etc.). Telepathic bond is to simulate modern radios on the squad to company level where infinite range isn't needed.

Any constructive feedback will be appreciated. If I wasn't clear enough, feel free to ask for clarification.

I'm not sure how permanent portals work in Pathfinder, but a 3.5 edition book states that once created a portal can't be moved.

Here's the question: Does that mean the portal is fixed in the exact spot it was created forever or if it was part of a moving structure like a ship, flying castle, etc. it would move with the structure and not tear through walls and be left hanging in space?

In first and second edition portals moved with ships, insides wagons or whatever they were built as part of, I'm not clear if that is the case in Pathfinder.

Your mythic tier is independent of your class/level choices. My thought is that you would pick a single Mythic Path, stat, etc. If a player wants to expand, they have the option of Dual Focus and Dual Path.

Thanks for that clarification.

That makes sense now though I would offer a choice between Dual Focus or Dual Path as a bonus at first mythic level. The player could take the one one later if they wanted.

My groups tend to be small and gestalt characters are used often even though it is a holdover from 3.5.

I was thinking if the character is considered mythic in both classes that they would advance as normal in each class and using the normal chart. However, they would only get a single main attribute and a single pool of mythic points per day and the greater of the two bonus hit points.

Is anyone familiar with gestalt and how this might work out?

If the phylactery is destroyed it won't hurt the lich though it will likely be very angry at whoever did it. If it is smart it will have created boltholes to run to in that event where it can be safe and plot its revenge.

Under the official rules, the lich can't create a new phylactery. However, if you search the web for "Paragon Lich 3.5" you can find a racial paragon class from 3.5 edition. This has a few advantages including the ability to make additional phylacteries.

I would say that you could create a giant mummy just as "Animate Dead" can create a giant skeleton with the "how to" rules from the skeleton entry in the Bestiary applied.

Just keep in mind that Create Undead does not give the caster control over the new undead. That has to be established, and maintained, by separate means. Best be snappy about it since the new mummy might not be very happy with the caster.

The spell "Sympathy" says it will create a compulsion to go to a place or touch a thing. These are my questions.

Could this spell be cast on a moveable item? That is, could it be cast on a sword and then thrown into a group of qualified enemy (orcs when the spell is targeted at CE alignment) with the object of getting them to fight over it. Would that work?

If the above works, would the area of effect be centered on the item and move with it or would it be fixed to the area where the spell was cast?

If the area is fixed, could an area protected by a Prismatic Sphere, or the sphere be the object itself, affecting with the effect of forcing all who come withing range to touch/walk into the Sphere? Or as a variant to pass through passage protected by a Prismatic Wall, Blade Barrier, etc.?

I consider those levels rather low. I started playing D&D in first edition where it was possible for large armies or undead to exist. After all even many liches could Animate Dead by touch with no upward limit and of course vampires can create layers of thralls.

What about the Undead Leadership feat from 3.5 or just allowing the current Pathfinder Leadership feat to allow undead?

Snide comments aside, what about a level limitation? Something like 1 undead per level.

Sheep farming itself might not yield much xp, but if someone, say the demons or devils, got tired of having their kind summoned and killed, they might try to put an end to it. You'd probably get a lot of xp then.

You Belong to Me

School: Necromancy/Enchantment Wizard/Sorcerer Level 6
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Components: V,S, See Below
Range: Touch
Target: One just created undead
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will
Spell Resistance: Yes

Normally undead created by the Create Undead spell are uncontrolled. This spell brings any such undead under the control of its creator. The controlled undead are not rendered mindless, but are loyal to their creator much like a Simulacrum would be. However, being evil, they may creatively interpret orders based on their nature, so long as doing so would not jeopardize their mission.

This spell must be cast immediately on completion of Create Undead. The target undead should be restrained or otherwise controlled during this time. Only one attempt at control is allowed per undead. If it fails, this spell may never be attempted again against that same undead. Should the undead successfully save against the spell, it will know what almost happened to it and will be hostile toward the cast from then on. To be safe, the caster should destroy the target to prevent it from escaping and seeking revenge at a later date.

The caster must also take a piece of the undead during casting. This could be a toe bone, tooth, or the like. The caster must retain this piece in their possession (not on their person necessarily but as part of their other possessions). This piece acts as a control focus. If it is destroyed, the undead becomes uncontrolled and hostile toward the caster.

Note: the DM may require undead to make a Will save to avoid distractions based on their nature. A Mohrg might need to make regular saves if around suitable prey, where a Skeletal Champion might never need make one since they do not have the urges and compulsions of other undead.

Some of the source books have made mention of using golems and undead in farming but gave no details. This is one that I have come up with.

Agricultural Golem

This golem is based on the wood golem and is identical to it in all respects except as follows.

Initiative: +1

Splinter has been replaced with:

Unseen Servant Horde

This spell causes the golem to be surrounded by a number of unseen servants equal to the caster level of its creator to a maximum of 15.

The servants may function in one of 2 ways.

1. The servants operate individually on light tasks such as planting seeds, weeding, pruning, removing pest insects (the servants can squash small insects but nothing larger), harvesting light produce (e.g. grapes, fruit, many vegetables).

2. Servants can be used in groups of 5 to handle heavier tools such as scythes, sickles, or shovels. Left over servants are idle.

The golem and the servants it controls can do any farm job a common laborer can handle. It can follow instructions such as harvest crops in a certain area (it will know to use storage devices provided for it), dig a ditch just so, etc. However, it can't think for itself and should be supervised, particularly on detailed tasks.

STR: 22, DEX 13

Requirements:

Craft Construct, animate objects, bull's strength, geas/quest, limited wish, creator must be at least caster level 12.

Skill: Craft (Carpentry) DC 17, Knowledge (Nature) 10, Profession (Farmer) 5. Just as the body of the golem may be crafted by another, others may provide the needed knowledge skills. Either living beings with the correct skills must be present when the limited wish is cast or reliable books on the subjects may be used. The books will be consumed upon casting.

This is a dangerous path to follow and I hope you know your players well enough to think they won't get royally ticked off about it. I played one like this where it was just a single adventure and they did eventually get their kit back, but it was nearly the end of the group.

That said, since this is a portal and not a shipwreck, maybe allowing each character to take a single piece of gear with them, something light like 10 pounds or less?

Another option is that they go through the portal but they get rendered unconscious on exit, sort of a cult safety feature built into the portal to hinder pursuit or that the area the portal opened into had a protection, can't think of the spell right off hand, but the one that prohibits or allows only certain things to cross freely. It could be set to allow only Vecna worshipers and anyone else is knocked out. That way the PCs wake up later in a prison and have to escape and in the process might find a cultist examining the spellbook and perhaps a few other minor items. The rest of their kit would have been sent to vaults for study and disbursement to cult members and the PCs aren't currently strong enough to get it back.

Aside from that, I agree with Kolokotroni about starting a new world altogether.

Thanks for the replies.

I did have liches in mind for both points since they are both spell casters and have no need to feed or other impulses they would have to obey.

So it looks like agreement on point 1, not so much on point 2. I wasn't sure about point 2 myself. This would be one for the "Sage" in the old Dragon Magazine to get an official ruling.

Good comments here.

If you decide to let the character go back into their own time stream they could mess things up. One option is that if they try to do some extreme, like say assassinate a notable person, "fate" conspires to make sure they fail either directly or by having said notable be raised by their followers, etc.

Also consider Inevitables and Aeons. They might not take kindly to time travelers creating messes and could step in to stop them. Fiends, Celestials, Liches and others might also take issue with time travelers making nuisances of themselves.

Anyway, one option I used on a party that insisted on time traveling enough to annoy me was to allow them to do so. However, as stated above, certain beings took issue with their attempt and put them sent them to a world that was a close time parallel to their own, based on the time they were aiming for, then trapped them there. They could do whatever they wanted there, but they were stuck there. Once enough time passed on that world to equal the date at which they left on their home world, they were free to leave and go home or where ever else they chose.

For a while I played the same character over and over, sort of. Basically he was the same though maybe with a different beginning skill set or a different feat and then went on from there. Because the campaigns were different, he typically ended up different each time.

This character is a gestalt wizard/warlock, though I have also played a wizard/rogue.

Two part question though both are related.

1. Could an undead craftsman work around the clock to produce a mundane item such as a sword, jewelry, a painting, etc.?

2. Could an undead spellcaster work around the clock to create a magic item?

Point 1 I can see as completely possible since no magic is being used and it is simply a matter than the creature doesn't get tired and in the case of a lich would have no feeding or resting requirements to distract it.

Point 2 maybe. The rules aren't clear as to why there is an 8 hour daily limit. If it is because creators are assumed to be mortal and thus get tired and have feeding and sleep requirements. Undead, again particularly the lich, is no so limited.

Questions? Comments? Fresh Produce?

I'm glad to see that was useful for you.

A Druid could do many of the healer type jobs and might even be able to talk certain animals into acting as spies to help look for trouble.

The leadership of the city probably would impose martial law for a time. Just how harsh that would be would depend on what the city was like before the disaster. A good city might arrest looters while and evil city might impale them a live as a warning to others, though even a good city might use a few hangings of rabble rowsers and such as a warning as well.

The elites would also follow their alignments. The good ones would help without seeking (much) reward aside from the good reputation they would build and might even spend their own money to help those in need. Evil ones might help out too but with nefarious ends in mind. Only the dumb ones would do anything blatantly obvious, but some surely would fall into that category, because if they got caught, public sentiment would be solidly against them. Then again, if they were charismatic or had pull they might get away with it. It is also possible they will carry on with their vendettas and schemes, perhaps competing via charity to build their power base to arranging for an "accident" to happen to a rival family member.

Aside from that there could be price gouging, theft, the black market, etc. Prices certainly would go up at first and that's not necessarily bad. What I mean here would be if the city was giving out rations for free and someone gathered up a lot, or stole from city stocks, and sold them. You might also see charlatans or even real healers from less scrupulous gods charging a fortune for their services.

Back on track. New laws could be an issue, again depending on the general alignment of the city, influenced by the loss of any major players and how chaotic things get. The greater the chaos, the harsher the laws the people will tend to tolerate. So it is possible that the leadership could pass some harsh and/or bad laws, even good aligned leaders.

Anyway, it is an interesting scenario to play. I myself used the "Hot Day in L'trel" adventure many times and solutions from different groups was something to watch.

"Our team was set up on a roof adjacent to the target building. Our Rogue quietly dealt with the lookout and we moved into position. A few members of the gang stood on the front and rear stoops, not enough to attract attention but enough to hinder entry. The streets had more people in them than usual, many of whom would certainly come to the gang's aid. About that time word came through the Mindlink that the assault teams were ready. I turned myself invisible and moved to the edge of the wall. I cast my spell and a black wall rose up from the ground hugging tightly to the walls, cutting off, or in half, some of the thugs on the stoops. A mob quickly formed around the target building drawn by the screams of those blasted by the wall and the screams and rumbles coming from inside the target building as the assaulters, who had teleported to key locations inside the building, did their job. The barrier was successful enough at keeping back the rabble that my team didn't have to engage them to drive them back. A report over the Mindlink said the hostages were secured and clear of the building and the gang bosses dead. It was time for us to go."

Barrier Wall

School: Evocation
Level: Wizard/Sorcerer 6
Components: V,S
Range: Medium (100 ft + 10Ft/level)
Effect: A scintillating black wall either 20 feet in length per level at 20 feet high or 40 feet in length per level at 10 feet high.
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: Reflex for half
Spell Resistance: Yes

The spell creates a fixed wall of elemental energy. The caster chooses a kind of elemental damage (fire, acid, cold, electricity) at the time of casting. The wall will then do 1d6/level (max. 15) of that type to any creature or object touching the wall.

No matter what element is chosen, the barrier always appears solid black with slight waves and ripples playing across its surface. All forms of sight are blocked by the barrier but sound is unaffected.

Note: This spell is a variation of Blade Barrier. However, it is meant to serve a different function than that spell. R.A Salvatore wrote in some of his works that in Drow warfare, they would cloak a target compound with their spheres of darkness in order to keep others from seeing what was happening. This spell serves that function and also hinders reinforcements getting into the target area. While it won't completely block off most targets, it can reduce visibility and even at its lowest caster level will prevent most creatures from passing through while harming others.

There is some historical precedent for a relative few troops standing against a much larger force and surviving. Almost always they were in a strong defensive position.

One close to this scenario was the battle of Rorke's Drift. Roughly 120 British troops were attacked by some 5,000 Zulu. The British were armed with firearms and fought from behind makeshift defenses. Some Zulu also had rifles (and most British fatalities were caused by gunfire) but most had spears and shields.

Even though the British had firearms, the Zulu still managed to reach the walls many times and some even breached them, so much of the fighting was hand to hand, bayonet vs. spear (though again most Zulu kills were from bullets).

Another feature in all of this is that the smaller force whether at Rorke's Drift or a small force in a castle was that relief was on the way. At Rorke's Drift, for example, they were expecting help from either from the rear or other elements of the main force coming back across the river. Indeed the remnants of the main force came to the relief of the fort, although the Zulu were leaving anyway.

So, if the party described by the OP were expecting relief, they might be able to hold out long enough in a prepared position. It will have to be strong with clear fields of fire, obstacles to slow and channel the incoming enemy and strongpoints to fall back to in case the walls are breached. The trump cards are magic use by the enemy, special troops like trolls they might have, and just how badly the enemy want to kill the PCs and troops. If the enemy are cunning and have time, they will overrun the position.

Dungeon magazine had a few adventures along these lines, most notably one taking place in the city of L'Trel.

Characters can first be of use helping restore order, preventing looting and rioting and property destruction, and fighting slavers or odd cults that might spring up. Characters of any level can do these jobs, lower level characters working closely with local militia and police while higher level characters can handle more specialized and independent missions like tracking and busting cults.

After that is taken care of, other skills come into play. This works best if characters have some points in non-adventuring skills like carpentry, blacksmithing, etc. Fighter types can lead work gangs, unskilled types helping with rubble clearance while skilled ones can help plan demolitions and rebuilding, oversee teams shaping new building materials, etc. Clerics and healing types can work not only in hospitals directly healing but also using their healing skills on sanitation patrols and inspections around the place (assuming the people of the world understand that sewage and dirty cookery is linked to disease). Clerics and bards could use Diplomacy to help people in crisis, calm tempers before they get out of hand, or other skills to simply keep people motivated or at least minimize depression and the like. Rogues might be able to work with either the police to root out black markets and other unsavory activity or work with the city leaders planning logistics, trade, etc.

Wizards can do a lot, with the right spells. Floating Disk can move a lot of material around. Fabricate can safely tear down a damaged building or help put up a new one. If they are brought in from an outside source and the people aren't too squeamish, skeletons can be used as untiring basic laborers (zombies are too slow, repulsive and possibly traumatic if someone sees a zombie that resembles a lost loved one). Any skills such as engineering would also be a big help toward the rebuilding.

Now, this doesn't require lots of roleplaying of endless little scenes. Just assume the characters are doing their duty over time and now and then work something in specifically for them. Maybe one day the rubble clearers find survivors/undead/a nest of wererats or the like. Maybe a plague begins to break out and the healers need to stop it. Perhaps a construction project runs into trouble and the PCs need to save the day. Of course, the PCs could also be on call as an elite strike team. Supposed some malcontents are fomenting riots. The militia handles the crows while the PCs and come police do a snatch and grab of the leaders. Maybe a large gang of bandits or monsters are active in the area and need to be put down, ditto with slavers. Those could be thrown in to break up the monotony of weeks or months spent recovering and rebuilding after a major disaster.

If you do a search for "Gestalt Characters d20" and look at the D20 hypertext, you can find the rules I use with gestalt characters. For the most part.

Rather than repeat any of that here, this is how I balance it.

Some of the older editions of D&D split xp evenly between both classes of a multiclass character. This effectively cut character advancement in half. Rather than go to that extreme, I assess an xp penalty of 15%. This is based on the old penalty for characters with out of balance "favored classes." This can slow down a character's advancement it hasn't been a significant problem, particularly if the DM runs the occasional solo or smaller than full party missions.

I've looked at e6 and such, but I didn't care for it.

School: Divination (mind affecting)
Level : 6
Casting Time: 1 round
Components: V,S,F
Range: See Below
Area: See Below
Duration: See Below
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The purpose of this spell is to share the memories of one's simulacrum as a high-speed briefing.

This spell can only be cast on a simulacrum created by the caster. It can not therefore be used on a captured simulacrum created by someone else. Read the memories of simulated animals, aberrations, Demons, Devils, etc., at your own risk.

The cast the spell, the caster and simulacrum must each place one hand on a specially prepared journal (the focus costing 500 GP). From there, the caster reviews the memories of the simulacrum at:

1 day per level of the caster, each day taking 1 minute.

These memories are not perfect but are somewhat better than the recollection a person would normally have over the same time period. It cannot be used to learn skills, new spells, or have the simulacrum conduct study or read books for the caster. The simulacrum may assist in preparing such things, but the actual work must still be done by the caster.

What this spell can do is allow a rapid update of events that the simulacrum has witnessed, such as one of the caster left behind to oversee the stronghold, local events and any business that has taken place as witnessed by the simulacrum. It is advised that detailed written records still be kept for precision. By the same token, a simulacrum working in a tavern could remember events that took place there, people and the like as a normal person could, depending on skills, specific instructions as to what to watch for, etc.

Flesh to Air

School: Necromancy
Level : 5 Sorcerer/Wizard
Casting Time: 1 minute
Components: V,S
Range: Touch
Target: One Living Creature
Duration: Instant
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell transforms the flesh of a living being into air creating a living skeleton with some traits of the undead while remaining technically alive.

The subject creature no longer needs to eat, drink, breathe or sleep, nor is it subject to non-lethal damage, poison, disease, stunning, fatigue, exhaustion, nor is it affected by normal temperatures. The subject also gains Darkvision to 60 feet.

As the subject is not truly undead, it retains its Constitution score and is still vulnerable to mind affecting spells, energy drain, ability drain and damage. Likewise the subject also retains all hit points, character classes and abilities, save for those dependent on speech since this form loses the ability to vocalize.

Negative energy heals the subject and positive energy harms it. If it has an intelligence score it may heal as normal. The subject is affected by cleric's channeling powers and all spells that target undead including control spells.

The spell grants no control over the subject nor does it aid in holding the subject still during the casting. Charms, controls, coercion or a being willing to accept this spell are necessary.

The spell may be removed by a successful dispelling attempt targeted on the effect or by another casting of this spell.

Finally, when the subject creature dies it resumes its natural form.

Note: This is a variation on a spell that appeared in an old Dungeon magazine and is being updated here from memory.

This is the set up. The party has cleared out a place and an extensive collection of spells has been found. Thing is, they can't be moved and its not a place the party wizard wants to hang around for long because its dangerous. What he wants to do is copy the high level spells while the sim. handles the first, second and third level ones in another book. If nothing else I guess the wizard would have to go back later and attempt to learn the spells himself.

So what I'm asking is if the sim. could at least make copies of the spells the wizard could later learn the spells from, thus making them officially his.

I read it to mean that they were usable at will, though many powers have their own limitations.

If you don't want to import the Archmage PrC into PF, here are the relevant feats that replace what the Archmage could do.

Archmage Ability -> Pathfinder Feat
Arcane Fire -> Arcane Blast
Arcane Reach -> Reach Spell Metamagic
Mastery of Counterspelling -> Parry Spell
Mastery of Shaping -> Selective Spell Metamagic
Mastery of Elements -> Elemental Spell Metamagic

That's not bad.

There is also an Archmage variant in d20 Modern Magic, or whatever it is called. The rules are slightly different, but, in converting it to Pathfinder it could allow extra feats. However, the DM would have to approve it since its main feature is increasing the number of spells per day.

Thanks for the replies. I've been thinking about them and your answers solve some problems and create others. It looks like I could create some Skeletal Champions and they would not count against the control limit, which applies to Animate Dead. I'd just have to find a way to get them to cooperate. At the same time it would be possible to have a number of regular skeletons as grunts.

Thanks again.

In Undead Revisted, there is a chart telling how to create variant undead. One of these is how to create a Skeleton Champion. Here are my questions:

1. Is there any way to create a Skeleton champion, or other undead, with maximum hit points at least on the monster HD?

2. The rules seem to imply that a Skeleton Champion can gain class levels once created. How would it earn XP and level up? Would that be as a character or require additional rituals to allow it to level up? Would the class levels count against the creator's HD control limit? I can see that as being a major problem in some cases.

Thanks for the reply. I must have had polymorph any object in mind when I wrote the post. Now that I'm thinking about it, there was an old Dungeon Magazine adventure where the characters visited the home of a wizard who did a lot of plant based research, so there is some precedent for wizards doing this kind of work.

Using Craft Wondrous Items could make sense. It would serve as a limiter to what exactly could be done since it would take time and expense to produce the "item" and would cost research money as well to develop.

I'm not asking about using the spell to make monsters or buff characters in unbelievable fashions. This is much more mundane.

Suppose there is a wizard who likes a nice law but hates the bother of continually cutting it. So, the wizard collects enough seed to cover his lawn and casts polymorph on them with the effect that the grass will only grow to about 3 inches in length. Would this work?

Other simple options would be changing the color of flowers so that the new color breeds true, things like that.

Does the spell's zone of control move with the caster for the duration of the spell or is it stationary where the caster originally finishes the spell? If it does move with the caster, then wouldn't the caster be stuck in whatever awful weather they try to inflict on someone else?

With regards to the Weather Control Witch Hex, does the hex function exactly like control weather but it takes an hour to cast? Can a witch change the weather after a first type is chosen by spending an extra 10 minutes dancing? Does a witch retain control of the weather for 4d12 hours?

I've also considered it to be fixed, centered on the location where the spell was cast.

I dug up my old copy of Neverwinter Nights Gold plus the Hordes of the Underdark expansion pack. I installed that, updated it and added the big PRC hak pack. That added lots of new options, spells, etc.

I am nearly at the end using an elven pure wizard with most of the Corpsecrafter feat tree. The undead do alright but rather top out with the mummy, at least for wizards. Higher level create undead spells are available, but what they create is actually weaker than the mummy. Besides, the mummy's fear aura works well until upper levels at breaking up large bodies of enemy. Once gained access to ninth level spells, I took the Baelnorn template. In that game it takes four levels to get the whole package with no gain in caster levels, but the benefits seem to have been worth it. Paralyzing touch worked quite well against many of the enemies, though not all, and the damage resistance has been a life saver many times.

Some of the new spells from the PRC really made some encounters easier, but I won't give that away unless asked about them.

I'll probably play again soon and try the mystic theurge.Pity about the game's hard bias toward making your character good or I'd play human and go neutral to try the lich template (you, you can play a neutral lich but only elves can be baelnorn).

Its still a challenging and fun game after all this time.

Great work! When I looked at the files I was expecting notes on updates but not the layout you have given it.

I've played this module many times with ad hoc updates. That's been getting harder and harder to do with the old modules because of all the new options like feats and changes to the monsters, etc. I'll be playing your version soon.

That's a lot and I haven't read nearly all the posts. Generally speaking I'll let a player make a character they like, so long as they are serious and not trying to make a really silly character. If they munchkin, they can expect me to go hard on them since that seems to be what they want. Otherwise I might fudge a roll here and there in their favor so a character doesn't die because of bad luck. Again that's conditional on how they play the character and just because I might like the concept and how they handle it doesn't mean they are immune to death or stupidity, they just might get extra credit once or twice.

As for spellbooks, that's an issue I find annoying since I usually play wizards. I don't want to start a flame war so I'll just say that in my games if a wizard keeps his spellbook in a packback or the like where it can't be seen, it can't be targeted or sundered. It could be stolen from the pack by a skilled enough theif who had the time to search for it and the like but no just looking at a wizard and saying "I sunder his spellbook." A wizard could add any number of protections to the spellbook as well to make it harder to destroy.

A variant of the, pulling guards to you that a higher level party I was in used was as follows. One room is sealed up but for one way in and out, the next room is the ambush room. In that room is an illusory wall on one side some of the party hides behind. The bad guys chase the "bait" character, monks work well for this because of their speed, once in the room they see a fellow in robes waiting for them. This was my lich character with a boosted CHA to help the Fear Aura. When he gave the command, that is once the enemy were being affected by the aura or not, The other PCs would come through the illusionto cut off escape through the door. Enemy trying to flee will then head through the other door into the sealed room where my lich's undead were waiting to keep them busy while the PCs focussed on anyone who didn't run away. Note: the PCs protected from fear and the lich had a permanent spell on his that increased the fear effect.

Also, this tactic can be turned against you. If the DM gets sick of it, they have one of the bad guys run through the rest of "their" part of the site alerting everyone. Pretty soon you get mobbed. I had a DM do that in that last Dungeon adventure where you went after Bargle. Those kobolbs or goblins almost wiped us out when all of them but the king and his personal guard came running.

I used teleport object once to trigger an ambush. The enemy was inside a keep our forces couldn't easily take. My wizard scried around and found a storage area in a sort of attic area that didn't look well used. So, we took a big barrel, nailed a tall, narrow block of wood across one side of the bottom like a leg making it one piece. This was then balanced upright on another, stouter block of wood. The barrel was then filled with lamp oil. Wrap an oil soaked bit of cloth around near the top and light it. Quickly teleport the barrel, less the loose support block into the disused attic. The barrel arrives, tips over and instant major fire. By the time the enemy detected the fire, the building was a lost cause. They came piling out where the PCs and their allies were waiting.

"The first thing we do, Let's kill all the lawyers."

http://www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/henryVI2/14/

Thomas. Thanks. You've got the idea of what I was trying to accomplish with this spell. I'll also point out that my preference has always been for animating skeletons rather than zombies for a number of reasons (speed mostly but they also aren't as disgusting as zombies). So, rotting flesh wouldn't be much of an issue. Mentioned in my description is that a bare minimum of negative energy remains in the inactive undead to keep maintain them, just they are in hybernation of a sort. I like your idea though. That spell variant could work well, particularly if it could be recast to keep the effect going.

But yes, my concept was to have two kind of undead. One a largely unmodified and low HD labor force and another more powerful and modified combat force.

Set. Also an interesting concept. I too have the Hollowfaust book and have worked it into my homebrew world. I've been thinking about putting in Golarian as well, though the map is pretty full.

Working through "The Blank Slate: the Modern Denial of Human Nature" by Steven Pinker. Interesting stuff but is kind of like reading a textbook.

Before that, "Stalingrad" by Anthony Beevor. An in depth study of the campaign drawing from official sources and interviews. Very nasty, the fighting and such, not the book.

Pathfinder has fast, medium, and slow. I personaly for noww use the fast one. I play with two GMs for PF one also uses the fast one the other uses the slow chart.

So which ones do you use and why?

Usually the slow one. Its just a preference probably from the old versions of the game when advancement could be very slow.

Very often I've had my characters base out of the home village where the family might own a shop or farm. Several version of the rules from the Companion Set onward had rules for strongholds. Usually I would opt for a farm type of place with a vineyard or the like with a trusted henchman (or a simulacrum) running the day to day affairs. This provides a place to live and a modest income that can cover living expenses at least, and that's really all the bookkeeping you need put into that. Aside from that, since I usually play wizards, they research new spells, go shopping in far off cities or planar trade towns for special kit, or make magic items for their own use or on commission.

New spell

School: Necromancy
Level: Cleric 4, sorceror/wizard 5
Casting time: 1 minute
Components: V,S,M (see below)
Range: touch
Targets: See below
Duration: instantaneous
Saving Throw: none
Spell Resistance: no

This spell allows the creator of undead to transfer the animating force between sets of undead. For example: the caster could have 40 1-HD basic skeletons serving as a labor force in his fields most of the time. However if enemies approached or he needed support on an adventure, those skeletons could be taken near a second set, say 4 10-HD bloody, nimble boned skeletons with enchanted armor and weapons. The process could later be reversed.

The effect of the spell is to transfer the animating energies from one set of undead the caster has created to another they have also created. The spell does not create any new undead. Any left over HD are lost. In the above example,if 3 1HD skeletons are lost before the spell, only 3 of the 10HD skeletons could be affected by this spell. The reverse is also true: if 1 10HD skeleton is destroyed then only 30 1HD skeletons could be affected.

Subjects that have their animating force transfered are not destroyed or deanimated, just inert, held together by a barest minimum of magic. They can not act in any way, not even to defend themselves if attacked. They may not resist channeling attempts in any way. They won't run if turned but may be destroyed or be rebuked or otherwise be wrested from the control of the orginal caster, but they would remain inert in that case.

This spell only works on skeletons and zombies created by the caster. No other undead types are affected. Any enhancements such as Bloody, Fiery, etc., or permanent effects do not transfer but remain on the undead they were orginally applied to.