(Planning on using this to spice up a village defense encounter with undead).
Occasionally, when a sorcerer dies to the zombie infection, the raw magical energies that naturally flow through him remain, degrading into an unstable arcane aura that could erupt at the slightest touch.
Arcane Zombie
CR: As normal zombie +1
Special Attacks
- Arcane Aura: The Arcane zombie is surrounded by an unstable aura of raw energy. Each round, choose one of the following at random: fire, cold, electricity, or acid. Any creature adjacent to the Arcane Zombie takes 1d6 damage of that energy type that round.
- Arcane Explosion: When the Arcane Zombie is reduced to 0 hitpoints, its unstable aura explodes, deals 1d6 damage points of energy damage of the type chosen for that round to each creature within 20ft A successful Reflex Saving Throw (DC 10 +1/2 the Arcane Zombie's hitdie + Cha modifier) halves this amount. For each hit die the Arcane Zombie possesses beyond 1, add an additional 1d6 to he damage of this effect.
Really like this idea, thanks for sharing! I love using undead in my campaigns as I know many other GMs do as well.