Looking for skeletal undead ideas CR2-4

[Chris Crumpler]

I'm writing an extra tomb for exploration in Book 1 of the Mummy's Mask. In it, the PC's will fight the risen remains (gnawed bones) of men who were killed and eaten by those trapped within their homes by the Plague of Madness.

I was thinking of making a new undead template called "the Devoured," which are the animated remains of those who were murdered and eaten by others (you can guess what the ones who ate these guys became.)

They would have to be skeletal (stripped of meat and all that,) but slightly tougher than the basic skeletons in the bestiary. I thought it would be cool to give them the grab ability, which would allow them to bite, dealing CON damage which would heal their hit points.

Does anyone here know of any existing monsters that fit that description or near it? I'm hoping for a basic stat line to which I can add some special abilities, or else any other practical advice (I'm shamefully trying to cut a few corners; in the old days I would just make it myself, but kids have made me lazy.)

[Kelazan]

A giant weasel maybe ? Medium sized, grab, and blood drain. Just change de type to undead and switch the weasel constitution to charisma.

[Sauce987654321]

Do they have to be humanoid?

[Gladior]

If you've got access to The Emerald Spire, there's a new monster in its bestiary called the Bone Priest. I can't find the stats online anywhere yet. But, bone priests function like skeletons that are also 3rd level clerics. They have access to domain spells (and the one in the bestiary entry is madness domain), but not to domain powers. Might be just what you're looking for. Only problem in a MM campaign would be that they have some ice effects, which might not fly in hot and dry Osirion.

[The Human Diversion]

I say just fly with what you have, the idea of being grabbed and bitten sounds kinda wild. You can even give some flavor text and say that "the blood they've drawn from biting glows in a sickly pale color as it dribbles down their non-existent esophagus, and seems to give them renewed vigor."

Some things I'd personally consider:

Do you want the bite to be like a rake, where it only goes off if the opponents are grabbed?
Just how much con drain happens from one bite? 1? 1d2? 1d3? 1d4?
How many hit points are the getting back from each point of con drained? 1/1? 2-for-1? 5, like a level drain?
Remember the bite will have the advantage of the PCs being grabbed/grappled, so don't give it too high a too-hit bonus!

[Haladir]

I'd just design the monster you want to throw at them.

From what you describe, I'd give them three natural attacks (claw, claw, bite), and also give them the Grab ability with the claw.

Give them the Blood Drain monster ability as well.

I'd give them DR vs. slashing and piercing weapons, like a regular skeleton.

I'd probably base their stats off a wight (CR 3), and switch out abilities as appropriate.

I really like this idea, which meshes with the plot of my campaign. If I have time later, I'll take a stab at stats.

[Chris Crumpler]

Yeah, I've been lazy about learning the monster creation rules for Pathfinder (I tend to still think in 3.5)but I need to crack open the PDF and roll my sleeves up.

I think the blood drain is the way to go, used on a successful grab. I figured for every point of CON, the critter gets 5 hp. and the flavor text will describe the swallowed flesh actually being regenerated onto the skeleton, as it devours prey to regenerate its own lost flesh.

I think perhaps using a wight and swapping blood drain for energy drain might work well.

Thanks to all of you for the suggestions!

[Propsken]

Blood drain is pretty dangerous at such low CR's. Just saying. But you can easily craft your own skeleton and give it the blood drain ability of a vampire - maybe lower the Con damage a bit - and the grab ability from, ehm, pretty much anything known for grabbing (think tentacles). A 3-HD bloody-template'd skeleton with grab and blood drain sounds about CR 3-ish, and pretty darn scary.

Don't forget to pimp them out with a black cape and a nametag that reads "Hello, my name is I vant to suck yoor blaaaaaad"

[Adam B. 135]

Advanced templates on some skeletons? Or give the skeletons a few class levels and actual armor. Maybe take some CR 2-4 humans, and just call them skeletons?

[Tryn]

Take the standard skeletton, add two hit dices, take the improved grab feat + automatic bite attack if grabbed (~1-2 Con Dmg, restores flesh to the skeletton (+5Hp per Con Dmg done)).
Write down a nice description

> your own canibalistic skeletton :)