An Intelligent and Non-Evil Skeleton NPC

[Jonathon Wilder]

Actually two of them, but essentially I am looking to create more unique monsters for an encounter where the party would meet these strange skeleton brothers. One would be especially friendly, the other more quiet but with a sense of humor. One is actually very dangerous, so the hope would be the players' character wouldn't immediately attack the skeletons.

Any advice on how I should work the mechanics of these non evil and intelligent undead, with a will free any necromancer or cleric as well their own personality, motives, and even class levels?

How should Smite work on these skeletons? Even though they are undead, they are both non-evil, intelligent, and free will would they still be harmed as other undead?

[Nargemn]

For creating Sans and Papyrus, you're probably in the realm of house rules. RaW, Skeletons are evil, but if you're doing something Undertale related, then you can really sort of mix things up and do your own thing.

[dragonhunterq]

Smite only affects evil creatures. Undead don't have the [evil] subtype so if you change their alignment to non-evil smite won't affect them.

Mechanically, I can't think of any real hiccups you will run into. Obviously mindless trait will need to be removed and then add in feats and skills, or maybe even easier use the skeletal champion as a foundation.

[Fuzzy-Wuzzy]

Smite Evil wrote:

If the paladin targets a creature that is not evil, the smite is wasted with no effect.

There's no exception for undead, so the brothers won't be affected.

OTOH, channeling energy to harm undead is defined in terms of undead, not alignment, so that will affect them normally.

[Ectar]

Class levels and whatnot can be whatever you want to fit the story.
Then just apply something like the skeletal champion template so that they keep their class levels. Handwave the "Any Evil" alignment restriction and you've got your NPCs.

[Mysterious Stranger]

Actually the extra damage from the first attack might still apply to non-evil undead. Smite evil calls out the alignment for outsides and dragons but not undead. RAW they would take the extra damage from the first hit, but not form any further hits.

Pathfinder assumes all undead are evil.

Do they actually have to be undead or just look like a skeleton? There are several non-undead creatures that look like skeletons. You could also use a construct of some sort that somehow became sentient.

[JDLPF]

Alternatively use a skeleton as the base for an Awakened Construct.

[Sir_Andrew]

well if your willing to use 3.5/Eberron material, you could use the "deathless" they're basically intelligent undead of heros/good souls/ etc that decided to stay for various virtuous reasons.

[Jonathon Wilder]

Thanks for the ideas and advice, and my apologizes for not getting back sooner. Admittedly, mattering the fanon you go with for them... treating the two more like contracts could be a way to go.

Or perhaps, I could just house rule them monsters that look like undead but don't follow the rules for such. Perhaps even a template that changes or alters them so they are not animated by negative energy, perhaps "awakening them and giving them a soul in a way other then necromancy that creates undead.

I could start with the Skeletal Champion as a base.

[Dox of the ParaDox twins]

Check out the third party race "obitu" they exist for the non evil skeleton niche, it's how I built sans

[ShroudedInLight]

If you don't mind making them Mythic, at third tier you can have them take Beyond Morality which makes them functionally alignment-less.

Sans is almost certainly Mythic anyway.

[Goblin_Priest]

Skeletal champion is about as bare of a sentient undead template as you'll find. You can then add whatever stuff you want onto it and remove the alignment restriction, if you are fine with homebrew.

There's a few ways to force-change someone's alignment, as well. The Helm of Opposite Alignment, for example: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/cursed-items/#TOC-Helm-of-Opposite-Alig nment

It's a curse, and undead aren't immune to those. They are immune to mind-affecting effects, but the item description doesn't state that it is one.

[Pizza Lord]

There is also the Crypt Thing. Basically a skeletal guardian of crypts and tombs. They are listed as NE (as most undead are going to be evil, but you plan to change that,) but even so are listed as not being necessarily hostile unless someone tampers with their tombs or what they're guarding.

They are almost useless in a fight, but they do have a teleport ability to temporarily drive off intruders. Also have a quickened dimension door to get out of trouble or lure aggressive troublemakers into following them into trap chambers and then just hopping out while their superior knowledge of the location works to their advantage.

If the PCs get out of hand, the crypt Thing's Teleport Burst can split them up in random directions (some ending up in trap rooms or on a 'safe' platform which is really just the top of a huge pillar in a large cavern. If they do find their way back, thinking the Crypt Thing has used it's once per day power, they may not realize they've run into the brother and they may annoy him.

[Spacelard]

Godsmouth Heresy has Esme the alchemical zombie sorcerer who is neutral and has a very sad backstory...
My players took pity on her and is now residing in the PFS Lodge at Magnimar.

[Ravingdork]

I'd like to introduce you to the Tin Man.