Ok, as GM, at first I was against this idea. However, once he explained his plan, I kinda liked it.
It revolves around the 3.x Emancipated Undead prestige class. This uses 3 PrC levels to regain your old personalities, abilities, and self-control.
What he intends to do.
1) Adventure with the party until they can fairly easily handle a nest of whatever type of undead he eventually decides upon. It has to be one with the Create Spawn ability. So he is undecided but, I think he is currently leaning toward wight.
2) Get himself turned into whatever.
3) Party wipe out the nest of X and capture him.
4) Party 'somehow' control him enough to keep him from becoming too much of a threat while he gains the 3 level.
5) Become an independent not-necessarily-evil undead adventurer that begins to gain levels in his former class.
The major sticking points are step 2 and 4. Step 2 because it could just kill him instead of spawning him. Step 4 because we are having a hard time figuring out how the rest of the party can control him while still leaving him free enough to contribute and gain levels.
He thinks with enough planning, guile, and spell preparation he can get by step 2. It is still a risk, but he thinks it is manageable.
However, he would like some ideas on how to handle step 4.
In case anyone is concerned, he is more than capable of handling the roleplay aspect of his changing personality. Part of the reason he is doing this is to challenge himself. Most of the players are relatively new to the game, so he doesn't want to optimize a raging invulnerable barbarian that makes everyone one else feel second rate. He is intentionally going to pick a class that doesn't match too well with the undead stats. That way he shouldn't eclipse anyone else. Plus the 3 required levels of the PrC eats a big chunk of the class powers.
- Step 2 should probably be GM "fudged" - it's too big an issue to let chance decide.
- As for controlling an Undead... isn't that what Necromancers are for?
- Ghouls are probably the simplest Undead who can gain class levels - no PrC required.
Ghoul fever will make an undead out of 'im in short order. Dump CON, ghoulishness is just a matter of when the ghouls gang up on the character.
Granted, even without becoming evil - which I don't forsee as a big deal per se - he'll be a corporeal undead. Wight has significant issues that a ghoul does not face. Both are smelly and prone to random acts of violence upon them by clerics, paladins and life oracles. ;)
Alternatively, they could adventure until about 15th level or so - much earlier if they are able to access CL-boosting items lasting at least an hour - and he could really bring it on as a mummy.
He could also "Death Cycle" as they gain levels, becoming increasingly powerful undead by attaining a new plateau, getting destroyed, resurrected - note that reincarnate and raise dead I don't believe will do the trick - before a coup de grace is applied along with create undead.
He could also take the same approach and apply it to the party's benefit if you're amenable to it.
I would strongly suggest against becoming undead with create spawn. Then such a character can make the other characters identical undead quickly and quietly before they continue adventuring. Then there's the problem of getting into a tavern brawl and unexpectedly making a few dozen spawn. Keep it to corporeal undead that don't create spawn and it'll be much, much simpler for everyone involved.
The PC might simply die, and the corpse fall into the hands of someone raising it as a Juju Zombie. Said Zombie can then be captured by the party, believing their original friend is still "somewhere in there".
It's all a bit of a stretch of course, but that could happen at any party level.
If your player wants to become Undead, I'd be a little bit worried . . . .
If you're happy to rig the situation to make it happen you could, for example, create a custom magic item and allow the party to find it.
Deathtorc (head slot)
This item allows you to command one undead creature within 30 feet, as the spell Command Undead. A DC 22 Will save negates the attempt. If the creature makes its save, you must wait three rounds before trying again. The effect is permanent, but once a week the creature may try to break free: an opposed Charisma check allows you to maintain control for another week. Only one undead creature may be controlled by a single Deathtorc. If you wish to control a different undead, you must either wait for the currently controlled creature to break free of control, or you must destroy the creature.
If your player wants to become Undead, I'd be a little bit worried . . . .
ROFLMAO! Yes, well, I probably didn't state that quite correctly.
If you're happy to rig the situation to make it happen you could, for example, create a custom magic item and allow the party to find it.
Deathtorc (head slot)
This item allows you to command one undead creature within 30 feet, as the spell Command Undead. A DC 22 Will save negates the attempt. If the creature makes its save, you must wait three rounds before trying again. The effect is permanent, but once a week the creature may try to break free: an opposed Charisma check allows you to maintain control for another week. Only one undead creature may be controlled by a single Deathtorc. If you wish to control a different undead, you must either wait for the currently controlled creature to break free of control, or you must destroy the creature.
As a group, we generally try not to create powerful magic items just to support one character. We try to stick to the RAW as much as possible. If I absolutely must create a magic item, I will. But we would prefer to find a rules legal way to do it if there is one.
ROFLMAO! Yes, well, I probably didn't state that quite correctly.If your player wants to become Undead, I'd be a little bit worried . . . .
I can see it now.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I like the taste of brains."
...
"What?"
Step 2 should probably be GM "fudged" - it's too big an issue to let chance decide....
I'm not just going to give it to him for free. But I will 'fudge' it enough to make it possible for him. The opposition will be taking whatever steps are appropriate for them...
As for controlling an Undead... isn't that what Necromancers are for?...
No one else wants to play a necromancer.
Ghouls are probably the simplest Undead who can gain class levels - no PrC required.
Yeah but a guy that is making a major part of his career plan into becoming undead, wants omething with a bit more pizzazz than just a ghoul.
...
Both are smelly and prone to random acts of violence upon them by clerics, paladins and life oracles. ;)
...
I will have fun planning that part.
...
He could also "Death Cycle" as they gain levels, becoming increasingly powerful undead by attaining a new plateau, getting destroyed, resurrected - note that reincarnate and raise dead I don't believe will do the trick - before a coup de grace is applied along with create undead.
...
Can he do that on himself? No one else is going to be a necromancer and he doesn't want to be dependent upon or under the sway of some unknown/untrustworthy NPC.
Nevermind all of that. create undead used to have a casting time of 10 minutes. With it being nerfed to an hour, this requires cooperative allies.