New Campaign Consideration: Undead Players

[Skrayper]

I wanted to explore the idea for players playing undead characters. A few thoughts came to mind:

1. Not just slap the undead template onto them, but rather have them pick undead races and then appropriate classes to go along with them. Trying to ensure that nothing is OP, I want to see if there are enough flavors of undead to restrict them to CR1 or lower undead creatures. Of course, if they pick some with limitations (if it doesn't have a body, I'd give the still spell feat automatically applied to spells, etc).

2. Mostly for fun. Not to be taken TOO seriously. So I don't mind the idea of a zombie paladin (of course, "mindlessness" won't be a trait that sticks around). I'll make the lore of the world work for it.

3. Yes, there will still be evil undead. I'm still working out how other races might perceive "good" undead. Probably will vary a lot.

Thoughts are welcome. Especially on which undead types work best.

[pad300]

Be aware that your PC's will be extra strong compared to similar non-undead PC's. Especially for classes that have CHA as a primary stat. Undead immunities are also very strong.

[Dragonborn3]

Having played an Undead PC before, I disagree with pad. Your (un)life span as an undead character is much, much more jeopardy because once you hit 0 HP that is it. No Breath of Unlife, no spell to recreate you, nothing. Then there is the fact both forms of healing will be needed, positive and negative, which uses up more resources.

Add in an inability to benefit from Moral Bonuses(except Rage, for some reason) and things don't look so good for you.

[VoodistMonk]

1. Easy enough, there are lots of Undead to choose from, and lots of appropriate classes (both for Undead PC's, and NPC's fighting the Undead).

2. Mindlessness and the permanently Staggered thing make zombies a poor place to start.

3. What is a good Undead? Why not just have the party be Evil? After all, Undead are Evil, that's literally part of their "theme".
..................................

I don't see too much of a problem, except for fundamentally changing the innate evilness of the Undead.

Let the party be Evil. Have them going against Paladins and Clerics and Order of the Green Cavaliers and Vampire Hunters... the amount of crap available dedicated to dealing with the Undead should help balance any advantages that being Undead give the party.

Undead of Small or Medium size, and 1 or fewer CR, are quite limited from my research:

Human Skeleton (CR 1/3)
Ectoplasmic Human (CR 1/2)
Ectoplasmic Human (CR 1/2)
Fast Zombie (CR 1/2)
Human Zombie (CR 1/2)
Lesser Shadow (CR 1/2)
Oozeanderthal (CR 1/2)
Plague Zombie (CR 1/2)
Brine Zombie (CR 1)
Dire Shadow Rat (CR 1)
Festrog (CR 1)
Ghoul (CR 1)
Ghoul Monkey (CR 1)
Lacedon (CR 1)
Mythic Human Skeleton (CR 1)
Pyre Zombie (CR 1)
Rat-Ghouls (CR 1)
Undead Ningyo (CR 1)

You might consider starting the campaign at level 5 for NPC's, and give the party a CR 4 limit, making up the difference between their CR and the starting level of 5 with class levels... however, DO NOT grant the ability score bonuses for giving monsters class levels!!! Make them use the monster stat blocks, or let them buy stats with a 15-20pt buy... they don't need a lot of points because they are only buying five stats instead of six.

So a CR 3 Wight will start with 2 class levels, and a CR 4 Vampire Spawn would start with 1 class level...

[Skrayper]

Well, the "good" undead is because in the past, when I've run evil campaigns - they just turn into murder sessions. So why take the chance? Also I am hoping it will be lighthearted. Having them be evil would likely make that much harder.

The level 5 starting point would be pretty good. I could work with that too. Not a bad idea...

[VoodistMonk]

To keep it from turning into a murder fest... keep the party running for their lives.

They are Evil, and the light of dawn is coming...

Does EVERY town have a good Cleric?!

Yes. Yes they do.

Is that ANOTHER Paladin?

Well, yes, yes it is.

Holy bats! Vampire Hunter D just staked Jimmy! We gotta get out of here!

Why does everyone we kill only have Cure potions?