I was wondering if anyone did a conversion of the Forsaken to Pathfinder first. If so, I'd like to take a look at it before I do my own.
I imagine there have been multiple versions as far back as 3rd edition D&D. Making a race isn’t “that” hard but you do have to make a hard decision with your forsaken race.
How undead are they?
In WoW, they seem more like humanoids with some undead traits. They can even be healed by positive energy. They can still eat, drink, breathe and sleep. But all that may be more a result of the kind of game they are in, than their intended lore. So, how undead do you want them to be?
I thought about doing a direct conversion from the old WoW RPG (not available). So, their undead traits would be like what was said in there.
For instance:
• +2 Strength, –2 Dexerity. Undeath grants physical power but dulls reflexes.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, Forsaken have no special bonuses or
penalties due to their size.
• Forsaken base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision: Forsaken can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight. Forsaken can function just fine with no light at all.
• Undead: Forsaken are undead rather than humanoids. This provides a Forsaken with numerous undead traits:
— No Constitution score. Forsaken do not possess Constitution scores and gain no bonus hit points per Hit Die.
— Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns and morale effects).
— Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease and death effects.
— Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain or energy drain. Immune to damage to their physical ability scores (Strength and Agility), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects.
— Negative energy (such as from a death coil spell) heals Forsaken, while positive energy hurts them.
— Forsaken do not heal naturally.
— Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).
— Uses her Charisma modifier for Concentration checks.
— Not at risk of death from massive damage. Unlike other undead, a Forsaken is not destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less. Instead, at 0 hit points a Forsaken is disabled. She can perform only one move action or standard action each round but does not risk further damage from strenuous activity. Between –1 and –9 hit points, the Forsaken is down. She is unconscious and cannot act, but she does not risk further damage (unless her enemies attack her or some other unfortunate event befalls her). At –10 hit points, the Forsaken is destroyed.
— Not affected by raise dead and reincarnate spells or abilities. Resurrection and true resurrection can affect Forsaken. These spells return a destroyed Forsaken to her undead life; the Scourge’s curse makes it virtually impossible to bring a Forsaken back to life as the
creature she was before she died. Only wish or miracle can accomplish that.
— Forsaken do not breathe, eat or sleep. Forsaken spellcasters still need 8 hours uninterrupted rest before preparing their spells (see Chapter 15: Spellcasting). (Note: I'll be using Advanced d20 Magic in my game along with the Spell Points rule in Unearthed Arcana, so resting to regain spell points.)
• Automatic Language: Common.
• Bonus Languages: Goblin, Low Common, Orc and Thalassian. Forsaken learn the languages of their enemies and their allies (who may soon become their enemies).
• Racial Levels: Unlike humans and some other races, Forsaken can take a few levels in “Forsaken” as a class to develop their racial qualities more fully.
• Favored Class: Warrior. A multiclass Forsaken’s warrior class does not count when determining whether she suffers an experience point penalty for multiclassing (see Chapter 3: Classes, “Multiclass Characters,” XP for Multiclass Characters).
So that version just made them full undead. Which can be fine. The stat choices are a bit odd though, since Forsaken are known more for their casters and rogues.
I'd say this is closer to being based on Warcraft 3 than on World of Warcraft. The Forsaken in WoW are just as susceptible to "mind-affecting effects" and "poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease and death effects" and "critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain or energy drain." as any other race.
Looking at the base race stats in classic wow, the forsaken are actually lower than human on strength, agility and intellect, and higher on stamina and spirit. Going for the highest deviations, I'd probably make that a +2 to wisdom and a -2 to dexterity or intelligence.
My cousin (Soulcleave on these forums) wanted to play an undead. I figured the Forsaken from WoW gives him a better chance at playing undead than converting say a Wight (which was done in the book, Libris Mortis, from WotC).
So, are you suggesting the half-undead template? I know the Forsaken probably have their souls back.
Here's my attempt at conversion:
Conversion of the Forsaken to Pathfinder -- total RP 16
*Standard (0 RP): The forsaken gain a +2 bonus to dexterity, a +2 bonus to wisdom, and a –2 to Strength.
* Medium (0 RP): the forsaken have no bonuses or penalties due to their size. A Medium creature has a space of 5 feet by 5 feet and a reach of 5 feet.
Normal Speed (0 RP): The forsaken has a base speed of 30 feet.
Undead (16 RP)
The forsaken are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. The forsaken race has the following features.
• Undead have no Constitution score. Undead use their Charisma score in place of their Constitution score when calculating hit points, Fortitude saves, and any special ability that relies on Constitution (such as when calculating a breath weapon’s DC).
• Undead have the darkvision 60 feet racial trait.
• Undead are immune to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms).
• Undead are immune to bleed damage, death effects, disease, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning.
• Undead are not subject to nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain, and are immune to damage to physical ability scores (Constitution, Dexterity, and Strength), as well as to exhaustion and fatigue effects.
• Undead are harmed by positive energy and healed by negative energy. An undead creature with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
• Undead are immune to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).
• Undead do not risk death from massive damage, but are immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or fewer.
• Undead are not affected by raise dead and reincarnate spells or abilities. Resurrection and true resurrection can affect undead creatures. These spells turn undead creatures back into the living creatures they were before becoming undead.
• Undead do not breathe, eat, or sleep, unless they want to gain some beneficial effect from one of these activities. This means that an undead creature can drink potions to benefit from their effects and can sleep in order to regain spells, but neither of these activities is required to survive or stay in good health.
Language (0 RP): The forsaken start with Common plus Under common. They can also learn Elven, Dwarven, Draconic, Sylvan, Halfling, Infernal, and Celestial.
That works out.