Skeleton,
GreaterSkeleton,
GreaterCLIMATE/TERRAIN
Any
Any
Any
Any
FREQUENCY
Very Rare
Very Rare
Very Rare
Very Rare
ORGANIZATION
Group Band
Group Band
Group Band
Group Band
ACTIVITY CYCLE
Any
Any
Any
Any
DIET
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
INTELLIGENCE
Highly ( 14 )
Average ( 8 )
Very ( 12 )
Average ( 10 )
TREASURE
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
ALIGNMENT
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NO.APPEARING
1-2
1-6
1-4
1-6
ARMOR CLASS
6
2
5
4
MOVEMENT
12
12
12
15
HIT DICE
5
8
6
6
THAC0
17
12
15
16 ( 12 )
NO. OF ATTACKS
1 or special
1
1
1
DAMAGE/ATTACK
See Below
1-10 + 1d10 & ekstra 2d8 + 1
2-8 ( *3 ) +2
SPECIAL ATTACKS
See Below
See Below
See Below
Backstabbing
SPECIAL DEFENSE
See Below
Nil
See Below
Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE
5 %
Nil
Nil
Nil
SIZE
M ( 6'tall )
M ( 6'tall )
M ( 6'tall )
M ( 6'tall )
MORALE
Special
Special
Special
Special
XP VALUE
1200 XP
800 XP + 10 per 'plus' 800 XP
600 XP
Greater Skeletons are exactly what they appear to be, more powerful and more terrifying than their smaller cousins. The Greater Skeletons have ivory-white bones, that are completely clean and haven't got one single damaged bone in their corps, they look exactly as if they just died two days ago, and became a skeleton immediatly. In all other features they look just like a regular skeleton, apart from the fact that they are both intelligent and very dangerous, and they behave that way.
COMBAT
Lighting Skeleton:
These remains of former
wizards are highly intelligent, and they use this benefit to gain advance
in combat with more or less intelligent opponents. The Lightning Skeletons
main weapon is its fingertips, which it can fire like Magic Missile
( 1st Level Wizard Spell ), each missile strikes for 1d4+1 in damage, and
they will always hit, unless the target is specially protected against
Magic Missile. This deadly weapon has another effect, because each
target which is hit, must save versus Paralyzation or stand helpless for
3d6 rounds. For each missile besides the first which hits the victim, the
target gets a -1 to its saving throw, up to -4. When all missiles are launched,
it will take the skeleton 24 hours to regenerate its fingertips.
The Lightning Skeleton
is not a less dangerous enemy in melee, every time it strikes an opponent,
it inflicts damage according to a Shocking Grasp which shocks for
1d8+5 in damage. This Skeleton posses an immunity to Magic Missile
and always gets half damage if struck by spells based on electricity e.g
a Lightning Bolt.
Power Skeleton:
The Power Skeleton is
a mighty battle-machine. It was a warrior of at least 10th-level in its
former life, and is therefore the Greater Skeleton which is the one most
skilled in combat. The Power Skeleton is always dressed in armor, which
gives it an Armor Class of 2. It strikes with a rusty sword or just its
armored hand for 1d10 in damage, but every Power Skeleton starts with 1d10
plussses ekstra, so it is possible for it to strike with 1d10+10 in damage.
But this is not the reason why many adventureres fear this killing machine,
because every time the skeleton hits an enemy, it gains one ekstra plus
to its damage, so it is possible for it to raise unlimited in plusses!
Turned Skeleton:
The most feared skeleton
among priests is without doubt the Turned Skeleton. With its immunity to
Turning Attempts, it can cause an adventuring party great trouble.
Perhaps this power could
be dealt with if not for the fact that it also got the ability to reverse
every turning attempted at it, making the friends if the priest trying
to turn it, running away in fear or perhaps even be disintegrated if they
are low-level characters. The reverse turning power works this way: When
the priest rolls his Turn Undead roll on the Turning Undead table, the
turning rebounces on the skeleton, hitting the party instead, and everybody,
except the priest, who has less hit dices than the number of hit dice the
priest has turned with his roll, are now bound to fear the skeleton as
if it was the skeleton who has turned them ! This means that they cannot
attack it as long as the encounter lasts. This immunity to turning attempts
are effective in a 5' radius around the skeleton, thereby also protecting
other undeads nearby. In a melee the Turned Skeleton strikes with a crushing
blow, which inflicts damage equal to a Cause Serious Wounds, that
means 2d8+1.
Rogue Skeleton:
This skeleton is the remains
of a thief at at least 10th level, and that makes the Rogue Skeleton a
highly feared assassain. The most feared ability posessed by the Rogue
Skeleton, is its ability to move in complete silence, as if a Silence
spell was cast on it. It always try to use this ability to achieve a position
in which it will be able to backstab its victims, striking with +2 for
attacks from the back, and causes triple damage if it hits.
When attacking the skeleton
gives a -6 to opponents surprise rolls. The Rogue Skeleton can Climb Walls
with a 60 % chance, using its bony fingertips. Because of these abilities,
the Rogue Skeleton are most often created for secret missions, normally
assasinations.
All Greater Skeletons are
immune to the same things as normal skeletons, and take only half damage
from slashing and piercing weapons. They are all turned as spectres, except
the Turned Skeleton which is impossible to turn.
Even they have got intelligence,
they never check morale, and are 100% loyal to their creator.
HABITAT/SOCIETY
As normal skeletons, the
Greater Skeletons have no social life or interesting habits, but the process
in which to create a Greater Skeleton is much more difficult, so they are
indeed very rare.
ECOLOGY
It takes a very rare process
to create one of the four types of Greater Skeletons, and the united team
of an evil priest and a dark wizard are needed to create one. Off course
all Skeletons must have an Animate Dead placed on them. but thereafter
each one needs a special treatment.
Lighting Skeleton:
Becides the Animate
Dead, the Priest must cast a Regeneration spell, followed by
a Protection From Lightning. Thereafter the Wizard must cast a Magic
Missile and immediatly after he must cast a Permanency spell.
In the end, either the Priest or the Wizard must cast a 'Hold' spell
( Hold Person/Monster etc. ). This should create a Lightning Skeleton.
Power Skeleton:
This skeleton requires
the Priest to cast a Chant to follow up the Animate Dead
spell plus a Magical Vestment. Then the Wizard must cast a Vampiric
Touch.
Turned Skeleton:
This Greater Skeleton
needs off course a Cause Serious Wounds, but then it also needs
an Imbue With Spell Ability to keep it. After that, the Wizard has
to cast a Revenance on the skeleton plus a Fear spell.
Rogue Skeleton:
A Priest must cast a Quest
spell on the skeleton to make it work ( for each different it must finish,
a new Quest spell is needed, but then it will continue until it
has completed its quested mission ). A Silence 15' Radius must thereafter
be centered on the skeleton.
The Wizards part of the
job, is to cast a Haste plus a Spider Climb.
Each of the skeletons
must in the end be completely immersed in unholy water in order to keep
their new abilities, only when that's done, the Greater Skeleton is ready.
Dust from bones of Greater Skeleton each contain magical properties which
are usefull in creating many different potions and magical items.
VARIANTS
It is rumored the the
Realms contain some skeletons, which should be more powerful than the Greater
Skeletons. To many adventureres relief, this is still only a rumour.
