Special Conversion Thread: Moldvay's Undead

[Shade]

Let's drop the "icy" property (I assume you meant frost rather than icy burst) and put a "+" back into the enhancement bonus. I don't want it to be a mere +1 sword with tons of properties just for the sake of having 'em. I'd rather he hit more frequently. That said, the pricy speed property allows another swing, which is a worthy tradeoff, increasing the likelihood of a bloodbath.

I'm also not real fond of adamantine. How often is Dracula going to be fighting constructs and sundering stuff? Wouldn't silver make more sense, for overcoming rival vampires and opposing-aligned devils?

Updated with these assumptions in mind. Feel free to continue to debate.

Skills: 9 at 21 ranks
Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (religion), Listen, Spot...

Feats: Alertness (B), Combat Reflexes (B), Dodge (B), Improved Initiative (B), Iron Will (B), Lightning Reflexes (B), plus 7 more and 10 fighter bonus feats

Some suggestions:
Improved Grapple
Improved Unarmed Strike (necessary for Improved Grapple)
Weapon Focus (longsword)
Greater Weapon Focus (longsword)
Weapon Specialization (longsword)
Greater Weapon Specialization (longsword)
Improved Critical (longsword)
Combat Expertise
Improved Feint
Mobility
Spring Attack
Whirlwind Attack
Superior Expertise

 

[freyar]

Sense Motive, Use Magic Device, Knowledge (history) since he's old?

Those feats look appealing. We rarely get to use IUS and Imp Grapple, and I think they're fitting for Dracula. How about adding Deflect Arrows, Improved Trip, Knock Down, and either Stunning Fist or Eyes in the Back of your Head?

I'm happy with the equipment, by the way.

 

[Shade]

I like your additional feats and skills selection. Now I'll wait to give Cleon an opportunity to tell us why we're all wrong.

 

[Cleon]

Let's drop the "icy" property (I assume you meant frost rather than icy burst) and put a "+" back into the enhancement bonus. I don't want it to be a mere +1 sword with tons of properties just for the sake of having 'em. I'd rather he hit more frequently. That said, the pricy speed property allows another swing, which is a worthy tradeoff, increasing the likelihood of a bloodbath.

I'm also not real fond of adamantine. How often is Dracula going to be fighting constructs and sundering stuff? Wouldn't silver make more sense, for overcoming rival vampires and opposing-aligned devils?

Updated with these assumptions in mind. Feel free to continue to debate.

Well I thought his attack bonus ought to be good enough as it is, but don't mind swapping frost for a +2.

I guess alchemical silver is OK.

Skills: 9 at 21 ranks
Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (religion), Listen, Spot...

Well either some Vampire skills or some Fighter skills would seem to be in order.

Vampire - Search, Sense Motive
Fighter - Ride (for his obsidian steed)

Not sure about the Knowledge (religion), but couldn't think of anything better.

Feats: Alertness (B), Combat Reflexes (B), Dodge (B), Improved Initiative (B), Iron Will (B), Lightning Reflexes (B), plus 7 more and 10 fighter bonus feats

Some suggestions:
Improved Grapple
Improved Unarmed Strike (necessary for Improved Grapple)
Weapon Focus (longsword)
Greater Weapon Focus (longsword)
Weapon Specialization (longsword)
Greater Weapon Specialization (longsword)
Improved Critical (longsword)
Combat Expertise
Improved Feint
Mobility
Spring Attack
Whirlwind Attack
Superior Expertise

The IUS / Grapple are good ideas.

Combat Reflexes and the usual Weapon Mastery feats for longsword would suit me.

 

[Cleon]

I like your additional feats and skills selection. Now I'll wait to give Cleon an opportunity to tell us why we're all wrong.

Well to begin with there's the peculiar way you spell colour...

Actually, I like freyar's suggestions of History and UMD.

Maybe we could swamp Knowledge (religion) for (history), since Dracula wasn't the most pious of people?

Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (history), Listen, Ride, Sense Motive, Spot, Use Magic Device

 

[freyar]

That skill list looks just fine.

 

[Shade]

Well to begin with there's the peculiar way you spell colour...

Don't forget "armor" and "specialize"...

Updated.

Improved Critical and keen no longer stack, so shall we drop the feat and replace it with freyar's other suggestion (Eyes in the Back of Your Head), or drop the property and put another "+" on his sword (or add back Cleon's frost property)?

Environment: Any?

Organization: Solitary, troupe (Dracula plus x-x enslaved vampires), retinue (Dracula plus x-x enslaved vampires and x-x dominated humanoids)...
Vampire has Solitary, pair, gang (3–5), or troupe (1–2 plus 2–5 vampire spawn)
Vampire lord is simply Solitary

Challenge Rating: 24?
He's essentially an 18th-level fighter. The vampire template adds +2, vampire lord +3 more, and he has a few additional benefits beyond that worth of at least 1 more CR.

Dracula is 6 feet tall and weighs x pounds.

Dracula speaks Abyssal, Common, Draconic, and Undercommon?

 

[Shade]

Also...

Garlic, mirrors, and holy symbols only cause him to hesitate 1-2 rounds because of his strength of will, and he can survive up to 10 rounds in sunlight or running water.

For all their power, vampires have a number of weaknesses.

Repelling a Vampire: Vampires cannot tolerate the strong odor of garlic and will not enter an area laced with it. Similarly, they recoil from a mirror or a strongly presented holy symbol. These things don’t harm the vampire—they merely keep it at bay. A recoiling vampire must stay at least 5 feet away from a creature holding the mirror or holy symbol and cannot touch or make melee attacks against the creature holding the item for the rest of the encounter. Holding a vampire at bay takes a standard action.

Vampires are also unable to cross running water, although they can be carried over it while resting in their coffins or aboard a ship.

They are utterly unable to enter a home or other building unless invited in by someone with the authority to do so. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all.

Slaying a Vampire: Reducing a vampire’s hit points to 0 or lower incapacitates it but doesn’t always destroy it (see the note on fast healing). However, certain attacks can slay vampires.

Exposing any vampire to direct sunlight disorients it: It can take only a single move action or attack action and is destroyed utterly in the next round if it cannot escape. Similarly, immersing a vampire in running water robs it of one-third of its hit points each round until it is destroyed at the end of the third round of immersion.

Driving a wooden stake through a vampire’s heart instantly slays the monster. However, it returns to life if the stake is removed, unless the body is destroyed. A popular tactic is to cut off the creature’s head and fill its mouth with holy wafers (or their equivalent).

And...

It is probable that Dracula will become involved in the politics of whatever world he enters. His relationship with Orcus, demon prince of the undead, is best left to the DM,s imagination.

Maybe some ranks in Knowledge (nobility and royalty) and Knowledge (the planes)? Perhaps pilfer some (or all) ranks from Ride?

 

[Cleon]

Don't forget "armor" and "specialize"...

Updated.

I tried to forget, but you keep on reminding me.

Improved Critical and keen no longer stack, so shall we drop the feat and replace it with freyar's other suggestion (Eyes in the Back of Your Head), or drop the property and put another "+" on his sword (or add back Cleon's frost property)?

Of those options Eyes in the Back of Your Head is my favourite.

Environment: Any?

Any land, unless you want to stick the Aquatic subtype on him.

Organization: Solitary, troupe (Dracula plus x-x enslaved vampires), retinue (Dracula plus x-x enslaved vampires and x-x dominated humanoids)...

That seems OK. 3-6 enslaved vampires and 5-30 dominated humanoids?

Challenge Rating: 24?
He's essentially an 18th-level fighter. The vampire template adds +2, vampire lord +3 more, and he has a few additional benefits beyond that worth of at least 1 more CR.

That seems far too high frankly. That's one higher than a Solar, who would make mincemeat of Dracs.

Eyeballing his stats Dracula looks more like a CR 21.

Dracula is 6 feet tall and weighs x pounds.

Dracula speaks Abyssal, Common, Draconic, and Undercommon?

200 pounds?

I don't much care for the Undercommon, but like the other languages.

 

[Cleon]

Maybe some ranks in Knowledge (nobility and royalty) and Knowledge (the planes)? Perhaps pilfer some (or all) ranks from Ride?

I was tempted by nobility & royalty but it seemed a bit niche. Still, he doesn't need 21 ranks in Ride or History, so how about rearranging the ranks:

Knowledge (history) 15, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) 9, Knowledge (the planes) 6, Ride 12 ?

That gives him Ride +19, enough to hit DC20 all the time, which is all you need for any standard Ride check.