Zombie (CR +1)

Table of Contents

"Zombie" is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

Racial Traits

CR: +1 (20 CP total)
Hit Dice: The zombie drops all class levels, and loses all abilities and bonuses from them. It retains its racial HD, and gains 1 zombie HD (d8). This zombie HD stacks with the base creature's HD to determine the number of ability score increases, racial feats, skill proficiency increases, and any abilities or traits that scale off of the creature's total HD except for its base attack bonus and base saving throw bonuses (see traits below). (-20 CP)
Alignment: Neutral evil.
Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. It retains any subtype except for alignment subtypes (such as good) and subtypes that indicate kind (such as giant). It does not gain the augmented subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. Do not recalculate the base creature's base attack bonus, base saving throw bonuses, and skill ranks.
Speed: A winged zombie with a fly speed can still fly, but its maneuverability is reduced by one step (minimum clumsy). If the base creature flew magically, so can the zombie. All other movement types are retained.
Ability Score Adjustment: +3 Strength. Skeletons have no Constitution score, and instead use their Charisma score in place of it score when calculating hit points, Fortitude saves, and any special ability that relies on Constitution. They also do not have an Intelligence score (see Mindless). (-1 CP)

Damage Reduction: The zombie gains DR/slashing equal to its total Hit Dice. If the base creature already has DR/slashing, the value is doubled. (2 CP)
Natural Armor: The zombie gains a natural armor bonus equal to its total Hit Dice. If the base creature already has a natural armor bonus, it includes its giant HD as part of its total HD to determine its natural armor bonus, and gains Improved Natural Armor as a bonus feat. (2 CP)
Undead Immunities: The zombie is immune to the following conditions: bleed, energy drain, exhaustion, fatigue, paralysis, sleep, and stunned. It is also immune to death, disease, mind-affecting, and poison effects and spells. It is also immune to ability drain, energy drain, nonlethal damage, and ability damage to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. It is not affected by raise dead or reincarnate effects or spells. Finally, the zombie is immune to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). (85 CP)
Undead Saving Throws: The zombie increases the base creature's Will saving throw bonus to good progression (1/2 total HD + 2) if not already so. (2 CP)
Undead State: The zombie is immune to the disabled and dying conditions, and is destroyed at 0 hp. (-2 CP)

Feats: The zombie loses all non-bonus feats possessed by the base creature and gains none of its own (see Mindless). However, it does gain Improved Grapple and Improved Natural Attack (bite) as bonus feats. (4 CP)
Mindless Skills: The zombie cannot use, nor put ranks and proficiency increases, the following skills: Appraise, Artistry, Autohypnosis, Bluff, Craft, Diplomacy, Disguise, Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge, Linguistics, Lore, Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Survival, Truespeak, Use Magic Device. Reallocate any proficiency increases acquired by the base creature to other skills. (-76 CP)
Skill Ranks: The zombie loses all skill ranks possessed by the base creature and gains none of its own (see Mindless).

Attacks: A zombie retains all the natural weapons of the base creature. it also gains a bite and a slam attack that deals damage depending on the zombie’s size. If the base creature already had a bite or slam attack, increase the base creature's damage for each natural attack already possessed by 1 size. At 7th Hit Die, and every 7 HD after, the damage of these natural attacks increases by 1 size. (4 CP)
Base Attack Bonus: The zombie increases the base creature's base attack bonus by 0. (0 CP)
Create Spawn (Ex): Any living creature that dies while infected by zombie rot rises as a zombie 1 round after death. It is not under the control of any other zombies. (1 CP)
Death Burst (Ex): When a zombie dies, it explodes in a burst of decay. All creatures adjacent to the zombie are exposed to its zombie rot as if struck by its bite attack. (4 CP)
Grab: The zombie's slam attack has the grab special attack. (4 CP)
Stench (Ex): The zombie gains the stench aura for 15 feet with a Fort DC = 10 + 1/2 total Hit Dice + Charisma modifier. (4 CP)
Zombie Rot (Ex): Bite—injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 total Hit Dice + Charisma modifier; onset 1 minute; frequency 1/minute; effect 1d2 Con and 1d2 Dexterity damage, this damage cannot be healed while the creature is infected; cure 2 consecutive saves. (16 CP)

Darkvision: The zombie can see perfectly in the dark for up to 60 feet. At 7th Hit Die, and every 7 HD after, this range increases by 30 feet. If the base creature already had darkvision, its range increases by 30 feet. (2 CP)

Consumption of Flesh (Su): By spending a full-round provoke action, the zombie can devour a creature's corpse or a helpless creature. At the start of its next turn, the zombie gains regeneration (acid, fire). The amount of regeneration depends on the state of the victim. If the victim is still alive when the action is taken, the zombie inflicts a coup de grace with its bite attack and the regeneration value is 5. The value decreases to 4 if the victim died within 1 round, to 3 if within 1 minute, to 2 if within 1 hour, and to 1 for longer. The regeneration lasts for a number of rounds equal to the creature's Charisma modifier. The corpse is no longer in an intact state for effects that require a complete corpse (such as raise dead). (5 CP)
Mindless: The zombie does not have an Intelligence score, is immune to all mind-affecting effects, loses all cultural traits, and does not gain skill ranks. (-30 CP)
Powered by Negative Energy: Ghouls are healed by negative energy and harmed by positive energy. (-1 CP)
Undead Biology (Ex): A zombie does not need to breath, drink, eat, or sleep unless doing so benefits it. (15 CP)

page revision: 15, last edited: 01 Apr 2022 19:31