Moribund (Character Kit)

Moribund (Necromancer)
Description: Many a mage has attempted to use unhealthy magic to extend life and power. The moribunds are notorious for such zeal. Through dire research, these wizards have discovered a means for forestalling death by sapping emanations from the Negative Material Plane. Energy from the Plane of Unlife oddly quells their body's natural decline. The prime sources of such emanations on the
Prime Material Plane are the undead. So moribunds have become predators of the unliving.
Only humans may become moribunds. A minimum Intelligence of 11 and Wisdom of 16 for the kit is required.
Role: These necromancers rarely stay in a single area for more than a month unless they are conducting arcane research or trying to excavate old burial grounds. Their yearning for the energies of the Negative Material Plane means they must constantly uncover lairs of the undead. While most of these necromancers are so self-centered that they dwell apart from society, some have come to realize that associating with other adventurers while hunting the undead is both useful and wise. There is even a minority of good-aligned moribunds who have misgivings over what harm their predecessors did to the old order and wish to mend the rift. They face great prejudice however, and most Keepers of the Veil are hard pressed to trust them. Most moribunds are c haotic neutral and selfish; any benefit to the world in ridding the land of undead is incidental to their needs. The few good moribunds who do exist must always be careful or fall prey to corruption. Evil moribunds are merciless hunters, and any innocents who get in the way of the search for old crypts and tombs are in danger.
Weapon Proficiencies:
* Required: None.
* Recommended: Dart, dagger, staff.
Nonweapon Proficiencies:
* Required: Sage knowledge (Inner Planes),
undead lore.
* Recommended: Ancient lore, ancient languages, reading/writing, spellcraft.
Special Benefits: Moribunds are specialists in the school of Necromancy, using their talents to draw upon negative energies. They possess all the traditional benefits of specialist wizards (additional spell memorization, saving throw bonuses, and so forth).
Through their training, moribunds have learned to siphon off some of the negative essence possessed by the undead. They need only touch the undead to do this, and even noncorporeal undead (though not vampires in gaseous form) can be affected. The moribund's touch is considered an attack against AC 10, modified by any special magical protections the undead creature might possess. The undead creature loses 1 hp for every level of the moribund. These points are added to the mage's total, with any hit points over the moribund's normal total treated as temporary additional hit points (but see Risk of Corruption below). An undead utterly drained by the mage crumbles into dust. The extra hit points fade at a rate of 1 hp per hour.
While he remains uncorrupted, a moribund is entitled to a saving throw vs. any undead creature's special attacks, including energy drain. Against draining attacks, the moribund makes a saving throw vs. death magic. Spell use is not resisted, a moribund would be as vulnerable to a lich's magic as any other.
Special Hindrances: As specialists of the school of Necromancy, a moribund cannot cast spells of Enchantment/ Charm or Illusion. This may explain why such mages often have poor dealings with normal folk, as they are unable to magically influence commoners without brutal fear tactics.
Because of their exposure to the Negative Material Plane, moribunds can only heal their wounds through time (regaining no more than 1 hp/day no matter how fine the conditions or ministrations by others) or by draining the essence of the undead. Curative spells, restorative potions, and magical items have no effect on a moribund. Drinking a potion of undead control (since it is made from the remains of such creatures) restores 3d8+3 hp damage to the moribund.
Category:Character Kit
Category:Character Kit Dragon Magazine