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Old 12-29-2012, 09:25 AM   #11
JMD
 
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Southern NH, USA
Default Re: Undead Generator

Wow this is awesome! I've been thinking of building a monster generator into my android app and this seems to cover undead nicely.

If you don't mind, I can use this logic when I get to that functionality (with an acknowledgment to your work, of course).
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Old 12-29-2012, 04:42 PM   #12
b-dog
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Default Re: Undead Generator

This generator needs some powers like draining fatigue, HT, DX, ST, IQ, Hit Points etc. Maybe some paralysis and pain effects too. Aging and Fright Checks are also appropriate. The way the attack is delivered could also be random like evil howling, icy claws, bite, or even appearance alone. The undead could taint areas and make clerical powers diificult to use unless a cleansing ritual is performed. Maybe even the touch of the undead taints holy powers and items rendering them useless until a Remove Curse is performed. Or maybe the infernal energies of undead will not allow proper healing until a Remove Curse is performed as well. The undead might also have unnatural strength, speed, damages resistance, health and so forth as well. They will likely reform unless put down to proper rest through clerical powers and special weapons and magic spells. The undead need to have alot of powers like shapeshifting and illusion too.
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Old 12-30-2012, 06:56 PM   #13
Nymdok
 
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Houston
Default Re: Undead Generator

This generator is relevant to my interests. Thanks for posting it!

Just out of curiosity, am I the only one who still keeps the following undead heiracrchy from least to most powerful
  1. Skeleton
  2. Zombie
  3. Ghoul
  4. Wight
  5. Wraith
  6. Ghost
  7. Vampire
  8. Lich

With Ghasts, Mummies and whatever else I can throw in to fill the gaps? Or is that just me Grognarding from the old 1eAD&D game?
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Old 12-30-2012, 07:22 PM   #14
Anthony
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
Default Re: Undead Generator

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerander View Post
Undead mentality based on meta-traits found in GURPS Basic Set, p. 263. Base undead mentality can be determined on Table 4:
There are a fair number of undead types that are apparently intelligent, but don't really have free will (generally speaking, they have some specific task or obsession, and cease to exist when that obsession is completed). Cannot Learn is also moderately common.

Many undead aren't really immune to mind control, they're just immune to effects designed to control living human beings. It's more like:
Different Mental Type: this creature is immune to effects that read, influence, or control human minds, because it's not human. Powers designed to function on different types of mind will work normally. This is an unusual background, worth up to 25 points, depending on how common mental abilities targeting your mind type are.
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Old 12-30-2012, 07:47 PM   #15
Faolyn
 
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Default Re: Undead Generator

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nymdok View Post
This generator is relevant to my interests. Thanks for posting it!

Just out of curiosity, am I the only one who still keeps the following undead heiracrchy from least to most powerful
  1. Skeleton
  2. Zombie
  3. Ghoul
  4. Wight
  5. Wraith
  6. Ghost
  7. Vampire
  8. Lich

With Ghasts, Mummies and whatever else I can throw in to fill the gaps? Or is that just me Grognarding from the old 1eAD&D game?
Ghosts are a bit too much like ghouls, at least in a D&D sense, but mummies have a place. Unlike most other kind of undead, mummies are often deliberately made. They may have cults around them, or at least the support of the people of their culture/religion.

Of course, I'm a big fan of Ravenloft and their Van Richten monster guide books, so there's nothing wrong with a bit of old-schooling. :)
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Old 12-30-2012, 08:06 PM   #16
b-dog
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Default Re: Undead Generator

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nymdok View Post
This generator is relevant to my interests. Thanks for posting it!

Just out of curiosity, am I the only one who still keeps the following undead heiracrchy from least to most powerful
  1. Skeleton
  2. Zombie
  3. Ghoul
  4. Wight
  5. Wraith
  6. Ghost
  7. Vampire
  8. Lich

With Ghasts, Mummies and whatever else I can throw in to fill the gaps? Or is that just me Grognarding from the old 1eAD&D game?
I am with you on this. When the undead are turned by a cleric it not the Will of the undead that resists but the unholy power of the undead themselves. Zombies and skeletons are easy to turn because the unholy energy animating them is weak but a wight has much stronger unholy energy while a vampire or the lich have the strongest.
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Old 12-30-2012, 08:07 PM   #17
Jerander
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Rochester, MN
Default Re: Undead Generator

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grouchy Chris View Post
In that vein (hah!), Peter Dell'Orto had some interesting ideas about undead powers in GURPS recently, in case you don't read his blog.
Quote:
Originally Posted by b-dog View Post
This generator needs some powers like draining fatigue, HT, DX, ST, IQ, Hit Points etc. Maybe some paralysis and pain effects too. Aging and Fright Checks are also appropriate. The way the attack is delivered could also be random like evil howling, icy claws, bite, or even appearance alone. The undead could taint areas and make clerical powers diificult to use unless a cleansing ritual is performed. Maybe even the touch of the undead taints holy powers and items rendering them useless until a Remove Curse is performed. Or maybe the infernal energies of undead will not allow proper healing until a Remove Curse is performed as well. The undead might also have unnatural strength, speed, damages resistance, health and so forth as well. They will likely reform unless put down to proper rest through clerical powers and special weapons and magic spells. The undead need to have alot of powers like shapeshifting and illusion too.
Thank you, these are great! I'll keep them in mind when I get to putting together the powers tables.
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Old 12-30-2012, 08:12 PM   #18
Jerander
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Rochester, MN
Default Re: Undead Generator

Quote:
Originally Posted by JMD View Post
Wow this is awesome! I've been thinking of building a monster generator into my android app and this seems to cover undead nicely.

If you don't mind, I can use this logic when I get to that functionality (with an acknowledgment to your work, of course).
I've had a couple aborted starts at a larger monster generator. Undead have a tighter focus so should be easier to implement. And maybe the lessons I learn will help with the larger generator. There was one largely successful attempt based on adapting a pre-published generator to GURPS. I'll see if I can find it and link it when I get a moment.

I don't mind at all if you use this for your app. If I didn't want this shared, I wouldn't be posting it here!
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Old 12-30-2012, 08:16 PM   #19
Jerander
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Rochester, MN
Default Re: Undead Generator

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony View Post
There are a fair number of undead types that are apparently intelligent, but don't really have free will (generally speaking, they have some specific task or obsession, and cease to exist when that obsession is completed). Cannot Learn is also moderately common.
Yeah, I've had a look at some the existing undead templates and felt the need to modify the meta-traits for undead mentality. I'll be updating the table in a moment...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony View Post
Many undead aren't really immune to mind control, they're just immune to effects designed to control living human beings. It's more like:
Different Mental Type: this creature is immune to effects that read, influence, or control human minds, because it's not human. Powers designed to function on different types of mind will work normally. This is an unusual background, worth up to 25 points, depending on how common mental abilities targeting your mind type are.
Is this kind of like a re-fluffing of Digital Mind? I haven't looked up recently, but seem to recall digital entities being different enough from meat entities to get their own advantage...
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Old 12-30-2012, 08:20 PM   #20
Jerander
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Rochester, MN
Default Re: Undead Generator

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nymdok View Post
This generator is relevant to my interests. Thanks for posting it!
You're welcome! I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nymdok View Post
Just out of curiosity, am I the only one who still keeps the following undead heiracrchy from least to most powerful
  1. Skeleton
  2. Zombie
  3. Ghoul
  4. Wight
  5. Wraith
  6. Ghost
  7. Vampire
  8. Lich

With Ghasts, Mummies and whatever else I can throw in to fill the gaps? Or is that just me Grognarding from the old 1eAD&D game?
I never played D&D (of any edition) much, so I'm not familiar with this ranking. However, it reminds me of an undead "level" system, so, yeah, not that interested...I like GURPS for its lack of arbitrary hierarchies...
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