Corpse Creature
Not all corpses risen as undead are shambling, slow-moving zombies. Some retain their intellect and abilities. Surrounded by the stench of death, the flesh of these creatures hardens and becomes brittle but retains great strength. Corpse clerics still pay homage to their dark gods. Corpse warriors heft mighty weapons with skill. Corpse beholders still spray deadly rays from shriveled eyestalks.
They cannot be the result of a simple animate dead spell, but could arise from a create undead or create greater undead spell, as undead of their equivalent Hit Dice.
Creating A Corpse Creature
"Corpse" is a template that can be added to any nonundead, nonconstruct, nonplant corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature). The creature's type changes to undead. It retains all type modifiers and subtypes, if applicable.
The corpse creature uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: Increase to d12.
Speed: Winged corpse creatures retain the ability to fly. However, their maneuverability becomes clumsy.
AC: The corpse creature gains a natural armor bonus based on its size.
| Size | Bonus |
| Tiny or smaller | +0 |
| Small | +1 |
| Medium-size | +2 |
| Large | +3 |
| Huge | +4 |
| Gargantuan | +6 |
| Colossal | +11 |
The corpse creature keeps the natural armor bonus of the base creature if it's better.
Attacks: The corpse creature retains all the natural attacks and weapon proficiencies of the base creature. A corpse creature also gains a slam attack. The base creature's base attack bonus does not change.
Damage: Natural and manufactured weapons deal normal damage. A slam attack deals damage depending on the corpse creature's size. For purposes of Strength bonuses to damage, a slam attack is considered a two-handed attack.
| Size | Damage |
| Diminutive or Fine | 1d2 |
| Tiny | 1d3 |
| Small | 1d4 |
| Medium-size | 1d6 |
| Large | 1d8 |
| Huge | 2d6 |
| Gargantuan | 2d8 |
| Colossal | 4d6 |
Use the base creature's slam damage if it is greater.
Special Qualities: Same as the base creature. In addition, all corpse creatures gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet and undead traits.
Saves: Same as the base creature, modified by ability score adjustments.
Abilities: Modify the base creature as follows: Str +4, Dex -2, Con -, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +0.
Skills: Same as the base creature, modified by ability score adjustments.
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1.
Alignment: Always evil.
Sample Corpse Creature:Corpse Barbarian.