Deathless Subtype

Deathless is a new creature type, describing creatures that have died but returned to a kind of spiritual life. They are similar in many ways to both living creatures and undead. However, while undead represent a mockery of life and a violation of the natural order of life and death, the deathless merely stave off the inevitability of death to accomplish a righteous purpose. While undead draw their power from the plane of Mabar, the Endless Night, the deathless are strongly tied to the plane of Irian, the Eternal Day, the birthplace of all souls. In fact, the death less are little more than disincarnate souls, sometimes wrapped in material flesh, often incorporeal and hardly more substantial than a soul in its purest state.

  • Features: Deathless have the following features.
  • 12-sided Hit Dice.
  • Base attack bonus equal to 1/2 total Hit Dice (as wizard).
  • Good Will saves.
  • Skill points equal to (4 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die.
  • Traits: Deathless possess the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry):
  • No Constitution score.
  • Darkvision out to 60 feet.
  • Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and mind-affecting spells and abilities (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
  • Not subject to extra damage from critical hits, nonlethal damage, or ability drain. Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects. Unlike undead, deathless are subject to energy drain. Like living creatures, deathless are harmed by negative energy and healed by positive energy.
  • Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save, except for energy drain attacks (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).
  • Uses its Charisma modifier for Concentration checks.
  • Not at risk of death from massive damage, but when reduced to 0 hit points or less, it is immediately destroyed.
  • Not affected by raise dead or reincarnate spells or abilities. Resurrection and true resurrection can affect deathless if they are willing. These spells turn deathless creatures back into the living creatures they were before becoming deathless.
  • Evil clerics can turn or destroy deathless creatures as good clerics turn or destroy undead. Good clerics and paladins can rebuke, command, or bolster deathless creatures as evil clerics rebuke, command, or bolster undead.
  • Deathless creatures gain the same benefi ts from consecrate and hallow as undead do from desecrate and unhallow, and they are hindered by desecrate and unhallow as undead are by consecrate and hallow. Hide from undead and undeath to death also work against deathless. Detect undead and deathwatch reveal deathless and allow the caster to distinguish deathless creatures from undead. Evil casters can be stunned by overwhelming auras of deathless creatures as good casters can be stunned by overwhelming undead auras. Use the “evil elemental or undead” line in the detect evil spell description when deathless are in the area of a detect good spell. Deathless are healed by disrupt undead and damaged by unholy water, as undead are damaged by disrupt undead and damaged by holy water. Deathless are not affected by disrupting weapons. Spells that have greater than normal effect against undead creatures—including chill touch, magic stone, searing light, sunbeam, sunburst, and wall of fire—do not have these enhanced effects against deathless creatures. Deathless take only 1d6 points of damage per two caster levels from searing light. Spells such as command undead, control undead, create undead, create greater undead, and halt undead do not affect or create deathless creatures.
  • Proficient with its natural weapons, all simple weapons, and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
  • Proficient in whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Deathless not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Deathless are proficient with shields if they are profi cient with any form of armor.
  • Deathless do not breathe, eat, or sleep.

Deathless Monsters

ASCENDANT COUNCILOR - CR 18, Pg 276 ECS
UNDYING COUNCILOR - CR 9, Pg 301 ECS
UNDYING SOLDIER - CR 2, Pg 302 ECS

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