In need a creepy undead villain

[Tonymitsu]

I was chatting with a friend the other day, and he asked me about D&D things saying he needed a bad guy for his players in a 3.5 game. The conversation went sort of like this:

Me: "What kind of villain?"
Him: "Something creepy and undead-like that is recurring. That keeps coming back."
Me: "Like a lich?"
Him: "Yeah, but it's E6."
Me: "Ah.  ...How about a ghost?"
Him: "I don't want the melee guys to need special weapons to fight it."
Me: *facepalm*

So I told him I'd think about it but I'm drawing a blank. Dracolich is out because it requires an even higher caster level than regular lich. Something simple like a spell-stitched necropolitan wizard would cover the creepy undead portion and be a decent challenge, but how do you make it recurring?

[snakeman830]

http://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/curst.shtml

This work for you?  Remove Curse might be the easiest way to destroy it, but it isn't the only one.

[altpersona]

http://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/dracolich.shtml

i do not see a caster level req

dragonwrought kobold dracolich

2 levels to play with

[Tonymitsu]

http://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/curst.shtml

This work for you?  Remove Curse might be the easiest way to destroy it, but it isn't the only one.

Only one big question I guess:

How do you create one of those without the use of Wish or Miracle? Even the version in Lost Empires of Faerun requires Create Undead which is level 5 at the lowest (I think).

And is there any solid way to make that a threat against a party with at least one primary spellcaster?

http://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/dracolich.shtml

i do not see a caster level req

dragonwrought kobold dracolich

2 levels to play with

Clicking on "dracolich phylactery" link in that template, brings up a reprint of the information found in the Draconomicon on page 120.
Creating one requires the control undead spell, 25,000 gp, Craft Wondrous Item, and a caster level of 13. Even the dracolich brew required for the transformation detailed right above it needs a caster level of 11.

[ketaro]

E6 villains don't have the same restrictions as the players because eventually a party of 6th lvl PCs can match against stuff twice their level.

[Amechra]

Use a Ghost, but focus more on Malevolence than the TK or curses.

As for why it cares about the bodies it's riding - what if they were all the Ghost's descendants, and those were the only people they could possess?

[altpersona]

http://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/curst.shtml

This work for you?  Remove Curse might be the easiest way to destroy it, but it isn't the only one.

Only one big question I guess:

How do you create one of those without the use of Wish or Miracle? Even the version in Lost Empires of Faerun requires Create Undead which is level 5 at the lowest (I think).

And is there any solid way to make that a threat against a party with at least one primary spellcaster?

http://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/dracolich.shtml

i do not see a caster level req

dragonwrought kobold dracolich

2 levels to play with

Clicking on "dracolich phylactery" link in that template, brings up a reprint of the information found in the Draconomicon on page 120.
Creating one requires the control undead spell, 25,000 gp, Craft Wondrous Item, and a caster level of 13. Even the dracolich brew required for the transformation detailed right above it needs a caster level of 11.

assuming the kobald creates the items itsself, sure. but kobalds are odd little creatures, all sorts of accidents happen when they are around.

[snakeman830]

http://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/curst.shtml

This work for you?  Remove Curse might be the easiest way to destroy it, but it isn't the only one.

Only one big question I guess:

How do you create one of those without the use of Wish or Miracle? Even the version in Lost Empires of Faerun requires Create Undead which is level 5 at the lowest (I think).

And is there any solid way to make that a threat against a party with at least one primary spellcaster?

Class levels, naturally.

[Shadowhunter]

I don't have too much to add, but I feel like the Evolved Undead template from Libris Mortis might be useful here. +2 STR and CHA, fast healing 3, +1 AC and a spell-like once per day. Maybe the Greater Invisibility option can help with making it reoccurring.

[SorO_Lost]

Necrodeath

(click to show/hide)

Awakened Desecrated Unkillable Fast Hunting Evolved Zombie created by a dread necromancer 8 / wizard necromancer 1 / any caster +4
Size/Type: medium undead [human]
HD: 8d12+83 (140 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 70 ft.
Armor Class: 20 (+3 dex, +2 dodge, +5 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 15.
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+11
Attack: slam +11 melee (1d6+7, +1d6 cold)
Full Attack: slam +11 melee (1d6+7, +1d6 cold)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: cloudkill 1/day.
Special Qualities: corpsecrafted{bolster resistance, deadly chill, hardened flesh, nimble bones}, dr 5/slashing, fast healing 8, scent, single attack only, turn resistance +6.
Saves: fort +3, refl +6, will +8 (extra +2 vs control undead).
Abilities: str 24 (+7), dex 16 (+3), con — (+0), Int 7 (-2), wis 14 (+2), cha 3 (-4).
Skills: Listen +6, Spot +6.
Feats: improved toughness, toughness, track.
Environment: underground
Organization: solitary
Challenge Rating: 6~7 (2 for 8hd, +1 unkillable, +1 evolved, +1/2 fast, +1/2 hunting, +1~2 necromancers & corpsecrafter)
Treasure: hat of disguise, masterwork tool of survival (50gp), pouch of marbles (20gp), a hand written note (n/a).
Alignment: lawful evil
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

(click to show/hide)

Necrodeath typically stalks his prey by taking ten and tracking by scent. Once they lay down to sleep he waits 1d4 hours before attacking his first sleeping victim. Should they all awaken before he can kill them he runs away tracking his path backwards until his foes collapse unable to continue following him or until trapped. If trapped it'll attempt to harrier his opponents for a chance to flee and it may use cloudkill on it's self while dropping held marbles (a free action) before moving to grapple actions to drag it's attackers to their deaths. Necrodeath doesn't have any special protection against marbles, it's just willing to crawl over it's enemies and hold them while the magical gas doesn't it's job.

Should they fall asleep again Necrodeath prepares the area by throwing marbles into his enemy's campsite until they begin to respond or the shine of the glass orbs seems plentiful. Then he lays down a cloudkill over the area and skirmishes along the edge of it, away from the marbles, trying to keep people from leaving using delayed actions. In populated areas it uses it's hat to blend in and will regularly bar the door of a room of an inn after releasing it's cloudkill. Fortunately it often forgets people can escape through windows.

The undead creature seemingly appears invincible, always appears fully healed each time they see it again even if it shrugged off two fireballs from the night before which is unnatural even for an undead creature. Because of this, many thieves refuse to rest because it gives the appearance of sleeping. They spend their final days in insomnia induced nightmares knowing, fearing, that death is just waiting for the chance to snatch them like their greed had to snatch one last gold locket.

(click to show/hide)

Almost thirteen hundred years ago a powerful necromancer was hired by a wealthy merchant to create an unwavering bodyguard to protect his only daughter. It is said the creature was called "deathdeath" by it's ward who cherished it. Many years passed and the creature stood by as the birth of her son took her last breath. Not understanding the situation is struck one, twice, and a third for it was always through in it's job. The merchant was horrified at what happened but none could enter the room, he screamed and wailed at the creature for weeks in grief, finally understanding that it's ward was dead and had takened the very thing she gave her life for deathdeath pulled and pushed on the walls causing the small mid-wife's shack to fall killing the gold wearing merchant and trapping them all beneath the rubble.

Several people have happened across the site, even fewer take a close enough look to see the glittering jewels within, even rarer do they think twice over why it's piled on top of a corpse in a collapsed bed. But no matter who removes the gold, it always has a way of being carried back...

Upon defeat, if searched a barely comprehensible note can be discovered (dc 15 decipher script), it appears the zombie wrote a letter simply saying "I'm sorry.", it's wrapped around a better hand drawn portrait of Onna. A DC 20 history or bardic knowledge check reveals it's the merchant's daughter through the locals of the place the loot was taken from are happy to share the sad tale over a pint. It's possible to return to the site and return the letter to a mournful ghost. Onna never blamed the the barely intelligent creature, the child was stillborn anyway, but she wished he would stop trying to protect her already deceased body. If given the note she can read it out loud, and realizes that her undead automaton felt remorse for her and she passes on happily to try and locate the original spirit leaving behind 1,500gp in gems and other jewelry.

[Tonymitsu]

I am not familiar with the "Unkillable" template...

[SorO_Lost]

Unkillable Zombie
The zombies in the Monster Manual are tough, but an unkillable zombie is nigh-unstoppable.
Hit Points: An unkillable zombie gains 2 hp per HD (thanks to the Undying Toughness feat; see below).
Special Qualities: An unkillable zombie gains fast healing 5.
Feats: An unkillable zombie gains Improved Toughness (see page 27) as a bonus feat.
CR Adjustment: +1

Technically Improved Toughness is +1hp/hd but w/e, maybe it's supposed +1/hd for the Template & +1/hd for the Feat. *shrugs*

[linklord231]

Please note that SorO's build was created by a 13th level caster, which might be an issue in your E6 game.
Still, if you dropped the abilities that only come from class levels above 6, all you'd lose out on is the +4 Str and Dex and 2 HP/HD.  Most of the other bonuses come from feats and templates. 

[TC X0 Lt 0X]

Meh the DM isnt forced into creatures being limited to 6 levels in e6. Id discourage using such creatures very often though, especially the casting of 4th+ level spells.

[SorO_Lost]

Eh, the extra levels of the original caster is just for more HP. If you drop the obscure caster bonuses I plugged in to raise awareness of to offer choices, it's CR should drop allowing for more HD that a DM already knows how to easily add anyway, same end result but 90% less whining about how E6 doesn't limit any of this anyway.

You can also use Karrnathi Zombies if you want them to have bonus feats, weapons, and armor. But there again, less HD for less HP.