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The Spellbane Zombie

March 13th, 2014

Joshua Zaback

Exotic Encounters Archive

                Today we bring you a creature most dangerous and deadly. The dreaded spellbane zombie is a mindless undead creature of middling power possessed of unique qualities which render it completely immune to magic. Come and let your players be amazed and horrified as this creature shambles out of their fireball spells completely unharmed and laughs at their +1 disruption maces. Characters facing down a spellbane zombie will have to employ special tactics to overcome this dreaded beast. Read on to find out more for yourselves.

 

Spellbane Zombie

                Enshrouded in a pale blue veil, this creature was once clearly human, and though now broken and twisted, it somehow maintains a beauty in death which defies explanation. Its beautiful and cracked face wears a look of pure malice as it approaches you, arms outstretched as if to strangle you.

 

SPELLBANE ZOMBIE                    CR 5
XP 2,400
NE Medium undead
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +1

DEFENSE

AC 19, touch 10, flat-footed 19 (+9 natural)
hp 56 (7d8+21)
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +6
Defensive Abilities immune to magic, mindless; Immune undead traits

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 slams +6 (1d4 +1 plus grab)
Special Attack curse of silence, curse of stillness, drain magic, grab

STATISTICS

Str 12, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 16
Base Atk +5; CMB +6 (+10 grapple); CMD 16

ECOLOGY

Environment underground, warm mountains
Organization solitary, pair, or doom (3d10 + 1 evil cleric of 10th level or higher)
Treasure standard

SPECIAL ABILITIES

                 Curse of Silence (Su): A spellbane zombie is able to curse creatures with a kiss. In order to do this, it must first successfully grapple a creature. If it does, the spellbane zombie may choose to deliver its curse instead of doing damage. A character it kisses must succeed on a Will save (DC 16) or be unable to speak or cast spells with verbal components for 24 hours, or until the spellbane zombie is slain, whichever comes first.

                Curse of Stillness (Su): A spellbane zombie is able to curse creatures with a kiss. In order to do this, it must first successfully grapple a creature. If it does, the spellbane zombie may choose to deliver its curse instead of doing damage. A creature targeted with this curse must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 16) or suffer 1d2 points of Strength and Dexterity damage and be unable to cast spells with somatic components for 24 hours, or until the spellbane zombie is slain, whichever comes first.

                Drain Magic (Su): A spellbane zombie can drain the enchantment from a magic item it touches. In order to do this, it must succeed on a touch attack against the creature holding the item (if the item is held) or against the item (if the item is unattended). The item then must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 16) or be drained of all its magic, becoming mundane for 24 hours, or until the spellbane zombie is slain, whichever comes first.

                Immune to Magic (Su): A spellbane zombie is completely immune to harm from most magical sources. A spellbane zombie suffers no damage from spells or spell-like abilities (except for holy word and undeath to death), and is immune to magic weapons, except for good-aligned weapons. In order to overcome this immunity, a weapon must actually be good-aligned (such as a weapon with the holy special ability or a weapon affected by an align weapon spell) and not just have a suitably high enhancement bonus. A spellbane zombie is affected normally by mundane weapons, supernatural or extraordinary abilities, and the energy created by the channel energy class feature.

 

Ecology

                 Spellbane zombies are the risen bodies of those creatures slain by magic for no cause other than that the slayer could do so. Spellbane zombies hate and envy the living with a mindless passion, and are attracted to the presence of spellcasters who wander too near to their resting place.

                Spellbane zombies blindly hate magic of all kinds and seek to kill those who posses it at all costs. They favor killing spellcasters above all else, but also are known to attack those who carry magic items or are under the effects of powerful spells.