There are some universal percepts, the philosophers say, thatapply to every culture of sentient beings. Among these is a

prohibition against cannibalism. To consume one’s own kind goesagainst the natural order and is a desecration that shocks theconscience of both gods and men. Such degeneracy can call downa foul curse that clings to the cannibal’s soul, preventing it frompassing on to an afterlife upon its death. Instead, it is condemned

to an unlife in which its corruption is reflected in body and mindas it rises as a ghoul.

Ghouls are undead abominations. Their bodies arephysically intact, but their skin is discolored, showing signs ofdecay and a hint of putrescence. The fingers curl into unnaturalhunting claws and the touch of its flesh is sufficient to paralyzea mortal in dread for its soul. The creature’s hair grows long and

Ghoul and Ghast (Template)

“Ghoul” is a template that can be added to any sentient creaturewith an organic body and a soul who was killed by a ghoul and affectedby its Create Spawn ability, or who ate the flesh of creatures of its type in

life and recently died (referred tohereafter as the “base crea-

ture”). In most cam-paigns, this will includeany dragon, giant,humanoid, monstrous

humanoid, orshapechanger.

Fey, elementals, and other such creatures depend on the campaign’scosmology; creatures that are a type of spirit are not subject to undeadraising as a ghoul. The creature’s type changes to “undead.” It uses allthe creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted below.

Size: As base creatureHit Dice: Change to d12, and adjust hit points bonus for ability score

modifications.Initiative: As base creatureSpeed: As base creatureAC: The ghoul has +2 natural armor or the creature’s natural armor,

whichever is better, though it loses any manufactured armor bonuses.Attacks: The ghoul retains any natural attacks, and gains 2 natural

claw attacks and a bite attack if it doesn’t already have them, though itloses any attacks with manufactured weapons. Adjust retained naturalattacks for ability score modifications.

Damage: Creatures without natural weapons gain a bite and 2 clawattacks based on the ghoul’s size category. If the creature already has abite or claws that do more damage, the creature retains these, but adjust-ed for ability score modifications.

SIZE BITE CLAWS

Fine 1 —Diminutive 1d2 1Tiny 1d3 1d2Small 1d4 1d3Medium-size 1d6 1d4Large 1d8 1d6Huge 2d6 2d4Gargantuan 2d8 2d6Colossal 4d6 2d8

Face/Reach: As base creatureSpecial Attacks: A ghoul retains all of the

special attacks of the base creature, except forthose affected by Degeneracy (see below), and

also gains the following. Create Spawn (Su): In most cases, ghouls

devour those they kill. From time to time, however, thebodies of their victims lie where they fell, to rise as ghoulsthemselves in 1d4 days. Casting protection from evil on a

body before the end of that time averts the transformation.The Create Spawn ability can only apply to sentient creatures

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Ghoul and Ghast (Template)

thin, often falling out completely. The creature’s teeth becomesharper and its flesh and sinews harden.

The creature’s mind suffers a similar degeneration, sinkinginto an almost animalistic predator state. Higher thoughtbecomes harder but a crude cunning is sharpened. The creatureloses the trappings of culture and civilization, forgets all learnedskills, and loses interest and facility in art, tool use, and socialinteraction. The gibbering and manic creature becomes bent onsatisfying its overwhelming hunger for carrion, andparticularly for the flesh of its own former kind.

Some ghouls seek to assuage their hunger by attackingevery living creature they encounter. Others are more

discriminating predators who seek out places where loneindividuals are vulnerable. Like bandits, many ghouls can beencountered in lonely passes and on roads far from well-defendedsettlements. Instead of waylaying travelers for their goods, theyassault them for their very flesh. Other ghouls lair nearcemeteries where they can be assured of finding a steady supplyof carrion. Still others follow armies on the move, awaiting theinevitable carnage that will satiate their depraved tastes. Overtime successful ghouls adapt to their new circumstances andbecome more skillful hunters, but their diet of corrupted fleshpervades their being, making them noxious to living creatures.

Such ghouls entering advanced decay are known as ghasts.

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with an organic body and a soul, as required for the template. Othercreatures killed by ghouls do not arise as ghouls.

Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a ghoul’s bite or claw attack must suc-ceed at a Fortitude save (DC 14) or be paralyzed for 1d6 rounds. Elvesare immune to this paralysis.

Special Qualities: A ghoul retains all the special qualities of the basecreature, except for those affected by Degeneracy (see below), receivesthose special qualities listed below, and also gains the undead type.

Degeneracy (Ex): A ghoul loses all skills and abilities not typical ofbrute predators. All class abilities are lost except for base saves. Ghouls arenot able to learn or use feats that require tool use, such as weapon andarmor proficiencies or most combat feats. The ghoul cannot learn or useskills such as Craft, Profession, Disable Device, etc. The ghoul cannotadvance in class levels after becoming a ghoul, unless it is levels in theghoul prestige class; see below. The ghoul does retain racial abilities,except for those that a ghoul is otherwise prohibited from learning.

Turn Resistance (Ex): When resolving a Turn, Rebuke, Command,or Bolster attempt, add +2 to the ghoul’s Hit Dice total.

Saves: As base creature, modified by changes to abilities.Abilities: Modify from the base creature as follows: Str +4, Dex +0,

Int –2, Wis +2, Cha –4. The creature’s ability scores cannot go below a1. As it is undead, the ghoul has no Constitution score.

Skills: Ghoul class skills when advancing are Climb, Escape Artist,Hide, Intuit Direction, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Search, and Spot.See Degeneracy, and adjust skills for ability score modifications. Ghoulssuffer a –2 racial penalty on skill rolls when using skills requiring finemanipulation.

Feats: The ghoul gains Multiattack. See Degeneracy.Climate/Terrain: Any land and undergroundOrganization: Solitary, gang (2–4), or pack (7–12)Challenge Rating: As base creatureTreasure: NoneAlignment: Always chaotic evilAdvancement: As an undead creature

SAMPLE GHOUL

Ogre GhoulLarge Undead

Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hp)Initiative: –1 (Dex)Speed: 30 ft.AC: 13 (–1 size, –1 Dex, +5 natural)Attacks: Bite +10 melee, and 2 claws +8 meleeDamage: Bite 1d8+7 plus Paralysis, claws 1d6+3 plus Paralysis eachFace/Reach: 5 ft. x 5 ft./10 ft.Special Attacks: Create Spawn, ParalysisSpecial Qualities: +2 Turn Resistance, Darkvision 60 ft., Degeneracy,

ImmunitiesSaves: Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +2Abilities: Str 25, Dex 8, Con —, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 3Skills: Climb +6, Listen +3, Spot +3Feats: MultiattackClimate/Terrain: Any land and undergroundOrganization: Solitary, gang (2–4), or pack (7–12)Challenge Rating: 2Treasure: NoneAlignment: Always chaotic evilAdvancement: As undead creature

Create Spawn (Su): In most cases, ghouls devour those they kill.From time to time, however, the bodies of their victims lie where they fell,to rise as ghouls themselves in 1d4 days. Casting protection from evil ona body before the end of that time averts the transformation. The CreateSpawn ability can only apply to sentient creatures with an organic bodyand a soul, as required for the template. Other creatures killed by ghoulsdo not arise as ghouls.

Degeneracy (Ex): A ghoul loses all skills and abilities not typical ofbrute predators. All class abilities are lost except for base saves. Ghouls arenot able to learn or use feats that require tool use, such as weapon andarmor proficiencies or most combat feats. The ghoul cannot learn or useskills such as Craft, Profession, Disable Device, etc. The ghoul cannotadvance in class levels after becoming a ghoul, unless it is levels in the

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Ghoul and Ghast (Template)

ADVENTURE SEEDS

�The tall thin man said he needs a certain grey night-blooming flower harvested from atop the grave of GoodmanStillwell at midnight under the full moon. He won’t say whyhe needs the flower’s petals undamaged, or why he won’t gohimself, but he will pay a little gold for the service. There’s noreal reason to be scared of the graveyard at night. It is holyground, after all, and the priests have blessed every plot in thecemetery so nothing will rise up out of its own grave. Besides, thecharacters aren’t going in to disturb any graves, just get thenight-blooming flower.

�Ever since lord Victor Brecht came back from the FallowMoors they say he has become reclusive and ill. Some evenwhisper he has gone mad and he is letting his affairs run to seed.Even though he wraps up in scarves and will see almost no one,he still makes time to go hunting, however. Lately, rumors arestarting up that he’s been involved in an awful lot of huntingaccidents, and some of the servants have suddenly becomeviolently sick and died. The lord is having quite a time gettingnew servants, and they say he refuses to see any healer.

327

ghoul prestige class; see below. The ghoul does retain racial abilities,except for those that a ghoul is otherwise prohibited from learning.

Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a ghoul’s bite or claw attack must suc-ceed at a Fortitude save (DC 14) or be paralyzed for 1d6 rounds. Elves areimmune to this paralysis.

Skills: Ghouls suffer a –2 racial penalty on skill rolls when using skillsrequiring fine manipulation.

Turn Resistance (Ex): When resolving a Turn, Rebuke,Command, or Bolster attempt, add +2 to the ghoul’s Hit Dice total.

Undead: Undead are immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning,disease, death effects, necromantic effects, and mind-influencing effects.Undead are not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damageor drain, or energy drain. They have no Constitution scores and aretherefore immune to any effect requiring a Fortitude save (unless it affectsobjects). Undead have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Negative ener-gy can heal undead creatures. An undead creature is not at risk of deathfrom massive damage, but when reduced to 0 hit points or less it is imme-diately destroyed. Undead cannot be raised. Resurrection can affectthem, but generally fails because they’re unwilling to return to life.

NEW PRESTIGE CLASS: GHAST

Ghouls who adapt to their degenerate undead state and thrivebecome fearsome predators called ghasts. While they can no longer fol-low the classes of civilization, cunning ghasts can progressively build uponthe powers of their cursed state and travel down darker paths, increasingtheir connection to the Negative Energy Plane and becoming ever moredeadly threats to those they encounter.

Hit Die: d12

REQUIREMENTS

To qualify to become a ghast, a character must fulfill all of the fol-lowing criteria.

Race: GhoulSpecial: Must create a pack of spawn.

CLASS SKILLS

The ghast’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb(Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str),Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), and Spot (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2

CLASS FEATURES

All of the following are class features of the ghast prestige class.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Ghasts gain no proficiency in

any weapon or armor.Paralytic Potency (Ex): At 1st level, the DC for the ghast’s paraly-

sis attack increases to 18.Paralytic Persistence (Ex): At 2nd level, the ghasts’s paralysis attack

lasts for 2d6 rounds.Ghastly Combatant (Ex): At 3rd level, the ghast’s natural armor

increases to +4 if not already higher, and the ghast’s bite and claw dam-age increases by one size category as per the ghoul damage table, if notalready higher.

Shake the Elven Spirit (Ex): At 4th level, the ghast’s connection tothe Negative Energy Plane is now sufficient to affect even elves with itsParalysis.

Stench (Ex): At 5th level, the stink of death and corruption sur-rounding a ghast is sickening. Those within 10 feet must succeed at aFortitude save (DC 15) or be wracked with nausea; nauseated charactersare unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything elserequiring attention. The only action such a character can take is a singlemove or move-equivalent action per turn.

Class Table: The Ghast

CLASS BASE FORT REF WILL

LEVEL ATTACK SAVE SAVE SAVE SPECIAL

1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Paralytic Potency2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Paralytic Persistence3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Ghastly Combatant4th +2 +1 +1 +4 Shake the Elven Spirit5th +2 +1 +1 +4 Stench

04 Templates 4/29/03 3:39 PM Page 327

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