| | | | ----------------- | -------------- | | Climate/Terrain: | Any | | Frequency: | Very rare | | Organization: | Solitary | | Activity Cycle: | Night | | Diet: | Carrion | | Intelligence: | Average (8-10) | | Treasure: | [[A]] | | Alignment: | Neutral evil | | No. Appearing: | 1 | | Armor Class: | 6 | | Movement: | 6 | | Hit Dice: | 6 | | THAC0: | 15 | | No. of Attacks: | 2 | | Damage/Attack: | 2-8/2-8 | | Special Attacks: | See below | | Special Defenses: | Spell immunity | | Magic Resistance: | Nil | | Size: | M (6') | | Morale: | Average (8-10) | | XP Value: | 650 | Zombies are mindless, animated corpses controlled by their creators, usually evil wizards or priests. The condition of the corpse is not changed by the animating spell. If the body was missing a limb, the zombie created from it would be missing the same limb. Since it is difficult to get fresh bodies, most zombies are in sorry shape, usually missing hair and flesh, and sometimes even bones. This affects their movement, making it jerky and uneven. Usually zombies wear the clothing they died (or were buried) in. The rotting stench from a zombie might be noticeable up to 100 feet away, depending upon the condition of the body. Zombies cannot talk, being mindless, but have been known to utter a low moan when unable to complete an assigned task. **Combat:** Zombies move very slowly, always striking last in a combat round. They are given only simple, single-phrase commands. They always fight until called off or destroyed, and nothing short of a priest can turn them back. They move in a straight line toward their opponents, with arms outstretched, seeking to claw or pummel their victims to death. Like most undead, zombies are immune to _sleep_, _charm_, _hold_, death magic, poisons, and cold-based spells. A vial of holy water inflicts 2-8 points of damage to a zombie. **Habitat/Society:** Zombies are typically found near graveyards, dungeons, and similar charnel places. They follow the spoken commands of their creator, as given on the spot or previously, of limited length and uncomplicated meaning (a dozen simple words or so). The dead body of any humanoid creature can be made into a zombie. **Ecology:** Zombies are not natural creations and have no role in ecology or nature. **Zombie Lord** The [zombie lord](https://www.completecompendium.com/appendix/zomblord) is a living creature that has taken on the foul powers and abilities of the undead. They are formed on rare occasions as the result of a _raise dead_ spell gone awry. Zombie lords look as they did in life, save that their skin has turned to the pale grey of death, and their flesh is rotting and decaying. The odor of vile corruption and rotting meat hangs about them, and carrion feeding insects often buzz about them to dine on the bits of flesh and ichor that drop from their bodies. The zombie lords can speak those languages they knew in life and they seem to have a telepathic or mystical ability to converse freely with the living dead. Further, they can _speak with dead_ merely by touching a corpse. Zombie lords are turned as vampires. When forced into combat, it relies on the great strength of its two crushing fists. The odor of death surrounding the zombie lord is so potent it causes horrible effects in those who breathe it. On the first round a character comes within 30 yards, he must save vs. poison or be affected in some way. The following results are possible: |1d6 Roll|Effect| |---|---| |1|_Weakness_ (as the spell).| |2|_Cause disease_ (as the spell).| |3|-1 point of Constitution.| |4|_Contagion_ (as the spell).| |5|Character unable to act for 1d4 rounds due to nausea and vomiting.| |6|Character dies instantly and becomes a zombie under control of the zombie lord.| All zombies within sight of the zombie lord are subject to its mental instructions. Further, the creature can use the senses of any zombie within a mile of it to learn all that is happening within a very large area. Once per day, the zombie lord can _animate dead_ to transform dead creatures into zombies. This works as described in the _Player's Handbook_ except that it can be used on the living. Any living creature with fewer Hit Dice than the zombie lord can be attacked in this manner. A target who fails a saving throw vs. death is slain. In 1d4 rounds, the slain creature rises as a zombie under the zombie lord's command. Zombie lords seek out places of death as lairs. Often, they live in old graveyards or on the site of a tremendous battle - any place there may be bodies to animate and feast upon. The mind of the zombie lord tends to focus on death and the creation of more undead. The regions around their lairs are often littered with the decaying bodies, half eaten, of those who have tried to confront the foul beast. The zombie lord comes into being by chance, and only under certain conditions. First, an evil human must die at the hand of an undead creatures. Second, an attempt to raise the character must be made. Third, the corpse must fail its resurrection survival roll. Fourth and last, a deity of evil must show “favor” to the deceased, and curse him or her with the “gift of eternal life”. Within one week of the raise attempt, the corpse awakens as a zombie lord.