Spectral Steed

COMBAT

Necroplasms often attack in packs, but usually don’t share opponents unless they outnumber the opposition. Each grabs onto its chosen opponent and doesn’t let go until either it is destroyed or the enemy is dead.

Create Spawn (Su): A necroplasm that kills a living creature uses its next turn to vomit forth ectoplasm over the fallen opponent’s body. One minute later, the corpse rises as a new necroplasm. The original necroplasm has no control over this creature. This transformation process can be delayed by casting consecrate, gentle repose, or delay poison on the body (delaying the process until the spell runs out), or negated entirely with heal, neutralize poison, or remove disease.

Drain Fluids (Ex): A necroplasm that successfully grapples an opponent automatically drains fluids from its target, dealing 1d2 points of permanent Constitution drain each round. If the target is a living creature, the necroplasm’s ectoplasm quickly turns a deep red (or to the color of the victim’s blood, if not red).

Improved Grab (Ex): If a necroplasm hits a

Medium-size or smaller creature with a claw attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. A necroplasm always uses its entire body on a successful grapple (not just its limb). Each successful grapple check it makes (at the same attack bonus as its claw attack) during successive rounds automatically deals claw damage.

Undead Traits: Immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage. A necroplasm cannot be raised, and resurrection works only if it is willing. The creature has darkvision (60-foot range).

Large Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hp) Initiative: +1 (Dex) Speed: 60 ft., fly 100 ft. (good) AC: 11 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +1 deflection) or 11 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +1 natural) Attacks: 2 incorporeal hoof touches +2 melee touch, and incorporeal bite touch +0 melee touch; or 2 hooves +1 melee, bite –1 melee Damage: Incorporeal touch 1d4 cold, incorporeal bite 1d6 cold plus energy drain, hoof 1d4 cold, bite 1d6 cold plus energy drain Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Energy drain, soul charge Special Qualities: Incorporeal, scent, sunlight powerlessness, turn resistance +2, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +6 Abilities: Str —, Dex 13, Con —, Int 5, Wis 14,

Cha10 Skills: Hide +4, Listen +7, Spot +9 Feats: Lightning Reflexes Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground Organization: Solitary or herd (2–12) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually neutral evil Advancement: 5–8 HD (Large)

Spectral steeds are incorporeal undead horses, often ridden into battle by other incorporeal undead. Skittish without riders, they are fierce combatants when under the direction of a strong master.

Spectral steeds are thought to arise on the rare occasions when an energy draining incorporeal undead, such as a spectre, slays a horse or similar animal. They appear as intangible black, gray, or white skeletal horses, sometimes with skeletal wings. They live on remnants of ether, ectoplasm, and darkness and usually flee material creatures, but they can be tamed by incorporeal undead and used as battle chargers. Very fast and, like all undead, completely tireless, they have been used to ferry beings from Xaphan to

Manifest. A cleric of at least 14th level can create a spectral steed with the create undead spell.

COMBAT Spectral steeds without riders usually attack for 1 round, then flee by using their soul charge on