Cadaver (3pp)

This monster resembles a humanoid dressed in tattered rags. Rotted flesh reveals corded muscles and sinew stretched tightly over its skeleton. Hollow eye sockets flicker with a hellish glow. Broken and rotted teeth line its mouth, and its hands end in wicked claws.

Cadaver CR 2

XP 600
CE Medium undead
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0

DEFENSE

AC 13, touch 11, flat-footed 12 (+1 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 16 (2d8); reanimation
Fort +0; Ref +1; Will +3
DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune cold, undead traits

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +2 (1d4+1 plus disease) and bite +2 (1d6+1 plus disease)

STATISTICS

Str 13, Dex 13, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 13
Feats Improved InitiativeB

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Disease (Ex)

Filth fever: Claw and bite—injury; save Fort DC 11; onset 1d3 days; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Dex damage and 1d3 Con damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Reanimation (Su)

When reduced to 0 hit points or less, a cadaver is not destroyed; rather it falls inert and begins the process of reanimating by regaining 1 hit point per round. Hit points lost to magical weapons or spells are not regained. When the creature reaches its full hit point total (minus damage dealt by magical attacks and weapons), it stands up, ready to fight again.

If the creature is destroyed by channeled positive energy, it cannot reanimate. If a cleric casts gentle repose on the cadaver when it is reduced to 0 hit points, it cannot reanimate. A bless spell delays the reanimation, causing the creature to regain hit points at half the normal rate (i.e. 1 hit point every other round).

ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary or gang (2–5)
Treasure standard

Cadavers are the undead skeletal remains of people who have been buried alive or given an improper burial (an unmarked grave or mass grave for example). They can be found haunting graveyards and cemeteries.

Cadavers are infused with a hatred that rivals many other undead creatures. This hatred includes its own existence as well as the existence of all living creatures. Thus, the cadaver attacks all creatures it encounters. They have a distinct hatred for light, but it does not damage them. All encounters with cadavers are at night or places cloaked in darkness. Encounters are most often with a solitary creature. Multiple cadavers do not work in concert with each other; being mindless they simply charge into combat, killing all creatures they can. Cadavers are sometimes found in the employ of greater undead (such as wights or ghasts).

A cadaver attacks by raking with its filthy claws or biting with its sharp, disease-infested teeth. They often lie in shallow graves waiting for potential victims to wander too close, where they immediately spring to the attack, raking and biting until destroyed or until all foes are dead.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Cadaver from the Tome of Horrors Complete, Copyright 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author Scott Greene.

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