Topic: Noncorporeal Undead, Vapor or Energy?

[Marc R]

For the noncorporeal undead and such, do you GM them like they're made out of Gas, so they can slip through cracks or porous materials. . .or do you GM them like they're an energy form, and they can pass through any solid objects, stopped only by effects like warding or holy ground?

i.e. would an airtight vault door stop a ghost, or no?

[markc]

Unfortunately both apply in my game.
MDC

[Marc R]

Do you make different types of undead vapor vs energy forms?

[Old Man]

For the noncorporeal undead and such, do you GM them like they're made out of Gas, so they can slip through cracks or porous materials. . .or do you GM them like they're an energy form, and they can pass through any solid objects, stopped only by effects like warding or holy ground?

i.e. would an airtight vault door stop a ghost, or no?

Interesting question. I'd probably treat them as some sort of magical energy (perhaps Ethereal mixed with Spirit (if you use EC elements)) so likely only wards, circles, kregora and the like would keep them out.

Regards,
Old Man

[GrumpyOldFart]

From my point of view, energy form, definitely. In a practical sense, the airtight vault door isn't in the same universe as they are, so of course they ignore it.

[markc]

Do you make different types of undead vapor vs energy forms?

 Yes some are vapor and some are spirit energy or some other type of energy mixed with spirit energy.
MDC

[Marc R]

How do you split them?

[markc]

How do you split them?

 I decide what I want as to the flavor of the undead that I want and the game setting I have created. That probably does not help too much but it is how I do it.
MDC

[Usdrothek]

I run it the "energy" way.

You need warding circles or magical protection to stop 'em.

[VladD]

Undead! My favorite adversaries; well at least when using them against the characters

I think undead can be:
 ethereal: meaning they exist in the Plane of Shadow, or world design analog. They are not hampered by any non magical construction on the normal plane of existence. Ghosts and wraiths are an example of that.

Energy undead: they consist of energy and bound by those rules, so they could pass through metalic object, or crystalline objects and even the tiniest crack would allow them to pass. Spectres and fire phantoms fall in this category.

Gaseous undead: Somehow they have bodies composed of gas, perhaps because they were vaporized, or because they were tied to gas somehow. They can pass through tiny cracks in stone or around windows. (I like roofs best since most are loosely constructed). Gaseous vampires (yeah I know they don't have that ability in RM) or Dirges fall in that category.

Lastly: the solid particles or fluid undead: smoke, blood, or sand are not incorporeal by definition, but still act in certain incorporeal ways. I allow them to pass cracks 1/4 inch wide. Desert spirits would fall in this category.

All of the above would be stopped by wards and circles of protection of course and usually some energy barrier will do as well: such as a wall of fire or a big bonfire.
After a little research into C&T I learned that most undead there are of the ethereal kind, usually with some body part being less ethereal and able to wield tools, or wear cloaks and armor.

Game On!

[markc]

Undead! My favorite adversaries; well at least when using them against the characters

I think undead can be:
 ethereal: meaning they exist in the Plane of Shadow, or world design analog. They are not hampered by any non magical construction on the normal plane of existence. Ghosts and wraiths are an example of that.

Energy undead: they consist of energy and bound by those rules, so they could pass through metalic object, or crystalline objects and even the tiniest crack would allow them to pass. Spectres and fire phantoms fall in this category.

Gaseous undead: Somehow they have bodies composed of gas, perhaps because they were vaporized, or because they were tied to gas somehow. They can pass through tiny cracks in stone or around windows. (I like roofs best since most are loosely constructed). Gaseous vampires (yeah I know they don't have that ability in RM) or Dirges fall in that category.

Lastly: the solid particles or fluid undead: smoke, blood, or sand are not incorporeal by definition, but still act in certain incorporeal ways. I allow them to pass cracks 1/4 inch wide. Desert spirits would fall in this category.

All of the above would be stopped by wards and circles of protection of course and usually some energy barrier will do as well: such as a wall of fire or a big bonfire.
After a little research into C&T I learned that most undead there are of the ethereal kind, usually with some body part being less ethereal and able to wield tools, or wear cloaks and armor.

Game On!

 I agree with everything said above.


 Also another type of energy undead IMO would be a poltergeist or an energy that can effect things in an area that normal people cannot see. A type of mist undead would be a "Mist Man" in that there has to be some type of medium for the undead to effect others on the world. For example if there was a fog that was about 3' off the ground the "Mist Man" could make kick attacks as that is the part of there bodies that was enveloped by the mist.
 Hope those help some but probably not as good as VladD's examples above.


MDC