Topic: RMC question regarding the undead

[dutch206]

I have a question about the "Undead Regeneration" special ability mentioned in C & T.  To paraphrase Creatures and Treasures, the only way to make certain an undead creature stays this way is to burn its corpse.

Fine and dandy, but what about non-corporeal undead such as ghosts, phantoms, revenants, wraiths, etc....   What exactly are you burning?  Their bodies have no physical form  (that's what non-corporeal means, btw).

So, is there a ritual, a secret handshake, or some other means of permanently destroying non-corporeal undead that I don't know about? 

[Marc R]

Fire, holy or undead slaying kills undead. (Along with some spells, like if it says "Undead destroyed" it's permenantly gone.)

Check the end of the right paragraph on page 91, and the third paragraph on the left page 92.

Non corporeal undead have a vague, tenuous physical presence. Call it ectoplasm or a coherent energy field.

Non corporeals at 0 hits will drop and puddle, and flow away. (In any place with cracks or drains they will seem to seep into the ground)

Apply fire before they flow away.

[Skaran]

Though not a rule I like the idea they used in the TV series Supernatural where to permanently destroy a ghost or spirit you have to destroy its corpse, if it has one, or its anchor if it does not have a body. Otherwise no matter what you do to the ghost it will reform and be back.

[RandalThor]

Yeah, that show (Supernatural) has some really great ideas on running a horror campaign, imo. Having some physical object that the spirit is tied/connected to is the best idea, but making them vulnerable to certain elements has merits as well - like the ghost that is hurt by the cold, only comes out of hiding in the summer, you trap it in a freezer and you can kill it, etc. Could be cool (sorry, bad pun).

[maikeru]

In any roleplaying game I have always said that the "Ghost" type undead have to have their anchor severed.

-mike

[yammahoper]

I created a specter type undead that required a specific piece or pieces of bones from the corpse, and I mean specific bones because certain bones confer different abilities and skills to the spectral undead that are created with it.  However, when killed, their bones would appear and drop to the floor.  These had to be destroyed to kill it or returned to its original grave to free the soul and return it to the after life.  The most powerful of thses haunts were made of the freshest bones, thus the need for sacrifice wish led to the abduction of a PC's good NPC friend, and BANG, ya have an adventure...

Undead rock.  Evil Priest aint bad either.

lynn

[Marc R]

can always add MORE rules on killing undead. . . just look at the vampire entry.