Skeletal Creature
'Skeletal Creature' is a pattern that can be added to any creature that can reasonably be expected to have a skeleton, hereafter referred to as the base creature.
A Skeletal Creature uses all of the base creature's statistics and abilities except as noted below.
CR
Same as base creature +1.
Size and Type
The creature's Size does not change. Its Type becomes Undead.
Initiative Modifier
The creature's initiative modifier increases by half the amount that its CR increases, round up.
Senses
All visual senses are changed to Darkvision 60 ft, unless the base creature had better darkvision already. All other senses such as scent, tremorsense, keen hearing, etc are unchanged.
Armor Class
Skeletal Creatures gain +1 AC. This is granted by adding to the base creatures natural armor bonus.
Hit Dice
No changes.
Defensive Ability
A Skeletal Creature gains the following abilities, which may be added to their Bestiary entry:
Aura: - Same as Base Creature
SR: - Same as Base Creature
Special Defenses: The Skeletal Creature gains DR/Bludgeoning equal to its adjusted CR. If it already had DR/Bludgeoning from another source, they do not stack, only the larger amount applies.
Immunities:
- all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms)
- disease, poison, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain
- death effects, necromancy effects, sleep effects
- nonlethal damage
- paralysis, stunning, fatigue, exhaustion
- any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless)
Weaknesses: Cannot heal damage on its own (if it has no Int), but healed by negative energy.
Out of Combat
- Immortality (Su)
Skeletons cannot be killed by normal means. However, low-level skeletons like these may lie shattered and dormant after being defeated for decades or even centuries before rising again to seek to rid the world of life. A Sanctify Corpse (Spell), Consecrate (Spell) or Gentle Repose (Spell) spell will add ten years and a day to the time it takes for a skeleton to re-compose. A Resurrection (Spell) spell will bring the person associated with the skeleton back to life, destroying the necromantic bond on its corpse.
Speed
A Skeletal Creature's base speed improves by ten feet in all movement categories it has.
Melee Attacks
A Skeletal Creature retains all the base creature's attacks that can be made without reliance upon flesh. Claws, Bites, weapon attacks, and the like are unaffected. Spitting acid, attacks with tentacles, swallow attacks which require a stomach, etc, are removed. Weapon and armor proficiency, if any, is unchanged. These attacks retain the same primary or secondary status they had for the base creature. If the base creature used a flesh-based attack for a large portion of it's damage, the GM should lower the CR or disallow use of the monster as a Skeletal Creature.
Note that all Skeletal Creatures gain the Improved Feint and Step In And Strike abilities (see below).
Damage
Skeletal Creatures are martially skilled, and add +2 to-hit and +2 to damage with all attacks they make.
Space and Reach
No Changes.
Offensive Ability
A Skeletal Creature gains the following abilities, which may be added to their Bestiary entry:
- Improved Feint (Su)
As a move action, Skeletal Creatures can use Bluff to feint in combat, causing opponents to be denied their Dexterity bonus to AC against the skeleton's next attack. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + the target's base attack bonus + the target's Wisdom modifier. If the target is trained in Sense Motive, the DC is instead equal to 10 + the target's Sense Motive bonus, if higher.
- Step In and Strike (Su)
Prior to making any attack, whether melee or ranged, a Skeletal Creature can take a free 5-foot step. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity, is not limited by having already moved, and does not cost them any actions.
Ability Scores
No changes.
Maneuver Offense and Maneuver Defense
No changes.
Feats
Skills
Bluff, CR+10, for use with Feint, above.