Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon (3.5e Class)

Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon

The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon is typically an evil surgeon who utilizes his knowledge of the body to diabolically create abominations to the natural world. Unlike Clerics and Necromancers, the Undead Battle Surgeon relies on his knowledge of science, anatomy, and death to craft and create his zombies. His talents increase over time, allowing him to create stronger, more unique zombies to serve his every need.

Making a Undead Battle Surgeon

The Undead Battle Surgeon is a healer who takes action from the back of the party. He creates his undead minions in order to do his fighting for him; in fact, typically, the Undead Battle Surgeon prefers to avoid combat when possible, out of fear that combat will damage his beloved abominations. Thus, he suffers from a low Armor Class, low hit points, and low Fortitude and Reflex saves.

Abilities: Undead Battle Surgeons benefit from having high Intelligence, primarily, since his crafting skills depend on gaining Skill Points. Additionally, having a high Wisdom allows them to better control their undead and perform their surgical/healing abilities. Finally, having a high Dexterity allows for a higher AC to cover their inability to use most types of armor, as armor obstructs their ability to perform healing and stitching techniques. High Dexterity and high Constitution will also help with their low Fortitude and Reflex saves.

Races: Lonely and alienated humans will take this class--those despised or already outcast from normal society. Drow seeking the secrets of immortality might take this class, as well as some of the few Orcs that don't suffer from low intellect.

Alignment: Typically Evil Neutral, since most of the undead they will craft will have an Evil Neutral alignment, though Evil Chaotic or Evil Lawful is also possible.

Starting Gold: 4d6x10gp (125gp).

Starting Age: Moderate.

Table: The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon

Hit Die: d4

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Gentle Repose, Rebuke Undead, Autopsy
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Speak with Dead, Mortician's Touch
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Animate Dead, Resistance to Energy Drain +1
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Corpsecrafter, Stitch Up 1d8
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Disguise Undead, Surgical Strike
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Resistance to Energy Drain +2, Revenance, Craft Plague Walker
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Rejuvenative Corpse, Craft Necrosis Carnex
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Revive Undead, Stitch Up 2d8
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Resistance to Energy Drain +3, Graft Flesh
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Create Undead, Craft Entomber
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Raise Dead, Resistance to Energy Drain +4, Stitch Up 3d8
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Awaken Undead
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	Craft Flesh Golem
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Resistance to Energy Drain +5
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Stitch Up 4d8
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Craft Grimweird
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Resistance to Energy Drain +6, Iron Bones
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Gray Death, Craft Cadaver Collector, Craft Angel of Decay
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Stitch Up 5d8, Craft Boneyard, Craft Charnel Hound
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Craft (Undead) (Int), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis)

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Undead Battle Surgeon.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon is proficient with all Simple Weapons, and Light Armor, but not with shields.

Craft (Undead) (Skill): The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon gains access to a unique form of Crafting as a class skill. Crafting (Undead) is a skill that gives the player the ability to craft undead minions; the requirements for each crafting vary and are limited by the Mortician's class level and the DC for checking to see if he can craft the undead he is trying to craft. If a Mortician fails his Craft (Undead) check, he cannot attempt to craft the undead he was attempting to create for another 24-hour period. Additionally, he loses 25% of the resources/corpses/gold required to create the undead he was attempting to craft during the failed attempt.

Gentle Repose (Sp): At first level, an Undead Battle Surgeon may cast gentle repose a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier + 1.

Rebuke Undead (Su): A Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has the power to Rebuke undead creatures as an Evil Cleric does, although the Mortician does not need a Symbol to do so. A Mortician may attempt to turn rebuke a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier + 1.

Autopsy (Ex): At first level, a Mortician gains a +4 circumstance bonus to Heal checks when made to determine the cause of death and time of death of a once-living creature (including Undead). This ability does not extend to plants, incorporeal undead, constructs, or oozes.

Speak with Dead (Sp): Starting at 2nd level, a Mortician can cast Speak with Dead as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier + 1.

Mortician's Touch (Su): Starting at 2nd level, a Mortician has the ability to cast a single Necromantic touch attack spell as spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier + 1. The Mortician may choose to change the specific touch attack spell at every fourth level after this (at the 6th level, 10th level, 14th level, 18th level, etc.), but once declared, the Mortician's Touch only has the power to deliver the touch spell declared until four levels later. The Necromantic touch attack spells must come from the table provided (see Mortician's Touch spell list below).

Mortician's Touch Spells: Morticians choose one touch spell from the following list according to the Mortician's class level (even if the spell isn't described as a touch spell, Mortician's Touch requires that the spell's range be modified to act as a touch spell only). The Save DC and Caster level for these spells are determined by the Mortician's Wisdom modifier (not Charisma).

2nd-5th—Touch of Fatigue, Touch of Madness, Parching Touch, Shivering Touch, Lesser, Inflict Minor Wounds, Chill Touch, Curse Water

6th-9th—Wracking Touch, Wood Rot, Ghoul Touch, Spark of Life, Blight, Contagion, Hide from Undead, Touch of Idiocy, Poison, Mind Poison

10th-13th—Shivering Touch, Vampiric Touch, Night's Caress, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Bestow Curse, Death Knell, False Life, Spider Poison

14th-17th—Finger of Death, Fleshiver, Spectral Touch, Flesh to Stone, Harm, Insanity

18th and Greater—Withering Palm, Inflict Critical Wounds, Avasculate

Animate Dead (Sp): Starting at third level, A Mortician can cast Animate Dead as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier + 1.

Resistance to Energy Drain (Su): Starting at third level, A Mortician gains a bonus on saves against the Energy Drain attack of undead, this bonus starts at +1 and increase by one at every third level.

Corpsecrafter: A Mortician gains Corpsecrafter as a bonus feat at 4th Level.

Stitch Up (Ex): Starting At 4th level, a Mortician gains the ability to surgically heal both the living and the living dead. This ability requires 1 minute of uninterrupted concentration and a successful heal check (DC 14). On a successful check, the Mortician can heal 1d8 plus his Intelligence modifier in hit points to the subject. He must have his surgical tools to do this, or else he takes a -5 penalty on the check. The healing increases to 2d8 at 8th level, 3d8 at 12th, 4d8 at 16th, and finally 5d8 at 20th. He can do this a number of times per day equal to half his class level plus his Wisdom modifier.

Disguise Undead (Sp): At 5th level, a Mortician may use the Disguise Undead spell as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier + 1.

Surgical Strike (Ex): At 5th level, a Mortician may add his Intelligence bonus (if any) to attack rolls and damage rolls when attacking with a melee weapon that does piercing damage. Additionally, the Mortician has the ability to do critical hits to corporeal Undead within the critical hit range of the weapon he is wielding. If the Mortician has Sneak Attack from another class or from a racial bonus, he may do Sneak Attack damage to corporeal Undead when the rules of Sneak Attack apply. The Mortician does not get any of these bonuses against constructs, oozes, plants, or incorporeal creatures. This bonus does not work when the Mortician is using a weapon that does not deal piercing damage, and does not work when the weapon is wielded in his off-hand.

Revenance (Sp): Starting At 6th level, A Mortician can cast Revenance as a spell-like ability once per day.

Craft Plague Walker (Ex): Starting at 6th level, a Mortician can make a Craft (Undead) check to see if he can craft a Plague Walker (from Monster Manual IV). The DC to craft a Plague Walker is 14, and it takes 24 hours of uninterrupted concentration to craft, as well as four medium-sized bodies that have been decomposing for less than one month and 200gp of materials, all of which are consumed in the process. During this 24-hour period, the Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon loses control over any undead he currently has control over. The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has control over the Plague Walker upon its completion, and it counts towards the total number of Hit Die the Undead Battle Surgeon can control (4 HD per Mortician level).

Rejuvenative Corpse (Sp): Starting at 7th level, a Mortician can cast Rejuvenative Corpse as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier + 1.

Craft Necrosis Carnex (Ex): Starting at 7th level, a Mortician can make a Craft (Undead) check to see if he can craft a Necrosis Carnex (from Monster Manual IV). The DC to craft a Necrosis Carnex is 14, and it takes 24 hours of uninterrupted concentration to craft, as well as five medium-sized bodies that have been decomposing for less than one month and 200gp of materials, all of which are consumed in the process. During this 24-hour period, the Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon loses control over any undead he currently has control over. The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has control over the Necrosis Carnex upon its completion, and it counts towards the total number of Hit Die the Undead Battle Surgeon can control (4 HD per Mortician level).

Revive Undead (Sp): Starting At 8th level, a Mortician can cast Revive Undead as a spell-like ability once per day.

Graft Flesh: A Mortician gains Graft Flesh as a bonus feat at 9th Level.

Create Undead (Sp): Starting at 10th level, a Mortician can cast Create Undead as a spell-like ability once per day.

Craft Entomber (Ex): Starting at 10th level, a Mortician can make a Craft (Undead) check to see if he can craft an Entomber (from Libris Mortis). The DC to craft an Entomber is 14, and it takes 24 hours of uninterrupted concentration to craft, as well as a medium-sized body that has been decomposing for between six months and one year and 400gp of materials, all of which are consumed in the process. During this 24-hour period, the Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon loses control over any undead he currently has control over. The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has control over the Entomber upon its completion, and it counts towards the total number of Hit Die the Undead Battle Surgeon can control (4 HD per Mortician level).

Raise Dead (Sp): Starting At 12th level, A Mortician can cast Raise Dead as a spell like ability once per day.

Awaken Undead (Sp): Starting At 13th level, a Mortician can cast Awaken Undead as a spell-like ability once per day.

Craft Flesh Golem (Ex): Starting at 14th level, a Mortician can make a Craft (Undead) check to see if he can craft a Flesh Golem (from Monster Manual). The DC to craft an Flesh Golem is 16, and it takes 24 hours of uninterrupted concentration to craft, as well as four medium-sized bodies that have been decomposing for less than three months and 500gp of materials, all of which are consumed in the process. During this 24-hour period, the Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon loses control over any undead he currently has control over. The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has control over the Flesh Golem upon its completion, and it counts towards the total number of Hit Die the Undead Battle Surgeon can control (4 HD per Mortician level).

Craft Grimweird (Ex): Starting at 17th level, a Mortician can make a Craft (Undead) check to see if he can craft a Grimweird (from Monster Manual III). The DC to craft a Grimweird is 18, and it takes 24 hours of uninterrupted concentration to craft, as well as a medium-sized body that has been decomposing for between six months and one year and 500gp of materials, all of which are consumed in the process. During this 24-hour period, the Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon loses control over any undead he currently has control over. The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has control over the Grimweird upon its completion, and it counts towards the total number of Hit Die the Undead Battle Surgeon can control (4 HD per Mortician level).

Iron Bones (Sp): Starting At 18th level, A Mortician can cast Iron Bones as a spell-like ability once per day.

Gray Death (Ex): So often surrounded by death and corpses, a Mortician and his allies are often subject to various plagues and diseases from overexposure to rotting and decay. At the 19th level, every day that the Mortician is with his undead, he and those that spend more than 6 hours within a 60 ft. radius of him must make a Fortitude save (DC 16) or fall under the Gray Death plague. The Mortician and his allies must make this check daily. To cure the Gray Death, the Mortician must make a Heal check (DC 24) (other healers attempting to cure the Gray Death take a -4 penalty on their attempt due to their lack of familiarity with undead body systems). Only one Heal check can be made per day per character. The Gray Death leads to a death that cannot be resurrected, revenanced, or raised if it is not cured within five days of the character becoming infected. A body that has died of Gray Death cannot be animated as an Undead, and resists the effects of Gentle Repose.

Craft Cadaver Collector (Ex): Starting at 19th level, a Mortician can make a Craft (Undead) check to see if he can craft a Cadaver Collector (from Monster Manual III). The DC to craft a Cadaver Collector is 20, and it takes 24 hours of uninterrupted concentration to craft, as well as thirty bodies that have been decomposing for less than two years, and 3,000gp of materials, all of which are consumed in the process. During this 24-hour period, the Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon loses control over any undead he currently has control over. The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has control over the Cadaver Collector upon its completion, and it counts towards the total number of Hit Die the Undead Battle Surgeon can control (4 HD per Mortician level).

Craft Angel of Decay (Ex): Starting at 19th level, a Mortician can make a Craft (Undead) check to see if he can craft an Angel of Decay (from Libris Mortis). The DC to craft an Angel of Decay is 20, and it takes 24 hours of uninterrupted concentration to craft, as well as twenty medium-sized bodies and 1,000gp of materials, all of which are consumed in the process. During this 24-hour period, the Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon loses control over any undead he currently has control over. The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has control over the Angel of Decay upon its completion, and it counts towards the total number of Hit Die the Undead Battle Surgeon can control (4 HD per Mortician level).

Craft Boneyard (Ex): Starting at 20th level, a Mortician can make a Craft (Undead) check to see if he can craft a Boneyard (from Libris Mortis). The DC to craft a Boneyard is 22, and it takes 24 hours of uninterrupted concentration to craft, as well as fleshless bones from 200 medium-sized bodies (or the equivalent of other sized bodies; 150 Large-sized bodies, or 100 Huge-sized bodies, or 300 Small-sized bodies, or 900 Tiny-sized bodies), and 1,000gp of materials, all of which are consumed in the process. During this 24-hour period, the Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon loses control over any undead he currently has control over. The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has control over the Boneyard upon its completion, and it counts towards the total number of Hit Die the Undead Battle Surgeon can control (4 HD per Mortician level).

Craft Charnel Hound (Ex): Starting at 20th level, a Mortician can make a Craft (Undead) check to see if he can craft a Charnel Hound (from Monster Manual III). The DC to craft a Charnel Hound is 24, and it takes 24 hours of uninterrupted concentration to craft, as well as 100 medium-sized bodies (or a rough equivalent in other sizes) and 3,000gp of materials, all of which are consumed in the process. During this 24-hour period, the Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon loses control over any undead he currently has control over. The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has control over the Charnel Hound upon its completion, and it counts towards the total number of Hit Die the Undead Battle Surgeon can control (4 HD per Mortician level).

Ex-Morticians

Morticians who lose their Evil alignment lose their ability to control/rebuke undead, as well as their Craft (Undead) skill, their ability to craft and create undead, and their spell-like abilities that come with this class.

Epic Mortician

Table: The Epic Mortician

Hit Die: d6

Level	Special
21st	Resistance to Energy Drain +7
22nd	Craft Advanced Death Shrieker
23rd	Bonus Feat
24th	Resistance to Energy Drain +8
25th	Stitch Up 6d8, Craft Corpse Gatherer
26th	Bonus Feat
27th	Resistance to Energy Drain +9
28th	Craft Famine Spirit
29th	Bonus Feat
30th	Resistance to Energy Drain +10, Stitch Up 7d8, Craft Corpse Tearer: Gargantuan Dragon
4 + Int modifier skill points per level.

Resistance to Energy Drain: The epic Mortician's bonus increases every three levels.

Craft Advanced Death Shrieker (Ex): Starting at 22nd level, a Mortician can make a Craft (Undead) check to see if he can craft an Advanced Death Shrieker (from Monster Manual III). The DC to craft an Advanced Death Shrieker is 24, and it takes 24 hours of uninterrupted concentration to craft, as well as fifteen medium-sized bodies (or a rough equivalent in other sizes), and 2,000gp of materials, all of which are consumed in the process. During this 24-hour period, the Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon loses control over any undead he currently has control over. The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has control over the Advanced Death Shrieker upon its completion, and it counts towards the total number of Hit Die the Undead Battle Surgeon can control (4 HD per Mortician level).

Stitch Up: The epic Mortician's heal amount increases every five levels.

Bonus Feats: The epic Mortician gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic Mortician's bonus feats) every 3 levels after 20th.

Craft Corpse Gatherer (Ex): Starting at 25th level, a Mortician can make a Craft (Undead) check to see if he can craft a Corpse Gatherer (from Monster Manual II). The DC to craft a Corpse Gatherer is 26, and it takes 48 hours of uninterrupted concentration to craft, as well as 500 medium-sized bodies and a graveyard measuring at least one square kilometer in diameter, and 5,000gp of materials, all of which are consumed in the process. During this 48-hour period, the Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon loses control over any undead he currently has control over. The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has control over the Corpse Gatherer upon its completion, and it counts towards the total number of Hit Die the Undead Battle Surgeon can control (4 HD per Mortician level).

Craft Famine Spirit (Ex): Starting at 28nd level, a Mortician can make a Craft (Undead) check to see if he can craft a Famine Spirit (from Monster Manual II). The DC to craft a Famine Spirit is 30, and it takes 36 hours of uninterrupted concentration to craft, as well as 60 medium-sized bodies (or a rough equivalent in other sizes), and 6,000gp of materials, all of which are consumed in the process. During this 36-hour period, the Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon loses control over any undead he currently has control over. The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has control over the Famine Spirit upon its completion, and it counts towards the total number of Hit Die the Undead Battle Surgeon can control (4 HD per Mortician level).

Craft Corpse Tearer: Gargantuan Dragon (Ex): Starting at 30th level, a Mortician can make a Craft (Undead) check to see if he can craft a Corpse Tearer: Gargantuan Dragon. The DC to craft a Corpse Tearer: Gargantuan Dragon is 30, and it takes 72 hours of uninterrupted concentration to craft, as well as 600 medium-sized bodies (or a rough equivalent in other sizes), and 15,000gp of materials, all of which are consumed in the process. During this 72-hour period, the Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon loses control over any undead he currently has control over. The Mortician: Undead Battle Surgeon has control over the Corpse Tearer: Gargantuan Dragon upon its completion, and it counts towards the total number of Hit Die the Undead Battle Surgeon can control (4 HD per Mortician level).

Epic Mortician Bonus Feat List: Additional Magic Item Space, Energy Resistance, Epic Speed, Epic Toughness, Epic Will, Fast Healing, Great Constitution, Great Dexterity, Great Wisdom, Perfect Health, Planar Turning, Superior Initiative, Enduring Life, Lasting Life.

<-Sample race of your choice-> <-class name-> Starting Package

Weapons: <-Weapon selection for starting at 1st level with this class.->.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbrieviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If innapplicable put "—"->
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbrieviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If innapplicable put "—"-> <-copy and paste the rows as necessary.->

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Campaign Information

Playing a <-class name->

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Characters with ranks in <-the appropriate skills-> can research <-pluralized class name-> to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

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