Publication:Dread Codex/Monsters/Ghoul

Ghoul
Summary::"Ghoul" is a template that can be added to any sentient creature with an organic body and a soul who was killed by a ghoul and affected by its Create Spawn ability, or who ate the flesh of creatures of its type in life and recently died (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). In most campaigns, this will include any dragon, giant, humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or shapechanger. Fey, elementals, and other such creatures depend on the campaign's cosmology; creatures that are a type of spirit are not subject to undead raising as a ghoul. It uses all the creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted below.

Size and Type
The base creature's type changes to undead. As base creature.

Hit Dice
Change to d12, and adjust hit points bonus for ability score modifications.

Armor Class
The ghoul has +2 natural armor or the creature's natural armor, whichever is better, though it loses any manufactured armor bonuses.

Attack
The ghoul retains any natural attacks, and gains 2 natural claw attacks and a bite attack if it doesn't already have them, though it loses any attacks with manufactured weapons. Adjust retained natural attacks for ability score modifications.

Full Attack
Creatures without natural weapons gain a bite and 2 claw attacks based on the ghoul's size category. If the creature already has a bite or claws that do more damage, the creature retains these, but adjusted for ability score modifications.

Special Attacks
A ghoul retains all of the special attacks of the base creature, except for those affected by Degeneracy (see below). Saves have a DC of 10 + 1⁄2 ghoul's HD + ghoul's Cha modifier. It also gains the following:


 * Ghoul Fever (Su): Disease — bite, Fort save negates, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex. The save DC is Charisma-based. An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul.


 * Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a ghoul's bite or claw attack must succeed at a Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d6 rounds. Elves are immune to this paralysis.

Special Qualities
A ghoul retains all the special qualities of the base creature, except for those affected by Degeneracy (see below), and receives those special qualities listed below.


 *  (Ex): A ghoul loses all skills and abilities not typical of brute predators. All class abilities are lost except for base saves. Ghouls are not able to learn or use feats that require tool use, such as weapon and armor proficiencies or most combat feats. The ghoul cannot learn or use skills such as Craft, Profession, Disable Device, etc. The ghoul cannot advance in class levels after becoming a ghoul, unless it is levels in the ghast prestige class. The ghoul does retain racial abilities, except for those that a ghoul is otherwise prohibited from learning.
 * Turn Resistance (Ex): A ghoul has +2 turn resistance.

Abilities
Modify from the base creature as follows: Str +4, Dex +0, Int -2, Wis +2, Cha -4. The creature's ability scores cannot go below a 1. As an undead creature, a ghoul has no Constitution score.

Skills
Ghoul class skills when advancing are Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Intuit Direction, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Search, and Spot. See Degeneracy, and adjust skills for ability score modifications. Ghouls suffer a -2 racial penalty on skill rolls when using skills requiring fine manipulation.

Feats
The ghoul gains Multiattack. See Degeneracy.

Environment
Any land or underground.

Organization
Solitary, gang (2–4), or pack (7–12).

Challenge Rating
Same as the base creature.

Treasure
None.

Alignment
Always chaotic evil.

Advancement
As an undead creature.

Level Adjustment
Level Adjustment::–

Sample Ghoul
''Nearly ten feet tall, this muscular humanoid has seen better days. Once an ogre, time and becoming an undead monstrosity, have, if possible, worsened its appearance. The creature's pale brown skin is stretched tightly across its form. Sharp claws and teeth are the most prominent features as the creature moves to attack.''

This ogre succumbed to a ravenous pack of ghouls many years ago. The giant slew most of them before going down and thereafter becoming a ghoul itself. While it normally hunts alone, the ogre ghoul does not mind joining with a gang or pack of its fellows. When it does so, however, it always leads the group, as its size and strength make it an obvious choice for such a role.

Combat
Attacking without fear, an ogre ghoul rushes a victim and tries to kill him as quickly as possible to get at its warm flesh. If faced with multiple opponents, the undead ogre tries to paralyze the most dangerous looking warrior before going after a weaker, and likely spellcasting, character. Since its intelligence is rather low, the ogre ghoul does not retreat from combat until below 5 hit points. Even then, it retreats only long enough to find a better location to attack its prey from.

 (Su): Disease — bite, Fort DC 8, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex. The save DC is Charisma-based. An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul.

 (Ex): Those hit by a ghoul's bite or claw attack must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 8) or be paralyzed for 1d6 rounds. Elves are immune to this paralysis.

Skills: Ghouls suffer a –2 racial penalty on skill rolls when using skills requiring fine manipulation.

Treasure
None — Ghouls of any origin are interested only in consuming the flesh of living creatures; a habit which leaves no time for gathering useless treasure.

In Your Campaign
A typical ghoul is on every PC's "I've killed that" list. But an ogre ghoul (indeed, any non-human originated ghoul) is a variant that isn't encountered every day. Twists like this to such classic undead can remind the PCs that although they may have fought one, they haven't fought them all.

Besides the more common description above, how might an ogre get unlucky enough for ghoul-dom? Perhaps his particular tribe believes in exiling an old or infirm ogre into an area known for its ghoul infestation. Once transformed into an undead, the ogre is obliged to return to its brethren where it can serve as a perimeter guard or advance warrior in a battle. This loyalty comes from a ritual performed by the ogre tribe's cleric or shaman at the same time the slain ogre is rising as a ghoul. This binds the ogre ghoul to the will of the tribe's chieftain until either he or it dies.