Changes

=== Minor (Tier 1) ===

Easily three quarters of Dead are comprised of 'tier 1' minor lesser Dead. The curse runs so thinly through their lifeless veins that their bodies usually lack all but the most rudimentary forms of movement ability. Minor lesser Dead have 1 [[SRD:Hit Dice|Hit Die]] and a challenge rating of less than 1. A minor lesser dead is the kind of zombie that, by itself, a commoner can easily defeat by throwing mouldy potatoes at it until it falls over. These Dead are often misshapen, broken and battered, and falling apart at the seams. They may miss parts of their anatomy that would be considered vital if they were still alive, and move around with a combination of uncoordinated shuffling, staggering, hopping and crawling. For example, birds that become minor lesser dead will lose all of their flying ability; they simply do not have the motor functions to do anything other than peck away - and often uselessly - at adventurer shins. They are fairly easily dispatched even in numbers by any well-coordinated party, though their relentless advance will eventually drain the resources of even the most stalwart heroes.

=== Major (Tier 2)===

While still mindless and uncoordinated, the 'tier 2' of Dead - the major lesser Dead - are strong enough to be actually individually threatening to early-level characters and NPCs, and have more fleshed out instincts that allow them to attack more effectively. Armed with the limited ability to detect the life force of nearby living creatures, these undead horrors will give haphazard chase to any living creature entering their range of perception, though they may still be occasionally stumped by any solid obstacles between themselves and their targets. Major lesser Dead are almost always physically complete or at least function at that level, and their increased physical strength and ability to run short spurts makes them a lot more challenging. Their general challenge rating ranges from 1 to 3, and these are the first tier of Dead that may show individual characteristics beyond basic species. Many major lesser Dead have very slight amounts of [[SRD:Damage Reduction|damage reduction]]/[[SRD:Alchemical Silver|silver]].

=== Minor (Tier 3)===

The minor greater Dead are 'tier 3' of the Dead, and possess a mental capacity roughly equivalent to that of a savage beast. They did not retain enough of their mental acuity to make choices based on rational thought and move with a dark purpose granted them by the remaining vestiges of instinct left within their rotted brains. What they lack in mental prowess, they make up for in spades in terms of sheer ferocity and tenacity in battle. Instinct is everything to these kinds of Dead. Creatures that held a reasonable measure of power or ability in life often return as a minor greater Dead, where the practiced motions of combat or the principles of magic have been deeply ingrained within their subconscious, and will continue to steer their actions in undeath. The bulk of minor greater Dead is made up by dangerous [[SRD:Animal Type|animals]] and [[SRD:Magical Beast Type|magical beasts]] that succumbed to the curse of the Living Dead, though their numbers contain many humanoids as well.

=== Major (Tier 4)===

The ranks of the 'tier 4' major greater Dead are made up almost solely of creatures of great power and ability. An accomplished knight that succumbs to the curse may rise as a major greater Dead, as may a beast of considerable power and cunning, like the alpha of a dangerous pack. [[SRD:Humanoid Type|Humanoids]] that attain this level of Dead upon rising still experience significant cognitive deterioration, but even the most rudimentary mind amongst their ranks can boast some manner of sentience. Some may be capable of complex problem solving. Major greater Dead usually have unique and dangerous abilities, depending on their shape and type, and are the most likely to incur one or more malformations upon rising as Dead.

== Ascended Dead (Tier 5)== The final, fifth tier of Dead are the Ascended Dead. Often simply called the Ascended, they are called such because they managed to endure the transformative process induced by the [[#Curse|curse of the living Dead]] without losing any of their their mental prowess. In fact, many of them became even more intelligent and cunning, and gain a large amount of power upon completing their painful metamorphosis. An Ascended Dead's mind and thoughts are so interwoven with the curse that they can bend its properties to its will in many miraculous ways. The Ascended often boast control of their own unliving flesh, and are so powerful that very few parties of mortal adventurers can hope to match their prowess. While lower tiers of Dead develop along particular default forms, Ascended Dead are unique creatures. They can take the from of terrible beasts, amorphous entities, or near-humanoids. Ascended can induce {{Anchor|Malformations}} into other Dead or themselves, and some have abilities that allow them to impair or impede the motions of cursed mortals. Only the strongest willed, most powerful and resolute of mortals become ascended Dead. Ascended Dead come in two types; [[#Living Dead (3.5e Template)|Living Dead]] and the [[#Supreme Dead|Supreme Dead]], as detailed below.

Only a select few types of living creatures resist the Curse fully. Because the curse does not affect a creature's immortal soul, single-constituent creatures like [[SRD:Elemental Type|elementals]] and non-[[SRD:Native Subtype|native]] [[SRD:Outsider Type|outsiders]], whose physical and spiritual bodies are one and the same, are immune to the Curse. Likewise, creatures that are not flesh and blood ([[SRD:Plant Type|plants]] and most [[SRD:Ooze Type|oozes]]), as well as creatures without a physical body ([[SRD:Incorporeal Subtype|incorporeals]]) cannot be infected. Even a [[SRD:Native Subtype|native]] [[SRD:Outsider Type|outsider]] resists the curse partially, having a +4 racial bonus to saves against it.

To be done later.

|class="left" |9-12 ||class="left" | Baleful Scream {{Su}} ||class="left" | Special Attack ||class="left" | Gain a special attack; 15-ft. cone, 2d6 1d6/2[[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]] [[SRD:Sonic Effect|sonic]] damage ([[SRD:Reflex|Reflex]] half); if target takes damage, [[SRD:Stunned|stunned]] for 1d4 rounds ([[SRD:Fortitude|Fortitude]] half).

|class="left" |41-44 ||class="left" | Gelid Breath {{Su}} ||class="left" | Special Attack ||class="left" | 15-ft. cone, damage 2d8 1d8/2[[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]] [[SRD:Cold Effect|cold]] damage ([[SRD:Reflex|Reflex]] half) and 1d4 [[SRD:Dexterity|Dexterity]] ([[SRD:Fortitude|Fortitude]] half).

|class="left" |53-56 ||class="left" | Lightning Bolt {{Su}} ||class="left" | Special Attack ||class="left" | 30-ft. line, 4d6 1d6/[[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]] [[SRD:Electricity Effect|electricity]] damage ([[SRD:Reflex|Reflex]] half).

|class="left" |93-96 ||class="left" | Vomit Spray {{Ex}} ||class="left" | Special Attack ||class="left" | 30-ft. line that [[SRD:Blinded|blinds]] for 2d6 rounds and deals 2d8 1d8/2 [[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]] [[SRD:Acid Effect|acid]] damage, [[SRD:Reflex|Reflex]] negates and halves.