The Undying are all strong willed and there is always a reason they were able to resist being deranged by their death. This reason is the sort of “unfinished business” that can sometimes create a ghost but in their case their essence remains trapped within their dead flesh. If this reason, their purpose, is ever fulfilled they will finally die. In this way they have a lot in common with revenants.
For some reason, only humans have become Undying.
Ability Score Modifiers: Str +1, Wis +1
Ability Score Minimums: none
Ability Score Maximums: Dex 18
Hit Point Adjustment: none
Move: 30ft
Playing the Undying
The Undying know that they should be dead. It is a sobering reality. Many are dark and intense but some force a brave face. Central to who the Undying become is why they lived. Whatever it is that saw them through oblivion is their central focus and preoccupation.
Age and Appearance
The Undying stop aging when they are are “reborn”. Being undead makes them appear 5 or 10 years older. Their flesh is pale, eyes cloudy and hair shot with gray. Over time this condition worsens. Skin goes gray as eyes and hair turns white.
It is unknown how long the Undying can “live”. They are theoretically immortal.
Size
The Undying were human so are medium sized.
Gender and Reproduction
The Undying are whatever gender they were when they died. They can no longer reproduce.
Names
The Undying have whatever named they have when they died but some assume a new name to protect their loved ones. Being associated with something many believe to be an abomination can be dangerous.
Undying Traits
Already Dead: When an Undying character is reduced to 0 hit points they die.
Reanimation: When an Undying character is dead, they can be brought back to “life” by Revivify or Raise Dead. There is no time limit on Raise Dead and if Raise Dead is used it has none of the usual penalties. If the Undying is left “dead” they will recover on their own at dawn, coming back to “life” at 1 hit point.
The Dead Stay Dead: Neither Resurrection or Reincarnation have any effect on the Undying.
Unnatural Healing: Rest doesn’t restore hit points to the Undying. Neither a short or long rest will heal them. Resting will, however, allow abilities that rely on rest to recharge. Mundane remedies such as Healer’s Kits and Medicine rolls have no effect on them. Potions do not work on the undying.
Magical healing has half the usual effect. Undying regenerate while inactive at a rate of 1 hit point per minute.
Dead Flesh: The Undying are immune to poison and disease. They no longer need to eat or excrete.
No Sleep for the Dead: The Undying cannot sleep.They are immune to sleep spells.
Nothing More to Fear: The Undying are immune to any spell or effect that causes fear, including but not limited to those that cause the frightened condition.
Faded Aura: The Undying can only attune themselves to 2 magic items rather than the usual limit of 3.
Shadowed: The Undying are Vulnerable to Radiant damage.
Undying Class Options
Open Classes: Bard, Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard
Closed Classes: Barbarian, Druid, Monk, Warlock
Undying fighters, paladins and rangers may choose from the following fighting style in addition to the usual options:
Relentless: You don’t care if your opponents hack away at your dead flesh while you fight. You can barely feel it. You may use a reaction to add d4 to your damage in melee combat but take the same amount of damage. At level 4 this improves to a d6 and to a d8 at lvl 7.
Bard
Undying Bards don’t get the Song of Rest.
Starting at 3rd level, the Undying learn to play a Lament one per short rest. Any friendly creatures who hear your performance recieve a +d4 bonus to saving throws against fear effects and necrotic damage. This lasts 10 minutes per level (so a 6th level bard sings a lament that lasts and hour).
The effects of Lament do not stack with Bless.
Cleric
Usually the Life or Death Domain.
Fighter
As written.
Paladin
Instead of Laying Hands on others, an Undying Paladin may use an action to draw from their healing pool to cure themselves.
Any spell or effect that is supposed to inflict radiant damage inflicts necrotic damage instead.
The Undying may only take the Oath of Vengeance.
Ranger
An Undying Beast Master may only choose as Crow as their animal companion (same stats as Hawk).
Rogue
As written.
Sorcerer
The only Sorcerous Origin available to the Undying is “Death”. The Death Origin has the following effects: At first level, the sorcerer may choose to change the damage type inflicted by any spell they cast that causes damage to necrotic.
Starting at 4th level, once per short rest (twice at 8th, 3 times at 12th) the Undying Sorcerer may declare a spell that he has changed to inflict necrotic damage to be “vampiric”. Such spells heal the caster for half the damage they inflict.
Wizard
As written.
Undying Backgrounds
Choose a background from what the Undying could have chosen when they were alive.
