Undead Minion

Undead minions are deceased creatures infused with negative energy from Negative Energy Plane. An undead minion is completely indistinguishable from a standard undead creature of its type. The minion obeys its master’s verbal commands to the best of its ability, and cannot be controlled or turned by others. An undead minion will do all it can to aid and protect its necromage master, springing to attack when opponents wander too close. Undead minions have the base statistics as shown on the Undead Minion Base Statistics table. These base statistics can only be modified by the minion’s base form and through a necromage’s level advancement.

UNDEAD MINION ABILITIES

An undead minion’s abilities are determined by its specific creature type and by the necromage’s level. Table: Undead Minion Base Statistics determines many of the base statistics of the minion. A undead minion’s base form (skeleton or zombie) modifies these base statistics. Undead minions are considered undead for the purpose of determining which spells affect them.

Hit Dice

This is the total number of 8-sided (d8) Hit Dice the undead minion possesses, each of which gains a Charisma modifier instead.

Base Attack Bonus

This is the undead minion’s base attack bonus. An undead minion's base attack bonus is the same as that of a necromage of a level equal to the minion's HD. Undead minions do not gain additional attacks using their natural weapons for a high base attack bonus.

Fort/Ref/Will

These are the undead minion’s base saving throw bonuses. An undead minion has good Will saves.

Skills

This lists the undead minion's total skill ranks. Undead minions can assign skill ranks to any skill listed under Minion Skills. If an undead minion increases its Intelligence to 10 or higher, it gains bonus skill ranks as normal (an undead minion gains a number of skill ranks equal to 4 + its Intelligence modifier per HD). Undead minions can purchase ranks in any skill. An undead minion cannot have more ranks in a skill than it has Hit Dice.

Undead minions can have ranks in any of the following skills and are all considered class skills: Climb (Str), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Stealth (Dex).

Feats

This is the total number of feats possessed by an undead minion. Undead minions can select any feat that they qualify for, but they must possess the appropriate appendages to use some feats. Undead minion feats are set once chosen, unless the necromage gains a completely new minion due to it being destroyed or dismissed. It such cases, the necromage can choose feats appropriate for the creature’s type and level. Undead minions can select any feat they are physically capable of using. GMs might expand this list to include feats from other sources.

Natural Armor Bonus 

The number noted here is an improvement to the undead minion's existing natural armor bonus.

Str/Dex Bonus

Add this value to the undead minion's Strength and Dexterity scores.

Int Bonus

Add this value to the undead minion’s Intelligence score.

Special

This includes a number of abilities gained by all undead minions as they increase in power. Each of these bonuses is described below.

Darkvision (Ex): The undead minion has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.

Link (Ex): A necromage and his undead minion share a mental link allows for communication across any distance (as long as they are on the same plane). This communication is a free action, allowing the necromage to give orders to his eidolon at any time. In addition, magic items interfere with the necromage’s connection to his undead minion. As a result, the necromage and his minion share magic item slots. For example, if the necromage is wearing a ring, his undead minion can wear no more than one ring. In case of a conflict, the items worn by the necromage remain active, and those used by the minion become dormant. The undead minion must possess the appropriate appendages to utilize a magic item.

Share Spells (Ex): The necromage may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her undead minion (as a touch range spell) instead of on himself. A necromage may cast spells on his undead minion even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the minion's type (undead or undying). Spells cast in this way must come from a class that grants an undead minion. This ability does not allow the minion to share abilities that are not spells, even if they function like spells.

Undead Traits: An undead minion has all the qualities of the undead type.

Evasion (Ex): If an undead minion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.

Ability Score Increase (Ex): The undead minion adds +1 to any one of its ability scores.

Devotion: An undead minion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.

Advancement: The undead minion improves to one of the skeleton or zombie variants listed on Table: Undead Minion Advancement.

Multiattack: An undead minion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the undead minion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a –5 penalty.

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an undead minion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.

Base Form

Each undead minion has one of two base forms that determines its starting size, speed, AC, attacks, and ability scores, that of either a humanoid skeleton or a humanoid zombie. All natural attacks are made using the undead minion’s full base attack bonus unless otherwise noted (such as in the case of secondary attacks). Undead minion attacks add the undead minion’s Strength modifier to the damage roll, unless it is its only attack, in which case it adds 1-1/2 times its Strength modifier. The undead minion is always Medium or Small, according to the size of the necromage. An undead minion can be outfitted with additional weapons and armor at the necromage’s cost.

Skeleton Form

Humanoid Skeleton (undead)

Starting Statistics: Size Medium or Small (as the necromage’s size); Speed 30 ft.; AC +2 natural; Saves Fort (bad), Ref (bad), Will (good); Attack claw (1d4+2) or melee weapon (weapon damage +2); Special Qualities DR 5/bludgeoning; Ability Scores Str 15, Dex 14, Con —, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 10.

Zombie Form

Humanoid Zombie (undead)

Starting Statistics: Size Medium or Small (as the necromage’s size); Speed 30 ft. (good); AC +2 natural armor; Saves Fort (bad), Ref (bad), Will (good); Attack slam (1d6 +3); Special Qualities DR 5/slashing, staggered*; Ability Scores Str 17, Dex 10, Con —, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 10. *( Zombies have poor reflexes and can only perform a single move action or standard action each round and has the staggered condition. A zombie can move up to its speed and attack in the same round as a charge action.

Table: Undead Minion Advancement 

Sources: AP (Adventure Path), B1 (Bestiary 1), B3 (Bestiary 3), CHR (Classic Horrors Revisited).