monsters and a strange mix of positive and negative energies, necrovores are hunters and eaters of undead. Necrovores were originally imbued with positive energy, possibly even by some benevolent force, to track down and destroy the undead of the world. While so doing, they slowly changed into the hid- eous and foul creatures they are now, utterly corrupted by their ability to absorb negative energy and ever driven to feed on creatures connected to it. Now, these horrid creatures search
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necropolises and burial sites for any sign of the harrowed souls who exist without dying. Not even incorporeal un- dead are safe from the voracious appetite of these horrors, and any mortals that dare oppose a necrovore in its hunt are quickly dispatched.Appearance Changes
Necrovores possess a terrible aspect, usually darker than their normal kin, with oversized natural weapons. Some are beautiful in a macabre way, like a sleek predator, while others are unkempt, with mottled patches of hair, numer- ous scars, scraggly teeth, and long, dirt-encrusted claws. A necrovore’s eyes burn with the paradoxical fires of life,
death, higher purpose, and madness.
Creating a Necrovore
“Necrovore” is a template that can be added to any living creature other than an elemental or outsider (referred to hereafter as the “base creature”). A necrovore differs from the base creature as follows.
Type: Animals and vermin become magical beasts. Humanoids and giants become monstrous humanoids. Hit Dice: In this template, Hit Dice stands for the necrovore’s total character Hit Dice.
Armor Class: Due to its inborn positive energy, a necrovore has a +1 sacred bonus to AC against undead. Attack: A necrovore gains claws and a bite, presuppos- ing appropriate body parts. It may make a single claw or bite attack as a standard action, and it may use a full-attack action to make a number of claw attacks according to its base attack bonus and a secondary bite attack. A creature that already has a primary bite treats its claws as secondary attacks. Claw and bite damage is medium according to the base creature’s size and Table 1–3: Creature Attributes by Size (page 13). A necrovore’s natural weapons, and any weapon it wields, are considered magic for overcoming damage reduction, and it gains a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against undead opponents.
Full Attack: As a full attack action, a necrovore may make two primary claw attacks and one secondary bite. If the base creature had its bite as the primary attack, the bite retains that designation, and the claws are secondary. Special Attacks: A necrovore gains the following.
Festering Wounds (Su): A necrovore’s mouth is infested
with a horrible disease created from the consumption of undead and the positive energy infusing the creature. Liv- ing opponents struck by a necrovore’s bite must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + one-half of the necrovore’s HD + its Constitution modifier) or contract the disease known as necrotic rot (see the Necrotic Rot sidebar).
Ghost Strike (Su): As a move action, a necrovore can
charge a single melee attack with energy that allows the strike to harm incorporeal or ethereal beings.
Negative Energy Burst (Su): When a necrovore has
extra temporary hit points due to the foul consumption ability (see Special Qualities), it may give up some or all
of those hit points in a burst of negative energy. Living creatures within a 15-foot radius burst centered on the necrovore must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + one-half of the necrovore’s HD + its Constitution modifier). Those who fail the save take damage equal to half the amount of temporary hit points the necrovore gave up. Undead in the area are healed for the same amount.
Undead Disruption (Su): The positive energies infus-
ing the necrovore’s natural weapons disrupt undead. Such creatures take extra damage equal to half of the weapon’s normal damage with no added Strength bonus. Halving the damage for this purpose may result in a lower die type. Minimum damage is 1 point. For example, a necrovore ankheg deals 2d6+7 points of damage with its mandibles, so it also disrupts undead for an additional 1d6 points of damage.
Special Qualities: A necrovore gains the following.
Detect Undead (Su): A necrovore can detect undead, as
the spell, continuously. Caster level equals the necrovore’s Hit Dice.
Damage Reduction (Ex): All necrovores have damage
reduction 1 + one-quarter of their Hit Dice against any- thing besides magic weapons.
Ethersight (Su): As a full-round action, a necrovore can
activate its ability to see creatures, locations, and features of the Ethereal Plane to a range of 60 feet for a number of rounds equal to the necrovore’s Wisdom score. If the ability is suppressed, the necrovore can resume use as a full- round action.
Fast Healing (Su): Necrovores heal quickly due to their
connection to positive energy. They heal at a rate of 1 point per round +1 point per 3 Hit Dice.
Foul Consumption (Su): By destroying an undead
creature and consuming its corporeal remains, a necrovore absorbs part of the negative energy released in the slaying. This grants the necrovore a seeming of unlife, making its
wounds less threatening. A necrovore gains 5 temporary
Necrotic Rot An injury from a necrovore can result in a horrible affliction caused by the mixing of positive and negative energies in a necrovore’s body. The negative energies destroy tissue and life, while the positive energies sustain the disease. The incubation period is one day and the disease deals 1d4 points of Wisdom and Constitution damage per day, causing feverish delirium and roiling sores that rise and recede, some oozing infected liquids and others disappearing after little discomfort. When the disease is cured without magic, the victim must make a final Will saving throw (DC 20) or 1 point of Wisdom damage (if any) is considered drain. Infection: Injury DC: 20 Incubation: 1 day Damage: 1d4 Wis and Con
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hit points per 2 Hit Dice of undead slain and consumed. Temporary hit points gained in this manner fade after 24 hours.
Immunities: Necrovores are immune to poison, paraly-
sis, and disease. They are not subject to energy drain, ability damage or drain, or necromantic death effects.
Environment: Underground.
Challenge Rating: +1 plus 20% (maximum +4). Level Adjustment: —