Basic Fantasy RPG Forums

OK, I'm back with another question on rule mechanics. On page 50, column on the right, second paragraph. I don't understand the mechanics of how many undead will be turned. The example says that on a 2D6 roll of 7, at most, 3 monsters would be turned. I just don't see how the result would be 3 monsters turned. I also don't understand the sentence, "surplus hit dice are lost..." It seems to me like there was supposed to be some more explanation here that was edited out of the text. I just can't make sense of it. Please explain the mechanics of this rule to me.

Thanks in advance.

This rule rates undead monsters by their hit dice. In the example, Zombies are being turned. They have 2 hit dice, so on a roll of 7, at most 3 of them (6 total hit dice) could be turned (with the excess hit die being lost, as noted). Were we dealing with Skeletons, a full 7 could be turned on a similar roll.

AHHHHHH! I SEE NOW! I just had to get my head around the hit-die thing. 2D6 rolled = how many hit dice worth of monsters can be turned. So with that example it would be possible for 3 zombies and 1 skeleton to be turned, or 7 skeletons or 1 spectre, or 1 wraith and 1 wight, but not a mummy and a wraith because they would total 9.

OK, got it. Thank you so much for helping this noob again. I'm planning to play this weekend with my boys when we go camping. They are excited to play something that is so much easier than Star Wars SAGA edition.

Remember that the initial roll must succeed first, and weaker undead are turned before stronger (in mixed groups).

Rgr that. That makes total sense.

Instead of creating a new post I thought I would resurrect this one since its also about turning undead.

I guess my question is when does the turning take place? Here is the scenario. The cleric was the last one in the round to get an attack. The 3 remaining skeletons and the party had already moved and attacked before the cleric turned them. So here are some questions.

1. Should the skeletons have to wait until their turn the next round to begin fleeing?
2. If so do any characters with higher initiative get their attack first before the flee?
3. If the skeletons are engaged with a character and flee does the character get a parting shot?

dymondy2k wrote:Instead of creating a new post I thought I would resurrect this one since its also about turning undead.

I guess my question is when does the turning take place? Here is the scenario. The cleric was the last one in the round to get an attack. The 3 remaining skeletons and the party had already moved and attacked before the cleric turned them. So here are some questions.

1. Should the skeletons have to wait until their turn the next round to begin fleeing?
2. If so do any characters with higher initiative get their attack first before the flee?
3. If the skeletons are engaged with a character and flee does the character get a parting shot?

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes (but a character will not get extra attacks if he got to attack already (as in #2, at least this is how I do such)
All bad news for those skeletons, and this is a scenario where the timing was absolutely ideal (aside from skeletons getting in any attacks before the cleric got the opportunity to do his work).

Thanks Smoot.. I played it like that and 2 of the 3 turned Skellies never made it out of the room.