Skeletal Champion

This armored skeleton stands in a battle-ready pose, its weapon held high as cold blue light shines in its eye sockets.

Skeletal Champion (CR 2)

Human skeletal champion warrior 1
Medium Undead
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Initiative: +5
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet; Perception +6

Speed: 30 feet
Space: 5 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 21, touch 12, flat-footed 19 (+6 armor, +1 Dex, +2 natural, +2 shield)
Hit Points: 17 (3 HD; 2d8+1d10+3)
Saving Throws: Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +3; channel resistance +4
Damage Reduction: 5/bludgeoning
Immunity: cold, undead traits

Offense

Melee: mwk longsword +7 (1d8+3/19-20)
Reach: 5 feet

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
17 (+3)	13 (+1)	-	9 (-1)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)

Base Attack Bonus: +2
CMB +5
CMD 16

Feats: Cleave, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (Longsword)

Skills: Intimidate +7, Perception +6, Stealth -1

Languages:

Special Abilities

NONE

Ecology

Environment: Any
Organization: solitary, pair, or platoon (3-12)
Treasure: standard (breastplate, heavy steel shield, masterwork longsword, other treasure)


Some skeletons retain their intelligence and cunning, making them formidable warriors. These undead are far more powerful than their mindless kin, and many gain class levels.

Creating a Skeletal Champion

"Skeletal Champion" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system (referred to hereafter as the base creature) and a minimum Intelligence of 3.

CR: A skeletal champion's CR is +1 higher than a normal skeleton with the same HD (see page 250).

Type: The creature's type becomes undead. It keeps subtypes save for alignment subtypes and subtypes that indicate kind.

Alignment: Any evil.

Armor Class: Natural armor as per skeleton (see page 250).

Hit Dice: Change all of the creature's racial HD to d8s, then add 2 racial Hit Dice to this total (creatures without racial HD gain 2). HD from class levels are unchanged.

Defensive Abilities: A skeletal champion gains DR 5/ bludgeoning, channel resistance +4, and immunity to cold. It also gains all of the standard undead traits.

Speed: As standard skeleton (see page 250).

Attacks: As standard skeleton (see page 250).

Abilities: Str +2, Dex +2. As undead, it has no Constitution score.

BAB: Its BAB for racial HD equals 3/4 of its HD.

Skills: Gains skill ranks per racial Hit Die equal to 4 + its Int modifier. Class skills for racial HD are Climb, Disguise, Fly, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Perception, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, and Stealth. Skills gained from class levels remain unchanged.

Feats: A skeletal champion gains Improved Initiative as a bonus feat.

Saves: Base save bonuses for racial Hit Dice are Fort +1/3 HD, Ref +1/3 HD, and Will +1/2 HD + 2.