Zombie lords are the fleshy counterparts of skeletal champions—intelligent, cunning, and envious of creatures whose bodies aren't rotting away. Despite their decaying flesh, they are not slow like common zombies, and can easily pursue fleeing prey. Zombie lords are more powerful than common zombies and retain their class levels.

Creating a Zombie Lord

"Zombie lord" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than undead) that has a minimum Intelligence of 3. This corporeal creature is referred to hereafter as the base creature.

CR: A zombie lord's CR is 1 higher than that of a normal zombie with the same Hit Dice, plus the normal CR increase for class levels (if any).

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

Alignment: Any evil.

Armor Class: Natural armor as per zombie.

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

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

Defensive Abilities: A zombie lord gains DR 5/slashing and channel resistance +4, in addition to undead traits.

Speed: As zombie.

Attacks: As zombie.

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

BAB: A zombie lord's BAB for its racial HD is equal to 3/4 its HD.

Skills: A zombie lord gains skill ranks per racial Hit Die equal to 4 + its Int modifier (class skills as the undead type). Skills gained from class levels remain unchanged.

Feats: A zombie lord gains Toughness as a bonus feat.

Special Qualities: Unlike a common zombie, a zombie lord does not gain the staggered special quality.