Rules: Turning Undead

 

I've been making some edits and improvements to the rule set and realized I didn't have any rules for turning undead. So, I have added some mechanics for that. 

Turning undead: many clerics have the ability to turn undead. This requires the cleric’s holy symbol and the cleric must spend a full round exhorting the undead to begone.

 

The cleric may turn up to 2d6 HD worth of undead per level of the cleric. Thus, the first step in turning undead is for the cleric to roll the appropriate number of d6 and then identify which specific undead creatures the cleric will attempt to turn.

 

Once the targets are identified, each undead makes a turn save roll (DC = 8 + the cleric’s magic proficiency bonus + the cleric’s WIS modifier). If the creature fails the save, it is compelled to steadily move away from the cleric for 6d6 minutes. If the creature fails the save by 10 or more, the creature is instantly destroyed.

 

Notes on turning undead:

 ·       Though turning undead works substantially the same as a spell, the ability does not need to be prepared ahead of time and does not consume spell slots when used.

 ·       A cleric may turn the same creature multiple times per encounter only if the  turn attempt succeeds every time. Once a creature succeeds on a turn save, the cleric can no longer turn that creature (unless encountering it again at some other time).

 ·       Some believe higher quality holy symbols are more effective in turning undead. Others dismiss this view as ignorant and offensive to the gods.

 

Example: An adventuring party encounters a pack of ten ghouls near a graveyard outside of town. The group[‘s cleric, Gadriel, raises her holy symbol and calls upon the goddess to banish these horrid aberrations. Being a 3^rd-level Sunmother of Vitiniba, Gadriel rolls 6d6 to find out how many HD worth of ghouls she can turn: 17.

Ghouls have 2 HD apiece, so this means Gadriel can attempt to turn eight of the ghouls. She specifies the ones she wishes to turn, and the DM then prepares to roll their turn saves. Gadriel’s magic proficiency bonus is +3, and she has 14 WIS (+2), so the ghouls will need to roll 13 or higher to avoid being turned. Five of the ghouls roll numbers between 4-12, and are turned. They retreat from Gadriel, running away in several directions. A sixth ghoul rolls a 2, and is instantly annihilated. That ghoul freezes in its tracks and suddenly crumbles to dust, right before Gadriel. The remaining two ghouls, however, roll 13+ and save against the turn attempt. Gadriel can no longer turn these two ghouls during the encounter and they continue ambling hungrily toward the party.