Undead Dragon Slayer

This revenant warrior has a skull-like face, decaying flesh and empty, lifeless eyes. Most stand six to seven feet tall and weigh about 250 pounds in armor. That armor is custom plate worked with a scale pattern and topped by a dragon-headed helm, now dented and scarred, and it shines with an eerie hue matching the kind of dragon the slayer most despises. Slayers are neutral or evil. They speak their native language and the tongues of dragons in a deep, grave-cold voice.

A slayer keeps all its living combat skill and gains more in death. Dragon fear has no effect on it, and a successful save vs. breath weapon means it takes half or no damage. Clerics cannot turn it, though holy word drives it off. Its armor is base AC 0, improving to -1, -2 or -3 against dragons according to the slayer's Hit Dice. THAC0 is 11 at 9 HD, 10 at 10 HD and 9 at 11 HD.

It fights with a long sword (80%) or two-handed sword (20%) that acts as a sword +2, dragon slayer while it holds it, attacking three times every two rounds. Unnatural strength grants +5 to hit dragons and +15, +16 or +17 damage by Hit Dice. Against other foes the bonus is +3 to hit and +6 damage.

Each slayer knows five dragon-fighting techniques from this list. Breath stun strikes the throat at -4 and shuts off the breath weapon for 1 round per point of damage dealt. Breach attack needs the slayer facing the underbelly between neck and abdomen, a round spent without attacking, and an Intelligence check; the next attack gains +6, or +2 if the check fails, and it can be paired with double damage. Dodge attack requires a Dexterity check and gives a 4-point AC bonus, +2 to saves vs. breath weapon and +2 to hit for the round. Double damage doubles the weapon's base damage on a hit, with magic and Strength bonuses added afterward. Great blow, at -4 and aimed anywhere, costs the slayer hit points of its choosing and adds that many to the damage if it lands. Weapon throw hurls the main weapon at 15 feet (-2), 30 feet (-4) or 45 feet (-6) for normal damage and cannot combine with other techniques. Wing attack, at -3, deals normal damage and grounds the dragon for 1 round per point. Some slayers also use dazzle, a twirling flourish that breaks a dragon's concentration so it cannot cast spells or use innate magic.

Most slayers are dragged back by necromancy. They keep their own minds and goals but must obey the caster until the job is done or they somehow break free. A few return through sheer will, burning with faith, endless hatred of dragons and supernatural resolve. Either way, every slayer seeks to destroy dragons and anyone who helps them. They may be found alongside skeleton warriors or dracoliches.

In one ancient legend, slayers were soldiers of a great human army that invaded a chain of dragon-ruled isles; any slayer of 9th level or higher who died with his holy mission unfinished could rise again.

A slayer needs no food, but it must kill dragons to keep its animating force alive. Each slain dragon sustains it for one month per Hit Die of the victim. If it fails to kill again within a week after that store runs out, it weakens and sinks back into the sleep of the dead.