Necro-Pilot! Giant Mecha Anime in DnD Fantasy!

[Flay Crimsonwind]

It all stemmed from a thread about killing the Big T. This was said over the course of a few posts...

You just need a necromancer based cleric and a small swarm of Allips. The Big T is immune to ability damage, but not drain. Allips deal 1d4 Wis drain per touch (+3 to hit, will succeed on a roll of 2) and BIG T only has a Wis of 14. After that use Miracle/Wish.

In Libris Mortis, Summon Undead 4 will net you one Allip and Summon Undead 5 will net you two Allips.

That won't kill it, so Miracle/Wish won't help.  However, the thing is NEVER moving again unless someone heals the ability drain (and by the time they can do that, they could also Raise Dead on it, so obviously they want it around for whatever reason).

Obviously for experimental Evangelion Unit T

We need to do this. So, I ask you, as I'm sure there's a way to do this, what's the most optimal way to kill things and raise them to be used as undead mecha?

Hopefully, we can do this from the earliest possible levels, finding the best "mecha" monsters to pilot over the course of said levels. Some of the per-level can be theoretical, but I'm thinking we can get some nice practical builds.

I'll post the best builds here.

[Gunhaven]

For the Big T, I think you have to go Epic.  Skeletons would just be a disappointment and Zombies are limited to 10HD (MM1, 265) for Animate Dead.  Maybe this for the spell?
[spoiler]23 DC (Seed: Animate Dead (Epic, 93)) (207K, 5 days, 8.28K XP)
+84 DC (for 48HD that the Big T has, 24 past 20HD times 3 so you control it) (963K, 20 days, 38.52K XP)
-12 DC (Because it'll be a zombie) (855K, 18 days, 34.2K XP)
-5 DC (Because you are a Necromancer, right?) (810K, 17(16.2) days, 32.4K XP)
Each minute lowers cost by 18k, .36 days, and 720 XP.  Animate Dead normally takes 1 minute, you can make it last up to 10 minutes before getting into days.  Then 100 days with the same reductions.
If a ritual, each spell level grants the following reductions:

Level	Gold	Day	XP
1	9k	.18 days	360XP
2	27k	.54 days	1080XP
3	45k	.9 days	1800XP
4	63K	1.26 days	2520XP
5	81k	1.62 days	3240XP
6	99k	1.98 days	3960XP
7	117k	2.34 days	4680XP
8	135k	2.7 days	5400XP
9	153k	3.06 days	6120XP
Epic	171k	3.42 days	6840XP

4 Epic Ritual Participants = DC 14 Spellcraft, 126K Gold spent, 3 days research time, 5040XP spent.  It would raise a Big T Zombie if you had 4 Epic Spellcasters sacrifice one of their Epic Spells and stand around for a minute with you.
[/table]
[/spoiler]

[dna1]

Be a Ghost or some other optimized possesing character and jump in one 

[Prime32]

That list of things you can't do in Eberron included "Create a lobotomised clone of the tarrasque and make Jaela Daran pilot it, just you can see her in a plugsuit."

This is the part where I suggest using Giant Enemy Crabs. The siege crab (or something like that) lets casters hide inside it and cast spells through it.

One handbook recommended crafting a golem with a hollow head, putting your familiar inside and ordering it to follow the familiar's commands.

Be a Ghost or some other optimized possesing character and jump in one  

What would the cost be for a magic item which grants creatures two size categories below it or smaller the ability to possess the wearer while touching them?

The simplest way to get a mech is casting body of war (turns you into a warforged titan).

[Agita]

How about making the Tarrasque a Half-Golem? Eventually it'll fail its will save and become mindless, then it should be much easier to control it. Wouldn't Creat Undead or Create Greater Undead be able to turn it into a Bone Creature?

In any case, a way to subjugate it without losing its Con score would be neat, since it would retain its badass Regeneration.

[snakeman830]

Hmm, monsters to use as mechas...

I vote Rhemoraz for a low-level option, as you can animate it when you get Animate Dead (for arcane casters) or soon after (for Clerics).  It's Huge and badass.

[McPoyo]

Hauntshift.

[Praef]

find a soarwhale. Kill it.  Raise it. Awaken it.  Build a ship inside its ribcage. 

[The_Mad_Linguist]

1) Raise the terrasque's charisma.

2) Kill it, and bring it back as a ghost.

3) Kill yourself.  Come back as a ghost

4) Planeshift your incorporeal projection to the ethereal plane.

5) Possess the corporeal portion of the terrasque ghost

6) Reanimate the terrasque's physical body via Animate Dread Warrior

7) Order the possessed terrasque to possess the reanimated terrasque

8)

9)Profit

[Shadowhunter]

Hauntshift.

Remember that Haunt Shift can't affect someone with more than 8 HD.


Magic Jar gets an honorable mention, though it's not technically what we're after.

[McPoyo]

Hauntshift.

Remember that Haunt Shift can't affect someone with more than 8 HD.


Magic Jar gets an honorable mention, though it's not technically what we're after.

Holy/Unholy arrows. Done.

[dna1]

1) Raise the terrasque's charisma.

2) Kill it, and bring it back as a ghost.

3) Kill yourself.  Come back as a ghost

4) Planeshift your incorporeal projection to the ethereal plane.

5) Possess the corporeal portion of the terrasque ghost

6) Reanimate the terrasque's physical body via Animate Dread Warrior

7) Order the possessed terrasque to possess the reanimated terrasque

8)

9)Profit

8) Get underpants. (via underpants gnomes)

[Saxony]

For the Big T, I think you have to go Epic.  Skeletons would just be a disappointment and Zombies are limited to 10HD (MM1, 265) for Animate Dead.  Maybe this for the spell?
23 DC (Seed: Animate Dead (Epic, 93)) (207K, 5 days, 8.28K XP)
+84 DC (for 48HD that the Big T has, 24 past 20HD times 3 so you control it) (963K, 20 days, 38.52K XP)
-12 DC (Because it'll be a zombie) (855K, 18 days, 34.2K XP)
-5 DC (Because you are a Necromancer, right?) (810K, 17(16.2) days, 32.4K XP)
Each minute lowers cost by 18k, .36 days, and 720 XP.  Animate Dead normally takes 1 minute, you can make it last up to 10 minutes before getting into days.  Then 100 days with the same reductions.
If a ritual, each spell level grants the following reductions:

Level	Gold	Day	XP
1	9k	.18 days	360XP
2	27k	.54 days	1080XP
3	45k	.9 days	1800XP
4	63K	1.26 days	2520XP
5	81k	1.62 days	3240XP
6	99k	1.98 days	3960XP
7	117k	2.34 days	4680XP
8	135k	2.7 days	5400XP
9	153k	3.06 days	6120XP
Epic	171k	3.42 days	6840XP

4 Epic Ritual Participants = DC 14 Spellcraft, 126K Gold spent, 3 days research time, 5040XP spent.  It would raise a Big T Zombie if you had 4 Epic Spellcasters sacrifice one of their Epic Spells and stand around for a minute with you.
[/table]

Animate Dead is normally a standard action to cast. Does this change your calculations?

[snakeman830]

He's talking about the Epic Seed Animate Dead, not the spell.

[Gunhaven]

Ya, it's on page 93 of the Epic Level Handbook.

[Flay Crimsonwind]

Remember, this isn't so much "how can I get the monster to be played by me" as much as "how can my character ride inside a monster for extra badass points." It's the DnD equivalent of pimp my ride.

find a soarwhale. Kill it.  Raise it. Awaken it.  Build a ship inside its ribcage. 

Like this, except I'm not sure why you'd bother awakening it. Soarwhales sound awesome. Maybe a bit smellier than traditional airships, but hey.

I actually like the idea of trying to turn critters into golems and then hiding within them, and wherever that Crab thing is from would be an excellent place to start. Also, Remorhaz would be nice if we could find a way around the fire damage from touching them while inside them. I mean, otherwise what's the point? 

Anyone tried making an artificer that builds golem/constructs? First thing that comes to my mind, despite how little I know about artificers.

[Saxony]

He's talking about the Epic Seed Animate Dead, not the spell.

My bad 

[Bozwevial]

Remember, this isn't so much "how can I get the monster to be played by me" as much as "how can my character ride inside a monster for extra badass points." It's the DnD equivalent of pimp my ride.

In that case, get acid immunity and sufficient DR/fast healing to survive 24 points of crushing damage per round. Problem solved.

Yeah, you have to cut your way out afterwards, but it's worth it.

[dna1]

Ya just let it eat you. All you have to do is be strong enough to survive the inside lol

[PhaedrusXY]

Ya just let it eat you. All you have to do is be strong enough to survive the inside lol

And be able to control it somehow.

I'd suggest being tough enough to survive being swallowed and then casting Magic Jar on it. Then your body is "safe" and nearby in case you get dispelled or whatever.