Players can be whoever they want in Dungeons & Dragons, and that can include the undead if that's what they wish. Although most sourcebooks don't include rules for undead characters, a creative player and reasonable DM could easily solve that problem with some new concepts. Because they don't get explored often, undead player characters could lead to some very interesting roleplay opportunities.
Undead are some of the most staple antagonists in Dungeons and Dragons adventures. Whether they come in the form of mindless zombie hordes or a vampire mastermind, undead creatures are some of the most common enemy types that one can find. Being a fantasy staple, this shouldn't be much of a surprise. Even so, undead can offer so much more than simply being villains for players to tear through. There are some undead creatures that could make for interesting Dungeons and Dragons party combinations. It just takes a good player to come up with one.
Undead creatures may not have been designed to be used by players, but Dungeons and Dragons is all about writing one's own story. Undead player characters can provide plenty of roleplay topics that wouldn't be able to exist with most other characters. It is up to the player to make the best of these moments and make their undead adventurer the best they can possibly be.
Vampires In Dungeons And Dragons Have Several Cunning Options
Whether they appear in Dungeons & Dragons or any other media, one can usually count on a vampire to be savage, cunning, or both. Of all popular monsters in pop culture, vampires are the most likely to be intelligent, and this could easily be carried over into a Dungeons and Dragons character. Although vampires are usually villains, a player using a vampire character has some excellent options of their own. A free vampire-themed Dungeons and Dragons expansion could help prospective players in this regard.
Of course, they could also play as an evil vampire looking to expand their own power, but a good or neutral vampire just trying to survive with their thirst for blood can be interesting as well. One very good opportunity for roleplay could revolve around how the player deals with their vampire's desire to feed, and whether they feast in combat or do so under the cloak of night. Likewise, vampires also have a stereotype of seeing themselves as above humans. One could play their vampire as such, or they could simply do their best to blend in despite the thirst for blood in the back of their mind.
A vampire is a good idea for a fun evil build in Dungeons and Dragons, but one could make for a decent hero as well. It can be hard to make a vampire seem like a heroic role due to their blood-drinking habits, but a good roleplayer can manage such a performance. With the overall popularity of vampires, seeing a few show up as adventurers in campaigns should not be a surprise.
A Skeleton In Dungeons And Dragons Can Search For Purpose
Skeletons can frequently be found in Dungeons and Dragons adventures, but usually in the service of a necromancer rather than embarking on its own adventure. By design, skeletons are typically servants who lack connection to their previous identities because of their usual lack of identifying features. A player could use this to create a compelling character in the narrative, with a Dungeons and Dragons build that focuses on roleplaying.
One thing that could be done with a skeleton PC is to have them be a raised familiar to a necromancer who has recently died. With what intelligence it does possess, the skeleton could wander without purpose or identity, since what little it did know was now gone. This skeleton could become an unlikely ally for an adventuring party who came through the area, using what abilities it was granted to fight alongside them. It would have difficulties along the way, as one would expect of a living skeleton, but such a quest for meaning could turn a typically chilling monster into a charming and sympathetic figure.
Playing as a skeleton would likely involve some significant homebrewing, as well as some debates on whether it would be able to talk. However, this would be an example of when to use homebrew in Dungeons and Dragons, because such obstacles can be overcome with good ideas and dedication to the character. A skeleton may make for an unlikely hero, but a good underdog story can win over plenty of hearts, and a playable skeleton may be perfect for that role.
A Haunt In Dungeons And Dragons Can Be A Tragic, Determined Hero
Haunts are some of Dungeons & Dragons' lesser-known undead, but they have a lot of potential for adventures and plot hooks. The spirits of those who died in the process of completing a task that was vitally important to them, they haunt the mortal world until their deed is done. They will possess the bodies of the living in order to accomplish their goal, since they otherwise cannot travel far from where they died.
An obvious setup for a playable haunt is a character who was trying to accomplish the protagonists' goal long before their journey started, providing a perfect opportunity to encourage roleplay during the Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Their failure prevented them from moving on, and meeting the party gives them a second chance. In addition to providing more information about the situation at hand, the player also has a chance to deal with the haunt's need to possess people to do anything, as well as whether they feel remorse over the act. Playing a haunt also gives a player a chance to give the campaign an emotional sendoff, as their character can finally on with their goal accomplished.
A haunt is one of the most unique and mechanically challenging characters that a player could create. However, if handled correctly, they could be a major boost for the party as well as the story of the adventure. By adding extra emotional weight to the quest, a haunt has the potential to create a unique Dungeons and Dragons adventure and endgame to make a campaign truly great.
In Dungeons and Dragons, the ability to make whatever kind of character a player wants is the game's biggest draw. By creating undead characters, players are not only exercising their creativity, but creating brand new dimensions for the adventure that a skillful DM can run with. The next time one starts a new Dungeons and Dragons campaign, an undead player character could be their best idea.
