As an alternative to the rules for Turning Undead presented in the CoreRules, consider the following two variants:
(from Deimodius)
The Undead Turning: Level Check variant (UA pg67) has the cleric make a level check against each undead up to a certain HD limit, and within the 60’ range. The cleric’s level check (like a Wizards level check) is 1d20 + Cleric lvl + Cha mod. The DC to beat is 10 + Monster HD + Turn Resistance (if any) + Cha mod. A cleric can affect a number of HD worth of creatures = to Effective Cleric lvl x 3. Any affected creatures are “frozen in place for 1 round as if paralysed” (even creatures with immunity to paralysis). The cleric can concentrate each round to prolong the effect up to 10 rounds. If the creature is attacked or takes damage, the effect is broken and the creature can act normally on it’s next turn. UA also suggests that if you use this variant, undead with turn resistance of +4 or higher should get a turn resistance increase of an extra +2.
Beating the DC by 5 or more means the cleric can choose to turn or rebuke (if evil) the undead normally (rather than just freezing them). If the creature’s HD is = to 1/2 the Cleric’s lvl or lower, no check is needed (it automatically succeeds), the undead is destroyed, and it still counts towards total HD worth that can be affected.
For m20, I would see it working something like this:
Turn Check = 1d20 + Clr lvl + MIND mod
DC = 10 + creature HD + Turn Resistance + MIND mod
In the interests of speeding play, the PC makes only 1 turn check roll and it is applied to all undead within range from lowest to highest HD in order until all HD that cleric can affect are used. So a lvl 1 cleric can affect a total of 3 HD worth of undead with that one check.
As above, undead with HD equal to or less than 1/2 the cleric’s lvl are automatically affected and are destroyed. HD of these undead are still part of total HD that can be affected.
The cost to use this ability is a loss of HP equal to the total HD the cleric affects (or chooses to affect).
(from Darrell)
Use an m20 version of the ‘Positive Energy Burst’ variant from Complete Divine. When the cleric says he’s going to attempt a turn, every undead critter within 30 feet must make a “Will save” (Knowledge + MIND). If the critter fails the check, he takes 1d6 points of damage per the cleric’s level.
Magic
