ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or disaster (3–8)
Treasure none

Blast shadows usually spawn as the result of a magical catastrophe, but can also be artificially created. Pyromaniac magic users, worshipers of evil fire deities, and the servants of powers that crave burnt offerings favor these undead horrors. A spellcaster of 14th level or higher can create a blast shadow using create undead. In addition to the normal components of the spell, the spellcaster must use the body of a creature that died as a result of a fire spell or effect. The spell must be one that affects an area. Scorching ray is not sufficient, but fireball is. The creature must have died within 24 hours of the casting of create undead. Blast shadows created in this way are loyal to their creator, but those created by a death burst are beholden to no one.

Variant Blast Shadows

Although most blast shadows are created through fire, others are known to exist. The following variants have different abilities than the standard blast shadow.

Acid Shadow

Created using an acid fog or similar effect, the claws, cloud, and death burst of an acid shadow deal acid damage instead of fire damage. The cloud of an acid shadow does not grant concealment, but any weapon that strikes an acid shadow takes 2d6 points of acid damage.

Freezing Shadow

Those who die from supernatural cold, such as the cold created by control weather, sometimes rise as freezing shadows. The claws, cloud, and death burst of a freezing shadow deal cold damage instead of fire damage. A freezing shadow can move across ice and snow without penalty.

Lightning Shadow

These undead are created through terrible lightning storms, such as those manifested by call lightning storm and storm of vengeance. The claws, cloud, and death burst of a lightning shadow deal electricity damage instead of fire damage. The cloud of a lightning shadow does not grant concealment, but anyone who strikes a lightning shadow with a metal weapon takes 1d6 points of electricity damage.