What creatures are immune to turn undead?

What Creatures are Immune to Turn Undead?

Turn undead is a powerful ability that can command the attention of undead creatures, forcing them to confront the paladin or wizard wielding the power. It is a significant tool that can aid adventurers in times of need. However, not all undead creatures react to turn undead, forcing those wielding this power to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of various undead groups.

Immune To Turn Undead: Generalities

• Turned, But Not Harmed: Reanimated undead creatures, raised by the likes of Skeletons and Zombies, resist turn undead as they regain their senses immediately after affected. These undead are undisturbed and can retreat back to their undead antics.

Special Cases – Exceptions

• Barovian Zombies: Raised from the Barovia’s undead dead, those reanimated resist turn undead as their unlife cycle allows them to recover before succumbing to the mind-altering power.
  • Exceptions: Newly created Zombies (not spawned by a higher undead sorcerer) respond to turning.
• Strazhs: Powerful undead Sorcerers in the mold of Strahd Zarovich are resistant to their own form of turn; Resisting the pull, they adapt to confront those seeking to turn. (As detailed in module: I6-7).

Creatures That Refuse to Yield

This category encompasses entities that show defiance, negating all effects of turn undead against them:

1. Liches & Wraiths: Like Strahd, as Liches and wraiths develop a separate identity from the mortal cycle, they exhibit exceptional resistance in face of turning.
   In rare instances, they experience an increase in strength once the power subsides **Temporary, minor advantage.

Subverted Undeath: Bypass

Necromanders, through their Dark Arts, attempt to avoid being turned or resist further effects.

• Aversions to Divine: Demon-infused Demonlords, under specific circumstances*, will deflect divine magicBecomes vulnerable through an ancient and binding *condition. A *Devilbound, Demon, as opposed to Angel-bound entitiesFae-like affinity toward chaos.

• Unique Resentment: An ancient deity- worshiper**Barovian Zombie’s enigmatic purpose.

Countermeasures Against Immunate Turn Undead

Several measures have been developed (through arcane experiments and strategic manipulation) to bypass innate immunity to turn undead:

• Empowerment Methods: Strengthening by enchanting undead entities themselves; in Emissary’s presence, those in Rite Initiation, empowered Spell-augmented strength
• Tolerance through Sorcery: Harnessing and leveraging Banes of Mortality Curse, exploiting vulnerable moments from a *Bane-enhanced source**
• Unforeseen Synergize

This new knowledge concerning immunity to turn undead creatures allows paladins or wizards to:

1, Re-strategize approaching battles and optimize their positioning and allies.