Editing Huecuva

[[File:Huecuva MM 2e.png|right|thumb|Yet another skeleton-in-tattered-robes monster.]]
The '''Huecuva''', (usually misspelled as '''Heucuva''') is an obscure [[undead]] monster hailing from the realms of [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. It can be thought of as the [[cleric]]al equivalent to the [[Death Knight]]; a skeletal undead created when a divine character (originally a [[cleric]], but 3e added [[paladin]], [[druid]] and [[monk]] to the victims list) angers their patron deity through acts of [[heresy]]. Most huecuvas are created from fallen priests of good or neutral deities, but an evil priest who angers their deity through incompetence or attempts to seek redemption may also be cursed with this state.

Unlike the [[Death Knight]], or the Clerical [[Lich]], the Huecuva is ''not'' a particularly great threat. They retain only dim memories of their former lives - enough to instinctively possess a hatred of living priests and to create lairs in grotesque mockery of true shrines and temples - and minimalistic intelligence. They cannot speak, and can only make simplistic, short-lived plans. They do possess an innate ability to cloak themselves in an illusion of being a living being, but using this to lure a victim in close is about as much as they can think of doing. They are, however, heavily resistant to turning, and their clawed fingers spread a rotting disease... worse, in third edition, unlike in AD&D, huecuvas ''can'' still cast divine spells; they're not great tactical users of their spells, but that spontaneous barrage of Inflict Wounds spells can be killer. 3e huecuvas are also heavily resistant to physical damage not inflicted with silver weapons, which does give them a necessary boost.

Unlike the lich and the death knight, the huecuva never really caught on, perhaps because it spent most of its existence as just a tougher [[skeleton]] with a diseased claw attack and a "[[Gotcha Monster|gotcha]]!" gimmick. Even in 3rd edition, when it gained spellcasting, it just wasn't really that interesting; clerical liches offered far more versatility and power, so they were better bang for the DM's buck.

Huecuvas first appeared in the [[Fiend Folio]] for [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 1st edition. They were updated to 2nd edition in the Monstrous Compendium Volume 2 before being ported to the Monstrous Manual. In 3e, they returned as a template in the 3e Fiend Folio, but also made appearances in issues #86 and #94 of [[Dungeon Magazine]].

It made a surprise reappearance fairly early into 4e; in [[Dragon Magazine]] #364, the article "The Ashen Covenant" not only features a huecuva NPC, but also provides the huecuva "template" for converting NPC [[cleric]]s, [[paladin]]s and other divine creatures. Here, it was changed so that whilst the "classic" version still exists as a punishment for bungling priests, evil deities have also been known to reward their faithful by turning them into huecuvas who retain their full memories and considerable power; they have a potent [[Regeneration]] ability and exude an aura that induces Deathless Fanaticism in their allies.

Their name is an alternative spelling of ''wekufe'', a word from the Mapuche people of the southern Andes which originally just meant "liar", but after the Spanish turned everybody Catholic, it was used to refer to demons and harmful spirits.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Huecuva 1e.png|1e
Huecuva Dungeon 29.jpg|Dungeon #29
Huecuva MCV2.jpg|Monstrous Compendium Vol. 2
Huecuva MM 2e.png|Monstrous Manual (2e)
Huecuva 3e.jpg|3e
Huecuva Dungeon 86.jpg|Dungeon #86
Huecuva Dungeon 94.jpg|Dungeon #94
Huecuva Dragon 364.png|Dragon #364
Aranthem Dragon 364.png|also Dragon #364
Huecuva B3 PF.png|Pathfinder
</gallery>

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]] [[Category: Monsters]] [[Category: Undead]]