To outfit themselves for hunting undead, level 1 NPCs have 1,000 gp, level 2 NPCs have 2,000 gp, and level 3 NPCs have 2,500 gp.
These NPCs are usually fighters, knights, and paladins, but this doesn't really matter as here's the real bind: the only common magic items are potions! (In the setting potions—and, by extension, oils—are created mundanely but very slowly. For this reason I'd prefer to keep the number and power level of potions low and their costs below 200 gp.)
Magic items other than potions are difficult enough to acquire that they can be considered unavailable. Alchemical items, however, are readily available.
NPCs don't need to pay for transportation or room and board, but they'll need armor and weapons in addition to other gear for hunting undead specifically.
Main undead threats are zombies, skeletons and ghouls, but shadows and other low-CR incorporeal undead shouldn't be beyond of their abilities. A vampire spawn is about their expected ceiling.
What's an optimal loadout for a level 1, 2, and 3 undead hunter NPC?
No third-party material, please, but magazine and Web material is allowed.
Best Answer
There aren't many alchemical or low-magic items especially usefull against Undead. There are a few you should definitely consider:
First of all, Positoxins (Libris Mortis 74-75)
To a corporeal undead creature, a positoxin functions much like a poison, usually dealing initial and secondary ability damage or drain when the target fails a Fortitude save. The ability damage or drain dealt by most positoxins can’t reduce an undead creature’s ability score below 1. Despite their normal immunity to damage or drain to physical ability scores (Str and Dex), undead are vulnerable to the ability damage or drain caused by positoxins.
They are quite expensive. Their prices range from mere 100 GP to 1 300 GP. These may be really useful against more powerful undead like liches or vampire spawns. There are 7 different positoxins.
Ravages (Book of Exalted Deeds 34-36)
Ravages function in a manner similar to poisons, dealing ability damage or even ability drain when the target is exposed to them through inhalation, injury, or ingestion, and additional damage or other effects 1 minute after the initial exposure.
Ravages and afflictions deal damage only to evil creatures. Any evil creature takes damage equal to that listed on either the Ravage Table or the Affliction Table, plus its Charisma bonus. An evil elemental or evil undead takes an extra 1 point of damage, and an evil outsider or an evil cleric of an evil deity takes an extra 2 points of damage. If more than one kind of damage is listed, the creature's Charisma modifier and additional damage are added to each kind of damage.
There are only 2 ravages, that might be useful for this case, as the rest is way too expensive.
Golden ice, 350 gp, Type: Injury, DC 14, Initial Damage: 1d4 Wis, Secondary Damage: 1d4 Int, 1d4 Wis
Unicorn blood , 500 gp, Type: Injury, DC 17, Initial Damage: 1d3 Str, Secondary Damage: 1d4 Str
Special items against undead.
Aspergillum (Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, 95)
50 GP
Ghostoil (Libris Mortis, 73)
50GP
Gravebane (Arms and Equipment Guide 34)
50 GP
Holy Water Sprinkler (Libris Mortis, 73)
62 GP
Crucial potions and oils
Regenerate light wounds (Masters of the Wild)
50 GP
Regain 1 hp in the next 11 rounds. If the encounter finishes and you can wait a minute, it is a better alternative to cure light wounds, as the value is constant and bigger (11 vs. from 2 to 9). If you'd drink more than one, they prolong the duriation of healing, so drinking 2 potions will make you regain 1 hp for the next 22 rounds.
Hide from undead
50 GP
Undead without intelligence treat you as you have not existed. Definitely a must have.
Magic weapon
50 GP
This is crucial against vampires with damage reduction.
Other useful pieces of equipment
Antitoxin Very useful against abilities like Ghoul's stench.
Anti Disease Tonic (Dragon #331, 32)
100 GP
Some undead creatures may cause serious diseases. This item may be a lifesaver.
Healing salve (Tome and Blood, 72)
50 GP
An alternative to the Cure light wounds potion, that is usable in an antimagic field.
Potion belt (Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, 96)
1 GP