Not sure why you find the water ward a problem, it takes two entire preps to make. (the entire time of which I need one hand free) Which can still be broken through by a high prepped attack. (Which is how the prep system was designed for.) 

Sorry if it seems like he was somehow made to target your character (which he wasn't), but I liked the dynamic of the Burnt one and Drown child. Anyway, as I said, only his great coat has that protection. (and piercing attacks against a corpse would hardly be effective anyway. And undead is always how I role. Heh, get it?) She controls water, make a mace or throw a tree. :K

Plus, if I wanted to use former knowledge of the character sheets to my advantage. I'd hardly have made an undead when one of the PC's uses nothing, but divine magic. (and is ironically a good hard counter to my PC.) Still hardly something I'd complain about though, just makes the fight more interesting.