Animate Dead

Necromantic

Cleric Version

• Level Cleric 3

• Components V, S, M

• Casting Time 1 round

• Range 0

• Area of Effect One or more corpses/skeletal remains in a 10-ft. radius

• Duration Instantaneous

• Save None

Magic-user Version

• Level Magic-user 5

• Components V, S

• Casting Time 5 rounds

• Range 0

• Area of Effect One or more corpses/skeletal remains in a 10-ft. radius

• Duration Instantaneous

• Save None

This spell will create either zombies from corpses or skeletons from skeletal remains.

• The caster casts the spell and, if corpses or skeletal remains are in the area of effect, they will rise as mindless undead.

• Relatively fresh (per the GM) corpses create zombies and all else ("remains"), if mostly whole, creates skeletons.

• The caster can animate up to 1 undead for each caster level (per casting).

• The undead will follow the verbal commands of the caster (regardless of language); See Commanding Mindless Undead below.

• Skeletal remains of creatures smaller than Large size all conform generally to standard skeletons. See Creating Large Skeletons below.

• Humanoid corpses under 2 racial hit dice will become standard zombies. Racial hit dice ignore character class levels. See Creating Powerful Zombies below.

• See Vile Monsters, Skeleton or Vile Monsters, Zombie for creature statistics.

• Humanoid skeletons and all zombies always attack only once per round (unless under the effect of magic, like a haste spell).

• Skeletons gain a skeletal attack ability that supersedes any wielded weapon or natural weapon damage.

• Standard zombies use their primary natural attack doing a minimum of 1d8 damage (and gain a natural attack if none was possessed in life). When using normal-sized weapons, the weapon's attacks are adjusted by armor defense.

Armor Class

• Animated Small or Man-sized skeletons always have a minimum AC 7 and can be outfitted with armor (all armor gives it's standard AC value, with a minimum of AC 7; thus a skeleton wearing leather armor has an AC 7). Skeletons ignore armor defense adjustments vs. weapon type.

• Animated Small or Man-sized zombies always have a minimum AC 8 and can be outfitted with armor (all armor gives it's standard AC value, with a minimum of AC 8; thus a zombie wearing chain mail has an AC 5). Zombies ignore armor defense adjustments vs. weapon type.

Commanding Mindless Undead

• Mindless undead will only take verbal commands from the caster of the spell that animated them. Clerics can also take command of animated undead using their command undead ability.

• Commands must be very basic and undead will follow the commands unceasingly until commanded to do something else.

• Thus, skeletons can be commanded to "Guard this room and attack any not in a black robe that enters." They will fulfill that command forever (or the room collapses and is no more).

• Mindless undead set on a task must be watched carefully—if commanded to "dig a trench" they will keep digging until commanded to stop. Undead cannot use measurements or keep track of time. Mindless undead can "count" and know directions (right, left)—in that they know how to "patrol ahead taking the third corridor on the left until its ends then return."

• Mindless undead commanded to "attack" will randomly select one opponent and will attack it to the exclusion of all activity, even should it fall in battle. If commanded to "attack any who enter this space until they fall, then attack another enemy until all have fallen." The undead will stop attacking any opponent who becomes prone. They can, of course, be commanded to strike any opponent that becomes prone not less than 2 times.

• In any case, mindless undead conform to the mindless creature attribute.

Creating Large Skeletons

• If the remains is of a Large creature with more than 1 HD, ignoring any "pluses" (e.g. 4+1 HD equals 4 HD), it will be a Large skeleton with the same number of hit dice it had in life. An ogre skeleton will be animated with 4 hit dice.

• The maximum hit dice a caster can animate in one casting of the spell is equal to their caster level. Thus, a 5th level caster can animate one ogre skeleton and 1 orc skeleton.

• Large skeletons have a minimum AC 4. See Armor Class above.

• Large skeletons do more damage with their skeletal attack ability. See Vile Monsters, Skeleton.

• Large skeletons do not normally have any other attributes or abilities of the creature animated. e.g. A fire giant skeleton is not resistant to fire in any way.

• Large skeletons are turned/commanded as wights.

Creating Powerful Zombies

• If the remains is of a creature with more than 2 HD, ignoring any "pluses" (e.g. 4+1 HD equals 4 HD), it will be a monster zombie with one hit die added to those it had in life. An ogre zombie will be animated with 5 hit dice.

• The maximum hit dice a caster can animate in one casting of the spell is equal to their caster level. Thus, a 5th level caster can animate one ogre zombie.

• Monster zombies have a minimum AC 6. See Armor Class above.

• Monster zombies do 4d4 damage with a single natural weapon.

• Monster zombies do not normally have any other attributes or abilities of the creature animated. e.g. A fire giant zombie is not resistant to fire in any way.

• Large zombies are turned/commanded as ghasts.

Material Components 

Cleric. A drop of blood, a piece of human flesh, and a pinch of bone powder or a bone shard. The component is consumed when the spell ends. Cost/Scarcity. None/Common.

Known Substitutions. None.

Performance Rating Notes. Good or, depending on philosophy, even Neutral clerics using an animate dead spell will gain a performance rating mark.