Hordes of undead [Archive] - Wizards Community

Hordes of undead [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Averroes
11-06-07, 12:53 PM Not mine, my players. :weep:
Looking at the new lineup of characters I'm looking at a
True Necro-Going to be summoning, commanding, has a skeletal minion (From unearthed Arcana) and eventually creating undead
Cleric/master of shrouds: Allot of summoning, and commanding. Probably make them too just to make life difficult.
Wizard Nerco: Skeletal minion, command undead spell, and eventually also creating his own undead.

So apart from messy combat, (its going to be ugly) my big question is what kind of actions do they need to take to tell their minions what to do?

Command- Is a standard action, got it.
Summon-Unless I'm mistaken is a free action.
Skeletal minion- is this a free action? Or is it? All I've got is
"This creature is a loyal servant that follows the necromancer's commands and accompanies her on adventures if desired."
I was treating it like a trained animal which is a move action. But I'm not 100% sure.
Animate Dead- So what about created minions? I don't see any description as to what kind of action it takes to tell them what to do. Free?, move?, Standard?

How have you guys dealt with this in the past?
Averroes
11-07-07, 10:23 AM No Help on this one?
Axiomatic_vampire
11-07-07, 11:20 PM I'm happy to tell you how I deal with it, but I make no guarantees that it'd hold up in a court of law.

Summoned (as in summon undead I-V). Free action to speak to them. If there is no communication, they attack the nearest living thing that isn't the summoner.

Undead controlled Via rebuke/command undead. Mental orders, standard action.
Usually given standing orders such as "attack anything I point at", which is a swift action.

Undead controlled via Command Undead spell. This one is dodgy, it only says to treat intelligent undead as if they're charmed, and that nonintelligent undead can follow very basic orders. "Fight" and "go there" are specifically listed, so I have no trouble treating it like the above rebuke/command. They can respond to "attack that I point at", since they understand those two concepts. Again, swift action.

Undead controlled via Control Undead spell. Same as Command, except intelligent undead are handled just as unintelligent.

Undead controlled Via Animate Dead. Seem to understand commands in the same manner as commanded unintelligent dead.

Overall, I go for smoothness of gameplay more than perfect by-the-book methodology.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Averroes 11-06-07, 12:53 PM	Not mine, my players. :weep: Looking at the new lineup of characters I'm looking at a True Necro-Going to be summoning, commanding, has a skeletal minion (From unearthed Arcana) and eventually creating undead Cleric/master of shrouds: Allot of summoning, and commanding. Probably make them too just to make life difficult. Wizard Nerco: Skeletal minion, command undead spell, and eventually also creating his own undead. So apart from messy combat, (its going to be ugly) my big question is what kind of actions do they need to take to tell their minions what to do? Command- Is a standard action, got it. Summon-Unless I'm mistaken is a free action. Skeletal minion- is this a free action? Or is it? All I've got is "This creature is a loyal servant that follows the necromancer's commands and accompanies her on adventures if desired." I was treating it like a trained animal which is a move action. But I'm not 100% sure. Animate Dead- So what about created minions? I don't see any description as to what kind of action it takes to tell them what to do. Free?, move?, Standard? How have you guys dealt with this in the past?
Averroes 11-07-07, 10:23 AM	No Help on this one?
Axiomatic_vampire 11-07-07, 11:20 PM	I'm happy to tell you how I deal with it, but I make no guarantees that it'd hold up in a court of law. Summoned (as in summon undead I-V). Free action to speak to them. If there is no communication, they attack the nearest living thing that isn't the summoner. Undead controlled Via rebuke/command undead. Mental orders, standard action. Usually given standing orders such as "attack anything I point at", which is a swift action. Undead controlled via Command Undead spell. This one is dodgy, it only says to treat intelligent undead as if they're charmed, and that nonintelligent undead can follow very basic orders. "Fight" and "go there" are specifically listed, so I have no trouble treating it like the above rebuke/command. They can respond to "attack that I point at", since they understand those two concepts. Again, swift action. Undead controlled via Control Undead spell. Same as Command, except intelligent undead are handled just as unintelligent. Undead controlled Via Animate Dead. Seem to understand commands in the same manner as commanded unintelligent dead. Overall, I go for smoothness of gameplay more than perfect by-the-book methodology.