Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Incensius 10-03-04, 11:58 AM	Animate Dead Necromancy [Evil] Level: Clr 3, Death 3, Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Targets: One or more corpses touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow your spoken commands. The undead can follow you, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) entering the place. They remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed skeleton or zombie can?t be animated again.) Regardless of the type of undead you create with this spell, you can?t create more HD of undead than twice your caster level with a single casting of animate dead. (The desecrate spell doubles this limit) The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. (You choose which creatures are released.) If you are a cleric, any undead you might command by virtue of your power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit. Skeletons: A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones. Zombies: A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The corpse must be that of a creature with a true anatomy. Material Component: You must place a black onyx gem worth at least 25 gp per Hit Die of the undead into the mouth or eye socket of each corpse you intend to animate. The magic of the spell turns these gems into worthless, burned-out shells. So my 20th level necromancer can have a cleric cast desecrate, then he casts animate dead and the result can be an 80HD Skeleton or Zombie????????? Or am i FORCED to create only 80 skeletons, each of 1 HD or so?
Grievemere 10-03-04, 12:10 PM	I can not think of anything that would stop you creating a 80HD worth of skeletons or zombies. EDIT However, you can not create a skeleton from a creature with more than 20HD or a zombie from a creature with more than 10HD using the animate dead spell , check out the entries in MM.
Incensius 10-03-04, 12:18 PM	hmm....you're very very correct Grievemere.....but in that case, nothing would stop me from raising 4 Young Adult Red Dragon Skeletons (which has 19 HD). Right? I mean sure, the AC is pretty nasty but i'm thinking that with 123 hp 4 of them can at least hold off the adventuring heroes...
dorpond 10-03-04, 12:39 PM	I always thought you could only raise the type of creatures that may have been in that area. (Dm's discretion) For example, in a human town you would get raised humanoids. In an old hobgoblin village, you may get hobgoblin undead or whatever might have been in the general area. The fact that you have the skeletal remains of 3 dragons in every area you wish to cast the spell kinda take away from the "logic" of it. After all, you have to touch the corpse by the spell description. But I understand D&D isn't about logic and maybe to bones come out of the ground and form into the creature you wish to create? I could and most likely am very incorrect by my interpretation. :D
Grievemere 10-03-04, 12:53 PM	in that case, nothing would stop me from raising 4 Young Adult Red Dragon Skeletons (which has 19 HD). Right? Right, there are no game mechanics to prevent it; poor heroes. Exactly how you convince 4 dragons to 'donate' their skeletons is another matter.
Incensius 10-03-04, 03:06 PM	heheh.....this was all purely hypothetical....thanks for the responses people
Seyluun 10-03-04, 04:43 PM	At level 20 4 of those skeletons are merely cover-provider for one round...
Putzfrau 10-05-04, 02:30 PM	A couple bags of holding... and your set. Instant dragon skeleton
ballekalle 10-05-04, 02:39 PM	against a party of 20th level adventurers, 4 19HD skeletal dragons wont be that hard IMO.