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
Description

Other Information
You can't create more HD of undead than twice your caster level with a single casting. You can control 4HD of undead per caster level.

Pros:
  • No duration.
  • Versatile - you can create many weak undead creatures or a single strong undead creature, the choice is up to you.

    Cons:
  • Costly material component.
  • Your commands must be spoken. If you are silenced or rendered unconscious, you cannot issue any new commands to the undead creatures.
  • Definitely an evil spell. Most DM's will not look kindly upon good characters casting this spell.

    Tricks/Combos:
  • Valuable as expendable pawns. Use to enter suspicious doorways, open trapped chests, block a hallway while you escape - the possibilites are endless.
  • Animated undead can be ordered to guard areas. Useful for protecting a base, or for ambushing a group following you.
  • When used in conjunction with Desecrate, you can create up to four times your caster level of undead in a single casting. In other words, you can create up to your maximum HD-controlled limit.
  • Take advantage of undead immunities; for instance, send your undead pawns to attack, and then surround the melee with a Stinking Cloud spell.

    Overall:
    A 5th level Cleric could create a single 10HD undead servant with this spell. He can do this twice before reaching his maximum HD-controlled limit. It's a great way to get absolutely loyal servants and/or bodyguards, and even though it has a costly material component, the overall cost is quite low - the two 10HD creatures would only cost 250 gp each. However, you won't always be able to raise the ideal undead that you want. You may want a fierce bodyguard, but if all you have available is three old Kobold corpses, then that's all you can use.

    Recommended for Clerics?
    Yes. You get it at a lower level than arcane casters, and can combine it with Desecrate for increased effectiveness. You can also heal them with negative energy spells.

    Recommended for Sorcerers?
    No. It's not a spell that you will be using frequently, so most of the time it will just be taking up a valuable spell known slot. Sometimes you won't have the components, other times you won't have the proper corpses. A Summon Monster spell isn't quite as strong, and isn't permanent, but it's more reliable.

    Recommended for Wizards as an initial spell choice?
    Varies, but usually not a bad choice, simply because it gets you a permanent, completely loyal bodyguard (or bodyguards.) You may want to hold off learning it right away, since you don't know how long until you find some suitable corpses. Personally I would scroll-scribe it and never memorize it until we happened to find some great targets. Necromancers obviously have other spells that complement this one, but otherwise any type of Wizard can benefit equally as well.

    Recommended as a scroll?
    No. Since scrolls use the minimum caster level, you would only be able to animate 10HD of undead per casting. This spell should be cast normally. However, if you can find a scroll scribed at a higher level, then it is worth carrying one around in case you stumble upon a terrific corpse that you won't have a chance to fetch later.
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