View source for SRD:Animate Dead

{{OGL Top}}
{{3.5e Spell
| name=Animate Dead
| school=Necromancy 
| desc=Evil
| lvl=Cleric 3,  Death 3,  Sorcerer/Wizard 4
| comp=V, S, M
| casttime=1 [[SRD:Standard Actions|standard action]]
| range=Touch
| tsea=ts 
| subj=One or more corpses touched
| dur=Instantaneous
| save=None
| sr=No
}}

This spell turns the bones or bodies of [[SRD:Dead|dead]] creatures into [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] [[SRD:Skeleton|skeletons]] or [[SRD:Zombie|zombies]] that follow your spoken commands.

The [[SRD:Undead Type|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 [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] you create with this spell, you can’t create more [[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]] of [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] than twice your [[SRD:Caster Level|caster level]] with a single casting of ''animate [[SRD:Dead|dead]]''. (The ''[[SRD:Desecrate|desecrate]] ''spell doubles this limit)

The [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 4 [[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]] worth of [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] creatures per [[SRD:Caster Level|caster level]]. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] from previous castings become uncontrolled. (You choose which creatures are released.) If you are a [[SRD:Cleric|cleric]], any [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] you might command by virtue of your power to command or rebuke [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] do not count toward the limit.

''[[SRD:Skeleton|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. 

''[[SRD:Zombie|Zombies]]: ''A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The corpse must be that of a creature with a true anatomy.

''[[SRD:Spell Descriptions#Material (M)|Material Component]]: ''You must place a black onyx gem worth at least 25 gp per [[SRD:Hit Dice|Hit Die]] of the [[SRD:Undead Type|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.

{{SRD Spell Footer}}
Component	V +, S + and M +
Descriptor	Evil +
Level	Cleric 3 +, Death 3 + and Sorcerer/Wizard 4 +
Range	Touch +
School	Necromancy +
Title	Animate Dead +