View source for SRD:Animate Dead (Epic Spell Seed)

{{OGL Top}}
{{3.5e Epic Spell
| seed=1
| name=Animate Dead
| school=Necromancy
| desc=Evil
| sdc=23  
| comp=V, S  
| time=1 minute  
| range=Touch  
| tsea=t
| subj=One or more corpses touched  
| dur=Instantaneous  
| save=None  
| sr=No  
}}

The caster can turn the bones or bodies of [[SRD:Dead|dead]] creatures into [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] that follow his or her spoken commands. The [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] can follow the caster, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or a specific type of creature) entering the place. The [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] can’t be animated again.) Intelligent [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] can follow more sophisticated commands. The ''animate [[SRD:Dead|dead]]'' seed allows a character to create 20 [[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]] of [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]]. For each additional 1 [[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]] of [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] created, increase the [[SRD:Spellcraft Skill|Spellcraft]] [[SRD:DC|DC]] by +1. The [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] created remain under the caster’s control indefinitely. A caster can naturally control 1 [[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]] per [[SRD:Caster Level|caster level]] of [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] creatures he or she has personally created, regardless of the method used. If the caster exceeds this number, newly created creatures fall under his or her control, and excess [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] from previous castings become uncontrolled (the caster chooses which creatures are released). If the caster is a [[SRD:Cleric|cleric]], any [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] he or she commands through his or her ability to commands or rebuke [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] do not count toward the limit. For each additional 2 [[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]] of [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] to be controlled, increase the [[SRD:Spellcraft Skill|Spellcraft]] [[SRD:DC|DC]] by +1. Only [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] in excess of 20 [[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]] created with this seed can be controlled using this [[SRD:DC|DC]] adjustment. To both create and control more than 20 [[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]] of [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]], increase the [[SRD:Spellcraft Skill|Spellcraft]] [[SRD:DC|DC]] by +3 per additional 2 [[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]] of [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]].  

Type of [[SRD:Undead Type|Undead]]: All types of [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] can be created with the ''animate [[SRD:Dead|dead]]'' seed, although creating more powerful [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] increases the [[SRD:Spellcraft Skill|Spellcraft]] [[SRD:DC|DC]] of the epic spell, according to the table below. The GM must set the [[SRD:Spellcraft Skill|Spellcraft]] [[SRD:DC|DC]] for [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] not included on the table, using similar [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] as a basis for comparison.  

{|  class="zebra d20"   
|-
! '''[[SRD:Undead Type|Undead]]'''!! '''[[SRD:Spellcraft Skill|Spellcraft]] [[SRD:DC|DC]] Modifier'''!! '''[[SRD:Undead Type|Undead]]'''!! '''[[SRD:Spellcraft Skill|Spellcraft]] [[SRD:DC|DC]] Modifier'''
|-
| [[SRD:Skeleton|Skeleton]]|| –12|| [[SRD:Wraith|Wraith]]|| –2
|- 
| [[SRD:Zombie|Zombie]]|| –12|| [[SRD:Mummy|Mummy]]|| +0
|-
| [[SRD:Ghoul|Ghoul]]|| –10|| [[SRD:Spectre|Spectre]]|| +2
|- 
| [[SRD:Shadow|Shadow]]|| –8|| Morhg || +4
|-
| [[SRD:Ghast|Ghast]]|| –6|| [[SRD:Vampire|Vampire]]|| +6
|- 
| [[SRD:Wight|Wight]]|| –4|| [[SRD:Ghost|Ghost]]|| +8
|}

{{SRD Epic Spell Seed Footer}}
Descriptor	Evil +
Identifier	Epic Spell Seed +
School	Necromancy +
Spellcraft DC	23 +
Title	Animate Dead +