parent nodes: All Spells | Cleric Spells | Magic-User Spells | Magic Items
Range: 30'
Duration: special
Cleric 4, Magic-User 5
The casting of this spell causes the mortal remains of
one or more deceased creatures to arise as animated
skeletons or zombies. Such undead monsters persist
until slain, and obey the verbal commands of the caster.
A single casting of this spell may animate a number of
hit dice of undead equal to twice the caster's level of
ability, and no more. Animated skeletons have hit dice
equal to the number the creature had in life; for
skeletons of members of player character races, this
means one hit die, regardless of the character level of
the deceased. Zombies have one more hit die than the
creature had in life.
The sort of monsters created depend on the condition
of the remains. A reasonably intact corpse may only
arise as a zombie, while similarly intact skeletal remains
may only be animated as a skeleton. The caster
chooses which remains are animated when casting the
spell, in any case where there are more bodies than the
caster can animate.
No character may normally control more hit dice of
undead than 4 times their level, regardless of how
many times this spell is cast.