PDA

View Full Version : Animate Dead/Rebuke Undead and Feats.



Zergrusheddie
2009-01-25, 10:22 PM
Is their a way to get feats for Undead that are raised through Animate Dead or ways to give feats to Undead controlled by Command?

Our Cleric was trying to convince the DM that his skeletons should be able to wear armor as they are Warriors; the DM was/is somewhat skeptical. I know that Command takes over the Undead completely, so looking up in the MM is the best way to see if an X can use different gear.
Our Cleric is sort of a Summonmancer from D2; he wants to focus on having as many as Undead Cohorts as possible (like Undead Leadership and taking an Altered Pale Master PrC). However, his skeletons aren't going to last very long if they are forced to use their +2 1d3 claws with their AC 12 because there is no way to gear them. Any suggestions?

Jack_Simth
2009-01-25, 10:29 PM
Is their a way to get feats for Undead that are raised through Animate Dead or ways to give feats to Undead controlled by Command?

Our Cleric was trying to convince the DM that his skeletons should be able to wear armor as they are Warriors; the DM was/is somewhat skeptical. I know that Command takes over the Undead completely, so looking up in the MM is the best way to see if an X can use different gear.
Our Cleric is sort of a Summonmancer from D2; he wants to focus on having as many as Undead Cohorts as possible (like Undead Leadership and taking an Altered Pale Master PrC). However, his skeletons aren't going to last very long if they are forced to use their +2 1d3 claws with their AC 12 because there is no way to gear them. Any suggestions?

1) Check the undead type entry:

* Proficient with its natural weapons, all simple weapons, and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
* Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Undead not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Undead are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.(Emphasis added)

Technically, yes, if you kill a Warrior-1 and animate it as a skeleton, as long as it's wearing it's armor and weapons when you Animate it, it retains those proficiencies. For additional support of this, check out the Skeleton entry in the Monster Manual / SRD - it's got a "Human Warrior Skeleton" entry, which includes a heavy steel shield and a Scimitar - and not a trace of the nonproficiency penalty.

Even further, the Skeleton template includes the line "Attacks: A skeleton retains all the natural weapons, manufactured weapon attacks, and weapon proficiencies of the base creature, except for attacks that can’t work without flesh. A creature with hands gains one claw attack per hand; the skeleton can strike with each of its claw attacks at its full attack bonus. A skeleton’s base attack bonus is equal to 1/2 its Hit D" (Emphasis added)

2) Look for the Awaken Undead spell (although that's not really what you want, due to the expense). Intelligent critters pick up skills and feats for their hit dice.

Keld Denar
2009-01-25, 10:35 PM
The Corpsecrafter line of feats from Libris Mortis: The Book of Bad Latin might help. They increase str, dex, hp, add cold damage, and even make slain skelies explode. All very neat.

Check out K's Necromancer Handbook. Head over to the CharOp forums and search for it. It contains a lot of tricks like the Deathbound domain, which increases the number of undead you can control by 1.5 times, which is great.

A Hydra Zombie is about the best beatstick you can animate, because all heads attack as a single standard action. They also have a decent number of HP. Then get some lowbie skeletons and use them as archers.

There is a spell, something Skeletal Warrior, which raises a skell that retains the feats it had in life. Knock off some 4th level fighters for a whole mess of feats. Forgot the source though, but its probably in K's guide.

Starbuck_II
2009-01-25, 11:14 PM
There is a spell, something Skeletal Warrior, which raises a skell that retains the feats it had in life. Knock off some 4th level fighters for a whole mess of feats. Forgot the source though, but its probably in K's guide.


Killing Fightings is kinda mercy death, no? It is like punching an emo kid. They want you to. :smallbiggrin: