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View Full Version : Fractional Hit Dice and Animate Dead



Beelzebub1111
2010-02-10, 09:50 AM
This doesn't round up to 1, correct? so one 10th level necromancer could control 80 skeletal cats or tiny skeletal (exoskeletal?) monsterous scorpions or 160 tiny skeletal vipers with no problem? What about swarms, do they count as one creature for these purposes?

These ideas sometimes pop into my head, and I don't know what to do with them.

Foryn Gilnith
2010-02-10, 10:13 AM
tiny skeletal (exoskeletal?) monsterous scorpions

Unfortunately, Animate Dead for Skeletons requires bones, which are defined as part of endoskeletons.

But I think the answer to all of your questions is "yes".

Ashiel
2010-02-10, 11:21 AM
Yes, there's no harm in making undead vermin. They have a skeletal structure, be they exoskeleton in nature. It also is thematically awesome. Many people wouldn't even realize they were undead until they broke apart into hollow husks.

As for swarms, I have an undead spider swarm in a short mini-adventure. I used the swarm's HD as normal, since the swarm is treated as a single creature in game terms.

Here's the link to that adventure which involves nothing but undead. It contains some designers notes as well; specifically discussing the undead swarm, as well as some of the zombie encounters.

Undead Encounters.pdf (http://www.mediafire.com/file/zbgex0zn11k/Undead Encounters.pdf)

Hope this helps. :smallsmile:

tbarrie
2010-02-10, 11:36 AM
Yes, there's no harm in making undead vermin.

That sounds like the setup to a horror movie right there.

Ashiel
2010-02-10, 12:01 PM
That sounds like the setup to a horror movie right there.

Heheheh. I might have an idea for my next D&D adventure. :smallwink:

Beelzebub1111
2010-02-10, 01:20 PM
I think the biggest problem is walking into a pet store and saying "I need to buy 80 cats" while avoiding suspicion.

Mastikator
2010-02-10, 01:24 PM
Horde master of undead vermin?

That's awesome waiting to happen.

Sinfire Titan
2010-02-10, 01:26 PM
I think the biggest problem is walking into a pet store and saying "I need to buy 80 cats" while avoiding suspicion.

Step 1: Find local Crazy Cat Lady.

Step 2: ???

Step 3: Animate!