Question regaring create undead

[iTookUrNick]

When making undeads (such as mummies etc) using the Create Undead Spell, can the player specify the HD of the resulting undead? Such as, do all mummies made with the spell have 8Hd or is it possible to choose?

Directly related to the question above: does the creature (HD, class levels) whose corpse is used for the mummy have any impact on the final product?

[iTookUrNick]

No one can answer this? None at all?

[AslanCross]

1. The Create Undead spell entry does not discuss any control over the number of HD the creature has, only the type of undead created. Besides, reverse-engineering HD is a pretty involved process. The spell simply says that the undead you create is the bog-standard kind you find in the MM.

2. This is somewhat more vague. Generally, a corpse is just a corpse, no matter how powerful the stiff was in life. However, the mummy's creature entry says that "Unusually powerful or evil individuals preserved as mummies sometimes rise as greater mummies after death. A mummy lord resembles its lesser fellows, but often wears or carries equipment it used in life."

This seems to imply that the corpse's origins have a hand in determining whether it becomes a mummy or mummy lord, but again, it's not clear.

Intelligent undead can definitely gain class levels after reanimation, though.

If you want to buff the undead you create, take the Corpsecrafter line of feats. They can get you some totally awesome minions.

[Greenish]

Awakened Undead regain their weapon/armour proficiencies, extraordinary abilities and can't have more int than they did in life.

Dread Warrior (Unapproachable East) keeps everything it had in life (except type and Con score).

[blazingshadow]

buff your turn undead if that is why you want to limit the HD of the undead

[iTookUrNick]

1. The Create Undead spell entry does not discuss any control over the number of HD the creature has, only the type of undead created. Besides, reverse-engineering HD is a pretty involved process. The spell simply says that the undead you create is the bog-standard kind you find in the MM.

That is what I thought/was afraid of. Can somebody confirm this? It makes some sense, but then it "wastes" rebuking capacity if you have taken steps to improve it a lot...

Aside from the official ruling, would you as a DM allow upping HDs of created undead, especially if "wild undead" are very scarce and the player prepares in advance and/or is adept to do it on the fly?

[iTookUrNick]

buff your turn undead if that is why you want to limit the HD of the undead

It's the other way around. I have more rebuking power than I can use on a mummy, and I wanted a more powerful mummy rather than, say, a mohrg.

[Divide by Zero]

It's the other way around. I have more rebuking power than I can use on a mummy, and I wanted a more powerful mummy rather than, say, a mohrg.

You could always get several mummies, or a mummy and some other undead. You don't have to spend it all on a single undead.

[iTookUrNick]

You could always get several mummies, or a mummy and some other undead. You don't have to spend it all on a single undead.

More undead = more people to move around = slower game, not to mention reduced effectiveness and increased susceptibility to turn undead.

[Analytica]

Isn't there a mummified creature template? If there are rules on how to create an undead using that, you could do this.

[holywhippet]

Isn't there a mummified creature template? If there are rules on how to create an undead using that, you could do this.

There is no mummy/mummified template in any of the official books AFAIK. There is a homebrew that I've seen.

[Topuz]

2. This is somewhat more vague. Generally, a corpse is just a corpse, no matter how powerful the stiff was in life. However, the mummy's creature entry says that "Unusually powerful or evil individuals preserved as mummies sometimes rise as greater mummies after death. A mummy lord resembles its lesser fellows, but often wears or carries equipment it used in life."


Note the "sometimes rise as greater mummies after death" part of the sentance, sometimes means not all the times, so you could create a mummy, and as for HD just increase it acording to undead HD rules. To give it a more of powerfull creature feel, add a enchantment or two on it. Like miror image on being attacked or something like that and have fun. :) cheers

[holywhippet]

I'm not sure if it followed the 2nd edition rules strictly or not, but the PC game Stone Prophet (Ravenloft setting) stated that there were a number of steps that could be taken to produce a mummy. The more steps you undertook the more powerful and more invulnerable the mummy would become. That was AD&D though.

[SilverClawShift]

Isn't there a mummified creature template? If there are rules on how to create an undead using that, you could do this.

Sandstorm.

[holywhippet]

Sandstorm.

?? Sandstorm has the Dry Lich, Dustform, Half-Janni and Mirage Mullah templates. I don't see a Mummy one in there.

[olentu]

Mummified creature is in libris mortis as I recall. It might not actually be helpful but I believe that is where it is.

[Analytica]

Mummified creature is in libris mortis as I recall. It might not actually be helpful but I believe that is where it is.

Yes. It is LA +4. However, it doesn't actually say anything about how to create it, except the fluff stating that priests can make them. For my part, I would allow spells that can make mummies make mummified creatures as well, assuming that the resulting ECL does not end up higher than the spell would normally provide.

[holywhippet]

Mummified creature is in libris mortis as I recall. It might not actually be helpful but I believe that is where it is.

There's also a mummy class in LM.

[iTookUrNick]

Yes. It is LA +4. However, it doesn't actually say anything about how to create it, except the fluff stating that priests can make them. For my part, I would allow spells that can make mummies make mummified creatures as well, assuming that the resulting ECL does not end up higher than the spell would normally provide.

And what would that be? A standard 8HD mummy has an ECL of 5. Unless Create undead allows caster to make bigger mummies, only 1st level characters could do it. Thus, the original question.