Get me a Corpse! (Pathfinder)

[Arkwright]

Greetings!

I am currently building a necromancer, and I have currently hit upon an idea of having several animated creatures inside a Bag of Holding and releasing them in the general direction of the enemy.

:)

Anyway, my problem is- I need bodies! I need corpses of dinosaurs, elephants, hippogriffs and tigers oh my!

So, how do I get them?

Some animals are included already in the Pathfinder equipment list- but not all the animals. Is there some kind of third-party resource that sets a price that I could get the GM to house-rule in? Is there some sort of spell I could pay to have cast for me? Or do I just have to take time off from adventuring to massacre a zoo?

Thoughts?

[Wookie-ranger]

That's the general problem with most Necromancers. Getting the Corpses.
I tried to make a "corpse by Level" list (like WBL) but that didn't really work. among many other things as soon as you add special abilities that are sometimes kept, and some times not it gets wonky. Now add some class levels and a template and the same corpse can be used to make very differently strong undead.

To your question:
I don't think there are prices of corpses in any book. However there is an extensive list of mounts, pets and guard creatures in the Arms and Equipment guide Pages 73-91.
young elephant costs 500gp for example.

Edit:
Wolfs make excellent skelis btw.

[Jack Zander]

Ask your DM if you can go on a safari side quest! You can animate all the animals you want. So long as you are first able to slay them in the wild!

[watchwood]

Just raise the corpses of whatever monsters you run into during your normal travels? :P

[Randomatic]

When you get high enough level you can use the Planar Binding line of spells to call whichever Celestial or Fiendish creature that you like. Then instead of bargaining with it, ambush it. :smallwink:

[Pyromancer999]

When you get high enough level you can use the Planar Binding line of spells to call whichever Celestial or Fiendish creature that you like. Then instead of bargaining with it, ambush it. :smallwink:

The problem with that is that, as is often ignored by people, is that outsiders and similar creatures dissipate upon dying, as their soul and their body are one. So, you couldn't animate an outsider corpse that doesn't exist.

[lsfreak]

Hang signs.

Anatomist looking for fresh or well-preserved wild animal bodies, prefer live weight of 500 pounds+. Pelts not required.

Paying for complete skeletons (cleaned or uncleaned) of large animals, prefer dangerous, for private museum collection.

Hunting bison? Paying 10g for locations of slaughters for scholarly endeavors on scavenging beasts.

Go hunting/poaching elk/buffalo/elephants/rhinos/hippos. Most places should have one or several large, dangerous, common herbivores, unless they've been hunted to extinction in prehistory (South America, Australia) and/or in recorded history (North America, much of Europe).

[Randomatic]

The problem with that is that, as is often ignored by people, is that outsiders and similar creatures dissipate upon dying, as their soul and their body are one. So, you couldn't animate an outsider corpse that doesn't exist.

I'm not familiar of any rule in Pathfinder or DnD that states that Outsiders dissipate on dying. It is true that their souls and bodies are one, hence the trouble with Raise Dead. That isn't relevant for the Celestial or Fiendish templates though, in Pathfinder those don't change the creatures type. They'd still be Animals or whatever.

[Pyromancer999]

I'm not familiar of any rule in Pathfinder or DnD that states that Outsiders dissipate on dying. It is true that their souls and bodies are one, hence the trouble with Raise Dead. That isn't relevant for the Celestial or Fiendish templates though, in Pathfinder those don't change the creatures type. They'd still be Animals or whatever.

Yeah, checked and you're correct that the type remains unchanged. Still, the DM may not allow for you to do so, either due to the fact that they simply do not feel it is appropriate(Unless they let you attack the creature summoned) or they decide to go with the standard of having summoned creatures disappearing when killed.

[Mithril Leaf]

I'm not familiar of any rule in Pathfinder or DnD that states that Outsiders dissipate on dying. It is true that their souls and bodies are one, hence the trouble with Raise Dead. That isn't relevant for the Celestial or Fiendish templates though, in Pathfinder those don't change the creatures type. They'd still be Animals or whatever.

I also thought it worked that way. Souls and bodies are the same, but never heard of dissipating.

[Randomatic]

Yeah, checked and you're correct that the type remains unchanged. Still, the DM may not allow for you to do so, either due to the fact that they simply do not feel it is appropriate(Unless they let you attack the creature summoned) or they decide to go with the standard of having summoned creatures disappearing when killed.

I referred to the Planar Binding spells, which are calling spells and not summoning. You choose when to cast the spell, and it's easy to have traps on the calling circle, as well as your adventuring group ready for an ambush, and since they're called, what you do to them is permanent. I understand there are GM's that might not like players using that tactic, but that's completely different.


I also thought it worked that way. Souls and bodies are the same, but never heard of dissipating.

I'm not sure that the Pathfinder Dev's have either, considering that Outsiders are valid to use with most of the Undead Templates.

[Mithril Leaf]

Incidently planar binding Voors and Ekolids are pretty sweet for undead. Also, according to Lords Of Madness, you can buy a slave for the CR of the slave squared multipled by 100 GP. According to Monster Manual II, you can buy any medium or larger animal for 100 GP + 75/HD. If you've got contacts, this seems like it could come in handy.

[Arkwright]

All have some interesting ideas :)

How about getting Planar Binding cast for me? Pathfinder includes a formula for spellcasting services- Caster Level x Spell Level x10gp. I get someone to cast Planar Binding for me, get him to call me an Elephant/someone to deliver me an elephant, I shiv it in the brain and presto-bango instant elephant skeleotn :D

Slave-buying idea is interesting too!

[Randomatic]

All have some interesting ideas :)

How about getting Planar Binding cast for me? Pathfinder includes a formula for spellcasting services- Caster Level x Spell Level x10gp. I get someone to cast Planar Binding for me, get him to call me an Elephant/someone to deliver me an elephant, I shiv it in the brain and presto-bango instant elephant skeleotn :D

Slave-buying idea is interesting too!

You could look into that, but the Celestial or Fiendish elephant is likely to fight back.

[Benly]

You could look into that, but the Celestial or Fiendish elephant is likely to fight back.

Pretty sure the technical term for a fiendish elephant is a hellephant.

[Arkwright]

Hellephant- I love that :)

If I ask the party's help it should be simple. Get their help to kill the first two elephants, then afterwards I just use my skills + the other two elephants to kill the summoned ones :)

Though I really do think I must be missing something, some of these things seem far too powerful- like IE turning out a Bag of Holding as a full-round action, releasing 4+ undead hellephants onto the field...

[Duncan_Ruadrik]

go to a museum.

[Randomatic]

Hellephant- I love that :)

If I ask the party's help it should be simple. Get their help to kill the first two elephants, then afterwards I just use my skills + the other two elephants to kill the summoned ones :)

Though I really do think I must be missing something, some of these things seem far too powerful- like IE turning out a Bag of Holding as a full-round action, releasing 4+ undead hellephants onto the field...

Pathfinder somewhat assumes that PC's will be good, and avoid using undead minions. You're very likely to put yourself ahead of the assumed power curve if you're flooding the field with high HD undead, especially if you go for Bloody Skeletons. You'll also likely tie up table time with minions.

I'd advise making sure the rest of your gaming group doesn't mind you having your own private army. :smallbiggrin:

[Wookie-ranger]

Pathfinder somewhat assumes that PC's will be good, and avoid using undead minions. You're very likely to put yourself ahead of the assumed power curve if you're flooding the field with high HD undead, especially if you go for Bloody Skeletons. You'll also likely tie up table time with minions.

I'd advise making sure the rest of your gaming group doesn't mind you having your own private army. :smallbiggrin:

If you are a Necromancer having minions comes with the territory. Minions means you will have more actions, even if they are rather minor; and if you have more action you tend to be a lot more powerful then others, even if those actions are minor. PF and 3.5 are very similar in this regard.

To make the rest of the party your friend, lend a Skeleton or two to your comrades.
The Wizard can have someone to hold scrolls, hand wands, or block attacks.
The Fighter can have someone that can 'aid another' (+2 to attack and AC)
The Rogue can use a flaking buddy.

I would suggest getting/ making undead "few but big". This keeps the combat smooth even if it might not be the most efficient sometimes.
if you just must have your horde of human skelies, Persuade your DM to use the rules for mass combat where groups of creatures can form units and all to the same thing at the same time.
If i remember correctly: Give your 5-20 (or more) human skelies Longbows (or light crossbows) and make them move in formation. 10x10 to 20x20 works well, more is just silly and you usually don't have to space.
on your turn have them all fire at an area that is the same size as their formation. Make one attack roll for your skelies (you may be able to give them a +2 or more if your DM allows) this is now the reflex save that anything in that area needs to beat in order to avoid being hit.
I don't remember if that is 100% correct but it would be faster then having each skelie move and attack individually.

[Arkwright]

Given that my undead lose class levels, i'm definitely going to be focusing on having a small number of huge undead creatures. I'm thinking 2x Hellephants should do nicely :)

Plus i'll save the corpses of anything our party kills.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Cute little trick:

Fabricate. You can't make Creatures with it, but bodies are not Creatures. Use the bodies of fallen opponents to turn into useful corpses you then raise.

Fun times to be had. And hydras. Multi-headed hydras.

Also see if you can pick up Animate Dread Warrior. Lets your undead come back with the class levels they had. Did the GM send an Ubercharger after you? It's yours now. With a bunch of extra immunities, stat boosts, and under your control.

[Wookie-ranger]

Cute little trick:

Fabricate. You can't make Creatures with it, but bodies are not Creatures. Use the bodies of fallen opponents to turn into useful corpses you then raise.

Fun times to be had. And hydras. Multi-headed hydras.

Also see if you can pick up Animate Dread Warrior. Lets your undead come back with the class levels they had. Did the GM send an Ubercharger after you? It's yours now. With a bunch of extra immunities, stat boosts, and under your control.

The fabricate trick works by RAW, but is baned in many games (unfortunately all i ever necro-ed).

I like animate dread worrior its fun if you spell-stich it to you. An alternative for it is Create bone creature (I don't like the corpse version, too smelly). It is overall better the a Dear Worrior, but not under your control. In 3.5 this is not a big problem, just rebuke; not sure how that works in PF though.

[Arkwright]

'Fabricate'- I KNEW there was a spell like this! I even spent half an hour looking for something called 'create matter' and the like, but didn't find it! Thanks so much!

[Vknight]

Oh yeah Fabricate yourself a beautiful 4armed hill giant with claws a dragon head.... Sorry got distracted there.

But yeah Fabricate, Dread Warrior etc.
Also Undead that can create spawn of themselves
Vampires can control (HD x 2) worth of HD of other Vampires so why not have if your lvl 14 a pair of lvl7 vampire rogues or clerics

[Slipperychicken]

You could pay WBL for so many castings of Animate Dead or w/e (costs are in Spellcasting Services), then go with that for corpse cost. Or pull all those live spiders out of your component pouch and settle for some swarms at first.

Pay adventurers to clear a dungeon, scoop up any bodies they leave behind. You can also clear the dungeon yourself, though that falls under "gather corpses while adventuring", which I get the feeling you're trying to avoid.