What Necromancy Spells...

[Athenodorus]

...consume, twist, or compel a soul?

I am trying to build a Necromancer/Priest, given a Diety choice whose mythos frowns on compelling a soul in any way. He is ok to cast all the energy drains he wants, but stuff like Trap The Soul is a major no-no. I cannot ask the DM, because I am the DM, and this character is an NPC. ;)

My big question is, in your opinion, does Animate Dead use a soul to animate corpses, or just negative energy and a spell construct? Would it perhaps depend on the type of undead created?

[Ramza00]

Somebody may be able to give an answer for 2.0 and all that but from my understanding D&D is more of a framework and you get to fill in the details. By filling in the details you get to create your own world and are able to recreate several past worlds. This in my opinion is such an occasion.

In my world I would say Mindless Undead are just negative energy filled similar to how Constructs are. Non-mindless Undead must possess a soul, and that soul is probably not living.

[Gorbad the Limb Rippa]

Well ,if Im not incorrect,raising a corpse as undead prevents the soul from "moving on".So raise a zombie and the bodys previous occupant is "stuck"
though when it comes to sentient undead Im not sure,
a lich traps his soul in his phlactery
Vampires...um..Im not to sure about
Hope that helps

[squishycube]

This question has generated a lot of debate, some people say yes and use that as a reason the label animate dead and the like as evil, others say no.
This thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27557) discusses whether the creation of undead is evil and your question is often used as an argument.

Before embarking on the epic journy through that enormous thread, it depends entirely upon the campaign. In some worlds, raising a corpse also prevents the soul from moving on, like Gorbad said. In other worlds, no mention of this is made at all.

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In my opinion mindless undead are something akin to constructs made of corpses and powered by negative energy. Undead with minds are animated by a soul, usually the one that inhabited the body in life.

[Gorbad the Limb Rippa]

This question has generated a lot of debate, some people say yes and use that as a reason the label animate dead and the like as evil, others say no.
This thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27557) discusses whether the creation of undead is evil and your question is often used as an argument.

Before embarking on the epic journy through that enormous thread, it depends entirely upon the campaign. In some worlds, raising a corpse also prevents the soul from moving on, like Gorbad said. In other worlds, no mention of this is made at all.


read the book of vile darkness,under evil acts it lists animating the dead or creating undead as a evil act,though it can also come down to gm says yes/no or as squishy cude said it also depends on the campaign
What setting is this character in?

[Athenodorus]

Thanks folks. I imagine it also has to do with how Necromancy works in the setting. I will peruse that thread.