Animate Undead question

[Temperjoke]

So, I'm thinking of a character concept, a cleric who utilizes necromancy in a limited fashion. If there is a need to animate a skeleton, for example, he would be willing to do so, but once the danger has passed, instead of keeping it and continually exerting control, would like to lay it back to rest. Aside from engaging with combat with it, is there a way, RAW or RAI, to command it to return back to death or something? I realize DM fiat can allow it, but aside from that, what are the options?

[Goodberry]

Destroy Undead CD option comes to mind. Or using Animate Objects instead of Animate Dead. But I think it makes more mechanical sense to simply house rule it.

[Temperjoke]

Destroy Undead CD option comes to mind. Or using Animate Objects instead of Animate Dead. But I think it makes more mechanical sense to simply house rule it.

The idea is to "let them rest" as opposed to "destroying", and clerics don't get the Animate Objects spell.

[Telesto]

Simple, command it to return to death. The rules are vague enough to do so. It would be up to the DM, but as it will follow orders which put it in peril, you could easily command it back into its eternal rest.

[Slipperychicken]

You could hang them. That'll bring them back to death.


I do recommend getting the Mold Earth spell so you can easily bury them again.

[TurboGhast]

You could also use Mold Earth to create a grave, command the undead to sleep in it, then cover the grave back up.

[Goodberry]

You could also use Mold Earth to create a grave, command the undead to sleep in it, then cover the grave back up.

The problem with this is that as soon as your control lapsed, the undead creature would simply dig itself out of the grave and begin terrorizing the neighboring countryside.

[Dalebert]

Simple, command it to return to death. The rules are vague enough to do so.

I don't think it's that simple, RAW. Maybe your DM will just make a house-rule that they can do it, but if you give them a command to do something they are normally incapable of, that doesn't somehow grant them the capability.

"Fly to the top of that tower."
*confused stare*

"Activate your auto-self-destruct."
*confused stare*

The alternative is you tell them to dig graves and then kneel down in front of the grave and you stab them in the back of their heads. It does the same thing and is fairly simple. It's morbid but summoning undead tends to be. If you DM says "no", it might be because he doesn't want to let you off that easy with something that is defined by the book as being "not a good act".

[Belac93]

Well, you could just tell them to kill themselves. I'm sure they will happily chop of their own heads for you.