Necromancy in AL

[GreyBlack]

So my DM is running an AL campaign (currently 5th level). I'm currently running a Cleric of Light (LE), and I'm currently trying to decide on whether or not to start animating the dead through Animate Dead. I've already spoken to the party and they're okay with it (although at least one of the character's doesn't like it, I was able to Deception/roleplay my way through it and we're cool). I'm more wondering how well AL is set up to minionmancy; how kosher is it/does minionmancy make things too easy?

I'm still doing it, regardless of whether is changes how difficult the game is. I'm more just curious how it affects things or if anyone has any experience with using minionmancy in AL.

[Mortis_Elrod]

Well if you have the same DM every game it should make it easier. Just make sure to keep track of all the minions thoroughly, and probably include it them on your equipment list.

Tell me how it goes, I've thought about joining AL and been wanting to try some necromancer builds.

[Naanomi]

I asked the AL crew once, they said bodies can be kept as loot ‘at DM discretion’

[HMS Invincible]

I asked the AL crew once, they said bodies can be kept as loot ‘at DM discretion’

The PCs aren't allowed to kill (or undermine)each other, only rat you (maybe) out or shame you. So have fun?

[JackPhoenix]

Isn't there a rule that prevents you from keeping active spell effects between the sessions? That would force the necromancer get new undead army every game.

[PhantomSoul]

Isn't there a rule that prevents you from keeping active spell effects between the sessions? That would force the necromancer get new undead army every game.

Not having played AL, I could see combining the "corpses are loot" option/ruling with this to say you have to start each campaign asserting control over the corpses you have (ie. start the session casting Animate Dead, but probably not using the "reassert over up to four creatures"). (Of course, it does sound like even the loot option isn't a guarantee!)

[JackPhoenix]

Not having played AL, I could see combining the "corpses are loot" option/ruling with this to say you have to start each campaign asserting control over the corpses you have (ie. start the session casting Animate Dead, but probably not using the "reassert over up to four creatures"). (Of course, it does sound like even the loot option isn't a guarantee!)

From what I know about AL, anything that's not explicitly written as loot in the module itself disappears at the end of the session.

[elfinboy]

its dm discretion so if you have the same dm every game you should be fine

remember animate dead requires you to reassert control over your minions evey 24 hours so make sure you mark down the spell slots

[Tanarii]

Check with your DM how she rules commanding the undead. Do they all have to attack the same target if you take an Attack action? What happens if you command them to just generally attack? Or do you get to control all of them sperately as precisely as you would a PC, just burning a bonus action every round to do so?

[Phoenix042]

I'm playing a war cleric who uses necromancy in a state-sanctioned, official capacity as a legal punishment for those whose crimes merits more than a death sentence.

I worship Ophois, Hunter of Wayward Souls, Keeper of the Dead and Opener of Ways, who guides departed souls to the afterlife. In my faith, we believe that evil creatures who serve in undeath can redeem themselves and earn a place in the afterlife; I see my command over them as a sacred duty, a solemn thing not to be taken lightly, and I would never allow one to slip from my control or be used for evil ends.

I carry with me a special document called a Writ of Hallowing, which is an official warrant to conscript dead criminals during a time of need for temporary service, without the usual trial and sentencing procedures. Such undead are considered "Hallowed" by my church.

I am expected to use this mandate only very judiciously, and I take that burden seriously; I only "conscript" enemies that are already dead, and only if I directly saw them commit a capital crime, typically attempted murder. I then put them into service for a short time; in my faith, we believe that if a "Hallowed" undead is destroyed during his service in the defense of the living, Ophois judges them cleaned of sin and leads them to the afterlife.


I spoke about this concept with my DM before building the character, and he agreed to make worship of Ophois a mainstream religion in this game world, and to allow my character to bear the Writ of Hallowing. I took the "noble" background, only instead of coming from noble birth, my station is one of a high-ranking religious official. My title is "Keeper of the Dead" or just "Keeper" for short. People recognize by my signet ring and my Writ that I am a Keeper, and they make accommodations for my undead charges accordingly.

[GreyBlack]

Check with your DM how she rules commanding the undead. Do they all have to attack the same target if you take an Attack action? What happens if you command them to just generally attack? Or do you get to control all of them sperately as precisely as you would a PC, just burning a bonus action every round to do so?

My DM has been fairly lenient in how the Undead are run; normally I issue the command and only change occasionally. Normally, I'm allowed to control the undead that I've created because my DM trusts me to not abuse how they act. For example, in a recent game, I had issued a command to my undead to protect a cart. The next turn one of the other players was knocked unconscious while another was in trouble. I burned my bonus action to heal the unconscious player, so my undead didn't do the tactically optimal thing and continued to do the last thing I commanded. So that's a non issue.

[Avigor]

What I was told in my local AL group is you should track corpses gained on your log sheet instead of just assuming you can dig up a graveyard, and be aware that some DM's might not want you bringing your undead into certain adventures, especially if they're in a town where you can't openly bring corpses. However, if you maintain the spent spell slots, you can maintain control over your undead theoretically forever. Granted, I was mostly concerned with the Control Undead Wizard Necromancer ability that Clerics don't have and the question of say acquiring a zombie T-Rex or a Mummy Lord and keeping it like loot (which such won't count as a magic item, but definitely needs to be tracked in the log sheet), but yeah.