Fractional Hit Dice and Animate Dead

[Beelzebub1111]

This doesn't round up to 1, correct? so one 10th level necromancer could control 80 skeletal cats or tiny skeletal (exoskeletal?) monsterous scorpions or 160 tiny skeletal vipers with no problem? What about swarms, do they count as one creature for these purposes?

These ideas sometimes pop into my head, and I don't know what to do with them.

[Foryn Gilnith]

tiny skeletal (exoskeletal?) monsterous scorpions

Unfortunately, Animate Dead for Skeletons requires bones, which are defined as part of endoskeletons.

But I think the answer to all of your questions is "yes".

[Ashiel]

Yes, there's no harm in making undead vermin. They have a skeletal structure, be they exoskeleton in nature. It also is thematically awesome. Many people wouldn't even realize they were undead until they broke apart into hollow husks.

As for swarms, I have an undead spider swarm in a short mini-adventure. I used the swarm's HD as normal, since the swarm is treated as a single creature in game terms.

Here's the link to that adventure which involves nothing but undead. It contains some designers notes as well; specifically discussing the undead swarm, as well as some of the zombie encounters.

Undead Encounters.pdf

Hope this helps.

[tbarrie]

Yes, there's no harm in making undead vermin.

That sounds like the setup to a horror movie right there.

[Ashiel]

That sounds like the setup to a horror movie right there.

Heheheh. I might have an idea for my next D&D adventure.

[Beelzebub1111]

I think the biggest problem is walking into a pet store and saying "I need to buy 80 cats" while avoiding suspicion.

[Mastikator]

Horde master of undead vermin?

That's awesome waiting to happen.

[Sinfire Titan]

I think the biggest problem is walking into a pet store and saying "I need to buy 80 cats" while avoiding suspicion.

Step 1: Find local Crazy Cat Lady.

Step 2: ???

Step 3: Animate!