Level 3 Necromancy spell available to Clerics and Wizards. Raises a corpse as an undead servant that fights for you until it dies or you Long Rest. It costs one slot, once, out of combat, and then you have a permanent extra body. That is a very good deal.
Spell description: Animate a corpse to create an undead servant while not in combat.
Spell properties
- Range: 3m (10ft)
- Duration: Until Long Rest or destroyed
- Conditions applied: Summons an undead servant
- Cost: Action + Spell Slot
- Recharge: Per action
- Cannot be cast in combat
Spell upcasting
At Level 4, raise up to 3 Skeletons or Zombies instead of 1. At Level 5, raise a Ghoul or Flying Ghoul. At Level 6, raise up to 3 Ghouls or Flying Ghouls instead of 1.
How to obtain Animate Dead
- Cleric, Wizard at Class level 5
Source items: Circle of Bones, Scroll of Animate Dead
ANIMATE DEAD
Level 3 Necromancy SpellAnimate a corpse to create an undead servant while not in combat.
Range: 3m (10ft)
Duration: Until Long Rest
Animate Dead comes in four forms depending on the spell slot you spend. A Level 3 slot raises a Zombie or a Skeleton, a Level 5 slot raises a Ghoul or a Flying Ghoul, and casting at Level 4 or Level 6 raises three of the lower-tier undead instead of one. Here is what each servant brings to the fight.
1. Animate Dead: Zombie
This variation raises a Zombie, a slow but stubborn melee bruiser. Its Slam hits hard and infects the target with Crawling Gnaw, and if a creature dies while gnawed it rises as a Newborn Zombie on your side. Undead Fortitude also lets the Zombie get back up with 1 hit point unless the killing blow was a critical hit or Radiant damage, so it soaks far more punishment than its hit points suggest.
Animate Dead: Zombie
Level 3 Necromancy SpellCreate a zombie that specialises in melee combat.
Range: 3m (10ft)
Duration: Until Long Rest
Zombie
CREATURE
Features & Abilities
Hit a target with bare fists for 2d6 + Strength modifier Bludgeoning damage and infect it with Crawling Gnaw.
2. Animate Dead: Skeleton
This variation raises a Skeleton that hangs back and shoots. It carries a makeshift shortbow that deals extra Necrotic damage, so it is the pick when you want a summon that stays out of melee and chips away from range. It is fragile, vulnerable to Bludgeoning damage and immune to Poison, so keep it behind your front line.
Animate Dead: Skeleton
Level 3 Necromancy SpellCreate a skeleton that specialises in ranged combat.
Range: 3m (10ft)
Duration: Until Long Rest
Skeleton
CREATURE
Features & Abilities
Make a ranged attack with the makeshift bow, dealing weapon damage plus extra Necrotic damage.
3. Animate Dead: Ghoul
Cast with a Level 5 slot, the spell raises a Ghoul instead. It is a far sturdier melee summon with 35 hit points and 17 Armour Class, and its Claws can Paralyse on a hit, although the save DC is only 5 so do not count on it. Devour is the real prize: against a knocked down, prone or sleeping target it deals heavy Slashing damage and heals the Ghoul for the same amount.
Animate Dead: Ghoul
Level 5 Necromancy SpellCreate a ghoul that specialises in melee combat.
Range: 3m (10ft)
Duration: Until Long Rest
Ghoul
CREATURE
Features & Abilities
Lash out with deadly claws for 3d6 + Strength modifier Slashing damage and possibly Paralyse the target (Constitution save, DC 5).
Bite a knocked down, prone or sleeping target for 3d10 + Strength modifier Slashing damage and heal that many hit points.
4. Animate Dead: Flying Ghoul
The Flying Ghoul trades a little toughness for mobility. It has 30 hit points and 15 Armour Class, but it can Fly, which lets it reach ledges, cross hazards and get to the backline without eating opportunity attacks. Its Claws paralyse on a DC 10 Constitution save, a clear step up from the grounded Ghoul, and it keeps Devour for finishing off downed enemies.
Animate Dead: Flying Ghoul
Level 5 Necromancy SpellCreate a Flying Ghoul that specialises in melee combat.
Range: 3m (10ft)
Duration: Until Long Rest
Flying Ghoul
CREATURE
Features & Abilities
Lash out with deadly claws for 3d6 + Strength modifier Slashing damage and possibly Paralyse the target (Constitution save, DC 10).
Bite a knocked down, prone or sleeping target for 3d10 + Strength modifier Slashing damage and heal that many hit points.
Fly to a target position, spending half as much movement as walking.
When to cast Animate Dead
Cast it before the fight, because you cannot cast it during one. Walk over a corpse, spend the slot, and go into the next encounter with an extra body that soaks hits nobody has to heal.
The upcast is where it gets silly. A Level 6 slot raises three Ghouls at once, and Ghouls paralyse. Three of them do a lot more than any single Level 6 spell you were considering.
The undead persist until they die or you Long Rest, which makes this the most slot-efficient thing a Necromancy Wizard does. Spend your leftover slots on it at the end of the day and start tomorrow with an army.
The catch is the corpse. You need one, it has to be intact, and the game will not always give you a body where you want one. Keep an eye out for a convenient graveyard before a hard fight.
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