Corlon said:
Getting the book Libris Mortis and seeing the warlocks animate dead invocation (the dead walk I think) inspired me to look back at the exact text of animate dead, and seeing it again just made me wonder if having it as a spell/invocation was really worth it. I mean, let's say a 9th level caster uses it. That's up to 18 HD of skeletons and/or zombies. The only even slightly dangerous sekeleton (well, for that level anyways) would be the Huge skeleton (CR 2) which you could get four of, as well as one large skeleton. You could also get one gargantuan skeleton in addition to a large skeleton, which would be a fairly good investment, seeing as a gargantuan skeleton is pretty good at pumeling things. Zombies have pretty much the same problem, but I think they're a bit worse because of the more HD for less fighting ability.
You are incorrectly using the 3.0 monster manual with 3.5 spells, classes and abilities. In 3.5 skeleton and zombie are templates. Even in 3.0 Wotc was quick to provide templates for better undead than the monster manual [see thier website]
Rhino zombies are good beat-sticks
Large undead
Hit Dice: 16d12+3 / 107 HP
Initiative: -1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (–1 size, -1 dex, +10 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+21
Attack: Gore +16 melee (2d6+13)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: as zombie
Special Qualities: as zombie
Saves: as 16 HD zombie
Abilities: Str 28, Dex 8, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills:
Feats: toughness
SKELETON
Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, mindless automatons that obey the orders of their evil masters.
A skeleton is seldom garbed in anything more than the rotting remnants of any clothing or armor it was wearing when slain. A skeleton does only what it is ordered to do. It can draw no conclusions of its own and takes no initiative. Because of this limitation, its instructions must always be simple. A skeleton attacks until destroyed.
CREATING A SKELETON
“Skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. It retains any subtype except for alignment subtypes (such as good) and subtypes that indicate kind. It does not gain the augmented subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: Drop any Hit Dice gained from class levels (to a minimum of 1) and raise remaining Hit Dice to d12s. If the creature has more than 20 Hit Dice, it can’t be made into a skeleton by the animate dead spell.
Speed: Winged skeletons can’t use their wings to fly. If the base creature flew magically, so can the skeleton.
Armor Class: Natural armor bonus changes to a number based on the skeleton’s size:
Tiny or smaller +0
Small +1
Medium or Large +2
Huge +3
Gargantuan +6
Colossal +10
Attacks: A skeleton retains all the natural weapons, manufactured weapon attacks, and weapon proficiencies of the base creature, except for attacks that can’t work without flesh. A creature with hands gains one claw attack per hand; the skeleton can strike with each of its claw attacks at its full attack bonus. A skeleton’s base attack bonus is equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice.
Damage: Natural and manufactured weapons deal damage normally. A claw attack deals damage depending on the skeleton’s size. (If the base creature already had claw attacks with its hands, use the skeleton claw damage only if it’s better.)
Diminutive or Fine 1
Tiny 1d2
Small 1d3
Medium 1d4
Large 1d6
Huge 1d8
Gargantuan 2d6
Colossal 2d8
Special Attacks: A skeleton retains none of the base creature’s special attacks.
Special Qualities: A skeleton loses most special qualities of the base creature. It retains any extraordinary special qualities that improve its melee or ranged attacks. A skeleton gains the following special qualities.
Immunity to Cold (Ex): Skeletons are not affected by cold.
Damage Reduction 5/Bludgeoning: Skeletons lack flesh or internal organs.
Saves: Base save bonuses are Fort +1/3 HD, Ref +1/3 HD, and Will +1/2 HD + 2.
Abilities: A skeleton’s Dexterity increases by +2, it has no Constitution or Intelligence score, its Wisdom changes to 10, and its Charisma changes to 1.
Skills: A skeleton has no skills.
Feats: A skeleton loses all feats of the base creature and gains Improved Initiative.
Environment: Any, usually same as base creature.
Organization: Any.
Challenge Rating: Depends on Hit Dice, as follows:
Hit Dice Challenge Rating
1/2 1/6
1 1/3
2–3 1
4–5 2
6–7 3
8–9 4
10–11 5
12–14 6
15–17 7
18–20 8
Treasure: None.
Alignment: Always neutral evil.
Troll Skeleton
Large Undead
6d12 (39 hp)
+7
30 ft. (6 squares)
14 (+3 Dex, –1 size, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 11
+3/+13
Claw +8 melee (1d6+6)
2 claws +8 melee (1d6+6) and bite +3 melee (1d6+3)
10 ft./10 ft
—
Damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, undead traits
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +5
Str 23, Dex 16, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1
Improved Initiative
Cold mountains
Any
3
None
Always neutral evil
—
—
Chimera Skeleton
Large Undead
9d12 (58 hp)
+6
30 ft. (6 squares)
13 (+2 Dex., –1 size, +2 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 11
+4/+12
Bite +7 melee (2d6+4)
Bite +7 melee (2d6+4) and bite+7 melee (1d8+4) and gore +7 melee (1d8+4) and 2 claws +2 melee (1d6+2)
10 ft./5 ft
—
Damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, undead traits
Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +6
Str 19, Dex 15, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1
Improved Initiative
Temperate hills
Any
4
None
Always neutral evil
10–13 HD (Large); 14–27 HD (Huge)
—
ZOMBIE
Zombies are corpses reanimated through dark and sinister magic.
Because of their utter lack of intelligence, the instructions given to a newly created zombie must be very simple.
CREATING A ZOMBIE
“Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. It retains any subtypes except alignment subtypes and subtypes that indicate kind. It does not gain the augmented subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit Dice: Drop any Hit Dice from class levels (to a minimum of 1), double the number of Hit Dice left, and raise them to d12s. If the base creature has more than 10 Hit Dice (not counting those gained with experience), it can’t be made into a zombie with the animate dead spell.
Speed: If the base creature can fly, its maneuverability rating drops to clumsy.
Armor Class: Natural armor bonus increases by a number based on the zombie’s size:
Tiny or smaller +0
Small +1
Medium +2
Large +3
Huge +4
Gargantuan +7
Colossal +11
Base Attack: A zombie has a base attack bonus equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice.
Attacks: A zombie retains all the natural weapons, manufactured weapon attacks, and weapon proficiencies of the base creature. A zombie also gains a slam attack.
Damage: Natural and manufactured weapons deal damage normally. A slam attack deals damage depending on the zombie’s size. (Use the base creature’s slam damage if it’s better.)
Fine 1
Diminutive 1d2
Tiny 1d3
Small 1d4
Medium 1d6
Large 1d8
Huge 2d6
Gargantuan 2d8
Colossal 4d6
Special Attacks: A zombie retains none of the base creature’s special attacks.
Special Qualities: A zombie loses most special qualities of the base creature. It retains any extraordinary special qualities that improve its melee or ranged attacks. A zombie gains the following special quality.
Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombies have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A zombie can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.
Saves: Base save bonuses are Fort +1/3 HD, Ref +1/3 HD, and Will +1/2 HD + 2.
Abilities: A zombie’s Strength increases by +2, its Dexterity decreases by 2, it has no Constitution or Intelligence score, its Wisdom changes to 10, and its Charisma changes to 1.
Skills: A zombie has no skills.
Feats: A zombie loses all feats of the base creature and gains Toughness.
Environment: Any land and underground.
Organization: Any.
Challenge Rating: Depends on Hit Dice, as follows:
Hit Dice Challenge Rating
1/2 1/8
1 1/4
2 1/2
4 1
6 2
8–10 3
12–14 4
15–16 5
18–20 6
Treasure: None.
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Wyvern Zombie
Large Undead
14d12+3 (94 hp)
+0
20 ft. (4 squares; can’t run), fly 60 ft. (poor)
20 (–2 size, +12 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 20
+7/+16
Slam +11 melee (2d6+7) or talons +11 melee (2d6+5)
Slam +11 melee (2d6+7) or talons +11 melee (2d6+5)
—
Single actions only, damage reduction 5/slashing, darkvision 60 ft., undead traits
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +9
Str 21, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1
—
Toughness
Warm hills
Any
4
None
Always neutral evil
16–20 HD (Huge)
—
