Sorry dumb question, I'm a new player and my guide just says to ask the DM and I couldn't find it anywhere else. What are the stats of a zombie and/or skeleton made from animate dead and if I keep one for a long time will it get stronger?
They don’t get stronger by the time. If your DM allows it, best way to improve your minions is trough equipment. Get some magic bows, arrows and armor to your skellies. I even equipped some with nets. Than I used the help action to mitigate disadvantage and my skeleton was restraining some foes.
Purely as a rule of thumb, any spell that summons or creates a creature produces the exact stat block appropriate and nothing more. There’s a handful of class features that would modify that, but anything further is entering the realm of DM fiat. Which isn’t to say it should be disallowed on principle, simply that it’s the DM’s call if it will add to the experience or create problems.
Indeed, the skeleton doesn't even need DM permission since they have been stated to be able to use gear.
A wonderful way to improve any of your undead. Throw some armor on and a great sword, maybe a ring of spell storing etc. They might be able to be buffed to a cr3 level maybe, maybe
it is unfortunate you can't do things like level them, but, that's just to my own despair
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"Anyone can smith at the cosmic anvil, yet only I can forge a weapon as good as thee."
Eh, I’d reserve the right to nix gear if ended up too power-gamey or was creating too much bookkeeping hassle. I get rewarding creativity and all that, but someone trying to run a whole squad of skeletons with various loadouts is probably just gonna drag out every combat encounter.
There is a spell that does what it sounds like you are asking about: summon undead. It scales with the level you cast it at, which allows you to make the summoned undead creature more powerful as you level up.
There is a spell that does what it sounds like you are asking about: summon undead. It scales with the level you cast it at, which allows you to make the summoned undead creature more powerful as you level up.
Thank you! The reason I ask is because the corpse I am using to animate is supposed to be a loved one that died and I use their body to fight for me. Maybe if I ask my DM they will allow it to scale like aummon undead, or if need be I can just equip it with items as others have suggested.
There is a spell that does what it sounds like you are asking about: summon undead. It scales with the level you cast it at, which allows you to make the summoned undead creature more powerful as you level up.
Thank you! The reason I ask is because the corpse I am using to animate is supposed to be a loved one that died and I use their body to fight for me. Maybe if I ask my DM they will allow it to scale like aummon undead, or if need be I can just equip it with items as others have suggested.
I wouldn’t hold out for more than the equipment. RAW says Zombies and Skeletons can be commanded to use weapons, but the Summon Undead entity is a very different kettle of fish from what you can create via Animate Dead. Now, a potential alternative could be to see if the DM will let you swap the two spells out so you can then frame the entity you summon around this narrative.
There is a spell that does what it sounds like you are asking about: summon undead. It scales with the level you cast it at, which allows you to make the summoned undead creature more powerful as you level up.
Thank you! The reason I ask is because the corpse I am using to animate is supposed to be a loved one that died and I use their body to fight for me. Maybe if I ask my DM they will allow it to scale like aummon undead, or if need be I can just equip it with items as others have suggested.
In these very special circumstances, the DM may consider treating it as an NPC ally rather than following the animate dead spell rules, then you can give it sidekick levels (simplified classes for NPC allies to keep them useful and more importantly alive as the party levels up).
Sorry dumb question, I'm a new player and my guide just says to ask the DM and I couldn't find it anywhere else. What are the stats of a zombie and/or skeleton made from animate dead and if I keep one for a long time will it get stronger?
Also what book might have this information?
Thanks for any help, much appreciated!
Zombies and skeletons are both in the Basic Rules as well as in the Monster Manual.
Thank you!
They don’t get stronger by the time. If your DM allows it, best way to improve your minions is trough equipment. Get some magic bows, arrows and armor to your skellies. I even equipped some with nets. Than I used the help action to mitigate disadvantage and my skeleton was restraining some foes.
Purely as a rule of thumb, any spell that summons or creates a creature produces the exact stat block appropriate and nothing more. There’s a handful of class features that would modify that, but anything further is entering the realm of DM fiat. Which isn’t to say it should be disallowed on principle, simply that it’s the DM’s call if it will add to the experience or create problems.
Indeed, the skeleton doesn't even need DM permission since they have been stated to be able to use gear.
A wonderful way to improve any of your undead. Throw some armor on and a great sword, maybe a ring of spell storing etc. They might be able to be buffed to a cr3 level maybe, maybe
it is unfortunate you can't do things like level them, but, that's just to my own despair
"Anyone can smith at the cosmic anvil, yet only I can forge a weapon as good as thee."
My Homebrew Please click it, they have my family.
Eh, I’d reserve the right to nix gear if ended up too power-gamey or was creating too much bookkeeping hassle. I get rewarding creativity and all that, but someone trying to run a whole squad of skeletons with various loadouts is probably just gonna drag out every combat encounter.
I agree, as a player I only ever have one undead, its tiring to have and army of them
"Anyone can smith at the cosmic anvil, yet only I can forge a weapon as good as thee."
My Homebrew Please click it, they have my family.
Not dumb to ask. Loads of people come here to ask questions, as well as to answer them.
There is a spell that does what it sounds like you are asking about: summon undead. It scales with the level you cast it at, which allows you to make the summoned undead creature more powerful as you level up.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Thank you! The reason I ask is because the corpse I am using to animate is supposed to be a loved one that died and I use their body to fight for me. Maybe if I ask my DM they will allow it to scale like aummon undead, or if need be I can just equip it with items as others have suggested.
I wouldn’t hold out for more than the equipment. RAW says Zombies and Skeletons can be commanded to use weapons, but the Summon Undead entity is a very different kettle of fish from what you can create via Animate Dead. Now, a potential alternative could be to see if the DM will let you swap the two spells out so you can then frame the entity you summon around this narrative.
In these very special circumstances, the DM may consider treating it as an NPC ally rather than following the animate dead spell rules, then you can give it sidekick levels (simplified classes for NPC allies to keep them useful and more importantly alive as the party levels up).