Uhmmmmm...... I think I can cast a Delayed Fireball on them..... then command those skeletons running towards the next enemy... annnnnnnnnnnnd.... EXPLODE the fireball !!!!!
It creates a “bead” at a “point,”, but explodes from the point not the bead itself. EXCEPT, a creature can grab the bead and throw it immediately with a succesful save, where it explodes when landing.
Is there room logically in there for a creature to instead carry the bead, since they be able to run farther/better than they could throw? Meh maybe, but the spell is pretty clear that touching the bead causes it to explode either immediately or within that same round, so kamikaze skeletons are probably out unless they complete their charge the same round they grab the bead.
Creatures with exoskeletons are hollow when they are animated with necromancy. Umber hulks become power armor, bulletes become armored personnel carriers, tortoises packed with explosives, sea turtle scout craft, the list goes on
I played a necromancer once who packed as many skeletons in a back of holding as he could. he wore a red suit with bells and white trim. I think we can all see where that went...
Don't get too hung up on Full Plate because they could just wear Half Plate for 1 fewer armor point but still keep full 30ft move.
This applies to skellies too for movement speed but zombies are meatier for melee. Anyway give your Zombies Chain Mail 16AC + Shield and order them to follow your friends around and "help" action them. Sure they're probably not proficient in the armor but the help action doesn't get penalized for such things.
Position them shoulder-to-shoulder in combat and crouch behind them for full cover from ranged attacks
Dress the same and use them as decoys
Dress one nicer and plop it on your Phantom Steed to super-decoy
Have them dig some earthworks and stand guard for resting
Have them pull a cart and keep watch while the party rests inside on the move
Smother a fire with bodies
Smother a person with bodies
Have them skin a corpse to then be raised as a skeleton. Doesn't need to be done neatly.
Provoke opportunity attacks to cover allies escape
A level 14 Creation Bard can make a piece of siege equipment up to huge size and then have his skeleton crew load and fire it in one turn. Could be a fun purchase for the right campaign for a non-Creation Bard character.
Magic Stone Artillery:
It uses up your Bonus Action every turn to arm 3 skeletons with magic stone, but it means they will hit more frequently and deal magic damage.
Budget Casters:
Arm your skeletons with magic items that let them cast a spell. Even if the spell is not overly powerful, the action economy is. Bonus points if the spell takes concentration. Circlet of Blasting is a solid example.
In Combat Item Interaction:
Sometimes part of an encounter's challenge is that you need to do something other than fight the enemies to succeed. A good example of this is a mission I played recently where we had to keep a pot of voodoo stew going while various NPCs caused us problems. These are activities that are essential to success but you would rather not waste a Player's whole turn to do.
Uhmmmmm...... I think I can cast a Delayed Fireball on them..... then command those skeletons running towards the next enemy... annnnnnnnnnnnd.... EXPLODE the fireball !!!!!
Free EXP for fun .... hahahahahaha
My Ready-to-rock&roll chars:
Dertinus Tristany // Amilcar Barca // Vicenç Sacrarius // Oriol Deulofeu // Grovtuk
I don't think Delayed Blast Fireball works like that...
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
It creates a “bead” at a “point,”, but explodes from the point not the bead itself. EXCEPT, a creature can grab the bead and throw it immediately with a succesful save, where it explodes when landing.
Is there room logically in there for a creature to instead carry the bead, since they be able to run farther/better than they could throw? Meh maybe, but the spell is pretty clear that touching the bead causes it to explode either immediately or within that same round, so kamikaze skeletons are probably out unless they complete their charge the same round they grab the bead.
dndbeyond.com forum tags
I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
Even then, unless the target is through a closed door or around a corner, there isn't much point handing the fireball to somebody else.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
“Blame game”/plausible deniability for who’s fireball. For those “tricky assassination” gigs.
Blank
Creatures with exoskeletons are hollow when they are animated with necromancy. Umber hulks become power armor, bulletes become armored personnel carriers, tortoises packed with explosives, sea turtle scout craft, the list goes on
a bridge
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
I played a necromancer once who packed as many skeletons in a back of holding as he could. he wore a red suit with bells and white trim. I think we can all see where that went...
You could have them build an orphanage using orphans as mortar...
Don't get too hung up on Full Plate because they could just wear Half Plate for 1 fewer armor point but still keep full 30ft move.
This applies to skellies too for movement speed but zombies are meatier for melee. Anyway give your Zombies Chain Mail 16AC + Shield and order them to follow your friends around and "help" action them. Sure they're probably not proficient in the armor but the help action doesn't get penalized for such things.
Position them shoulder-to-shoulder in combat and crouch behind them for full cover from ranged attacks
Dress the same and use them as decoys
Dress one nicer and plop it on your Phantom Steed to super-decoy
Have them dig some earthworks and stand guard for resting
Have them pull a cart and keep watch while the party rests inside on the move
Smother a fire with bodies
Smother a person with bodies
Have them skin a corpse to then be raised as a skeleton. Doesn't need to be done neatly.
Provoke opportunity attacks to cover allies escape
Illegal. This would be half cover.
Siege Weapon Crew
A level 14 Creation Bard can make a piece of siege equipment up to huge size and then have his skeleton crew load and fire it in one turn. Could be a fun purchase for the right campaign for a non-Creation Bard character.
Magic Stone Artillery:
It uses up your Bonus Action every turn to arm 3 skeletons with magic stone, but it means they will hit more frequently and deal magic damage.
Budget Casters:
Arm your skeletons with magic items that let them cast a spell. Even if the spell is not overly powerful, the action economy is. Bonus points if the spell takes concentration. Circlet of Blasting is a solid example.
In Combat Item Interaction:
Sometimes part of an encounter's challenge is that you need to do something other than fight the enemies to succeed. A good example of this is a mission I played recently where we had to keep a pot of voodoo stew going while various NPCs caused us problems. These are activities that are essential to success but you would rather not waste a Player's whole turn to do.
Yes! I came here to post that idea. Think of the bridges that insects form, 1000 ants all together, but make it out of skeletons.