Let's say the party is in a fight against a few Dragonborn, and the Dragonborn die. They cast Animate Dead to bring them back to life as a zombie or a skeleton.
Would you consider allowing the undead statblocks to be modified according to the DMG guidance on how to adapt NPC stats for their race (you might have to scroll a bit)? Obviously things like the Breath Attack would have to go for balance reasons, but what about the attribute modifiers to make the undead appropriate for the creature you're raising?
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Ehhhhhh, I'd just say undead are undead. Keeping track of a race on top of the statblock promises to be more hassle than it's worth.
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Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
I think for a Dragonborn zombie specifically, the only thing I would keep is the damage resistance related to their Draconic heritage. (I assume this is a property of their skin, which is why I'd keep it for a zombie but not a skeleton.) If they were wearing any armor when they died, I'd also keep that. I wouldn't give the undead any stat bonuses based on what race its body is made of, because I think an undead's stats are the result of the magic animating it and not any physical properties of the body being animated.
Let's say the party is in a fight against a few Dragonborn, and the Dragonborn die. They cast Animate Dead to bring them back to life as a zombie or a skeleton.
Would you consider allowing the undead statblocks to be modified according to the DMG guidance on how to adapt NPC stats for their race (you might have to scroll a bit)? Obviously things like the Breath Attack would have to go for balance reasons, but what about the attribute modifiers to make the undead appropriate for the creature you're raising?
I think giving disposable undead minions individual, or at least differentiated, stat blocks probably isn't worth the effort
As Mdhe suggested too, the magic of the spell says you get a specific generic stat block. If the necromancer wants an upgrade, at the very least I'd make them jump through some hoops to be able to do it
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
I don't think I'd allow animate dead cast to include "legacy" bonus features. For one it's unclear whether in death the creatures wounds didn't destroy the integrity of whatever biological or enchantment that granted the creature those features. Moreover, the reason I really like zombies, the Undead Fortitude feature, becomes less plausible if despite being eviscerated or cleaved or all the grody flavor with which you can spice undead fortitude the creature still retain physical integrity to maintain a feature like flight, it just strikes me as off.
Now could a player upcast the spell and instead of a larger number maybe grant flight to two when they could've raised three. I'd consider it, but then you still have the undead foritude thing.
I could also see, home brewing a whole necromancy progression of creating greater undead etc.
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
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Let's say the party is in a fight against a few Dragonborn, and the Dragonborn die. They cast Animate Dead to bring them back to life as a zombie or a skeleton.
Would you consider allowing the undead statblocks to be modified according to the DMG guidance on how to adapt NPC stats for their race (you might have to scroll a bit)? Obviously things like the Breath Attack would have to go for balance reasons, but what about the attribute modifiers to make the undead appropriate for the creature you're raising?
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Ehhhhhh, I'd just say undead are undead. Keeping track of a race on top of the statblock promises to be more hassle than it's worth.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
I think for a Dragonborn zombie specifically, the only thing I would keep is the damage resistance related to their Draconic heritage. (I assume this is a property of their skin, which is why I'd keep it for a zombie but not a skeleton.) If they were wearing any armor when they died, I'd also keep that. I wouldn't give the undead any stat bonuses based on what race its body is made of, because I think an undead's stats are the result of the magic animating it and not any physical properties of the body being animated.
I think giving disposable undead minions individual, or at least differentiated, stat blocks probably isn't worth the effort
As Mdhe suggested too, the magic of the spell says you get a specific generic stat block. If the necromancer wants an upgrade, at the very least I'd make them jump through some hoops to be able to do it
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Also technically the description for zombies says they aren’t capable of using armor; obviously this isn’t hard RAW, but it’s something to consider.
I'll just go with straight no.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
I don't think I'd allow animate dead cast to include "legacy" bonus features. For one it's unclear whether in death the creatures wounds didn't destroy the integrity of whatever biological or enchantment that granted the creature those features. Moreover, the reason I really like zombies, the Undead Fortitude feature, becomes less plausible if despite being eviscerated or cleaved or all the grody flavor with which you can spice undead fortitude the creature still retain physical integrity to maintain a feature like flight, it just strikes me as off.
Now could a player upcast the spell and instead of a larger number maybe grant flight to two when they could've raised three. I'd consider it, but then you still have the undead foritude thing.
I could also see, home brewing a whole necromancy progression of creating greater undead etc.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.