Choose a pile of bones or a corpse of a Medium or Small Humanoid within range. The target becomes an Undead creature: a Skeleton if you chose bones or a Zombie if you chose a corpse. On each of your turns, you can take a Bonus Action to mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 60 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any of them at…

Level 3 Necromancy (Cleric, Wizard) Casting Time: 1 minute Range: 10 feet Components: V, S, M (a drop of blood, a piece of flesh, and a pinch of bone dust) Duration: Instantaneous Choose a pile of bones or a corpse of a Medium or Small Humanoid within range. The target becomes an Undead creature: a Skeleton if you chose bones or a Zombie if you chose a corpse (see appendix B for the stat blocks).…

Choose a number of corpses, within range. You can reanimate up to 5 Challenge Rating 2 or lower Undead creatures from these corpses. On each of your turns, you can take a Bonus Action to mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 120 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command…

Level 5 Necromancy (Cleric, Wizard) Casting Time: 1 minute Range: 10 feet Components: V, S, M (a drop of blood, a piece of flesh, a pinch of bone dust, and a black onyx stone worth 75+ GP for each level of CR you animate). Duration: Instantaneous Choose a number of corpses, within range. You can reanimate up to 5 Challenge Rating 2 or lower Undead creatures from these corpses. On each of your…

This gory reimagining of a blacksmith makes armour, weapons, and trinkets from the carcasses of slain great creatures. Through a combination of muscle and necromantic magic, they are able to create fearsome weapons, armour, and fighting companions. Level 3: Spellcasting Bonesmiths use a combination of physical prowess, anatomical knowledge, and necromantic magic to create their gruesome…

You explore the forces of life, death, and undeath. As a necromancer, you learn to manipulate the energy that animates all creatures, and you draw increasing power from the forbidden secrets in your spellbook. Though many see Necromancers as menacing or villainous, not all Necromancers are evil. Level 3: Necromancy Savant Choose two Wizard spells from the Necromancy school, each of which must be…

Choose a corpse, or a number or corpses, within range that are equivalent to the size of the creature you are animating (the GM determines how many corpses are required). Your spell imbues the target with a foul mimicry of life, raising it as an Undead creature. You can choose for the target to become an Undead creature of CR 3 or lower (the GM has the creature’s game statistics). On each of your…

As part of casting this spell, you must expend three Hit Point Dice or the spell automatically fails. You touch a creature that has died within the last 10 minutes and return it to life with 1 Hit Point. In addition, roll the Hit Point Dice expended to cast the spell, and the creature gains Temporary Hit Points equal to the roll. At the start of each of the target’s turns, it loses 1 Temporary…

You grant the semblance of life to a corpse of your choice within range, allowing it to answer questions you pose. The corpse must have a mouth, and this spell fails if the deceased creature was Undead when it died. The spell also fails if the corpse was the target of this spell within the past 10 days. Until the spell ends, you can ask the corpse up to five questions. The corpse knows only what…

Level 3 Necromancy (Bard, Cleric, Wizard) Casting Time: Action Range: 10 feet Components: V, S, M (burning incense) Duration: 10 minutes You grant the semblance of life to a corpse of your choice within range, allowing it to answer questions you pose. The corpse must have a mouth, and this spell fails if the deceased creature was Undead when it died. The spell also fails if the corpse was the…

Wondrous Item, uncommon When you cast the Animate Dead spell, you can consume this magic item. When you do, the Skeletons and Zombies created through the spell can speak and understand any languages you know.

When the characters arrive at the Dead Man’s Hand, read or paraphrase the following: The ghastly riverboat is moored at the center of the bayou with its gangplank lowered onto a small muddy island beside it. Eerily vibrant and colorful light pours from the ship’s upper decks, and jaunty music drifts across the water as if the party inside never stops. Two hulking undead bellhops laze about at…

Some wicked mortals have bound their souls to Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul and gained a portion of malevolent divine power from each. A scion of the Dead Three might have seized this power in a sinister ritual or had it thrust on them by an evil Artifact or a god’s malevolent will. In any case, they possess cruelty, bloodlust, and necromantic power in equal measure and serve the Dead Three with their…

You can cast this spell only at night. Choose up to three corpses of Medium or Small Humanoids within range. Each one becomes a Ghoul under your control (see the Monster Manual for its stat block). As a Bonus Action on each of your turns, you can mentally command any creature you animated with this spell if the creature is within 120 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command…

Animated flying swords move as if wielded by unseen warriors. Whether an animated blade is newly forged or a constellation of broken fragments, the object behaves the same. Other weapons from the Player’s Handbook can also be animated and use game statistics similar to those here.

Animated suits of armor might move with steady deliberateness or awkward gaits. They’re often constructed from plate armor, making them easy to mistake for soldiers or helmed horrors. Other types of armor or even metal statuary might also become animated armor.

You always have Animate Dead prepared and can cast it without expending a spell slot, but you must finish a Long Rest before you can cast it in this way again. Whenever you start casting the spell, you can increase the spell’s effective level by 1. In addition, while holding your spellbook, you gain the following benefits. Undead Fortitude. Whenever you cast a Necromancy spell that creates or…

On the walls of this large chamber hang grisly paintings depicting various spectral beings cavorting among ruined neighborhoods, overgrown swamps, and foggy graveyards. Three large overstuffed chairs pair with small end tables, upon which sit empty wine glasses. To the south stands a cluttered writing desk with its own chair, while a large iron tub to the west is visible between standing screens…

Level 5 Necromancy (Bard, Cleric, Paladin) Casting Time: 1 hour Range: Touch Components: V, S, M (a diamond worth 500+ GP, which the spell consumes) Duration: Instantaneous With a touch, you revive a dead creature if it has been dead no longer than 10 days and it wasn’t Undead when it died. The creature returns to life with 1 Hit Point. This spell also neutralizes any poisons that affected the…

Mundane Object Come to Life Animated flying swords move as if wielded by unseen warriors. Whether an animated blade is newly forged or a constellation of broken fragments, the object behaves the same.