Objects come to life at your command. Choose up to ten nonmagical objects within range that are not being worn or carried. Medium targets count as two objects, Large targets count as four objects, Huge targets count as eight objects. You can't animate any object larger than Huge. Each target animates and becomes a creature under your control until the spell ends or until reduced to 0 hit points.
As a bonus action, you can mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 500 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete.
Animated Object Statistics
Size | HP | AC | Str | Dex | Attack |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tiny | 20 | 18 | 4 | 18 | +8 to hit, 1d4 + 4 damage |
Small | 25 | 16 | 6 | 14 | +6 to hit, 1d8 + 2 damage |
Medium | 40 | 13 | 10 | 12 | +5 to hit, 2d6 + 1 damage |
Large | 50 | 10 | 14 | 10 | +6 to hit, 2d10 + 2 damage |
Huge | 80 | 10 | 18 | 6 | +8 to hit, 2d12 + 4 damage |
An animated object is a construct with AC, hit points, attacks, Strength, and Dexterity determined by its size. Its Constitution is 10 and its Intelligence and Wisdom are 3, and its Charisma is 1. Its speed is 30 feet; if the object lacks legs or other appendages it can use for locomotion, it instead has a flying speed of 30 feet and can hover. If the object is securely attached to a surface or a larger object, such as a chain bolted to a wall, its speed is 0. It has blindsight with a radius of 30 feet and is blind beyond that distance. When the animated object drops to 0 hit points, it reverts to its original object form, and any remaining damage carries over to its original object form.
If you command an object to attack, it can make a single melee attack against a creature within 5 feet of it. It makes a slam attack with an attack bonus and bludgeoning damage determined by its size. The GM might rule that a specific object inflicts slashing or piercing damage based on its form.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can animate two additional objects for each slot level above 5th.
Now I'm wondering if this spell can be used on sentient weapons...
The spells states "Choose up to ten nonmagical objects", a sentient weapon would be magical.
Animate Alchemist's Fire Flasks to make Bomb-Om's!
Wait... anyone getting One Piece's Big Mom vibes from this spell? Animate cannonballs for repeated damage to ship hulls within range. Target enemy's carts and wagons to hilarious effect.
Ambush the burglar entering your room at the inn - target the doors and windows first to prevent escape.
Creating a distraction in an enemy camp? target logs in the nearby campfire and start burning the camp while under the disguise self spell.
Nice utility spell as well, heavy metal doors or city gates can be opened (depending on circumstances).
I suppose 20 minion creatures would be breaking Action economy just a little bit too much for a fifth-level spell.
Animate 10 adamantium sharpened “coins” you could change the damage to slashing and defeat some damage resistance. 10 small coins. 10 small ball bearings, and 10 small spikes you could have basically ALL you non magical damage types covered! Just decide which object
or just pull out 3,3,and 4 3 coins, 3 balls, and 4 spikes and your covered !!!
As DM, I'd allow it but it would have the stats of an animated object and none of the abilities of the creature it once was.
Hey Developers, can you maybe create some monster templates for the 5 sizes of creature you can make here, similar to the Tiny Servant?
The balance for this special seems skewed towards the smaller objects. In a majority of cases why would anyone even animate a huge object when they can animate eight tiny objects? You're getting three times the damage output, while having a higher AC, and with a 50% increase to total hp between the objects.
Best I can figure for wanting to animate something huge is when you want to move something huge (which the only description I could find is something between 10 and 15 ft cubed, mileage my vary by DM) to block a path or something of the sort, creative players and lax DMs could generate some quite entertaining results that don't rely on damage numbers
Aside from that I have to say the damage for huge items are a little lackluster, though for obvious balancing reasons; take for example if you have a 15 ft cubed of basalt, basalt has a weight of 188 lbs per cubic foot and since we're dealing with a cube you multiply that weight by the length, width AND height which in this case would total out at 634,500 lbs for the cube of basalt, which would break anything resembling balance other than maybe the total 300 feet you can move it per minute per 5th level spell slot or higher
If you were to animate a weapon, such as a Maul, would it do more damage than the object's size category?
Would damage from these objects be considered magical damage? They are non-magical objects to start, but are imbued with magic to attack. Thoughts?
Finally, I can command an army rocks and trees!
XD or having a bunch of chairs play musical chairs with all of the enemy creatures!
I wish this was an Artificer infusion.
Just a bit of math for people; if pure damage output is all you want go with 10 tiny; use coins, nails, daggers, hell I once had Strahd use shards of glass from a broken church window, it was super flavorful.
The average damage for tiny and small is the exact same; 6.5, but tiny has a higher to-hit modifier so the damage is more likely to land.
BUT, the added benefit for small-size is that small sized creatures can block movement of medium-sized creatures. So if you are playing tactically, and the target(s) can't fly (or even if they can and you're willing to use more of them to block then in 3 dimensions) then 3-4 small sized creatures can lock down their movement, which is pretty nice even if it means a lower to-hit modifier. You could mix the sizes with say 4 small and 6 tiny, but then things get more complicated and you have to keep in mind that if one of your smalls die then the lock-down becomes impossibly; even shoving all 6 tiny creatures into one space doesn't stop movement from a medium size.
The larger sizes are really only good for flavor reasons, or if you are using it specifically against a larger-size creature; even if you are just trying to choke up a small area like a corridor it is gonna be better to use a bunch of smalls than a couple large or huge.
so, i can understand a wizard, sorcers ect have this but a bard is honestly cool! you can litrelly be a one man band with this
I have a writing/literature-themed wizard, and one of her signature moves is taking out a stack of papers and throwing it on the ground (free action) then casting Animate Objects on them, just sheets of paper flying around attacking enemies
Can I use this spell to animate a locked door to open and consequently let the door break open by itself?
Trying to brainstorm objects to use for this spell.
It would be a sorcerer (draconic - silver/cold).
Spell themes around cold damage and telekinetic control (subtle metamagic, levitate, telekinesis, hold person/monster, animate objects, etc)
So I would obviously use environmental objects available.
However, i envisioning him "practicing" or "discovering" this abilitiy/spell on objects he carries.
He's a jewel crafter (long family line of talented crafters - is what attracted the silver dragon in the first place that gifted the character with sorcery).
So, maybe rings that he can drop or metal/gems he's collected from adventures?
He could then use those objects (or maybe these are different) for the teleport spell later on to have items from the different locations.
So, any creative items for a jewel crafter to be able to drop for the animate objects spells? Other than rings (although I'm growing more and more fond of that one as I start to see it in my head).