Nothing changed from 2014, kind of wanting something new to it, but at least nothing was ruined at the same time.

I think this should be updated to read, "Choose a pile of bones or a corpse of a Medium or Small Humanoid you can see within range."

I have seen people try to abuse this by claiming a person sleeping is technically a pile of bones..."

NO! Stop it!

Pile: a heap of things laid or lying one on top of another.

Thing: an inanimate material object as distinct from a living sentient being.

In no capacity, can Animate Dead work on a living person, as a Creature (a living person) isn't considered an Object.

Why on gods green earth is this not in the warlocks spell list. THE DEFEACTO occult spell user. I know wizards are traditionally the necromancer/liches…but come on

Actually, the 2014 version said, "If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures." That's more open-ended than this version's, "If you issue no commands, the creature takes the Dodge action and moves only to avoid harm."

At least it continues following the last order you gave it, which is better than the companions of the Drakewarden or the Beast Master.

What happened with that?

If I animate a dead castle guard could I instruct it to show me the secret entrance into the castle? Could I instruct it to write down all the passwords for me? Can I tell an animated dead to show me where it hid its treasure? etc.

What are the limits to the abuse of this spell?

They need to make it so you can get a specter with this.  Ghost flavored Necromancy is cool.

I know it shouldn't surprise me or anything, but the spell is called Animate Dead. Not Animate "Technically Incapacitated for the Next 8 Hours"

why the hell is it that the Undead Warlock does not get this spell? how does this make any sense?

What are people's thoughts on how many creatures you can raise casting this spell at 3rd-level (base level)?  We're trying to decide if one of my players can raise more than 1 corpse at a time casting at 3rd level.  The way it's worded, it kind of implies only 1 corpse can be raised at the base level of the spell, but then it says you can "reassert control over up to 4 creatures" when you re-cast the spell.  It doesn't say anything about losing a raised corpse when you cast the spell again, nor does it give a maximum number of corpses you can raise when casting at 3rd level.  Just looking for some insights into how others run this.

sigh... no zombie beholder. 

@Shakespearefett, I don't think there's a limit beyond your spell slots and the quantity of corpses, since it's not a concentration spell, and it's a different target each time. Part of the fun of the spell is the potential for a Skeleton / Zombie army. (I've seen discussions of 70 or more.) A DM might want to set an upper limit, for the sake of everyone else at the table.

Thank you! That's the direction I was leaning, and I have seen the blogs on the zombie army.  It's wild.  :)

Could I find one skeleton and put the bones in groups to make a bunch of skeletons? It never said you needed a complete skeleton.

It's a shame they basically didn't update this from 2014. The spell is clunky. These creatures have their own initiative, you have to use your bonus action to command them to do anything, and the guidance given regarding the commands you can give them is so broad it leaves it heavily open to DM interpretation.

Quote from The_twilight_clown >>

Could I find one skeleton and put the bones in groups to make a bunch of skeletons? It never said you needed a complete skeleton.

 Probably not unless it was one large skeleton initially. That's going to be up to your DM at the end of the day.

Is there any way for a PC to Animate a Warhorse Skeleton? or other type of undead like Ogre Zombie?

Animate Dead(3rd lvl) is Medium or Small, Skeleton or Zombie (CR 1/4), but Create Undead (6th lvl) are Ghouls, Ghasts, Wights, and Mummies (all CR 1-3). 

So either a spell inbetween both that allows for Large or non-humanoid skeletons/zombies. Or upcast Animate Dead for bigger or non-humanoid undead, or the same Create Undead to make any undead under CR 3.

Weird that Zombies and Skeletons are the same spell since Skeletons are so much stronger. There really isn't any reason not to go Skeletons other than not having Bones.

Quote from Mikeim520 >>

Weird that Zombies and Skeletons are the same spell since Skeletons are so much stronger. There really isn't any reason not to go Skeletons other than not having Bones.

Skeletons and Zombies are both CR 1/4; they're both in roughly the same weight class, so to speak. Skeletons have a ranged attack and a bit higher attack bonus, but they have vulnerability to an extremely common damage type, and Zombies have that Undead Fortitude feature that means they can potentially take several kill shots without actually going down.