You can cast this spell only at night. Choose a corpse of Large or smaller creature within range. (Excluding the corpse of a Construct, Elemental or Ooze) This corpse becomes an Undead variant* (Zombie) of itself under your control. (Alterations to it's statistics are listed below.)
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 80 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.
The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which it stops obeying any command you have given it. To maintain control of the creature for another 24 hours, you must cast this spell on the creature before the current 24-hour period ends. This use of the spell reasserts your control over up to three creatures you have animated with this spell, rather than animating new ones.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using an 8th-level spell slot, you can animate or reassert control of 2 Large or smaller corpses or 1 Huge corpse. When you cast this spell using a 9th-level spell slot, you can animate or reassert control over 3 Large or smaller corpses, 2 Huge or smaller corpses or 1 Gargantuan or smaller corpse. Each of these creatures must come from a different corpse.
*Stat/ability changes:
- +1 Str, +2 Con, -6 Int, -4 Wis, -4 Cha, -3 Dex (minimum of 1 for each stat)
- Undead fortitude: If damage reduces this zombie to 0 Hit Points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
- Can’t cast spells, use psionic abilities or use legendary actions/resistances
- Can’t speak, but understands the languages it knew in life
- Undead Nature: A zombie does not require air, food, drink or sleep and is immune to Poison damage and the Poisoned condition.
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