Animate Dead (730)

Animate Dead (730) Mnemonic [ANIMATEDEAD] Duration Special Utility Magic   Subtype Attack  Components a gem, crimson salt crystals

Sorcerer Base Spells Blood Burst (701) Attack Mana Disruption (702) Attack Corrupt Essence (703) Attack Phase (704) Utility Disintegrate (705) Attack Mind Jolt (706) Attack Eye Spy (707) Utility Limb Disruption (708) Attack Grasp of the Grave (709) Attack Energy Maelstrom (710) Attack Pain (711) Attack Cloak of Shadows (712) Defensive Balefire (713) Attack Scroll Infusion (714) Utility Curse (715) Attack Pestilence (716) Attack Evil Eye (717) Attack Torment (718) Attack Dark Catalyst (719) Attack Implosion (720) Attack Minor Summoning (725) Utility Animate Dead (730) Utility Ensorcell (735) Utility Planar Shift (740) Utility

Sorcerers can Animate Dead corpses of creatures or fellow characters, then maintain an amount of control over the reanimated body. Creature animates can attack, cast defensive magic, and hold items for their master. Player animates can only move. Each corpse must first be treated with crimson salt crystals which act as a unique form of preservation, preparing the body for life after death. Crystals must be prepared prior, and are created from sea water, troll blood, and a moonflower which are all mashed into a homogenous solution, then lit aflame via Dark Catalyst.

Necessary Components

• corpse

Constructs, golems, elementals, and non-corporeal undead creatures cannot be animated by this magic. Other dead creatures are suitable, preferably not wounded ones. All player characters can be animated.

• crimson salt crystals

SPREAD CYSTALS ON {corpse} prepares the body for animation, and acts as a form of preservation as well. For information on creating crystals, refer to the link provided.

• gem

Gem value is only a factor in the duration of the animation. Valuable gems such as diamonds or emeralds are recommended, and any gem valued under 600 silver decreases the duration. Gem must be held in hand when casting.

Selecting a Corpse for Animation

Creatures

When animating a creature, Sorcerers receive +1 minute per seed 6 summation of their Sorcerous Lore, Necromancy ranks and every 400 silver of gem value adds 1 minute to the duration. Other factors include the number of levels the sorcerer's MAL is above the creature being animated, the level of animation success (hidden d100 roll), and Discipline stat.

Creatures can be broken down into three distinct types:

• animal

These are generally quadrupeds, they use natural attacks (bite, claw, etc.) and may also attack with maneuvers. This type is the least effective animate overall because their attacks do poor damage and cannot be bolstered by the use of a weapon, and they know no magic to be of defensive use either.

• magical

Creatures which rely primarily on magic as their means of attack. These are generally the least effective attacking animates, though they may know certain defensive spells which can be quite useful to their master. It is important to note that only creatures on the BCS system cast defensive magic upon their masters.

• warrior

These are creatures which wield weapons and shields. Generally bipedal and often even intelligent these are the best choices for offensive animates. The faster the creature, the better animate it will make. Once animated they may also be instructed to wield a weapon of their masters choice (commonly claidhmores or flaring weapons) to drastically increase their damage potential.

Characters

Primarily used as an alternative to dragging fallen comrades, the success of player character animation is automatic (there is no MAL restriction). The target must have their group open or the spell will fail. Once animated, players may UNLINK ANIMATION to release themselves from the caster's control, causing their body to return to a dead state. The duration is 600 sec + 4 sec per Sorcerous Lore, Necromancy rank + 1 minute for every 1,000 silver of gem value.

Commands

TELL ANIMATE TO...	Action	Creature-only	Player-only
ATTACK	Animate will attack any foe in sight.	X
ATTACK {creature|player}	Instructs animate to attack the specified target.	X
GUARD	Animate will attack any creatures that attack its master. Non-BCS animates are not able to guard.	X
GO {direction|portal}	Animate moves in the specified direction (must be in same room).
FOLLOW	Animate will follow its master. Using this command again will stop the animate from following.
STOP	Animate will cease most recent command. Will not stop the animate from following.
GET {item}	Animate picks up specified item (maximum 2 items).	X
DROP {item}	Animate will drop specified item.	X
MAGIC	Instructs the animate to cast defensive/enhancive magic at its master (must be in same room).	X
SIT	Animate will sit.		X
LIE	Animate will lay down.		X
STAND	Animate will stand up.		X
DIE	Breaks the master's control over the animate. Body will return to its original dead state.

Useful animates

Per Querthose's Guide, the most useful animates tend to be warriors - those that swing a weapon and do little else. Such animates can usually swing a claidhmore (provided by their animator), which can be very effective. Here are some examples of creatures that fit this mold:

Creature	Average Level	Notes
Bandit	Varies	If you can afford to take a few swings, look for a fast swinger, and not one with a bow.
Shan warrior	42	Physical attacks, disarm
Shan ranger	42	Only slightly lower AS than a shan warrior, and can be told to cast mobility on you
Tomb troll	52	Rapidly regenerates from any wounds received
Decaying Citadel guardsman	58	Undead animates can hit other undead animates without a blessed weapon
Massive pyrothag	58
Black forest ogre	60	Make sure to pick out a rogue rather than a wizard
Muscular supplicant	67	Ideal animate. Does nothing but swing. If you look around, you can find ones with 3 second attack RT.
Raving lunatic	77	This is the only option for hitting vvrael witches/warlocks (though their DS is usually too high to make it practical). Be sure to tell your animate to stop following before you leave the rift, or else you'll lose it on the way out.
Ithzir scout/Ithzir janissary	89/92	Some of the other ithzir has high DS, but these are still fairly useful. They'll frequently hurl their weapon, though - keep an eye on it.
Triton executioner/Spectral triton defender/Triton combatant/Triton radical	96/98/98/100	All reasonable choices. Defender might be best because it doesn't get wounds, mostly attacks, swings fairly fast, and can hit other defenders without a blessed weapon.

Ranged hunted can also be useful (e.g. Rotting Citadel arbalester). They will swing a claidhmore at 0 AS, so let them keep the bow. They do not run out of arrows. They will do considerably less damage per attack, but generally attack very quickly.

See Also

• Necromantic regeneration potion
• Hollow Soulstone Wand
• Trolls (animate dead)
• Crimson salt crystals
• A Cautionary Tale?

References

• Official Animate Dead Guide, on Play.net
• Querthose's Guide to Using Animate Dead
• Maximum Animatable Level