Animate Dead (730)
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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
- 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.
- 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 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
These 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. Gem value also adds to the duration, but less so than when animating creatures.
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.