Reconciling Animate Dead with a Bones Oracle that worships Pharasma

[RavingRutabaga]

Hello. Currently, I am playing a Bones Oracle of Pharasma that exemplifies the "white" necromancer archetype who prides himself on the destruction of all undead. So far I've been having a blast with the Bones mystery/revelations.

However, at my next level (6th) I will automatically add animate dead to my spell list. After perusing the entry on Pharasma on Gods & Magic, it seems pretty clear that the creation of undead is strictly forbidden. I know full well I could just not ever use the spell, but I feel that would be wasting my character's full potential. That said, I entreat all of you on these boards to aid me in brainstorming ways I can make animate dead make sense for my character.

Even though my character worships Pharasma, I envision him as an oracle of death with ties to primarily both Pharasma and Urgathoa.

So far I have thought of the possible changes:

1) Treat animate dead as a "create deathless (from book of exalted deeds)" type of spell. Essentially, the spell stays the same and the types of creatures created have the deathless traits instead of undead traits. Maybe up the material component cost or reduce the duration from permanent to day/level? My only concern here is that the create deathless spells from Eberron were a much higher level than animate dead.

2) Treat animate dead as a "summon spirit" type of spell. Axe the material component cost and make the duration relatively short (either round/level or minute/level). Basically the caster summons "friendly" spirits to attack similar to the summon monster spells. Makes me think of Aragon from Return of the King. Maybe make it different from the summon monster X spells by allowing you to summon multiple spirits whose power level are in line with the summon monster spells?

3) Leave the mechanics of animate dead the same and tweak the flavor. Rather than imprisoning the spirit within the corpse, you are granting a spirit the chance to redeem itself prior to judgement. Once raised, it could have an emblazoned symbol of Pharasma distinguishing it from the average zombie. Perhaps up the material component cost? And would it still be powered by negative or positive energy?

As you can see the more I try to iron out the more questions I raise.

Thanks in advance for all your suggestions on how to fix this dilemma.

[Alexander Kilcoyne]

Have you simply asked your DM if you and him can come up with a suitable spell for you instead of animate dead?

[Abraham spalding]

A couple of thoughts:

1. Oracles don't have to worship for their power -- your oracle (even if very unlikely) could tell Pharasma to "shove it" and not suffer a loss of power (many other things perhaps, but not power).

2. It could be Urgathoa offering his bit of support (and temptation).

3. It could be a "spontaneous" power that is unwanted but still there. Consider the early Anita Blake books (WARNING: ADULT CONTENT) where Anita is an animator/necromancer but doesn't really want to be.

4. You could always ask for a different spell -- as a GM I would allow you to trade out for enervation if you wanted to.

5. Maybe it's a temporary thing? The dead get up and protect you for a few rounds instead of staying around forever? It might be almost the same as a summons spell in such cases: Just call it something like "Pharasma's eternal protectors" or something.

[Malafaxous]

Those whom take vows of non-violence are surrounded by weapons and must overcome the darkness in their hearts. The spell becomes available to you through the urgings of Urgathoa, trying to pull you from the righteous path of Pharasma. Hold firm to your beliefs, do not allow the taint of that Pale Princess take root and damn your soul for all time. Do not heed the dark whispers you will hear when you look at a freshly slain body, you must resist.

Treat it as such, that you have now gained the attention of Pharasma's greatest rival and must deal with such daily.

[James Jacobs]

Yeah, with oracles, you don't actually have a cleric-like link to a deity. In fact, it's unusual for oracles to worship a single deity; not wrong... just unusual.

So if you're an oracle of Pharasma who wants to be able to use animate dead, you only have to justify it to yourself, honestly. Come up with a cool reason why you're allowed to do it, and that's the reason.

Now... Your GM might then have some clerics of Pharasma treat you like a heretic at times as a result, which can be fun role playing fodder, but as an oracle, you're kind of "off" from clerics anyway. ;-)

[Malafaxous]

James Jacobs wrote:

Now... Your GM might then have some clerics of Pharasma treat you like a heretic at times as a result, which can be fun role playing fodder, but as an oracle, you're kind of "off" from clerics anyway. ;-)

Awesome.

[Oliver McShade]

Alexander Kilcoyne wrote:

Have you simply asked your DM if you and him can come up with a suitable spell for you instead of animate dead?

+1

If it was me, i would ask my DM, if i could just swap it out for "Bestow Curse" spell.

[RavingRutabaga]

Thank you all for the insightful replies. After more consideration I think I will just think of a "cool" reason to justify using the spell.

Currently, I'm thinking of just envisioning my guy as death's advocate. Essentially, restless spirits (explains haunted curse) continually pester him and beg him to exact retribution on whoever killed them. I couldn't think of a worse fate than being raised as an undead, and ghosts seem to be the kind to hold a grudge.

Basically, I would be walking a fine line between raising everything (Urgathoa)and raising only those that "deserve" it.

Thanks for reminding me that oracles don't have a cleric-like link to a deity. Granted my character idealizes the tenets of Pharasma, but it would make more sense if his powers came from the restless dead than one or two deities. Even though most of Pharasma's church may frown at the prospect of creating undead, I think I can still justify it (at least in my char's mind) by seeing it as putting spirits to rest/avenging the dead.

[RavingRutabaga]

Oliver McShade wrote:

Alexander Kilcoyne wrote:

Have you simply asked your DM if you and him can come up with a suitable spell for you instead of animate dead?

+1

If it was me, i would ask my DM, if i could just swap it out for "Bestow Curse" spell.

Yeah, Bestow Curse would be a good swap. Thanks for the idea. I'll have to give that some thought as well.

[Nebulous_Mistress]

What better way to learn how to best destroy the undead than to understand how they're made?

Know your enemy. Learn their spells. Animate Dead would therefore be the one spell you'd have to know.

[Oliver McShade]

Nebulous_Mistress wrote:

What better way to learn how to best destroy the undead than to understand how they're made?

Know your enemy. Learn their spells. Animate Dead would therefore be the one spell you'd have to know.

The only problem, is that you are learning a spell that goes again your gods main portfolio. If you use the spell, you are risking alignment change to evil. If you use the spell, other cleric of your god are going to look at you as a heretic (enemy). Having a spell, that you can not cast is just a waste of a spell slot.

[Darigaaz the Igniter]

We had a similar connundrum a few months ago with our wannabe-necromancer-but-wants-to-remain-neutral cleric. Our Gm made up a special scenario where a high ranking priest of Pharasma needs someone to be the equivalent of the real-world devil's advocate. So, after taking care of a vampire filled monastary, we get loot and the sap gets to switch to a more powerful death god (he pissed off his last one, one of the minor ones from the gods and magic supplement). Of course, he's still considered a heretic by all the rest of the Pharasmites.