Animation Transference

[Thane36425]

New spell

School: Necromancy
Level: Cleric 4, sorceror/wizard 5
Casting time: 1 minute
Components: V,S,M (see below)
Range: touch
Targets: See below
Duration: instantaneous
Saving Throw: none
Spell Resistance: no

This spell allows the creator of undead to transfer the animating force between sets of undead. For example: the caster could have 40 1-HD basic skeletons serving as a labor force in his fields most of the time. However if enemies approached or he needed support on an adventure, those skeletons could be taken near a second set, say 4 10-HD bloody, nimble boned skeletons with enchanted armor and weapons. The process could later be reversed.

The effect of the spell is to transfer the animating energies from one set of undead the caster has created to another they have also created. The spell does not create any new undead. Any left over HD are lost. In the above example,if 3 1HD skeletons are lost before the spell, only 3 of the 10HD skeletons could be affected by this spell. The reverse is also true: if 1 10HD skeleton is destroyed then only 30 1HD skeletons could be affected.

Subjects that have their animating force transfered are not destroyed or deanimated, just inert, held together by a barest minimum of magic. They can not act in any way, not even to defend themselves if attacked. They may not resist channeling attempts in any way. They won't run if turned but may be destroyed or be rebuked or otherwise be wrested from the control of the orginal caster, but they would remain inert in that case.

This spell only works on skeletons and zombies created by the caster. No other undead types are affected. Any enhancements such as Bloody, Fiery, etc., or permanent effects do not transfer but remain on the undead they were orginally applied to.

[Thomas LeBlanc]

I like this spell a bunch, but it has problems with wording and how undead work in general. The wording needs cleared. Also you have to contend with the fact that corpses lying around are not a certain type of undead and will decay when not animated. If undead have already been created, then command undead is the appropriate way to command already created undead. I get the sense you want to create/control a different type of undead while the originals are preserved. So why not just have the spell operate as animate dead while the original undead are protected by gentle repose.

Animate Dead, Greater
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric 4, sorcerer/wizard 5

This spell functions like animate dead, except that any excess undead from previous castings become inanimate, dead corpses protected by gentle repose. The corpses are protected for 1 day/level, after which they will begin to decay as normal.

Material Component: If the any corpse animated by this spell is under the gentle repose from a prior casting of this spell, the material component is not needed. The undead created from that corpse must be same variation of undead it was before. If a new type of undead is to be created, the material component must be used.

[Set]

Another option might be to make a 'Corpse Colossus' spell that causes a number of skeletons (or zombies) under your command to slither together into a massive construct of bone (or meat).

Two or three 1 HD medium skeletons just turn into a single 2 or 3 HD medium skeleton.

Four to eleven 1 HD medium skeletons make for a 4 to 11 HD Large skeleton.

Twelve to nineteen 1 HD medium skeletons make for a 12 to 19 HD Huge skeleton.

Twenty to thirty five 1 HD medium skeletons become a 20 to 35 HD Gargantuan skeleton.

Thirty six or more 1 HD medium skeletons become a 36+ HD Colossal skeleton.

The maximum number HD that can be incorporated in a single casting is equal to twice your caster level, so that 36 HD Colossal skeleton is going to require an 18th level caster to create. (Alternately, three times caster level, if that Colossal skeleton seems to be low enough CR to warrant that sort of thing. Balance to suit your needs.) The spell can only affect skeletons *or* zombies in one casting, and the different types of undead can't be mixed together into a single construct.

The spell lasts X amount of time (and can be dispelled, causing the skeletons, or zombies, to tumble apart back into their component selves), and any damage taken is divided among the independent bodies when they revert to their individual smaller selves.

I had originally created a permanant 3.0 'Bone Juggernaut/Corpse Colossus' spell for use in Hollowfaust, in the Scarred Lands setting, since the necromancers of that city had plentiful access to human-sized skeletons, but no readily available supply of larger skeletons to use for heavy work around the city. This spell would allow them to use a dozen or so man-sized skeletons to make a giant-sized skeleton.

A temporary version of it, working on pre-existing undead, sounds well-suited to what you are looking for.

[Thane36425]

Thomas. Thanks. You've got the idea of what I was trying to accomplish with this spell. I'll also point out that my preference has always been for animating skeletons rather than zombies for a number of reasons (speed mostly but they also aren't as disgusting as zombies). So, rotting flesh wouldn't be much of an issue. Mentioned in my description is that a bare minimum of negative energy remains in the inactive undead to keep maintain them, just they are in hybernation of a sort. I like your idea though. That spell variant could work well, particularly if it could be recast to keep the effect going.

But yes, my concept was to have two kind of undead. One a largely unmodified and low HD labor force and another more powerful and modified combat force.

Set. Also an interesting concept. I too have the Hollowfaust book and have worked it into my homebrew world. I've been thinking about putting in Golarian as well, though the map is pretty full.