Verbal commands and Animate Dead

[Nemal]

I don't really get the reasoning behind giving skeletons and zombies verbal commands.

The skeletons and zombies don't really understand any languages. So why does it matter what the caster says and how does it relate to what the undead can do?

If I tell a zombie to dance, does it know what to do? It has no Int score, so I can't teach it. Does this mean that this is something the spell just will not do?

Also, what stops anyone from just saying gibberish that the undead interpret as commands? The spell is not language-dependent.

[ShadowcatX]

The magic of the spell enables the caster to give them verbal commands. It doesn't matter rather or not they can understand the language, what matters is that the caster has verbally commanded them, the magic takes over from there.

[Necromancer]

Nemal wrote:

I don't really get the reasoning behind giving skeletons and zombies verbal commands.

Yeah, I've never followed this suggestion; creators have one-way telepathy with their mindless creations (constructs as well) in my games.

I sure that it used to be very exciting to have the undead shepherd scream out "Kill them all!", but that approach always seemed out of place to me. Maybe a monstrous warlord would bellow commands, but I found that it's far more unsettling and appropriate for the mindless undead to follow mental commands.

I believe that aspect of undead control is intended mainly for an outdated dramatic effect.

[HappyDaze]

Necromancer wrote:

Nemal wrote:

I don't really get the reasoning behind giving skeletons and zombies verbal commands.

Yeah, I've never followed this suggestion; creators have one-way telepathy with their mindless creations (constructs as well) in my games.

I sure that it used to be very exciting to have the undead shepherd scream out "Kill them all!", but that approach always seemed out of place to me. Maybe a monstrous warlord would bellow commands, but I found that it's far more unsettling and appropriate for the mindless undead to follow mental commands.

I believe that aspect of undead control is intended mainly for an outdated dramatic effect.

Think of the commands more like command words for magic items. A magic staff doesn't understand Common or any other language, but it's keyed to respond to certain words in certain ways. Skeletons and zombies are like that too except they only respond to certain speakers.

[Necromancer]

HappyDaze wrote:

Necromancer wrote:

Nemal wrote:

I don't really get the reasoning behind giving skeletons and zombies verbal commands.

Yeah, I've never followed this suggestion; creators have one-way telepathy with their mindless creations (constructs as well) in my games.

I sure that it used to be very exciting to have the undead shepherd scream out "Kill them all!", but that approach always seemed out of place to me. Maybe a monstrous warlord would bellow commands, but I found that it's far more unsettling and appropriate for the mindless undead to follow mental commands.

I believe that aspect of undead control is intended mainly for an outdated dramatic effect.

Think of the commands more like command words for magic items. A magic staff doesn't understand Common or any other language, but it's keyed to respond to certain words in certain ways. Skeletons and zombies are like that too except they only respond to certain speakers.

I use mental triggers for items instead of verbal commands; the casters might still say something, but the item's operation doesn't hinge on that condition.

[thebwt]

The primary issue to be mindful of is zones of silence or similar effects. Tactical silencing of a necromancer can be quite lethal. Likewise against players with command word items.

Generally these components make for a more interesting Achilles heel than a balancing tool.