Zombie Laborers

[Detect Magic]

How much do you think an item should cost which bestows the wearer the ability to control X amount of zombies (as per command undead, except permanently; similar to the amulet used to control a shield guardian golem)?

I'm thinking of having a shady merchant appear in one of my games that is selling such an item (attuned to four zombies).

Aside from the ethical concerns, the benefits of having such an item would be that:

- Zombies have a Strength score that is much higher than your typical human (17).
- Zombies never tire, require no rest, and have darkvision (and so can work all hours).
- Zombies do not need food or water.
- Zombies have no will of their own.

I imagine that the merchant, a morally bankrupt character, would be a charlatan rouge (with some seedy connections, obviously).

I'm thinking slavery will exist in the setting, which means that he would try to convince the crowd (and PCs) that zombie laborers are not only superior to human laborers in terms of productivity and cost-effectiveness, but that they are morally advisable. In his words, the zombie laborers, if put to use, would put an end to the needless suffering of countless slave laborers.

(Plot Hook) The charlatan and his conspirators would be obtaining these bodies illegally (perhaps even murdering people to keep up with demand).

[Mike Franke]

Whenever I have run into this issue, we have usually decided that although zombie labor would be great for very unskilled tasks like digging ditches, they are too ham-handed for practically anything else. Zombies could drag stones from place to place but not place them precisely enough to be useful for wall building. They could carry loads of cotton but not pick it because they would ruin it, etc.

In terms of magic item ...a use activated or continuous miscellaneous magic item like an amulet of command undead is calculated as ...

spell level x caster level x 2000 gp = 2 x 3 x 2000 = 12,000

You also have a multiplier based on the duration of the spell.

rounds per level x 4
1 minute per level x 2
10 min per level x 1.5
24 hours or greater x .5

command undead lasts 1 day/level so multiply by .5

final cost = 6,000 gp

but remember command undead only works on 1 undead at a time. If you really want a Zombie workforce you would need control undead and that is going to run you much more.

7th level x 13th x 2000 x 2(for 1 min/level duration) = 364,000 gp but give you 26 hd of undead to work with.

Not sure it is worth it at that price. Make it useable once per day and you drop the price to 72,000 gp.

All of this is on p. 550 of core book one.

[BillyGoat]

This is more similar to control undead or the feat version of command undead (except that the feat requires using channel energy).

Command undead, the spell, works on a single creature, regardless of HD.

So this is like a continuous version of the spellcommand undead, cast multiple times, but limited to zombies. For sake of argument, let's say it allows control of 8 HD worth of zombies.

Now, let's find a few other things to compare and contrast against.

Animate dead allows you to create allows you to create and control up to double your HD skeletons/zombies. It's a level 3/4 (divine/arcane) spell. It's also more powerful than your desired item.

What we'll do as a starting point, then, is take the CL necessary for creating 8 HD of undead from animate dead, but the spell-level from command undead. This kind of reflects the limitations of the item, while expanding the power beyond that of command undead.

We'll also use the time factor on command undead, since it's got a non-instantaneous duration

So, a continuous use magic item with effective spell level of 2 (from command undead0, caster level of 5 (minimum caster level for animate dead, gives you 10 HD, instead of the planned 8, but close enough), and duration of 1 day/CL (command undead).

The duration will half the price (see footnote 2 of table 15-29)

The base value/price is then:

2 x 5 x 2,000 x 1/2 = 10,000 gp

If that's too low for your liking, consider tossing in the component cost of animate undead (25 gp/HD x 10HD x 100, see footnote 4 of Table 15-29). This ups the ante to 35,000 gp.

Before you settle on a price, try to look through Ultimate Equipment for similar magical items to compare and contrast with. Gut feeling, I'd split the difference between 10k and 35k and go with 22,000 gp.

[Mike Franke]

One more thing. Once a day is ok for zombies because they will keep doing a task until ordered otherwise. Dig ditch, etc. However, if something goes wrong your amulet won't be working until tomorrow.

It might simply be more cost effective to hire low level npc necromancers to oversee the zombies than create a magic item to do it. Local cults need jobs too.

[BillyGoat]

Mike Franke wrote:

but remember command undead only works on 1 undead at a time. If you really want a Zombie workforce you would need control undead and that is going to run you much more.

7th level x 13th x 2000 x 2(for 1 min/level duration) = 364,000 gp but give you 26 hd of undead to work with.

Not sure it is worth it at that price. Make it useable once per day and you drop the price to 72,000 gp.

All of this is on p. 550 of core book one.

Yeah, the fact that it's limited to zombies only is what made me start doing all that bizarre stuff with animate dead, since it seemed closest to the goal post.

Another option would be to price it as if it had multiple similar effects.

That is, a headband of command undead (x4), in effect. This would price it at:

6,000 + 6,000x.75 + 6,000x.5 + 6,000x.5 = 60000x2.75 = 16,500 gp.

Which, come to think of it, puts it in the ballpark of what I came up with originally.

[Detect Magic]

Thanks for your input, guys. Definitely not worth 364,000 gp, but 22,000 gp seems more likely. Now, assuming the item is keyed only to four specific zombies, do you think that would change the pricing? Meaning, it's not infinite casting, but one continuous casting of the spell. If a zombie dies, it cannot be replaced; the item becomes nonmagical the moment that the forth zombie is slain (like necklace of fireballs).

[Detect Magic]

Mike Franke wrote:

Whenever I have run into this issue, we have usually decided that although zombie labor would be great for very unskilled tasks like digging ditches, they are too ham-handed for practically anything else. Zombies could drag stones from place to place but not place them precisely enough to be useful for wall building. They could carry loads of cotton but not pick it because they would ruin it, etc.

That sounds pretty likely. It could simply be a scam, hence the merchant's class (charlatan rogue)!

[Titania, the Summer Queen]

Here is how i would handle it
I would create 4 collars and 1 bracelet that are made at the same time. This way they are attuned to each other. The bracelet of course is the masters. The way the collars work is by placing them around the recently dead corpse. In 1 hour the corpse rises as a zombie.

[Ipslore the Red]

You mean this exact item?

http://www.archivesofnethys.com/MagicWondrousDisplay.aspx?FinalName=Death's %20Head%20Talisman24%20HD

[Glen Work]

This one of the plot hooks for one of my favorite old school modules, Egg of the Phoenix. If you can find a copy, it lays out most of the issues that could come up. I highly recommend it!

[Detect Magic]

Ipslore the Red wrote:

You mean this exact item?

http://www.archivesofnethys.com/MagicWondrousDisplay.aspx?FinalName=Death's %20Head%20Talisman24%20HD

I'm not seeing anything when I follow the link. Where it appears text ought to be there's only black.

[cnetarian]

Detect Magic wrote:

Ipslore the Red wrote:

You mean this exact item?

http://www.archivesofnethys.com/MagicWondrousDisplay.aspx?FinalName=Death's %20Head%20Talisman24%20HD

I'm not seeing anything when I follow the link. Where it appears text ought to be there's only black.

Death's Head Talisman

Source City of Strangers pg. 11
Aura varies; CL 5th (10 HD), 7th (14 HD), 9th (18 HD), 12th (24 HD)
Slot amulet; Price 1,000 gp (10 HD), 1,400 gp (14 HD), 1,800 gp (18 HD), 2,400 gp (24 HD); Weight —
Description
This amulet allows the wearer to command a number of undead skeletons and zombies, which are keyed to the amulet when it is created. The animation of the undead is part of the creation process—undead that have already been created cannot be bound to a death’s head talisman. The number of HD of undead tied to the amulet is equal to twice the amulet’s caster level. The amulet allows the wearer to command the undead as if she had created them with animate dead, even if she has no magical talent of her own. The undead are only under control while the amulet is worn; if the amulet is removed, the undead revert to normal behavior, standing in place but responding if attacked. Once the specific undead tied to the amulet are destroyed, the talisman loses all power.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, animate dead; Cost 625 gp (10 HD), 875 gp (14 HD), 1,125 gp (18 HD), 1,500 gp (24 HD)

[Mike Franke]

That about does it, and much cheaper too.

[Titania, the Summer Queen]

Similar to that item, but this would allow replacements once as they are destroyed. More cost effective.

[Hugo Rune]

Slightly off-topic but related. You may want to consider icluding a mechanic for zombies to breakdown (i.e. suffer damage) when being used as machines to prevent the scenario where every evil organisation has a few zombies or skeletons acting as power sources. I know that by RAW they do not suffer non-lethal damage or fatigue effects but it might be worth creating a house-rule where if a zombie or skeleton is worked to the point that it would suffer non-lethal damage due to fatigue or exhaustion that they potentially suffer damage.

For example: It could be as simple as non-lethal damage that would be accrued/current HP = % chance of 1HP damage. When the damage occurs the whole is reset so that the zombie or skeleton is the equivalent of fully rested and ready for another 8 hours of work before possibly becoming fatigued.

That way the zombies would slowly breakdown over a couple of weeks if unmaintained but could be easily maintained by a cleric.

[Irnk, Dead-Eye's Prodigal]

I don't have a copy with me, but I know for a fact there is actually a write-up of just what you are talking about in City of Strangers.

[Detect Magic]

@ Ipslore the Read & cnetarian: That's exactly what I was looking for. Thank you much.