Animate Dead from multiple classes

[Framane]

from Animate Dead wrote:

Regardless of the type of undead you create with this spell, you can’t create more HD of undead than twice your caster level with a single casting of animate dead. The desecrate spell doubles this limit.

The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. You choose which creatures are released. Undead you control through the Command Undead feat do not count toward this limit.

So I was wondering how this interacts with multiclassing or possibly with racial HD and class level.

For instance how much HDs of undead could a wizard 5/cleric 5 could control?

Do you get a pool for each class at 20 HD each? (Can't control a 21 HD undead, but you can control 40x 1 HD skeletons)
Do you get a combined pool of 40 HD at your combined caster levels?
Do you get a single pool at your best caster level, 20 HD in this case?

[wellsmv]

i dont think it would combine your caster lvl at all...since they are separate ( one arcane..one divine)

so your max pool is 20hd ( thats between both classes)

[Mysterious Stranger]

Caster levels do not stack each one is completely separate. Racial HD does not play any part in this the only thing that matters is your caster level. So the Wizard 5/ cleric 5 can control 20 HD with each class for a total of 40 HD. No undead can be higher than 20 HD and you cannot mix the pools. So if the undead you are creating have 3 HD than you can control only 12 of them. Any racial HD you have do not have any effect on the number of undead you can control. When the character levels up and only one class increases, only that class is affected. So a wizard 6/ cleric 5 would be able to control 24 HD as a wizard, and 20 as a cleric.

This is no different than any other spell. For example if the character had the fire domain which allows him to cast fireball a cleric spell as well as a wizard spell. Does the character do 10d6 when he casts fireball? No each class can cast fireball and both of them do 5d6 damage.

[Baval]

This is a hotly debated subject. Its either

1.) Each of your classes has its own animate pool and limit

or

2.) You only have one pool, its equal to the class you last cast animate dead with, same with limit.

Its definitely not combine your caster levels together.

Personally, I believe its 1 as thats the only way the old 3.5 True Necromancer makes any sense.

[Framane]

I agree with you that having multiple pool would be the most logical way of running it. Thanks, I will inform my player (in reality he is a Gestalt Oracle/Wizard, but I simplified for the question)

Also, for the racial hit dice, that was specifically for monster with the ability to use animate dead as a spell-like ablity, if I ever got the urge to slap some class level on one to create an encounter.

[Mysterious Stranger]

Why would there be any debate the spell’s description states caster level not character level. Caster levels are completely separate from each other and do not interact with each other in any way shape or form.

What happens when for some reason you no longer have a caster level in one of the classes? For example let’s say you are a wizard 5/ cleric 5 and cast use the cleric spell to animate 20 HD of skeletons. Then you violate your deity’s code of conduct and lose all cleric abilities including spells. Do you still keep control of the undead? What if it was the other way around and you used a wizard spell? Does losing your cleric caster level mean the undead are no longer under your control?

Limits on spell casting form one class have no effect on the other class. If I am a cleric / wizard I can still wear armor and cast my cleric spells, but if will have to deal with arcane spell failure when casting a wizard spell.

[Baval]

Mysterious Stranger wrote:

Why would there be any debate the spell’s description states caster level not character level. Caster levels are completely separate from each other and do not interact with each other in any way shape or form.

What happens when for some reason you no longer have a caster level in one of the classes? For example let’s say you are a wizard 5/ cleric 5 and cast use the cleric spell to animate 20 HD of skeletons. Then you violate your deity’s code of conduct and lose all cleric abilities including spells. Do you still keep control of the undead? What if it was the other way around and you used a wizard spell? Does losing your cleric caster level mean the undead are no longer under your control?

Limits on spell casting form one class have no effect on the other class. If I am a cleric / wizard I can still wear armor and cast my cleric spells, but if will have to deal with arcane spell failure when casting a wizard spell.

The debate is that since it is the same spell, the "effects" might not stack

If you had ray of enfeeblement as both a Wizard and a Sorceror for example, theyre still both the same spell and dont stack. Some people argue the undead pool is the same. I think its silly.