Undead may be tireless workers, but the do wear out due to minor injuries since they don't heal on their own, Yes, they can be repaired with negative energy, but that will add maintenance costs to your balance sheets.
You say this, but they explicitly have damage reduction. What kind of minor injuries would deal more than 5 lethal damage to the things? Even most humans don't take that kind of "minor injuries" - if they did, they'd be on the verge of collapse. That kind of damage is the equivalent of a minor disaster, but here's the thing - I actually did consider this, but generally lumped it into equivalent sums. If you were worried about your slaves' health, you'd have to heal them in the same manner that you'd have to heal the undead - that cost evens itself out.
Any wear and tear can be solved by having a 1,800 gp at-will command word inflict light wounds item which washes out with the 1,800 gp at-will command word cure light wounds item; of course, that command undead item I mentioned is really much more similar to the vastly more expensive dominate person item for humanoid slaves... humanoid slaves that are still (on average) weaker and less tough (from sheer HD and hp). Plus humans are susceptible to both disease (common) and poison, and may purposefully attempt to twist or ignore commands.
If, on the other hand, you're suggesting that the creatures just kind of collapse over time (giving them an effective "lifetime" limit), there are multiple published adventures that can't really work under that paradigm*, because the creatures you face off against would have done so by now. Or, if there is a lifetime limit, it's substantially in excess of the limit imposed by being mortal.
Either way, you've got a vastly larger turnover rate with normal humans than with undead.
Note that my point isn't that there are no other costs than what are mentioned, but just that the other costs wash out to rough equality compared to each other, or are strictly either higher cost or higher maintenance on the living workers.
- starting with the very first adventure of any AP published, Burnt Offerings (hanging out for 10,000 years is pretty solid)
- Skeletons of Scarwall, the fifth book of Curse of the Crimson Throne (hanging out for 800 years, wandering around)
- Varnhold Vanishing, the third book of Kingmaker
- Souls for Smuggler's Shiv: not the witch's skeletons, nor the ghouls, but the ones found in that ancient temple had to have been there a looooooooong time
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Midnight Anarch, I feel for you, since this is apparently not a theoretical discussion but a "how do I keep my player from taking over my game" discussion. What did you think of my Int mod of -5 proposal?
I've kicked your idea around as a possibility but settled on the compromise that they understand some base information with this weird non-intelligence intelligence. I may yet impose a penalty if things become too unbelievable or overpowered.
I also introduced the idea of using Profession(Undead X) to direct them in ways outside the limits of the base commands. Details of how these function in game remain an abstraction, but the concept is that some individuals can become quite talented in getting the mindless undead to do what they want.
TL,
Zombie farm workers get no DR against slashing damage, like scythes, threshers and any number of farm tools, not to mention really hungry vermin teeth. (They ate Kenny, the b....)
Skeletal workers get no damage resistance to heavy (blunt) objects falling on them, getting kicked by mules, run over by wagons and who knows what else.
Midnight Anarch, I feel for you, since this is apparently not a theoretical discussion but a "how do I keep my player from taking over my game" discussion. What did you think of my Int mod of -5 proposal?I've kicked your idea around as a possibility but settled on the compromise that they understand some base information with this weird non-intelligence intelligence. I may yet impose a penalty if things become too unbelievable or overpowered.
I also introduced the idea of using Profession(Undead X) to direct them in ways outside the limits of the base commands. Details of how these function in game remain an abstraction, but the concept is that some individuals can become quite talented in getting the mindless undead to do what they want.
In short, "you'll need to spend skill ranks on their obeying you..."
Good luck!
In short, "you'll need to spend skill ranks on their obeying you..."
Good luck!
They'll still do all the basic commands outlined in the related spells without the need for any skill. Making them act in coordinated fashion requires some know-how. For example, a DC 15 Profession(Undead Soldiery) check can get them to move/attack in formation, while a DC 20 can cause them to retreat (i.e., use the withdraw action) or advance using stealth.
Succeeding higher DCs will cause them to make tactical moves they ordinarily wouldn't or aid another in attacking/defense, though the DC for any check increases as the number of undead being commanded does. This also serves as a guide for out-of-combat activities, should my necromancer decide to take up farming or mining.
I'm certain that what I've made will need to be tweaked, but for the moment it's a start that should prove useful.
All the farming gangs are actually lead by Morgh-Mothers.
Fascinating response! Does it have any substance in Pathfinder's lore?
Regardless, this angle makes a lot of sense, though I imagine that farms run by Morgh must be terribly unsettling for Geb's living citizens or visitors. As if fields filled with zombies wasn't unnerving enough!