Hear me out.
Animate Dead for a 1HD Bloodied Skeleton. 50gp.
Scroll of Detonate, 350-500gp and 1 day to write.
Contingent Scroll, 100gp in material components. Contingency that if the skeleton is destroyed, the scroll activates.
So you get Mr. Bones to walk/run in, an enemy caps him, or you get one of your allies to kill him when he gets into position (lvl 7 characters will easily one shot a 1HD monster). Boom! Detonate for 7-10d8 elemental damage of choice.
Only thing to make it better, give him a sheet with some Explosive Runes. Make him walk into place then read them. Downside, I don't think undead can read, nor do I think that reading through scrying counts. An enemy might read it though, as the unusual skeleton walks up with a board in its hands.
1 hour later, Mr. Bones regens and fast heals to return to your side.
As far as I can tell, this works. Thoughts?
Seems fine, though technically, the 100gp cost for Contingent Scroll is a focus cost, so like the skeleton it would only be a 1 time cost.
alternatively, you could have a skeleton with an energy subtype (like flaming for example) and just set detonate to go off when the creature arrives at a particular location. if the detonate spell is set to match the energy type of the skeleton the skeleton could walk back literally unharmed from the explosion.
Contingent scroll target: you (not your skeleton friend)
If you somehow get share spells with a bloody skeleton you could overcome that, but contingent spell specifies "writing on the scroll appears on the target’s skin" and this has some actual mechanical effects (can be deciphered) so it really can't just be ignored. A bloody skeleton obviously has no skin.
The Detonate has some issues as well. It requires a choice of energy, made by the skeleton who is a) mindless and b) dead.
And of course even if it is decided that all of this works, you are walking around with a bomb that any enemy can set off by dealing the skeleton a small amount of damage...
Contingent scroll target: you (not your skeleton friend)
doh! missed that part. It's strange because the text of the spell suggests that you can cast it on other creatures
The writing on the scroll appears on the target’s skin in any location you desire; this writing does not harm or interfere with the target in any way, and doesn’t need to be on exposed skin to function.
I suppose you could magic jar the skeleton and then cast the contingent scroll spell.
from the original question I was figuring the skeleton was being used as a sort of kamikaze / assissianation attempt, rather then having a literal walking bomb strolling around with you. Particularly since Contingent Scroll has a limited duration.
On a side note, for about 300 more gp, you can just make a Necklace of Fireballs I and have the skeleton smash it into the ground at the desired location for 8d6 fire damage.
from the original question I was figuring the skeleton was being used as a sort of kamikaze / assissianation attempt, rather then having a literal walking bomb strolling around with you. Particularly since Contingent Scroll has a limited duration.
It also has a 10 minute casting time, so it isn't like you can use it just when you need it, you have to prepare in advance.
I can't imagine many scenarios where a bloody skeleton is going to be able to get within 30' of an assassination target. It's not like they are going to be pulling out all kinds of crazy skills and sneaking up or blending in with a crowd.
Contingent scroll target: you (not your skeleton friend)
If you somehow get share spells with a bloody skeleton you could overcome that, but contingent spell specifies "writing on the scroll appears on the target’s skin" and this has some actual mechanical effects (can be deciphered) so it really can't just be ignored. A bloody skeleton obviously has no skin.
The Detonate has some issues as well. It requires a choice of energy, made by the skeleton who is a) mindless and b) dead.
And of course even if it is decided that all of this works, you are walking around with a bomb that any enemy can set off by dealing the skeleton a small amount of damage...
Contingent Scroll is 1 hour cast time, willing creature touched, and they become the technical caster of the scroll (Detonate) which was made using my CL when I dump the GP into it.
Arguing skin would raise the arguement no one with an exoskeleton or scales could use it though. I read that as RAI that it's on the creature itself, not clothing or an object. I could write it along his bones and ribs, they are the equivalent of his "skin". He has a writing surface on him.
As my animated corpse, he obeys my mental commands, though again, I wrote the scroll. I could add to the contingency "explodes with electricity".
Yes though, I am walking around with a bomb. Detonate has a 1 round delay, so if he were destroyed by an enemy as I walk up with him, there would be a round to run like hell to escape thr blast radius.
This would be like, the opening move breaking into a fortress or something, and would of course require prep. I'm a wizard though, prep is my whole deal.
from the original question I was figuring the skeleton was being used as a sort of kamikaze / assissianation attempt, rather then having a literal walking bomb strolling around with you. Particularly since Contingent Scroll has a limited duration.
You are correct. It is a kamikaze attempt. It can't be immediately prepared, so it's more a "We're breaking into the Smilers' base tomorrow. Prep the skeletal terrorist to do as much damage as possible.
I don't know what spell you are looking at, but Pathifinder's Contingent Scroll is nothing like you describe. It is a personal spell with a casting time of 10 min, and a duration of 10 min/level.
There are certainly other 'skin' spells that require actual skin, skinsend being a prime example. I could see a GM allowing contigent scroll with a skeletal caster, but I could also see them certainly disallowing it.
Animated corpses are under your control. Nothing is said about 'mental.' You have to command them verbally. Contingent scroll says when the scroll's spell activates, it doesn't allow you to choose anything else about how the spell function, that falls to the target of the contingent scroll spell (although since it is a personal spell, it is usually the same creature). If it worked, your skeleton would be the one to choose the energy type.
I will note that Detonate really should say what happens if the caster is dead before the detonate goes off. Leaving aside any contingency or stuff like that, I would expect this spell to often be cast when the caster was desperate, and it not be uncommon for the caster to be dead or unconscious before the one round delay occurs and the energy type is chosen "When this spell creates the explosion."
I don't know what spell you are looking at, but Pathifinder's Contingent Scroll is nothing like you describe. It is a personal spell with a casting time of 10 min, and a duration of 10 min/level.
There are certainly other 'skin' spells that require actual skin, skinsend being a prime example. I could see a GM allowing contigent scroll with a skeletal caster, but I could also see them certainly disallowing it.
Animated corpses are under your control. Nothing is said about 'mental.' You have to command them verbally. Contingent scroll says when the scroll's spell activates, it doesn't allow you to choose anything else about how the spell function, that falls to the target of the contingent scroll spell (although since it is a personal spell, it is usually the same creature). If it worked, your skeleton would be the one to choose the energy type.
I will note that Detonate really should say what happens if the caster is dead before the detonate goes off. Leaving aside any contingency or stuff like that, I would expect this spell to often be cast when the caster was desperate, and it not be uncommon for the caster to be dead or unconscious before the one round delay occurs and the energy type is chosen "When this spell creates the explosion."
That is odd. I have three sources open for Contingent Scroll open. Nethys, PFSRD, my PDF copy of ACG, and my normal reference app.
I have mild differences is all sources. The wording in each, much like in Contingent Action, seems to indicate it can be cast on another, as it consistently refers to "the target". The target could indeed be "you" however, the wording is off.
I'm not sure where my reference source is getting 1 hour from. It claims the ACG, however my print copy agrees with 10 mins. If it was errata at some point, or a change in the print (example, my PDF could be a future printing, and my application is using the original printing) then normally D20PFSRD has some reference to this (as with Slashing Grace, which recieved eratta after Fencing and Starry Grace's releases). However I'm finding none. So I'm not sure when/if it was changed to/from 10 mins to hours, and/or to a willing creature.
Again, all sources are slightly different, and I can't find why.
You need to look at the stat block portion of the spell, not just the descriptive text:
Range personal
Target you
Duration 10 minutes/level (D) or until discharged
Even with a personal spell and a target of you, the spell can sometimes be cast on something else. For example, if your wizard had a familiar you could cast it on them. If it was a figment familiar, it would even work somewhat like you skeleton bomb, in that it would return after being destroyed (although it would take a day).
You need to look at the stat block portion of the spell, not just the descriptive text:
Range personal
Target you
Duration 10 minutes/level (D) or until dischargedEven with a personal spell and a target of you, the spell can sometimes be cast on something else. For example, if your wizard had a familiar you could cast it on them. If it was a figment familiar, it would even work somewhat like you skeleton bomb, in that it would return after being destroyed (although it would take a day).
I was, but my main source had it listed
Casting Time: 1 hour
...
Target: one willing creature
Range: touch
Duration: 1 hour/level (D) or until discharged
So with two conflicting sources, I read the text, and also compared it to the spell next to it in the same book, Contingent Action, which uses the same wordings and is not self/you.
This leads me to believe either my initial source is dated, from a prior printing of the spell, which my PDF being a recent download on a new machine would be the most recent version... Or my source is applying errata from somewhere, be it a Paizo blog released after the fact or another book. Just as Slashing Grace recieved an update from a later publication, but even my recent copy of ACG, does not have that change.
From D20PFSRD, which remains generally to date, the 10 min version appears to be accurate, and perhaps the wording on the spell was simply left unchanged from the 1 hour version (which is half the scribe scroll time, and makes sense to copy a scroll to a person's body). Or, like other you spells, it functions by giving you the ability to scribe the scroll onto your target. Reddit discussion on the spell seems to go both ways, favoring that it is intended to use on others, especially with the line:
the target of this spell is considered the caster of the scroll
Which implies that the caster of Contingent Scroll, and the target, are separate entities.
It may have also been changed for confusion. Interpretation that perhaps the caster casts Contingent Scroll on someone who can then put the spell on someone else (I know that's a very warped way of viewing it, but it is a possible interpretation). Since Contingecy is a "you" spell which works almost identically, however it's wording very much consistently references yourself.
Arguing skin would raise the arguement no one with an exoskeleton or scales could use it though. ... I could write it along his bones and ribs, they are the equivalent of his "skin".I would say 'No'. In this case, an exoskeleton or scales would be what's considered 'the equivalent of skin'. It's an outer covering protecting the creature's innards and bones. The creature's bones are not its skin.
Can bones be etched or engraved or marked or written on? Yes, but they aren't skin.
Could a creature have bony skin? Yes, it could have a bony plate or hide and that might have a case for being 'the equivalent' of skin. It would be a GM's call whether this means a turtle or armadillo's shell would count (I would say no, probably). In this example, where we are clearly talking about a skeleton, without skin, its bones do not count as skin. It's certainly a GM call if effects like ironskin should work on it, but I would say in the case of contingent scroll (as linked by Dave Justus) the constant wording and use of the word 'skin' makes it clear it means 'skin'.
skin
noun
1. the thin layer of tissue forming the natural outer covering of the body of a person or animal.
synonyms: epidermis, dermis, derma...
2. an outer layer or covering, in particular.
The outermost layer of bone on a skeleton fits the definition of "skin". In particular Bloodied Skeletons also have-
coated in a slick layer of blood and gore infused with negative energy.
-which is neither flowing or moving, which could be considered it's "skin".
Biology fact about turtles and armadillos by the way, they are directly attached to their shells. Their "skin" extends directly into it. And armadillo plates, though they are connected with their skeleton, are also "skin". Both are instances of "dermal bone" meaning they are both, by definition, skin.
A skeleton would be entirely dermal bone, by scientific definition. It's bones, are it's outer layer, and therefore 'skin'.