Animate Dead / Tracking Undead companions
 

Hi there,

I was building a new character with Animate Dead. I purchased the Summoners Sidekick module but it does not have the zombies / skeletons / various other Undead in there that I might be able to create and control using this ability. I am wondering if this is possible, and if so how, or if this is simply not in the program yet.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

On the other tab you can add a hireling and make that a skeleton/zombie, if you like.

That seems to work quite well. thank you!


just to confirm, say my character is level 4 I use Animate Dead, Lesser(Caster Level 5) on the body of a goblin I would open up a Hireling, Make the hirelings class "zombie" (or Skeleton) which is listed under the "Templates" Section of the Classes menu and make him Level 5 (because of the CL). Then make the background of the hireling a "Goblin" and then give my hireling the weapons and gear that my DM says that particular goblin had on him/her and that would give me an accurate setup of what my zombie can do in combat? or am I missing something or calculating something inaccurately?

Nope. A skeleton or zombie has hit dice based on the creature type used, not based on the Caster Level. A skeleton created by a 5th level wizard and a 10th level wizard are identical. The 10th level wizard can control more undead, make more undead with a single casting, and animate creatures with a higher base hit die.

Edit to add: Your goblin, for example, will always animate as a 1 HD skeleton, or a 2 HD zombie, regardless of how strong it was in life.

Other than that, you've got it right.

Wouldn't you set the normal Race, and then add the Skeleton template?
This would make a goblin into a small skeleton.