Animate Dead / Tracking Undead companions

[Daggaroth]

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.

[Aaron]

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

[Daggaroth]

Originally Posted by Aaron

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?

[Mystic Lemur]

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.

[Farling]

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