Can helpful spell be cast on zombies and animated Dead?

[darthauthor]

So can a mage cast spells like Armor of Ithan on their zombie minion?

Likewise:

Cleanse so they don't stink. Do zombies stink?

Climb?

Impervious to Fire?

Invisibility: Simple?

See the Invisible (by spell or amulet)?

Swim?

[ShadowLogan]

In general, I would say yes you can cast helpful spells on them provided the spell can be cast on another (or otherwise doesn't run into their immunities).

[Grazzik]

I second SL's comment.

I'd add though that Impervious to Fire and similar spells may be wasted as zombies/mummy/animated dead may be instinctively afraid of large fires. As GM, just to spice things up, I might require a battle of wills to force the protected undead to go through the fire.

[Library Ogre]

I second SL's comment.

I'd add though that Impervious to Fire and similar spells may be wasted as zombies/mummy/animated dead may be instinctively afraid of large fires. As GM, just to spice things up, I might require a battle of wills to force the protected undead to go through the fire.

It might not make them unafraid, but it will keep them from getting quite so toasty... very helpful for a mummy.

[darthauthor]

Thanks,

I had put together a battle by a necromancer.

He is supposed to know what he is doing. Done it before.
Every full moon he tries to make a zombie.
After a couple of years he has quite the platoon.

So he had to have tried spell casting on them to tank more damage or something.
They are smarter than mumies though.

I asked myself, If I were a necromancer and need these zombies henchmen of mine to get the job jone before they are blown away. I'd probably make them invisible so they could close the distance between them and their target before they get blown away by a hail of energy weapon fire.
Of course, the necromancer has really got to plan things out with their PPE costs and how to command their minions.

[ShadowLogan]

Don't forget that with Zombies:
-you can give them normal equipment to help improve their durability and such (body armor, weapons, passive "always on" magic items maybe even some active ones)
-laser/energy weapons would do half damage and could still function after taking less than 3MD (150SDC x 2 = 300 SDC = 3MD), while 3MD isn't a lot in the grand scheme of things it means most pistols may take a few shots (Rifles forget it) depending on the roll
-even if you deplete a Zombie of its SDC, it can still rise again unless certain conditions are met to actually destroy it (and shooting one with a MD laser gun isn't going to do it).

As for Skeletons, IIRC there are a few examples of a Necromancy Spells that can work by casting onto an animated skeleton ("Fragile Bone to MDC Bone", pg193 BoM and "Fragile Bone to Wood" pg187-8 BoM). So, if someone objects there is some precedent for spells to enchant skeletons.

[darthauthor]

Thanks ShadowLogon,

i actually did forget about equipment.

The battle I put together was not so much for the Necromancer to win as it is to force the heroes to melee fight henchmen.

IF the heroes unload on the zombies I want the necro to be invisibile casting Armor of Ithan or such.
Plan is to run the players our of E-Clips. Then they have to fight melee.

Players can ALWAYS survive by retreating.

But power playing is going to cost the characters to recharge their E-clips and cumulative damage to their armor.

Two or three days later the characters will have a chance to show what they learn after the dead regroup and try again.

[Killer Cyborg]

So can a mage cast spells like Armor of Ithan on their zombie minion?

Likewise:

Cleanse so they don't stink. Do zombies stink?

Climb?

Impervious to Fire?

Invisibility: Simple?

See the Invisible (by spell or amulet)?

Swim?

I made a thread years back about Golems, including a lot of ways to use them in conjunction with spells.
Much would carry over to Zombies.

You might have some fun skimming the thread for ideas, but here's some highlights from the first post:

3. Your mage can buff up the Golem with spells:
-Aura of Power can make it look more intimidating.
-Chameleon will hide it, and since it will be the same temperature as the room, even thermo-imagers won't pick it up.
-Armor of Ithan and other "armor" type spells can pump up the golem's defense. (A Golem with Armor Bizzare would be quite a sight...)
-You can also cast Magic Shield and give it to the Golem to use.
-Mend the Broken could help heal the Golem if it takes damage.
-Superhuman Strength, and Superhuman Speed could help give the Golem a boost.
-A Frostblade could be given to the Golem after casting.
-Impervious to energy would make a Golem even more damage resistant than it already is.
-Fly as the Eagle can give the Golem more mobility.
-Globe of Silence and/or Invisibility: Superior could help the Golem be more stealthy.
-Invulnerability would work like a combo of Impervious to Energy and AoI all in one.
-Use Metamorphosis: Animal as a ritual to turn the Golem into an animal. It should retain its own MDC and supernatural PS.
For times when you want surprise on your side.
-Use Second Sight to watch and direct your golem from a distance.
-Give it Eyes of the Wolf and send it to track people, or set it up to watch out for invisible attackers.
-While one would think that Magical Adrenal Rush shouldn't work on a non-living creature, there is no mention that it does not.
-Cast Metomorphosis: Human on the Golem to disguise its nature. If people don't recognize it as a golem, then they won't think to cut our its heart if they defeat it (heck, they probably won't think of that anyway)
-Cast Power Weapon on the Golem's fists. This should up the punch damage to 4d4 MD for a while.
-Winged Flight would help the Golem's mobility.
-A kind GM might allow the Create Steel spell to be used to make stronger Golems, or to make a golem stronger.
-Use Metamorphosis: Insect to turn the golem into a bug. Turn it into a tick and have it climb inside somebody's clothing until you want it to attack. Or have it turn into an earwig and crawl inside their ear until it turns back to normal....
-Cast Stone to Flesh on it. If the spell works, and the golem still functions, cast Giant on it...
-Give it an Amulet.
-Cast Enchant Weapon on the Golem: Depending on the GM's ruling, it might make the Golem into a 500 MDC being that does 4d6 MD on a punch/kick.

Personally, I think casting Armor Bizarre on a Zombie would be terrifying, especially if the enemy didn't know that's what they were looking at, and thought they were dealing with some kind of corpse-animating tentacle creature or something.
Oh, and Fleet Feet on slow-moving creatures/characters is always fun!