What happens to a Necromancer's minions when he dies?

[Falling Icicle]

I'm playing a Dread Necromancer right now, and have a couple skeleton ogre minions. If I die, what happens to them? Are they still loyal to me if I get raised? Do they turn on my friends? I'm not sure if they would just continue to do whatever they were last ordered to do or if they would become uncontrolled.

 

[Nifft]

Golems are mindless and Neutral.
Skeletons are mindless and Evil.

I'd have them turn on the nearest living thing visible, or guard their area attacking any living things that enter.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Falling Icicle]

Well, they don't attack my companions because I have ordered them not to. But if I die, do they still continue to follow such orders? And when I come back after being raised, do they still follow my instructions?

 

[GMVictory]

They should become uncontrolled. Also, even if you were raised on the spot you'd have to regain control through rebuking or spells. Of course, your DM could rule differently.

 

[Jhaelen]

Well, they don't attack my companions because I have ordered them not to. But if I die, do they still continue to follow such orders? And when I come back after being raised, do they still follow my instructions?

I'd say they continue to follow your orders indefinitely unless someone else takes control over them.

 

[Altalazar]

By the rules, they have to follow your orders unless they are changed somehow. Otherwise, you'd invalidate pretty much every single adventure out there because in every adventure, there is always an area that is guarded by undead following the orders of their creator where it is clear that the creator has been dead for a very long time.

 

[frankthedm]

Same situation as a dominated being I'd say, the controlled being follows it's last orders untill the duration expires.

In warhammer fantasy role play, it specifies the hordes of undead crumble to dust upon the caster's pemanent death.

 

[Vahktang]

By the rules, they have to follow your orders unless they are changed somehow. Otherwise, you'd invalidate pretty much every single adventure out there because in every adventure, there is always an area that is guarded by undead following the orders of their creator where it is clear that the creator has been dead for a very long time.

I would have said otherwise, that they become wandering monsters, until you brought up that very good point.
Mindless = follow last command.
Now, they ought to be simple commands, so, that could be a problem:

"The necromancer said 'protect me', so his undead won't allow us to recover his body to raise her."

 

[frankthedm]

"The necromancer said 'protect me', so his undead won't allow us to recover his body to raise her."

Are you sure the cleric wants to raise him?

 

[Darklone]

Are you sure the cleric wants to raise him?

IMC usually the evil PC cleric IS the necromancer