D&D 5E Why is animate dead considered inherently evil?

[Tolerable Tyrant]

I'm having a troublesome time understanding why the animate dead spell is considered evil. When I read the manual it states that the spall imbues the targeted corpse with a foul mimicry of life, implying that the soul is not a sentient being who is trapped in a decaying corpse. Rather, the spell does exactly what its title suggests, it only animates the corps. Now of course one could use the spell to create zombies that would hunt and kill humans, but by that same coin, they could create a labor force that needs no form of sustenance (other than for the spell to be recast of course). There have also been those who have said "the spell is associated with the negative realm which is evil", however when you ask someone why the negative realm is bad that will say "because it is used for necromancy", I'm sure you can see the fallacy in this argument.

However, I must take into account that I have only looked into the DnD magic system since yesterday so there are likely large gaps in my knowledge. PS(Apon further reflection I've decided that the animate dead spell doesn't fall into the school of necromancy, as life is not truly given to the corps, instead I believe this would most likely fall into the school of transmutation.) PPS(I apologize for my sloppy writing, I've decided I'm feeling too lazy to correct it.)

 

[Micah Sweet]

Honestly I think most of the hot button issues for people with game design go to the same place. Fantasy is not a perfectly "known" thing but people tend to want a pretty predictable set of things to play a fantasy game. I've learned that lesson the hard way over the years. You touch an invisible sacred cow and suddenly all the player's are mad or don't want to play. But what most people want from fantasy come's from our collective myths and legends and children's tale's and I think the day WOTC or HASBRO messes with that very much "mass appeal" model will be the day the potentially destroy the franchise.

For the third time, that's what settings are for: providing a particular vision.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I am never talking about sales, except to lament how much it is prioritized. I am talking about game design.

While I don't think that the two things are directly related, I think the idea that you could have really good design that would somehow be unpopular (but still objectively good) to be very strange.

OTOH, I don't think that defending something by saying "It's popular!" is a very good argument either. In my mind, anything that's popular can still be criticized for the simple fact that it could always be more popular if it were only better.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

True, D&D worlds aren't our world. But the D&D alignment system is based at least loosely on real-world morality and literature - and those clearly are informed by the idea that most real cultures would have a problem with having grandma's corpse (or even just skeleton) animated by some necromancer. Enchantment, slavery, unmitigated violence - all of those may also be considered evil or at least put to evil use, but none of those are quite as blatantly transgressive as imbuing the dead with a persistent "un"life.

If we want to make some sort of statements about genuine good and evil, then I strongly feel those must be based on real harm, not just on some vague feeling of ickyness. The latter often gets baked in to all sort of moral systems, and the results generally are not nice.

 

[James Gasik]

True, D&D worlds aren't our world. But the D&D alignment system is based at least loosely on real-world morality and literature - and those clearly are informed by the idea that most real cultures would have a problem with having grandma's corpse (or even just skeleton) animated by some necromancer. Enchantment, slavery, unmitigated violence - all of those may also be considered evil or at least put to evil use, but none of those are quite as blatantly transgressive as imbuing the dead with a persistent "un"life.

So what about a culture like the Elves of Eberron, who have persistent ancestor worship and have their dead relatives walking around as Deathless? Sure, the Deathless are animated by positive energy, but they still look like decayed corpses!

 

[Micah Sweet]

So what about a culture like the Elves of Eberron, who have persistent ancestor worship and have their dead relatives walking around as Deathless? Sure, the Deathless are animated by positive energy, but they still look like decayed corpses!

There are more things in heaven and earth then are dreamt of in your philosophy. Maybe D&D should be leaning more into that when thinking about what's good and what's evil in the game.

 

[nevin]

For the third time, that's what settings are for: providing a particular vision.

Unless mass popularity is a design feature. Back to your opinion vs what seems to be WOTC design choices.

 

[nevin]

If we want to make some sort of statements about genuine good and evil, then I strongly feel those must be based on real harm, not just on some vague feeling of ickyness. The latter often gets baked in to all sort of moral systems, and the results generally are not nice.

so if you make a deal with a devil and no real harm is done that should be good? There is a cosmology set up to make it clear and easy. you deal with lower planes, evil. You deal with negative energy evil. You muck around with the middle planes shade's of grey you deal with the upper plane's good. I'm having a hard time understanding what problem you are trying to fix and how everything being shades of grey and determined by outcome not intent makes it easier.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Unless mass popularity is a design feature. Back to your opinion vs what seems to be WOTC design choices.

I don't understand what you're saying here.

 

[Micah Sweet]

so if you make a deal with a devil and no real harm is done that should be good? There is a cosmology set up to make it clear and easy. you deal with lower planes, evil. You deal with negative energy evil. You muck around with the middle planes shade's of grey you deal with the upper plane's good. I'm having a hard time understanding what problem you are trying to fix and how everything being shades of grey and determined by outcome not intent makes it easier.

Is the goal for it to be easier? That's not the impression I got, and it's certainly not what I want, except as an option.

 

[nevin]

I like to think that was one of the design goals when they made the map of the planes. haven't talked to the Dev's about it Just have an opinion.