D&D 5E (2024) Create Undead in monster stat blocks

[TravDoc42]

I've noticed that some of the 2025 monsters in the new Adventures in Faerûn books have "Create Undead" as spells they can cast, including Sammaster, who can cast it at 8th level. Reading the spell, if I were to run one of these monsters, would I include the Undead (ghouls, mostly) that the spell brings forth as part of the encounters?

I'm not planning on running such an encounter soon, but I wonder if that's the way it is intended to work? Am I missing something?

 

[DEFCON 1]

I wouldn't bother personally. Using the encounter building rules is rather useless oftentimes as it is... so trying to incorporate potential undead that get summoned is going to just bork your numbers even more. You'll end up trying to account for the potential CRs of these summoned undead, then discover the party bum-rushes the summoner in the first round and the caster can't even get the spell off. At which point the remaining monsters of this encounter are way below the threat level you were trying to build for and it becomes an easy win for the PCs.

So my own way of playing it would be to just build the encounter as I would any other, and if the summoner is able to get their spell off and bring in more undead enemies (which is no different than if I were to have a second wave of enemies show up a couple rounds in as backup)... it just gives the PCs more of a reason to direct their attacks in certain directions to try and cut that off at the pass, and/or prepare themselves to retreat if necessary.

 

[TravDoc42]

I wouldn't bother personally. Using the encounter building rules is rather useless oftentimes as it is... so trying to incorporate potential undead that get summoned is going to just bork your numbers even more. You'll end up trying to account for the potential CRs of these summoned undead, then discover the party bum-rushes the summoner in the first round and the caster can't even get the spell off. At which point the remaining monsters of this encounter are way below the threat level you were trying to build for and it becomes an easy win for the PCs.

So my own way of playing it would be to just build the encounter as I would any other, and if the summoner is able to get their spell off and bring in more undead enemies (which is no different than if I were to have a second wave of enemies show up a couple rounds in as backup)... it just gives the PCs more of a reason to direct their attacks in certain directions to try and cut that off at the pass, and/or prepare themselves to retreat if necessary.

That makes so much sense! I agree, encounter building is always a bit... wonky... so adding a bunch of Undead that might not even make it into the encounter isn't wise. After all, having the Dead Three Scion NPC use one of their once per day spells to do that instead of using the multiattack isn't the best idea strategically.
Thank you for your insight!!