D&D 5E A quick question for owners of the Monster Manual

[Vicar In A Tutu]

In a few past editions, Wraiths and similar creatures had the power to create new Wraiths (and those new Wraiths could create even more). From a simulation-perspective, this would lead to the world being overrun with Wraiths. What are the rules on Wraiths? Do they create entirely new wraiths when they kill someone, or do they create spawn that do not have the ability to create new ones themselves?

 

[Mouseferatu]

Most of them create weaker undead. Wights create zombies under their control; wraiths create specters. They have limits to how many they can control at any one time, but not over how many they create. (Although in the wraith's case, it's voluntary; it doesn't happen automatically when they kill someone.)

Shadows, however, still create other shadows.

Issues of "pandemic undead" are not addressed, so far as I've seen.

 

[Nivenus]

In a few past editions, Wraiths and similar creatures had the power to create new Wraiths (and those new Wraiths could create even more). From a simulation-perspective, this would lead to the world being overrun with Wraiths.

Not necessarily. A person infected with rabies can pass it on to other people, but that doesn't mean the entire world is overrun with rabies. Just as infectious diseases like rabies are kept in check by vaccines, drugs, and sanitation, I imagine undead creatures like wraiths are kept in check by adventurers and religious organizations, not to mention possibly professional armies equipped with magical weaponry.

This is incidentally one of the reasons why I rarely find (modern) zombie fiction very believable. Unless the disease is airborne (in which case the protagonists are screwed) it doesn't really make much sense that 90% of the entire population would be converted and killed into the walking dead by a single pathogen.

In answer to your question, I don't actually have the MM yet (though it's on its way). So I couldn't say.

 

[Vicar In A Tutu]

Not necessarily. A person infected with rabies can pass it on to other people, but that doesn't mean the entire world is overrun with rabies. Just as infectious diseases like rabies are kept in check by vaccines, drugs, and sanitation, I imagine undead creatures like wraiths are kept in check by adventurers and religious organizations, not to mention possibly professional armies equipped with magical weaponry.

This is incidentally one of the reasons why I rarely find (modern) zombie fiction very believable. Unless the disease is airborne (in which case the protagonists are screwed) it doesn't really make much sense that 90% of the entire population would be converted and killed into the walking dead by a single pathogen.

In answer to your question, I don't actually have the MM yet (though it's on its way). So I couldn't say.

I think another reason why the world isn't overrun would IF the undead creatures, like shadows, don't roam free. If they stay in the area where they were created.

 

[dd.stevenson]

Not necessarily. A person infected with rabies can pass it on to other people, but that doesn't mean the entire world is overrun with rabies. Just as infectious diseases like rabies are kept in check by vaccines, drugs, and sanitation, I imagine undead creatures like wraiths are kept in check by adventurers and religious organizations, not to mention possibly professional armies equipped with magical weaponry.

I've always seen it as very apt that the same fictional in-world organizations responsible for preventing the spread of diseases, are also responsible for preventing the spread of the undeath.

 

[Nebulous]

Issues of "pandemic undead" are not addressed, so far as I've seen.

Yeah, and I don't think it's necessary to have that kind of justification built in. Otherwise they'd have to justify why hundreds of evil dragons don't rule the world too, or any other number of ridiculously powerful D&D entities that could enslave/destroy entire communities with ease. The D&D worlds are sure fun to adventure in, but "realistically" your average citizen is going to get eaten by something nasty every time he walks outside.

 

[KarinsDad]

Yeah, and I don't think it's necessary to have that kind of justification built in. Otherwise they'd have to justify why hundreds of evil dragons don't rule the world too, or any other number of ridiculously powerful D&D entities that could enslave/destroy entire communities with ease. The D&D worlds are sure fun to adventure in, but "realistically" your average citizen is going to get eaten by something nasty every time he walks outside.

I've had several "dragons rule the world" campaigns in the past. They're fun.

The art to it is that low level PCs are so far under the radar of the actual ruling dragons that their interactions are extremely limited until much higher levels. But what does it matter if a king rules a land, or a dragon rules a land? Low level PCs rarely encounter either of them.

 

[TerraDave]

I have had the "undead problem" feature in past games.

As always, thats why you have adventurers...

 

[GMMichael]

As an owner of the Monstrous Manual, I feel justified in replying to the secondary concerns:

Wraiths have no power in direct sunlight and flee from it - making it difficult to spread for about, oh, half the day.

Another pretty official source seems to imply that only demi-gods, like Sauron, can create wraiths.

 

[Skyscraper]

I have had the "undead problem" feature in past games.

As always, thats why you have adventurers...

lol