Goodaligned Necromancers

[Kae'Yoss]

Compare the duration and levels of animate dead and animate object. The extra power to sustain the undead is coming from somewhere, and I can't imagine how it could be anywhere good.

It is using negative energy instead of raw magic, and I think that is easier to sustain (since it is just the opposite of positive energy, which is powering living creatures). Also, animate dead targets corpses - things of flesh that once knew live's touch and are designed with animation in mind, so I think this is easier than trying to move, say, solid metal.

 

[IcyCool]

So I guess that would make Reincarnation possible? The spell puts the soul in another body, but at the time the character is walking around, the animate is his former body. What if someone cast "trap the soul" or "magic jar" and the corpse became a vessel. Could the corpse be animated?

No, Reincarnate states that you must touch the dead creature. If the creature has been animated, it is now undead, and if it has been destroyed, then it is a dead undead creature. Again, I suspect this is to keep you from meeting your own animated corpse (even if you are in a shiny new body).

 

[IcyCool]

Compare the duration and levels of animate dead and animate object. The extra power to sustain the undead is coming from somewhere, and I can't imagine how it could be anywhere good.


glass.

Animated Dead are powered by negative energy. Negative energy is neutral.

But the walking dead are gross and scary, so its an evil spell.

 

[Milagroso]

LOL! Oh that's rich. Its evil cuz its ugly? If that is true then blow all your trumpets because I see evil incarnate when I look in the mirror.

 

[werk]

Negative energy is neutral.

Where do you get that? I'd like to see that backed up by something other than personal belief.

I see the whole positive/negative energy thing, when entered into the elemental model of the inner planes, as basically being life and death. While life and death are not good and evil, per se, positive energy is all light and healing and negative energy is all dark and life draining and death/undeath.

Seems pretty clear cut to me. Spells that wield negative energy tend to be evil, spells the weild positive energy tend to be good...this is especially illustrated by good/evil clerics and spontaneous casting of heal/harm spells.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Where do you get that? I'd like to see that backed up by something other than personal belief.

Well...

NEGATIVE ENERGY PLANE
To an observer, there’s little to see on the Negative Energy Plane. It is a dark, empty place, an eternal pit where a traveler can fall until the plane itself steals away all light and life. The Negative Energy Plane is the most hostile of the Inner Planes, and the most uncaring and intolerant of life. Only creatures immune to its life-draining energies can survive there.
The Negative Energy Plane has the following traits:

• Subjective directional gravity.
• Major negative-dominant. Some areas within the plane have only the minor negative-dominant trait, and these islands tend to be inhabited.
• Enhanced magic. Spells and spell-like abilities that use negative energy are maximized (as if the Maximize Spell metamagic feat had been used on them, but the spells don’t require higher-level slots). Spells and spell-like abilities that are already maximized are unaffected by this benefit. Class abilities that use negative energy, such as rebuking and controlling undead, gain a +10 bonus on the roll to determine Hit Dice affected.
• Impeded magic. Spells and spell-like abilities that use positive energy, including cure spells, are impeded. Characters on this plane take a –10 penalty on Fortitude saving throws made to remove negative levels bestowed by an energy drain attack.

Random Encounters: Because the Negative Energy Plane is virtually devoid of creatures, random encounters on the plane are exceedingly rare.

Compare to, say:

Alignment Traits
Some planes have a predisposition to a certain alignment. Most of the inhabitants of these planes also have the plane’s particular alignment, even powerful creatures such as deities. In addition, creatures of alignments contrary to the plane have a tougher time dealing with its natives and situations.

The alignment trait of a plane affects social interactions there. Characters who follow other alignments than most of the inhabitants do may find life more difficult.

Alignment traits have multiple components. First are the moral (good or evil) and ethical (lawful or chaotic) components; a plane can have either a moral component, an ethical component, or one of each. Second, the specific alignment trait indicates whether each moral or ethical component is mildly or strongly evident.

Good-Aligned/Evil-Aligned: These planes have chosen a side in the battle of good versus evil. No plane can be both good-aligned and evil-aligned.

 

[Milagroso]

Well I got the first part, but I'm not quite sure I get the second part. It seems to be telling me that some planes have a predisposition to alignment. Okay. And some planes have chosen a side in the epic struggle between good/evil and they can not be both. So, is Neg Plane considered neutral? and if so, how?

Although, I would like to agree.

If the negative material plane is inherently evil, and we are filled with positive energy, then that would mean that we have a predisposition for good. I cannot agree that all living creatures have within them a greater sway towards good over evil.

 

[Shadowdweller]

LOL! Oh that's rich. Its evil cuz its ugly? If that is true then blow all your trumpets because I see evil incarnate when I look in the mirror.

Sad to say, that's been the prevailing belief a fair number of times historically.

The idea being, perhaps, that God created everything. So if God made someone or something Ugly, there was some REASON they were made ugly? Or they came back ugly due to loose morals in a previous life, if you're of a different paradigm.

 

[werk]

Well...

Trickery, trickery, trickery! You are applying information about the plane to the energy type itself. I reject your generalization.

The Negative Energy Plane is the most hostile of the Inner Planes, and the most uncaring and intolerant of life.

Sounds pretty evil to me, and I believe none of the elemental planes are aligned.

If both energies are neutral why do evil casters harm (-nrg) and good casters heal (+nrg)?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Well I got the first part, but I'm not quite sure I get the second part. It seems to be telling me that some planes have a predisposition to alignment.

Correct. Specifically, any plane that has a predisposition to an alignment has an alignment trait.

The Negative Energy Plane does not have an alignment trait, and therefore the plane itself is neutral.