Spells for a Necromancer wannabe without the corpses

[jodyjohnson]

As a huge fan of Constructor style Artificer and Golem creation, here are a few spells for players who want the minions without grave robbing:

Animate Dummy
3rd-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (a drop of blood, flint,
and a pinch of bone dust)
Duration: Instantaneous

This spell creates an animated servant. Choose a mannequin, puppet, or dummy within range. Your spell imbues the target with a mimicry of life, raising it as a construct creature. The target becomes an Animated Mannequin if you chose a mannequin, an Animated Puppet if you choose a Puppet, or an Animated Dummy if you chose a stuffed dummy (the DM has the creature’s game statistics).
On each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 60 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures.
Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete.
The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which it de-animates. To continue animation of the creature for another 24 hours, you must cast this spell on the creature again before the current 24-hour period ends. This use of the spell continues animation on up to four creatures you have animated with this spell, rather than animating a new one.
You may only have one Animate Dummy spell or Animate Armor spell active at a time.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you animate or reanimate two additional construct creatures for each slot level above 3rd. Each of the creatures must come from a different mannequin or stuffed dummy.
Any weapons used must be provided.

Animate Armor
4th-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (a drop of blood, flint,
and a pinch of bone dust)
Duration: Instantaneous

This spell creates an animated servant. Choose an appropriate suit of armor within range. Your spell imbues the target with a mimicry of life, raising it as a construct creature. The target becomes an Animated Armor of a type matching the target armor (the DM has the creature’s game statistics).
On each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 60 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures.
Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete.
The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which it de-animates. To continue animation of the creature for another 24 hours, you must cast this spell on the creature again before the current 24-hour period ends. This use of the spell continues animation on up to two creatures you have animated with this spell, rather than animating a new one.
You may only have one Animate Dummy spell or Animate Armor spell active at a time.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you animate or reanimate one additional construct creatures for each slot level above 4th. Each of the creatures must come from a different suit of armor.
Any weapons used must be provided.

Awaken Animated Object
6th-level transmutation
Casting Time: 8 hours
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (an emerald worth at least 1,000 gp, which the spell consumes)
Duration: Instantaneous
After spending the casting time tracing magical pathways within a precious gemstone, you touch a Huge or smaller construct which you have animated. The target must have either no Intelligence score or an Intelligence of 3 or less. The target gains an Intelligence of 10. The target also gains the ability to speak one language you know.
Your DM chooses statistics appropriate for the awakened construct, such as a modified version of its form.
The awakened construct is charmed by you for 30 days or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. When the charmed condition ends, the awakened creature chooses whether to remain friendly to you, based on how you treated it while it was charmed.
They lose any damage and condition immunities gained from their status as unintelligent constructs such as: psychic damage immunity, and the Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, and petrified.

 

[jodyjohnson]

Animated Armor (Heavy)
Medium construct, unaligned
Armor Class Equal to normal Armor Class.
Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 1 (−5) 3 (−4) 1 (−5)
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 6
Languages understands all languages spoken by its creator but can’t speak
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Antimagic Susceptibility. The armor is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the armor must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against the caster’s spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
False Appearance. While the armor remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal suit of armor.
Actions
Multiattack. The armor makes two melee attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
This suit of magically animated armor clamors as
it moves, banging and grinding like the vengeful spirit of
a fallen knight.
Or whatever weapon it is supplied in place of the slam. Animated Heavy Armors are proficient with all melee weapons.

Animated Armor (Medium)
Medium construct, unaligned
Armor Class Equal to normal Armor Class+1.
Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 1 (−5) 3 (−4) 1 (−5)
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 6
Languages understands all languages spoken by its creator but can’t speak
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Antimagic Susceptibility. The armor is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the armor must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against the caster’s spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
False Appearance. While the armor remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal suit of armor.
Actions
Multiattack. The armor makes two melee attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Or whatever weapon it is supplied in place of the slam.
Animated Medium Armors are proficient with simple melee and ranged weapons.

Animated Armor (Light)
Medium construct, unaligned
Armor Class Equal to normal Armor Class+3.
Hit Points 27 (6d8)
Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 1 (−5) 3 (−4) 1 (−5)
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 6
Languages understands all languages spoken by its creator but can’t speak
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Antimagic Susceptibility. The armor is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the armor must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against the caster’s spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
False Appearance. While the armor remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal suit of armor.
Actions
Multiattack. The armor makes two melee attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Or whatever weapon it is supplied in place of the slam. Animated Light Armors are proficient with simple melee and ranged weapons plus the Heavy crossbow.

Animated Dummy
Medium construct, unaligned
Armor Class 8
Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 6)
Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 6 (−2) 14 (+2) 1 (−5) 3 (−4) 1 (−5)
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 6
Languages understands the languages spoken by its creator but can’t speak
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Stuffed Fortitude. If damage reduces the animated dummy to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is acid, fire, or from a critical hit. On a success, the dummy drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
Animated Dummies move with a jerky, uneven gait. They
are clad in the apparel they wore when put together, and carry the stench of sweat and mold.

Animated Mannequin
Medium construct, unaligned
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 1 (−5) 3 (−4) 1 (−5)
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 6
Languages understands all languages spoken by its creator but can’t speak
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage.
Or whatever weapon it is supplied in place of the slam.
Animated Mannequins are proficient with simple melee and ranged weapons plus the Shortsword. A mannequin can wear armor but is not proficient in any armor.

Animated Puppet
Small construct, unaligned
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 11 (2d6 + 4)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (-1) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 3 (-4) 10 (+0) 8 (-1)
Skills Acrobatics +5
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft. passive Perception 10
Languages understands all languages spoken by its creator and can speak messages from its creator
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 bludgeoning damage.
Or whatever weapon it is supplied in place of the slam.
Animated Puppets are proficient with simple melee and ranged weapons plus the Shortsword.



Depending on the construction of the armor, dummy, mannequin, or puppet alternate forms can be created.

 

[jodyjohnson]

Supplies for Animation

A dummy requires only a set of clothes and stuffing.

A mannequin requires Joints and wooden parts. Joints can be reused.

The finest Animated Mannequins have porcelain masks, use weapons, and wear clothing.
House Cannith has secret forges where they can create and awaken War Mannequins also known as Warforged.

Dummy costs determined by Clothes used and available stuffing (grass, leaves, straw)

Clothes, common 5 sp 3 lb.
Clothes, costume 5 gp 4 lb.
Clothes, fine 15 gp 6 lb.
Clothes, traveler’s 2 gp 4 lb.
Mannequin Joints 2 gp 5 lb.
Porcelain Mask 5 gp 1 lb.
Puppet (small) 3 gp 5 lb.
Wood Limbs, Head, Torso 1 sp 25 lb.


Originally added in my custom Spellbook for OotA, Tomb of Brysis.

 

[jodyjohnson]

Crud, wrong forum, move please.

 

[Awesome Adam]

I really like these spells. Reminds me of the old Puppet Master Movies, and gives me an idea for a new villain to throw at the PCs....

 

[jodyjohnson]

Thinly veiled tweaks of the Animate Dead and Awaken spells. I might do a level 2 Animate Weapon spell.

I was definitely thinking of Pinocchio, Star Wars droids/robots, and the old Puppets module (not a good module but the idea was interesting).

I'd love to see an official rework of the Effigies and Effigy Master of Complete Arcane (3.5) with a nod towards the Clockwork Mage from the Complete Sha'irs Handbook (2nd Ed. Al-Qadim). Probably worked into a Artificer class with write-ups of the Homunculous and the existing Golems.

I can do one myself which my players can enjoy but an official write-up would be nice when trying to float the idea with another DM.

Looking at the 3e stuff, the things were so expensive for what you actually get - usually nothing a few hirelings, summons, or animal companions couldn't do.

 

[jodyjohnson]

Now I'm inspired by Sculpting, Monster Taxidermy, Clockwork Magic, and magical constructs.

A wooden, metal or stone armature (statue) covered by the skill of a taxidermist. Then Animated and/or Awakened by magic.

Taxidermist's/Mortician's tools and supplies
Clockworker's tools
Sculpter's Tools