The "Zombie Problem"

[Doug McCrae]

If your necromancer is an arcane caster he can use the 2nd level spell Command Undead. This has no limit on the # of hit dice, lasts 1 day/level and mindless undead don't get a saving throw, so a 3rd level wizard could potentially control several 20HD zombies.

 

[Evilhalfling]

Well I can report on the experiences of the undead army that, enworld helped build for last weekends game.

Mob rules from the DMG2 - a mob is 50 individuals that function as a single creature with 30HD- it fights much like a 20x20 swarm of medium creatures that does 5d6 automatically to anything in its space.

It has a CR of 7-8. and either 198 or 225 hp.
with 30 hd a 8th level cleric could controll it. It far more fun to use and the PCs really get a kick out of killing so many undead.

In my game 9th/10th lvl PCs killed 4 mobs. They are now looking for a way to retreat having exausted their AoE and healing spells, and facing the arrival of the armies leaders/strike forces. as wel as the ~20 more mobs

 

[Rechan]

Some options that jump to mind:

Libris Mortis has Corpsecrafter feats that bolster undead you animate. My favorite is Destructive Retribution; when you kill the animated undead, it explodes in a 5' radius negative energy burst. Which heals undead around it.

Eberron has some nice options for this:

1) The Bone Knight, who is a warrior PrC that can command undead. Give him some of your zombies.

2) The Dread Marshals are undead commanders; they can rebuke as a cleric equal to their HD, and can buff undead (make them do negative energy damage to those who attack undead within 60 feet of them, make the undead do damage, give them higher turn resistance, etc).

Don't be afraid to just mix up the undead a little. Instead of DR/Slashing, give those zombies Fast Healing 2. Or give them Regeneration (Fire and Acid).

But remember, zombies are cheap, easy cannon fodder. So they may not intend to last long; their whole purpose might be just to be killed. Stick a swarm inside of them, so upon death they release a cloud of carrion flies. Fill them with poisonous gas. Cast Fire Trap on their mouths and instruct them to "Walk up to enemy and open mouth" (I had a necromancer make skeleton dogs and use them as kamikazi bombs like this). Maybe they're filled with diseases, so when they die they spread it.

If you're really mean, slap this ability on your zombies:

Adhesive (Ex)

A mimic exudes a thick slime that acts as a powerful adhesive, holding fast any creatures or items that touch it. An adhesive-covered mimic automatically grapples any creature it hits with its slam attack. Opponents so grappled cannot get free while the mimic is alive without removing the adhesive first.

A weapon that strikes an adhesive-coated mimic is stuck fast unless the wielder succeeds on a DC 16 Reflex save. A successful DC 16 Strength check is needed to pry it off.

Strong alcohol dissolves the adhesive, but the mimic still can grapple normally. A mimic can dissolve its adhesive at will, and the substance breaks down 5 rounds after the creature dies.

Imagine the look on your Cleave-loving fighter's face when his sword gets stuck inside the zombie, while the others just crowd around him.

I agree with the above poster that just making them grapple the party is scary. Or (if they're intelligent enough?) use Aid Another. Also, as pointed out above, having Uncontrolled zombies just locked in a room works. They're 'reinforcements' that the spellcaster can Rebuke if their first wave gets killed.

Finally, nothing like mixing in some other undead into the group. Toss a single ghoul who goes after someone to paralyze them, so the other zombies can pile on top.

Oh, and slap a silence on one in the front ranks. Silence scares the crap out of casters. And utterly quiet zombies shuffling in unison?

 

[Mark Plemmons]

Ah, zombies.... I love them. (Just watched "Flight of the Living Dead" this weekend - an okay movie though the last 20 minutes or so was pretty funny/good).

For "The Fall of Liaven" PDF adventure, I wrote up the shambling, flesh-eating, contagious zombie as a scenario on this isolated island:

Use the human commoner zombie from the MM, reducing its speed to 10 ft and replacing the club attack with a bite attack (+2 melee; 1d3+1 damage). However, these zombies also create new zombies with a bite.

Zombie Curse (Su): A living creature must succeed at a DC 20 Fortitude save or suffer the following effects: Initial Damage 2d6 Con, 2d6 Int; Secondary damage rise in 2d4 rounds as an NPC zombie! Cure: None (DM's option), or a remove curse or break enchantment spell cast by a cleric of 12th level or higher.

It's intentionally deadly, but it's that fear of death that puts fear into the PCs as well.

 

[Forrester]

I agree with the general argument others have made -- nuke the very, very silly HD limits. I'd increase them for clerics in general, and for full-fledged necromancers I'd increase them even more, and give them access to buffing feats/spells/items/etc. (Also, this is why one is better off animating Large creatures as opposed to smaller.) Note that this applies to PCs as well as the Bad Guys.

Another option is to make the HD limit increase/buffing dependent on whether the area is Unhalllowed Ground (or near it) -- this would help those necromancers protect their homes a bit more efficiently.

 

[Darklone]

Right now having fun with hordes of zombies in the adventure Marc mentioned. Add armors, weapons, another HD, Desecrate... and 1-3 feats for the animator from libris mortis. Throw 15 of these zombies at your level 8 group and you'll see a TPK.

Never let PCs fight undead under control without Desecrate. There's no better buff spell for them.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Just give your villain as many zombies as you see fit. An 18th level BBEG could have a bunch of CR 10 Zombies with him. No need to worry about the control undead rules. I doubt your players would complain about more exp.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Libris Mortis has a lot of feats that boost the strength of animated undead. I'd load up on these.

But I agree that, by default, the animate dead rules don't make a lot of sense.

I like the idea of having masses of uncontrolled zombies and skeletons, except by the RAW, there's no indication that they'd be hostile to the living. If they were hostile by default, that'd be a great solution.

 

[BluSponge]

Me? I get out my Mythus Magick book and check the Necromancy section for lots of undead buffing spells. Then I get to work with conversions -- basic idea would be to use spells that apply templates and/or permanent buffs to undead critters. I've did this once for an RPGA mod. Zombies aren't too scarey. Zombies with permanent spider climb, haste, and expeditious retreat enhancements, however...

Tom

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Also consider using the Karnnathi zombies and skeletons from the Eberron Campaign Setting book instead of standard ones. That alone changes things, Tougher and Smarter.