Uncontrolled undead

[Noumenon]

My DM told me if you command undead as an evil cleric, and relinquish command of them later, they just stand around -- they don't go back to the control of whoever commanded them before. True?

 

[irdeggman]

My DM told me if you command undead as an evil cleric, and relinquish command of them later, they just stand around -- they don't go back to the control of whoever commanded them before. True?

In his game the answer is yes.

But I believe it is also true per the RAW.

When command is relinquished they go back to their "natural" behavior.

 

[Tetsubo]

In his game the answer is yes.

But I believe it is also true per the RAW.

When command is relinquished they go back to their "natural" behavior.

Now the big question is, what is their "natural" behavior?

 

[irdeggman]

Now the big question is, what is their "natural" behavior?

Good qustin.

But they are not always under someone's command - that is an active thing.

 

[Thatwackyned]

Well it's my belief that they would just go back to attacking the next thing that moves close.

 

[Jack Simth]

Well it's my belief that they would just go back to attacking the next thing that moves close.

It's definitely "DM call" territory. When I'm DMing? Mindless undead will usually follow their last order (until they die - I've got something of a house-rule that undead require a supply of negative energy - when they're under the command of someone, that someone is providing the undead with the negative energy they need to continue their existence - hence the limit of control whether it's by caster level or rebuking level; if they don't have anyone commanding them, they either drain local negative energy if it's available, or "starve" to re-death after a while. Certain types of undead have methods to generate their own negative energy - be that by draining the living (all the undead that do negative levels and/or ability damage, pretty much) or from special magic items (such as a Lich's phylactory)).

If a mindless undead comes about that never had orders (magical disaster, whatever), the default behavior is a mockery of their life, with an overriding hatred of all things living (living things carry a lot of positive energy, which is harmful to them).

 

[Shin Okada]

Intelligent undead monsters will act as evil intelligent creatures. And as libris Mortis shows, some of them have craving for some type of material or energy, and some others are diet dependent. Those without such hunger will act as uttery evil intelligent beings.

But regarding mindless undead creatures without such huger, It may be DM's call. It may do nothing unless commanded, like mindless constructs. Or they may mimic the behavior of the living version of it say (I guess, say, bone rat swarm will eat anything they meet though they are mindless and has no craving nor diet dependency). Yet others may just attack every living things they meet, as they are driven by negative energy anyway.