Undead subject to sleep?

[Dannyalcatraz]

Based on some more research, it still seems to be a mixed bag.

In the classic Romero Zombie films, zombies are just as active during the day as the night. In the very first scene of the first movie, the main protagonist is attacked in a cemetary during the day. Other filmmakers have followed this trope.

In legends of Voudoun, only shamen had power over the undead, akin to what in game terms is referred to as turning, commanding or rebuking. Even when told to "sleep" or "rest" they typically only cease to move, not actually drowse off. They must be ordered to "lie down" to simulate sleep...

Incorporeal undead vary in activity during the day, but never are truly dormant. Variations seem more linked to the supernatural link of darkness to death & the weakening of supernatural boundaries with the fall of night. And being incorporeal, one could surmise their divestment of physical form means they'd be even less likely to be affected by "sleep" enchantments...although some specters crave the same things they wanted in life.

Cultures vary, however, in their views of the afterlife & unlife. Fallen warrior spirits in Valhalla exist much as they did in life- eating, drinking and sleeping like normal humans. In Greek mythology, though, you sometimes see references to the dead as being unsleeping.

Some undead types actually prevent their victims from sleep as they hunt, haunt, torture and harangue them- exhausting them to insanity or death.

 

[Terramotus]

I look at it like this. It doesn't make the undead really fall asleep per se. Its more of a magical compulsion that suppresses their consciousness and motor control.

Agreed. Especially since, IMO, Sleep is a very poor word for the name of the spell. I would have called it Lassitude or something like that. I see no problem here.

 

[StarFyre]

hmmm

yeah..i'm housing ruling this....

*adds it to the list*

non-corporeal undead, and mindless stuff like zombies/skeletons are immune to sleep.

Vampires...gotta think about it a while longer...

really don't like the dumbing down of some stuff in 4E..but oh well. Having creatures that are immune to stuff *is fine*.

Sanjay

 

[Belphanior]

non-corporeal undead, and mindless stuff like zombies/skeletons are immune to sleep.

Yeah, uhh... you did notice that zombies and skeletons aren't mindless in 4e, I hope? That's pretty much the entire point why they can be affected by sleep to begin with. There is no reason why skeletons should be immune to sleep, other than possibly some inherent quality in the nature of undead; which is what we're discussing all this time.

This is no dumbing down, it's just a paradigm shift. Check your facts please.


Edit:
In fact, because there's less mindless critters around, 4e isn't dumbing down but smartening up! Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week. Try the fish.