D&D 5E Why is animate dead considered inherently evil?

[Tolerable Tyrant]

I'm having a troublesome time understanding why the animate dead spell is considered evil. When I read the manual it states that the spall imbues the targeted corpse with a foul mimicry of life, implying that the soul is not a sentient being who is trapped in a decaying corpse. Rather, the spell does exactly what its title suggests, it only animates the corps. Now of course one could use the spell to create zombies that would hunt and kill humans, but by that same coin, they could create a labor force that needs no form of sustenance (other than for the spell to be recast of course). There have also been those who have said "the spell is associated with the negative realm which is evil", however when you ask someone why the negative realm is bad that will say "because it is used for necromancy", I'm sure you can see the fallacy in this argument.

However, I must take into account that I have only looked into the DnD magic system since yesterday so there are likely large gaps in my knowledge. PS(Apon further reflection I've decided that the animate dead spell doesn't fall into the school of necromancy, as life is not truly given to the corps, instead I believe this would most likely fall into the school of transmutation.) PPS(I apologize for my sloppy writing, I've decided I'm feeling too lazy to correct it.)

 

[James Gasik]

By Gygax, you're right! Down with the shenanigans of those, filthy, dirty, rules lawyers!

 

[Vaalingrade]

I mean there is a special breed of DM whose ears perk up and their ears lie flat whenever they hear a players having fun they didn't provide directly.

It's all 'why aren't you using your out of character skill' right up until I start punching demons through the ceiling with feather token trees. Then suddenly we need a rewrite to make it so the tree only grows in an unoccupied square. Then they get made when I roll an artisan architect and start growing tress through roofs adjacent to load bearing walls.

 

[Maxperson]

DM's always hate it when the players get to do more stuff, so it must be "inherently evil".

This seems like it was a joke, but it's hard to tell in text. Were you serious?

 

[James Gasik]

Ah, the many uses of Feather Tokens. Robes of Useful Items are fun too, nothing like putting a door, window, or pit where there shouldn't be one!

EDIT: I took it as a joke.

 

[Baron Opal II]

Ah, the many uses of Feather Tokens. Robes of Useful Items are fun too, nothing like putting a door, window, or pit where there shouldn't be one!

EDIT: I took it as a joke.

Fun item! So much mischief!

 

[jgsugden]

I have not followd this thread because I read it the first 22 times it came up on these boards, but I'm curious if we reached the discussion of morality of using animate object to animate a corpse yet?

 

[Peter BOSCO'S]

This seems like it was a joke, but it's hard to tell in text. Were you serious?

No, but it might help 1st ed AD&D murder-hobos from murdering all their porters for XP's and still having someone to carry out all the copper pieces if they know it will violate their alignment and thus cost them vast chunks of XP's. "Just ask yourself what would Gary Gygax do? Then, do something else."

 

[James Gasik]

I have not followd this thread because I read it the first 22 times it came up on these boards, but I'm curious if we reached the discussion of morality of using animate object to animate a corpse yet?

Yeah we touched upon it- given the shorter duration and the fact that an animated object won't do anything if not given orders other than defend itself from attackers, it's not nearly as risky as creating an evil aligned creature that can wander off and murder on it's own.

Plus the spell isn't powered by "evil forces" the way WotC says Animate Dead is.

Does it make sense? No, but that's they way they made the game- zombies and skeletons are the tools of bad people, don't play bad people, kids!

 

[Crimson Longinus]

and the fact that an animated object won't do anything if not given orders other than defend itself from attackers,

That's the same with the controlled undead.

 

[TheSword]

I have not followd this thread because I read it the first 22 times it came up on these boards, but I'm curious if we reached the discussion of morality of using animate object to animate a corpse yet?

It definitely is disrespectful of the dead, if it was used on sentient humanoids. At best macabre and somewhat disturbed. Healthy happy folks, don’t use other folks body parts as raw materials.

I would have other people treat the character the same way as they would treat a necromancer… as we know animating the dead regularly is evil… the consequences might be unpleasant.