Wow, check out this rules FAQ on the WotC boards.

[SpikeyFreak]

http://boards.wizards.com/rpg/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=135;t=006886

Pretty interesting. To bad not all of it is right.

--Multi-Forumed Spikey

 

[Demogorge]

Q: Is animating undead evil?
A: Yes. from the PHB, pg. 87:
Good and evil are NOT philosophical concepts in the D&D game. They are the forces that define the cosmos.
D&D is based upon absolute ethics (although your own world may be different), so what you intend to do with the undead is irrelevant. Spells with the descriptor [Evil] are, well, evil.

Wow I've never seen that before. So if the bad guys are overrunning your temple, and you're a good wizard, you can't animate their corpses to fight them off?

I've always felt this way, but I thought I was in the minority.

 

[Anubis]

Good is good and evil is evil, no matter what society says. What society say determines whether it is Lawful or Chaotic. Common sense tells if something is good or evil, I don't care WHAT society accepts. Murder is evil. Rape is evil. Theft is evil. Get the point?

The cleric in question would not dishonor his fallen comrades by animating them, not to save his own life or for any other reason. He would rather himself die. Remember the old saying "death before dishonor"?

 

[Ristamar]

What if they gave the cleric their verbal or written consent (hmm... undead permission slips) in case there was a dire need and had to be done as a last resort?

 

[Demogorge]

I was referring to the corpses of the bad guys, not the good character's own comrades.

Is it ok to dishonor the bad guys?

 

[Wolfspider]

What if they gave the cleric their verbal or written consent (hmm... undead permission slips) in case there was a dire need and had to be done as a last resort?

Why would good people give another good person permission to do something evil?

I was referring to the corpses of the bad guys, not the good character's own comrades.

Is it ok to dishonor the bad guys?

I think you answered your own question when you used the word "dishonor." Why would a good person think it was good to do something evil to an evil person? Evil begets evil, after all. Would people want to worship in a place that was saved by evil actions?

 

[Ristamar]

Why would good people give another good person permission to do something evil?

You make it sound like it's never happened before...

BTW, I'm not exactly disagreeing with you or anyone else. Guess I simply felt like stirring the pot a bit.

 

[Ma'varkith]

The spell has the "Evil" descriptor on it - seems pretty plain that the intent was that animating dead be an evil act, and I have to agree.

 

[Anubis]

Once they're dead, they are no longer your enemies. A good person has no need to add insult to death by animating his or her enemies and pitting them against they're old allies.

 

[Ristamar]

I go by the book, as well. If the spell's descriptor indicates it is evil... well, it's evil. However, I could see it being used by neutral or good characters under extremely dire circumstances (which is what I was trying to get at earlier).

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know of any spells that animate dead that are not evil?