{{Rewrite}}'''Animate Dead''' is a [[Spells#3rd Level Spells|Level 3]] Necromancy Spell. This spell allows spellcasters to animate a corpse to create an undead servant.
{{SpellPage
| name = Animate Dead
| image = Animate Dead.webp
| level = 3
| school = Necromancy
| ritual =
| classes = Cleric, Wizard
| class learns at level 5 = Cleric, Wizard, Circle of the Spores:Circle Spell, Bard:via [[Magical Secrets]], Warlock:via [[Pact of the Tome]] once per long rest
| class learns at level 9 = Oathbreaker:Oath Spell
| summary = This spell allows spellcasters to animate a corpse to create an undead servant.
| description = Animate a corpse to create an undead servant while not in combat.
| warning = {{Prereq|The target must be a Medium or Small corpse.}}
| cost = action, spell3
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| range m = 3
| range ft = 10
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| higher levels = * When the spell is cast at 4th Level, raise up to 3 [[Animate Dead: Skeleton Squad|Skeletons]] or [[Animate Dead: Zombie Batallion|Zombies]] instead of 1.
* When the spell is cast at 5th Level, raise a [[Animate Dead: Ghoul|Ghoul]] or [[Animate Dead: Flying Ghoul|Flying Ghoul]].
* When the spell is cast at 6th Level, raise up to 3 [[Animate Dead: Ghoul Pack|Ghouls]] or [[Animate Dead: Flying Ghoul Flock|Flying Ghouls]] instead of 1.
[[File:Animate Dead Icon.png|thumb|240x240px|{{AbilityInfobox
* Earlier issues with the spell that have since been resolved:
| title = <div style="font-size:105%; font-family:Georgia;">''"Animate a corpse to create an undead servant while not in combat. The target must be a medium or small corpse."''</div>
** Patch 3 introduced a bug where skeletons summoned by this spell do not have weapons.
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** In earlier versions of the game, it was important to note that most friendly and neutral NPCs will respond to undead minions with horror, causing them to express alarm and flee from proximity of the thralls, in some cases to their death. To avoid this, selecting the chain icon next to the summoner player and leaving the thrall at some distance before interacting with certain vendors or achievement related NPCs is advised.
''Available to level 5 [[Cleric]]s, [[Wizard]]s, and [[Circle of Spores]] [[Druid]]s.''
''Available to level 9 [[Oathbreaker]] [[Paladin]]s.''
''{{Class|Warlock}}s with the '''Pact of the Tome''' [[Warlock#Level_3|Pact Boon]] can cast this spell once per [[Long Rest]] once they receive [[Deepened Pact]] at level 5.''
Summon a Zombie that specialises in melee combat. The Zombie has an unarmed attack that can inflict targets with the Crawling Gnaw Condition. The Zombie has a [[Proficiency Bonus]] of +2.
*Target is inflicted with zombie mucus. If the affected entity dies before the infection wears off, it will temporarily rise as a Newborn Zombie.
*Newborn Zombies are statistically the same as the Summoned Zombie, except that they only have<code><span style="color:mediumturquoise">10 Hit Points</span></code>.
*Newborn Zombies born of Crawling Gnaw cannot last. They take by<code><span style="color:#66cc66">1 Necrotic</span></code>damage per turn.
*Newborn Zombies will follow the original Summoned Zombie.
Wizards with the Necromancy School subclass can raise an additional undead for each level and version of the spell.
None of these summoned Undead have melee weapons, so they are not affected by Aura of Hate from Oathbreaker Paladin.
Earlier issues with the spell that have since been resolved:
Patch 3 introduced a bug where skeletons summoned by this spell do not have weapons.
In earlier versions of the game, it was important to note that most friendly and neutral NPCs will respond to undead minions with horror, causing them to express alarm and flee from proximity of the thralls, in some cases to their death. To avoid this, selecting the chain icon next to the summoner player and leaving the thrall at some distance before interacting with certain vendors or achievement related NPCs is advised.
The target must be a Medium or Small corpse.
Action + 
Level 3 Spell Slot
Range: 3 m / 10 ft
