Spell Design?: Create Corpse

[Sunrunners_Fire]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

I could see this bringing some serious metaphysical issues into the game. For example, what happens if you create a corpse, then Resurrect it? Creating a dead person is still creating a person, and once you start messing around with giving PCs the ability to create life (even "dead life," if that makes any sense), it opens up several cans of worms.

I would argue that every PC has the ability to create life already, unless the player selects the Sterile trait for the character. :) But, yes, I imagine that trying to resurrect a created corpse (and succeeding) would cause rather dangerous actions to be taken against those responsible. Should be quite entertaining. Now to find someone who can cast Resurrection ...

[Jerander]

Originally Posted by Captain-Captain

Can't find it now, but I swear I read an option in GURPS Undead that let you use Zombie or the spells for making more potent Corporeal Undead using thingst hat resembled dead bodies, ie manniqueines or statues.

It's one of the variants under the Zombie template (or Skeleton?). I don't have my book here, otherwise I could give you a page number.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Captain-Captain

I'd rule Ressurction wouldn't work. No former life, no former life force to bring back to the body. A crit failure could install a demon into it however.

I'd find it more interesting if a demon-possessed body was always the result...

[Jerander]

Another thought might be to look to Bio-Tech for inspiration and set up a magical clone bank...

[Jerander]

Another thought I had: Instead of using "human" bodies, why not play necromantic games with animal bodies? Probably for more plentiful and with fewer ethical delemnas.

[Bruno]

I could see something potentially workable right out of Magic via Shape Stone and Stone to Flesh, actually. If a bit round-about.

However, your player isn't looking for a baroque solution, and I don't blame them.

My recommendation would be to allow him to research a variation of Zombie with twice the base cost to skip the requirement for raw materials, but only creates Zombies of a specific type for each version of the spell. So Create Human Zombie, Create Orc Zombie, etc.

After that use the usual cost variations to create a skeleton with a projectile attack based on firing bone shards, or whatever.

These Zombies would be Permanent magical effects, subject to destruction by Dispel Magic, or disruption by the anti-Creation effects.