Spell Design?: Create Corpse

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by Sunrunners_Fire

I presume that the creation spell would generate/specify them. (As the Create Servant and Create Warrior do, for example.) Little point to designing a spell that creates a corpse with the intent to zombie it if the creating spell itself stops the zombie spell from working.

You do know Create Servant and Create Warrior are very temporary illusions of solid will, right? They only last 1 minute unless maintained.

Have you discussed the zombie usage with your GM?
I know I personally wouldn't allow it due to the thematic issue, but I would allow something like the Undead Flesh Golem I mentioned above.

[lexington]

Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha

You are aware that a created body can't be animated with zombie, right?

I figure that if she making a new spell the metaphysical assumptions of this setting are different than GURPS: Magic already. It doesn't seem too terribly unbalancing either, powerful (or just motivated) necromancers are going to have a big supply of corpses anyway.

The easiest method is just buying a graveyard, of course, but I think this is supposed to be useful during an adventure.

[Sunrunners_Fire]

Originally Posted by lexington

I figure that if she making a new spell the metaphysical assumptions of this setting are different than GURPS: Magic already.

GURPS Magic includes guidelines for inventing new spells on pages 14 and 15. To my understanding, making new spells is part of the book-standard system. Am I wrong?

Campaign is set within the Banestorm (/Yrth) setting. :)

It doesn't seem too terribly unbalancing either, powerful (or just motivated) necromancers are going to have a big supply of corpses anyway.

Mechanically, Create Corpse plus the Zombie spell combo should be no more unbalancing than Create Earth and the Golem spell combo.

[PK]

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.

[Captain-Captain]

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'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.

[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 ...

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Sunrunners_Fire

So. I have a necromancer character who wants to create her own corpses (for eventual animation), rather than needing to wait until people die or just killing them. The character has developed a sense of ethics ... falling in love does terrible terrible things. :)

A "corpse" that had never been alive would be something that you couldn't animate with animate zombie, because it has no ah...residue of the living person. Of course Necromancy does have a somewhat more advanced spell for animating objects in general.

[Sunrunners_Fire]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

A "corpse" that had never been alive would be something that you couldn't animate with animate zombie, because it has no ah...residue of the living person. Of course Necromancy does have a somewhat more advanced spell for animating objects in general.

Originally Posted by Magic, page 151

It does not have the "soul", mental traits, IQ-based skills or memories of the living person.

Neither does a corpse animated by the Zombie spell. Though it does retain the corpse's "when alive" DX-based skills. Hmm.

However, Animation (2 prerequisites) generates its' own spirit to animate the <whatever> depicting or representing a human or animal. Zombie (4 prerequisite) is more advanced and doesn't reference spirits or souls except to say that the zombie doesn't have one.

*considers*

[Captain-Captain]

Originally Posted by Sunrunners_Fire

So. I have a necromancer character who wants to create her own corpses (for eventual animation), rather than needing to wait until people die or just killing them. The character has developed a sense of ethics ... falling in love does terrible terrible things. :)

However, while I can easily design the ability as a Power, I'm hitting blanks with spell design. Figuring that y'all are inventive people, asking for help with the problem can't hurt.

Parameter Requirements: Permanent Duration. (We've looked at the Creation spells and those aren't viable because of the maintenance requirements.) Shouldn't take more energy than creating a tree (Create Plant, for 15 energy) (trees are way bigger than a human corpse, though they are also more complex). A set of prerequisites that make sense; additional custom spells as requirements allowed.

Or, if its' been published before, feel free to point me to the right place. I have access to most of the 3rd and 4th editions if necessary. :)

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.

In any event, making a variant of those spells that will turn that bronze of General Lee into a Zombie Confederate General shouldn't be any difficulty to the GM to make (I'd put an inherent -5 penalty to casting the spell on a body that never experienced death - no penalty to animate fossils IF fossils are considered destroyed (the original material has been utterly replaced with minerals).

[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.