For anyone who thinks animate dead sucks

[Goat]

An animated black forest ogre swings a severed ogre leg at a black forest ogre!
AS: +334 vs DS: +204 with AvD: +17 + d100 roll: +64 = +211
... and hits for 46 points of damage!
Neck broken.
The black forest ogre twitches several times before dying.
The light in a black forest ogre's eyes goes out and he finally dies.

[Goat]

Mind you, it isn't the most powerful thing in the game.

But in this case, he had thrown away his claid and I hadn't noticed, so I figured this was the next best thing he could swing in a pinch. Hilarity ensued.

[keatsr]

Just love this. Animate dead is at least good for comic relief.

[Fallen]

The spell is extremely functional ... assuming you have a hollow soulstone wand. Otherwise, it is a PITA.

[whiteflash]

Or if I could take animates in and out of the rift... Would be a great way for me to get at vvrael but you have to animate every time you walk in. Sad.

[Allereli]

The spell is extremely functional ... assuming you have a hollow soulstone wand. Otherwise, it is a PITA.

I animated regularly during the Lich's Landing event (animated capped bandits) and they were awesome. It's definitely a situational spell but with some preparation, and ffs spell up the animate with scrolls, it's great even without a 200 mil silver item.

[rolfard]

still sucks

[Goat]

Allereli, what spells do you usually put on animates? Strength is the only one I do off of a scroll every time (also 401/103/406, 419 if I need a top up). Sometimes haste if I'm feeling cheeky.

[Fallen]

IIRC some group spells will also hit your animate, so Benediction will work well to raise the creature's AS. Arm of the Arkati should also hit them, though who knows if it actually works. If the creature can be hit by other creatures i'll cast spirituals on it, 202, 503, 911, 611, 1601 and the like. You can even give them Mobility if you wish. Adrenal Surge if the fucker falls over and I want him up. Spirit Strike for hunting Constructs until their barrier falls.

I do miss that spell. It was fun if you were willing to put up with the bullshit.

[Allereli]

Allereli, what spells do you usually put on animates? Strength is the only one I do off of a scroll every time (also 401/103/406, 419 if I need a top up). Sometimes haste if I'm feeling cheeky.

all of them (DS/TD/AS) that I can cast on another player, or have affect my group.

off the top of my head:
101, 103, 107, 202, 307, 310, 401, 406, 414, 503, 509, 611, 618, 911

[Goat]

I had the impression that mass spells worked with animates but group spells did not. Tonight I tried 307 for the first time in a while and it didn't get the animate +5 AS - 405 didn't show the spell on it, either. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? I tell it to follow, make sure it's in the room with me, and then cast on myself.

As for the defensive spells... it's pretty unusual that my animate gets messed up much over a half hour. I guess that will change, but just an extra 25-40 DS seems enough for now.

[Fallen]

Try casting Benediction directly at the animate.

[Goat]

Try casting Benediction directly at the animate.

Confirmed - yields +5 animate AS.