Command Corpse

1st-level necromancy ritual

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: V, S, M (a drop of blood, a piece of flesh, a pinch of bone, and a gem worth at least 25 gold)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

This spell returns the body of a creature to a corrupted semblance of life and places it under your control, though only temporarily. Choose a corpse within range that you can see of CR 1/2 or lower creature that is not a construct, elemental, ooze, or undead. The corpse becomes a Zombie version of the creature with a number of hitpoints equal to half of its hitpoint maximum before its death.

The creature's type becomes undead and it gains immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition, darkvision 60ft, and the Undead Fortitude ability (see "Zombie", Monster Manual pg. 316). It cannot cast spells or use magical abilities, telepathy, abilities that deal psychic damage, or legendary actions. It cannot attune to magical items. Any damage dealt by its actions or abilities that is not bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, necrotic, or poison damage becomes necrotic damage. It's intelligence score becomes 3, it's Charisma score becomes 5, and its Wisdom score is halved (rounding down), but otherwise keeps it original statistics.

The undead creature acts on your turn in initiative, and you can use your bonus action to mentally command the creature if it is within 60 feet of you. You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you command it to take the Help action it can only aid in attacking a creature or with simple tasks such as lifting. It can only use its reaction to make an opportunity attack, unless you commanded it to take the Ready action.

Once given a command, the creature will continue to follow it until its task is complete. If you issue no commands, the creature will only defend itself against hostile creatures.

When the duration ends, or if creature falls to 0 Hitpoints or you lose concentration, it becomes an inert corpse again, but its type remains undead.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can choose a corpse of CR 1 or lower and the spell's duration increases, as shown on the table below, provided you have a gem worth at least the corresponding value.