Create Undead

A
Control

Create Undead is a Control spell. Control spells restrict enemy options through debuffs or denial effects.

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 spell that raises ghouls from corpses at night, using
bonus action commands

Create Undead is a Action Economy spell. Action Economy spells grant you more choices on future turns.

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 to direct
multiple undead

Create Undead is a Multi Target spell. Multi Target spells have an area of effect or can explicitly target multiple allies or enemies.

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 you
raise

Create Undead is a Summoning spell. Summoning spells create new allies.

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.

2024 Rules
Level & School
6th-level necromancy
Casting Time
1 minute
Range
10 feet
Components
V, S, M (one 150+ GP black onyx stone for each corpse)
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Cleric, Warlock, Wizard

You can cast this spell only at night. Choose up to three corpses of Medium or Small Humanoids within range. Each one becomes a Ghoul under your control. As a Bonus Action on each of your turns, you can mentally command any creature you animated with this spell if the creature is within 120 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any of them at the same time, issuing the same command to them). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move on its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular place. If you issue no commands, the creature takes the Dodge action and moves only to avoid harm. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow the order until its task is complete.

The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which it stops obeying any command you've given it. To maintain control of the creature for another 24 hours, you must cast this spell on the creature before the current 24-hour period ends. This use of the spell reasserts your control over up to three creatures you have animated with this spell rather than animating new ones.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. If you use a level 7 spell slot, you can animate or reassert control over four Ghouls. If you use a level 8 spell slot, you can animate or reassert control over five Ghouls or two Ghasts or Wights. If you use a level 9 spell slot, you can animate or reassert contro.

2014 Rules
Level & School
6th-level necromancy
Casting Time
1 minute
Range
10 feet
Components
V, S, M (one clay pot filled with grave dirt, one clay pot filled with brackish water, and one 150 gp black onyx stone for each corpse)
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Cleric, Warlock, Wizard

You can cast this spell only at night. Choose up to three corpses of Medium or Small humanoids within range. Each corpse becomes a ghoul under your control. (The GM has game statistics for these creatures.)

As a bonus action on each of your turns, you can mentally command any creature you animated with this spell if the creature is within 120 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete.

The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which it stops obeying any command you have given it. To maintain control of the creature for another 24 hours, you must cast this spell on the creature before the current 24-hour period ends. This use of the spell reasserts your control over up to three creatures you have animated with this spell, rather than animating new ones.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. When you cast this spell using a 7th-level spell slot, you can animate or reassert control over four ghouls. When you cast this spell using an 8th-level spell slot, you can animate or reassert control over five ghouls or two ghasts or wights. When you cast this spell using a 9th-level spell slot, you can animate or reassert control over six ghouls, three ghasts or wights, or two mummies.

Create Undead 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

Effectively the same spell. The 2024 version is reworded but functions identically.

Spells similar to Create Undead

  • Animate Dead 3rd-level necromancy

    It is the lower-level necromancy spell that also animates and controls multiple undead from corpses and shares the same command-and-duration dynamic.

  • Summon Undead 3rd-level necromancy

    This is another undead-focused summoning option that creates controllable undead creatures for use as action-economy allies.

  • Finger of Death 7th-level necromancy

    Though primarily a damage spell, it ties to necromancy summoning by producing an undead creature as part of its effect and lives in the same thematic niche.

  • Simulacrum 7th-level illusion

    It creates a long‑lived duplicate under the caster's control and serves a similar strategic purpose of producing autonomous allies that extend the caster's action economy.

  • Animate Objects 5th-level transmutation

    While not necromancy, this spell animates multiple independent creatures to fight and act on the caster's behalf, mirroring Create Undead's multi-target summons and action-economy benefits.