Magical Minions (Wizard Spell)

This spell lets the wizard enchant a force of undead creatures of the same type that, in essence, become physical extensions of himself. The wizard can observe through their senses and use his powers through them, no matter where they are. During the preparation time, the caster must assemble the potential minions. Any type of undead creature can serve, provided it is of the caster's alignment and has a minimum Intelligence of 15. The wizard can enchant a number of minions up to one-third of his level, rounded down. Good casters use only willing subjects. Evil wizards can secure their minions through domination or other means. Minions and caster must be locked away for the entire preparation time, bonding personally, magically, and psionically. When cast, the spell makes the minions into tools of the caster for the rest of their existences. If destroyed and revived by any means, the crea­ture is no longer a minion. Minions retain their physical forms and attributes, including hit points, THAC0 Armor Class, attacks, and so on. They also retain any spell-like abilities they once had. They retain their raw intelligence and their original ability to make decisions—the minion's free will is not lost—it can undertake long-term functions without direct supervision.
However, a minion loses all of its magical and psionic powers; the caster controls all such powers in the new union. In addition, the master controls all material possessions of the minion. The minion does not take possession of any item unless it is given by the caster, or unless the caster gives the minion specific instructions to obtain and use it.
The caster has complete, overriding control of his minions. Through concentration, he can know everything that the minion knows—its location, situation, and emotional state. The caster can see through the minion's eyes and use its other senses. His instructions to the minion will be carefully fulfilled. The caster learns nothing when not concentrating, but minions can contact him empathically if they wish.
The wizard can cast magical spells and use psionic powers through his minions, no matter what the physical distance between them. The wizard employs any required components—once the wizard casts a spell through a particular minion, the spell works immediately without action on the minion's part. Similarly, psionic checks are made and psionic points spent by the wizard, while the results are channeled directly through the minion. Range and area of effect are measured from the minion's viewpoint, not the casters. The minion cannot act in its own during any round in which the wizard uses it this way. This connection does not work across planar boundaries.
The strong link between the wizard and min­ions can be dangerous. When a minion is de­stroyed, the caster must save vs. death magic or be stunned for 1d6 turns. The loss of a minion disrupts spell casting and any preparation for psionic enchantments in progress when it occurs. The wizard also loses experience points equal to ten times the minion's XP value, and cannot gain further experience points until either the minion is replaced or its death avenged.
Opponents can use a minion to locate and psionically attack the wizard. If the minion's mind is controlled through domination or similar magic, psionic powers can be focused through it against the wizard, regardless of distance.
A wizard can have only one set of minions at a time. If all are slain, a new set can be started after a period of three years. No minion can serve more than one wizard.
The material components are a possession taken from each minion that was prized in life, or a gift assigned by the caster commensurate with the minion's station and level. These are de­stroyed in the casting.
Notes: Restricted to preservers and defilers, common.
Minion Material
Dark Sun MC Appendices 1 and II: Banshee dwarf, dune runner (elf), kaisharga, krag, meorty, t'liz.
Monstrous Manual Tome (optional): Banshee, death knight, lich, greater mummy, skeleton warrior, vampire.
Category:Psionic Enchancements
Category:Wizard Spells
Category:Psionic Enchancements from Dragon Kings
Category:Spells from Dragon Kings
Category:Spells from Wizard's Spell Compendium
Category:Spells