Undead

Undead are the animated remains of dead bodies. While their soul has already left their body, their skeletal or decaying remains can be animated using necrotic mana.

These undead possess limited sentience and follow their animator’s commands to the letter. More powerful necromancers can animate undead with more sentience, giving them more ability to think for themselves, which makes them more useful as soldiers as well as commanders.

Though not actually an undead, some soldiers of necromancers are merely conjured out of necrotic energy, not much different from their animated counterparts.

Sometimes, in areas with high concentrations of necrotic mana, dead can be animated without a necromancer. The type of undead raised by the mana is based on how long the person has been dead. While sometimes these undead are sentient and have some elements of their former personality, that is merely a coincidence and not actually memory of who they were.

Elemental manas of fire, air, water, earth, and cold have an opposite mana that is strong against it. Because necrotic mana has strong ties to death, necrotic’s opposite is holy mana, with its ties to life and God.

Vampirism is a disease with necrotic origins, so Vampires are also susceptible to holy energy.

BOOK SPOILERS
While undead serve necromancers all over Ylinthia, the largest group are under the control of Zandryx, an ancient lich who rose from hiding to become one of the three Shadow kings.
Pinnacle Ability (Level 30)
  • Balefire Necromancy: Tier 2 skeleton units are replaced with Balefire skeletons which have more health, deal more damage, and are immune to fire damage.
Lich

Lich is the term for animated undead that were spellcasters in life. Having more intelligence and sentience than other undead and keeping their ability to cast spells, liches sometimes break away from the control of their necromancer and form their own army of undead.

While fully intelligent, liches become a new person when raised and have no innate knowledge of who they were before being animated.

Tier 1 spellcaster unit. Has Necrotic Orb spell that makes next attack deal AOE damage.
Lich Doctor

Lich is the term for animated undead that were spellcasters in life. Having more intelligence and sentience than other undead and keeping their ability to cast spells, liches sometimes break away from the control of their necromancer and form their own army of undead.

While fully intelligent, liches become a new person when raised and have no innate knowledge of who they were before being animated.

Tier 1 spellcaster unit. Has Heal Undead spell that heals a friendly undead unit.
Skeleton Archer

Skeletons form the bulk of the undead army. Animated or conjured, the bone warriors march forth into battle, bound to the will of the necromancer that brought them to unlife.

Tier 1 ranged unit.
Skeleton Horseman

Skeletons form the bulk of the undead army. Animated or conjured, the bone warriors march forth into battle, bound to the will of the necromancer that brought them to unlife.

Tier 1 cavalry unit.
Skeleton Ogre

Skeletons form the bulk of the undead army. Animated or conjured, the bone warriors march forth into battle, bound to the will of the necromancer that brought them to unlife.

Tier 1 two handed heavy infantry unit. Only appears as a summon from effects.
Skeleton Spearman

Skeletons form the bulk of the undead army. Animated or conjured, the bone warriors march forth into battle, bound to the will of the necromancer that brought them to unlife.

Tier 1 spear unit.
Skeleton Warrior

Skeletons form the bulk of the undead army. Animated or conjured, the bone warriors march forth into battle, bound to the will of the necromancer that brought them to unlife.

Tier 1 infantry unit.
Archlich

Lich is the term for animated undead that were spellcasters in life. Having more intelligence and sentience than other undead and keeping their ability to cast spells, liches sometimes break away from the control of their necromancer and form their own army of undead.

While fully intelligent, liches become a new person when raised and have no innate knowledge of who they were before being animated.

Tier 2 spellcaster unit. Has Necrotic Orb spell that makes next attack deal AOE damage. Can also have either Necrotic Blast spell that deals high damage to a single target, Weaken spell that lowers the damage of an enemy, or Incorporeal spell that makes an ally incorporeal.
Archlich Doctor

Lich is the term for animated undead that were spellcasters in life. Having more intelligence and sentience than other undead and keeping their ability to cast spells, liches sometimes break away from the control of their necromancer and form their own army of undead.

While fully intelligent, liches become a new person when raised and have no innate knowledge of who they were before being animated.

Tier 2 spellcaster unit. Has Heal Undead spell that heals a friendly undead unit.
Balefire Archer

A technique originated by Zandryx; balefire necromancy’s secrets are not known by many. What is known is that undead created using this technique are stronger and more resilient than other undead. Their eyes glow with green fire as they march into battle unharmed by fire, whether magical or natural. Wearing armor and carrying weapons made of Necronium, a Mithril-like metal attuned to necrotic energy, the balefire undead are a force on the battlefield.

Tier 3 ranged unit. Immune to fire damage.
Balefire Knight

A technique originated by Zandryx; balefire necromancy’s secrets are not known by many. What is known is that undead created using this technique are stronger and more resilient than other undead. Their eyes glow with green fire as they march into battle unharmed by fire, whether magical or natural. Wearing armor and carrying weapons made of Necronium, a Mithril-like metal attuned to necrotic energy, the balefire undead are a force on the battlefield.

Tier 3 cavalry unit. Immune to fire damage.
Balefire Spearman

A technique originated by Zandryx; balefire necromancy’s secrets are not known by many. What is known is that undead created using this technique are stronger and more resilient than other undead. Their eyes glow with green fire as they march into battle unharmed by fire, whether magical or natural. Wearing armor and carrying weapons made of Necronium, a Mithril-like metal attuned to necrotic energy, the balefire undead are a force on the battlefield.

Tier 3 spear unit. Immune to fire damage.
Balefire Warrior

A technique originated by Zandryx; balefire necromancy’s secrets are not known by many. What is known is that undead created using this technique are stronger and more resilient than other undead. Their eyes glow with green fire as they march into battle unharmed by fire, whether magical or natural. Wearing armor and carrying weapons made of Necronium, a Mithril-like metal attuned to necrotic energy, the balefire undead are a force on the battlefield.

Tier 3 infantry unit. Immune to fire damage.
Skeleton Bruiser

Skeletons form the bulk of the undead army. Animated or conjured, the bone warriors march forth into battle, bound to the will of the necromancer that brought them to unlife.

Tier 2 two handed heavy infantry unit. Only appears as summon from effects.
Skeleton Deadeye

Skeletons form the bulk of the undead army. Animated or conjured, the bone warriors march forth into battle, bound to the will of the necromancer that brought them to unlife.

Tier 2 ranged unit.
Skeleton Knight

Skeletons form the bulk of the undead army. Animated or conjured, the bone warriors march forth into battle, bound to the will of the necromancer that brought them to unlife.

Tier 2 cavalry unit.
Skeleton Phalanx

Skeletons form the bulk of the undead army. Animated or conjured, the bone warriors march forth into battle, bound to the will of the necromancer that brought them to unlife.

Tier 2 spear unit.
Skeleton Veteran

Skeletons form the bulk of the undead army. Animated or conjured, the bone warriors march forth into battle, bound to the will of the necromancer that brought them to unlife.

Tier 2 infantry unit.
Deathknight

A Deathknight is a type of spell knight, able to cast magic while wearing heavy armor. Deathknights are much like Arcane Knights, able to imbue their weapons with magical power. 

Tier 3 infantry unit. Has Enchant Weapon ability that increases damage and drains mana.
Ghoul

The foul undead known as ghouls are not as decomposed as the rest of the undead and are rarely if ever conjured. These cannibalistic creatures have no intelligence. They hunger for the flesh of the living and enter a frenzy when near their next meal.

Tier 3 infantry unit. Has Frenzy passive ability that increases movement speed and damage while near living enemies.
Ogre Ghoul

The foul undead known as ghouls are not as decomposed as the rest of the undead and are rarely if ever conjured. These cannibalistic creatures have no intelligence. They hunger for the flesh of the living and enter a frenzy when near their next meal.

Tier 3 heavy infantry unit. Has Frenzy passive ability that increases movement speed and damage while near living enemies.
Phantom Phalanx

Spectral undead are almost always conjured from necrotic energy, the shape and form of the undead matching the personality of the summoner. The common link between these specters is the incorporability of them all, able to move through physical objects and left unharmed by mundane weapons. Even magical weapons are not as effective against their incorporeal bodies.

Tier 3 flying spear infantry unit. Has Incorporeal passive ability that halves physical damage against this unit. Has Deflect passive ability that lowers accuracy of attacks against this unit.
Screaming Sorceress

Spectral undead are almost always conjured from necrotic energy, the shape and form of the undead matching the personality of the summoner. The common link between these specters is the incorporability of them all, able to move through physical objects and left unharmed by mundane weapons. Even magical weapons are not as effective against their incorporeal bodies.

Tier 3 flying spellcaster infantry unit. Has Incorporeal passive ability that halves physical damage against this unit. Has Necrotic Orb spell that makes next attack deal AOE damage. Has Sonic Screech ability that deals damage to all nearby enemies. Can also have either Necrotic Blast spell that deals high damage to a single target or Weaken spell that lowers the damage of an enemy.
Spectral Sentry

Spectral undead are almost always conjured from necrotic energy, the shape and form of the undead matching the personality of the summoner. The common link between these specters is the incorporability of them all, able to move through physical objects and left unharmed by mundane weapons. Even magical weapons are not as effective against their incorporeal bodies.

Tier 3 flying ranged infantry unit. Has Incorporeal passive ability that halves physical damage against this unit. Has Spectral Shot ability that makes next attack ignore armor.
Wraith

Spectral undead are almost always conjured from necrotic energy, the shape and form of the undead matching the personality of the summoner. The common link between these specters is the incorporability of them all, able to move through physical objects and left unharmed by mundane weapons. Even magical weapons are not as effective against their incorporeal bodies.

The most common spectral undead is the wraith. Always taking the form of an armored torso wearing an obscuring hood and wielding a runic blade, wraiths form a sizable portion of undead armies.

Tier 3 flying infantry unit. Has Incorporeal passive ability that halves physical damage against this unit. Has Weakening Strike ability that lowers the damage of an enemy when this unit hits it.
Bone Giant

The most powerful undead are the bone giants, usually animated from the remains of a giant, though occasionally conjured. 

Titan two handed unit.