Deathless Defenders

4th-level necromancy

Classes: cleric, paladin, sorcerer, wizard

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

This spell functions as animate dead except as noted above, but the undead you raise can take no actions other than attacking creatures you designate. Your deathless defenders have the same alignment you do, and when you cast this spell the spell gains alignment subtypes to match your alignment.

Deathless defenders gain advantage on any saving throw against an effect that would move them.

Any skeletons or zombies that leave the area of your stronghold begin crumbling to dust, taking 2d6 points of damage per round until they return to the stronghold or are destroyed. A corpse that has been animated with deathless defenders and then destroyed cannot be reanimated by this spell or by animate dead.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you animate or reassert control over two additional undead creatures for each slot level above 4th. Each of the creatures must come from a different corpse or pile of bones.