Zombie Questions

[LeBurns]

So I'd like to ran a character who basically summons zombies, but am finding little player build strategies for doing so. I know I have to learn sorcery. I need to upgrade sorcery on the table to level 8 to learn the grave spell. Then I capture thralls, put them in the grave, and raise them to zombies.

This character really isn't going to be into casting spells and such, but I am wondering what attributes to have to focus on zombies. For example Authority is nice to help capture thralls, but do the thrall buffs from Authority work on zombies? If I'm going to run three (four with the final Authority perk) would the Authority perks be worth getting at all?

Note I think I may stay away from corruption unless there's a perk there that zombies really benefit from. Any benefit from corruption for zombies worth it?

Thanks. Sorry I couldn't ask more specific questions, but I haven't got a handle on the mechanics of running zombies at all yet so I need basic help. Tried YouTube and found how to summon them, how powerful they are, etc., but how to build the Player Character specifically for a zombie sorcerer, just little to no help.

[steventirey]

Zombies are thralls. Just dead ones. Anything that works with normal thralls works with zombies.

As fir corrupted attributes, and of the first three Authority ones. Though the 2nd one (which splits damage between you and your followers when corrupted) does compete with the normal version (where you heal your followers by doing damage, or they heal you).

The first one is good to corrupt, as each follow would do more damage, and you can have 3 resurrected corpses following you instead of a single living thrall.

[Migromul]

Authority.
That's the stat for (follower) thralls. This also makes it easier to knock them out in the first place. If you want a zombie-army, go for war party instead of well trained. (you can then take 4 zombies and a mount with you).

The type of thrall you knock out, counts! exiled poivide way worse stats than tresure-hunters, for example. (or accursed ones in case of isle of siptah.)

You can have a max of 4 permanent zombies, from what I have read. (But I didn't try to get more... yet.)

The zombie-fog will summone 5 zombies, which can be stacked up to 25. But there are mods out there, where you can adjust that.
I'm not very impressed by the fog-zombies, however.

DON'T corrupt your authority to max. Use 19 points at max. Because the 20-point-trait will replace war party (or well trained).
Although I don't think it's too bad. The 20-point trait will summon uncontolled neutral demons, which fight your enemies, And it will make your "permanent" demons more powerfull, starting with the bat, which will have much more stamina. (I'm not sure, if it's actually more, or "just" more poetent, but at least the stamina will get reduced much slower...) Corrupting authority in the first place, will make the stamina of the bat better. You don't necessarily need the 20-point perk.

(grave-summoned) Zombies start at level 20, so it's best to use the best healing-food for them, as the stat-growth foods won't count. (they eat the same things, than the summoned demons.) I believe rotten meat is the best in that case. But I would consult the wiki to be sure.

The fog-zombies are neutral, so you can't examaine the stats of them...

Zombies act like tamed pets. This means, you can't put armor and/or weapons on them, and they have 10 slots to carry things, each. They're realy good bearers in that case.

Zombies also COUNT as pets (not as thralls) which means, they use the FOOD TROUGH not the thrall-pot. But They're a third category of followers none the less. You can't take zombies and a pet or thrall with you, even not with war party. Only a mount is possible. (and a summoned demon, afai remember.)

[rakshasa72]

It's kind of weird how they nerfed thralls and then gave zombies the ability to instantly be level 20 and attained 10K+Hp for very little time investment.

Also in order to run War Party you have to give up some of the benefits of Authority and all other kinds of Companion Buffs yet, anyone can run 3 Zombies with buffs & if specced into Authority can add Well Trained on top of it. I understand they want to balance the game but, they are sending mixed signals IMO.

[forcecomdr]

Off hand, you can place armor on the zombies. It doesn't show up physically, but their armor stat goes up. Though, who knows if it's a bug.