This spell creates undead servants. Target up to three piles of bones or corpses of a medium or small humanoids or beasts within range. Your spell imbues the targets with a foul mimicry of life, raising them as undead creatures of the same size. Each target becomes an animated skeleton if you target bones or an animated zombie if you target a corpse (See the templates for these creatures below) and it gains the special trait based on the target’s creature type:

• Animated Beast Skeleton (target beast bones). The animated skeleton has a speed of 40 (instead of 30) and can make a special skeletal bite attack (listed in actions below).

• Animated Humanoid Skeleton (target humanoid bones). The animated skeleton can use simple weapons, shields, and helmets.

• Animated Beast Zombie (target beast corpse). This creature’s zombie bite attack deals an additional 1d4 poison damage on a hit.

• Animated Humanoid Zombie (target humanoid corpse). When the animated zombie hits a creature that is already grappled by an animated zombie, the target is also knocked prone.

On each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any undead creature you created with this spell if the creature is within 60 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. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete.

The creature is under your control until you cast this spell again or until 24 hours have passed, after which it stops obeying any command you've given it. When you cast this spell, you can choose to include any animated skeleton or animated zombie already under your control in place of one pile of bones or a corpse to reassume control over that creature for another 24 hours.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you animate or reassert control over one additional undead creature for each slot level above 3rd. Each of the creatures must come from a different corpse or pile of bones.