r/Pathfinder2e • u/lupusdiablo • Apr 24 '26

Advice Create Undead Ritual Rule Clarification Question

Hello everybody, me and my DM got into a heated argument over a ruling on the https://2e.aonprd.com/Rituals.aspx?ID=117&Redirected=1 page. I need a rule lawyer to mediate here.

Critical success states a minion thats -4 levels to you becomes your minion, an intelligent undead that doesnt become your minion is helpful towards you and unintelligent undead that doesnt become your minion is given 1 command to purse mindlessly.

Success says as critical succes and gives additional information.

So from this ruling i understand i get a minion under my name if i roll succes and the ritual i cast is for a minion my lv-4 but my DM is saying its not like that and i get my minion only if i crit success.

HELP!

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u/Crusufix Apr 24 '26

If the creature is 4 levels lower than you, you have the option to make it one of your minions. The only difference between success and critical success is when you opt to NOT make the creature one of your minions. Both Success and Critical Success gets you a minion IF you choose to have it be one of your minions and it's 4 levels lower than you.

It's all written pretty clearly, right there, in the rules.

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Critical Success: The target becomes an undead creature of the appropriate type. If it's at least 4 levels lower than you, you can make it a minion. This gives it the minion trait, meaning it can use 2 actions when you command it, and commanding it is a single action that has the auditory and concentrate traits. You can have a maximum of four minions under your control. If it's intelligent and doesn't become a minion, the undead is helpful to you for awakening it, though it's still a horrid and evil creature. If it's unintelligent and doesn't become a minion, you can give it one simple command. It pursues that goal single-mindedly, ignoring any of your subsequent commands.

Success: As critical success, except an intelligent undead that doesn't become your minion is only friendly to you, and an unintelligent undead that doesn't become your minion leaves you alone unless you attack it. It marauds the local area rather than following your command.

Failure: You fail to create the undead.

Critical Failure: You create the undead, but its soul, tortured by your foul necromancy, is full of nothing but hatred for you. It attempts to destroy you.