Editing 40d:Undead

{{Quality|Superior|10:54, 18 May 2015 (UTC)}}
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Most [[animal]]s can be encountered in skeletal or zombie varieties when visiting a [[haunted]], [[sinister]] or [[terrifying]] [[biome]].  The type of '''undead''' animal is the same as the animals which would be found in a normal biome of the same type, and they are encountered in the same size groups. As of .39c, both [[megabeast]]s and [[semi-megabeast]]s can also be undead.

Undead are highly aggressive and will attack and chase any living creature that approaches them.  Zombie animals move slowly, so [[dwarves]] can usually outrun them.  Skeletal animals, however, are both strong and extremely fast, making them very dangerous.

[[Image:Undead_Fish.png|frame|Undead fish traversing dry land to attack an adventurer.]]

Undead creatures do not need to breathe, and all can swim in [[water]] and walk on land, including normally aquatic creatures such as sharks, [[whale]]s, and even [[carp|the most terrifying fish ever]]. While this is only a minor nuisance most of the time, groups of undead [[carp|kings of fishes]] can pose a serious threat to even a well trained squad. The average dwarf can easily run away from zombie carp, but skeletal carp are a vile force of darkness which should be feared by anyone who confronts them.

All undead are promoted to level 1 [[building destroyer]]s, allowing them to deconstruct wooden doors/hatches, statues, windows, archery targets, and wooden [[support]]s.

Zombies start with brown and grey [[wound]]s to several of their organs; skeletons start with grey (missing) wound status on all their organs.  Both types appear to be immune to critical hits against organs, making crits with [[Weapon#Damage_calculation|piercing]] weapons meaningless, although they can still be dismembered by an axe or knocked across the screen with a hammer.<!-- Undead can ~only~ be destroyed after losing thier Head, Upper Body, or Lower Body. Even after having lost all of their limbs they'll still be quite "alive", so to speak.{{verify}}
SEE TALK PAGE, "Cut apart to kill?"-->

When defeated, a zombie leaves a rotten [[corpse]] which should be disposed of to avoid [[miasma]].  It will eventually rot completely to leave a pile of [[bone]]s.  Skeletal creatures leave a [[skull]] and [[bone]]s, which can be used immediately by a [[bone carver]]. (Good gift idea : a carp skull totem !)

Undead [[tree]]s show on the map as {{DFtext|Dead Highwood}}, but an undead {{DFtext|Dead Highwood Sapling}} will still mature into a full grown tree.  After cutting down, the [[log]]s are indistinguishable from those cut from a living tree. Undead [[shrub]]s and grass are useless, though these tainted lands contain a mix of living and dead plants.

Beware undead [[giant eagle]]s, as [[bolt]]s have little effect upon them, and [[dwarves]] have trouble attacking them in melee. If you find skeletal [[whale]]s or other exceptionally large creatures... either lock your fort down or consider abandoning.
{{Creatures}}