Raise Dead warhammer 8th edition vampire counts lore of the vampires spell overview

The raise dead spell returns once again in 8th edition warhammer differing from 7th edition it now has a higher casting value though in return you get to create a bigger unit. Another boost (again for an further increase in casting value) is that you can raise a unit of skeleton warriors should you wish. Remember a necromancer or master necromancer with the master of the dead upgrade can also increase units of skeleton warriors past their starting unit size.

Also gone in 8th is the necromancy spell special rules that allowed you to repeatedly cast these spells with the same wizard, this means at best you will have 3 wizards with the same spell at most, one who has rolled it from the lore of the vampires as normal and with either (or both) Heinrich Kemmler and Mannfred Von Carstein (in either of his incarnations) due to their loremaster special rule.

The range has thankfully increased to a more healthy 18" and as a special type of spell this range is not bound by facing or line of sight. It also benefits from the lore attribute the curse of undeath allowing the wizard or another friendly model within 12" to regain a wound.

The ability to create a new unit can be very useful. Of course as a spell your opponent will have the chance to dispel it. You can use it to create a sudden "wall" of Zombies preventing an enemy from charging your more expensive units, alternatively it can be used to threaten an enemy's flank, war machines or shooting units that are blocked or shielded by other units. Units raised in this way can be useful for redirecting the enemy as you can position the newly raised units facing as you want. Remember freshly raised units of zombies can then have there numbers substantially increased with castings of invocation of nehek. A fully ranked unit of zombies rear charging some weaker enemies can also be enough to allow the zombies to win.

With the changes in vanhhel's danse macbre no longer allowing you to charge it requires a little forward planning as to wear to position your units as your opponent will get a chance to move before you can charge or move. This means you must take a chess like mentality to the positioning of units that you raise.

As an added bonus units raised this way now grant no victory points so they are a unit you can mercilessly throw away as the situation dictates.