The Undead, a guide.

[tomkat492]

Oh, I see. I was wondering that as well, but even if it is personal thought, it's well put together and very convincing. So I definitely buy it.

[Shivali]

I have always assumed that the free-willed undead only retain consciousness from their ghost or spirit held inside the corpse by magic or alchemy. It couldn't have anything to do with the brain because that would mean that the nervous system actually works. Which it doesn't because its a corpse.

[tomkat492]

So then how do you effectively kill an undead?

[Shivali]

You release the spirit from the corpse so it may disperse or go wherever Azerothian ghosts and spirits go.

[tomkat492]

...so then a hammer isn't a good undead-away, is it?

[Shivali]

That is a bit off topic-ish, but to answer your question, destroy the corpse and the spirit that would be its consciousness is effectively gone. It won't matter how you destroy it.

[tomkat492]

Okay, thanks. Sorry for the off-topic-ness by the way.

[Killachipmunk]

Now, if I may ask this;
I would like a bit more detail on why they don't sleep, other than the necromantic energies.
We humans are thought to sleep to repair tissues, grow hormones and prepare for the next day.
Obviously Undead don't do that.
But also the brain needs a rest, it sleeps too, so it doesn't get worn out or too over-loaded.

So what I'm thinking is that Undead probably need very short sleeping-times, and would most likely just 'shut down' conciousness, obviously needing to lie down, because their nervous system doesn't work, and therefore they would have no reflex arcs to keep them upright.

Of course, I could be completely wrong, because why we sleep is only speculation, nothing is proven yet. So I'm speculating on a speculation.

Also, sorry if this makes less sense than a pink badger with a grenade, but I only just woke up.

[Vrahn]

Welp, I think we just sort of agreed they don't really need their brain to function so I don't believe sleep would be important. It is however 100% clear that undead do not need to sleep.

[Killachipmunk]

Vrahn, no offense, but it HAS been pointed out quite a few times in this topic that they do need their brain.

And I know that they do not need sleep, but I'd like a proper reason. It's said that the Necromantic Energies keep them awake, but there's no way in the real world to stay awake indefinately. Fact is, the brain has to sleep to work at a decent capacity, and I just can't get how Undead could get around that without having an IQ of 3.

[Walrus]

Fact is, the brain has to sleep to work at a decent capacity, and I just can't get how Undead could get around that without having an IQ of 3.

One word...

Brrraaaiiiinnsssssss!

/end stupidity

Ahem... carry on!

[Vrahn]

Erm, well a few posts up it was mentioned it is in fact the spirit and not the brain that powers the undead. It would be physically impossible to have a functioning brain in an undead following the normal world rules, and if so, they would require sleep, which they don't. It does make a lot more sense that it would be a spirit bound to a body that it would to have a functional brain.

[Killachipmunk]

The brain is preserved by these 'Necromantic Energies' we hear a lot about here, and they would need one. It's required to think, unless you are a Banshee or spirit, but I dunno about those.

[Nostra]

It probably is the spirit/essence/energy that keeps them up and defines them as individuals, however, the brain being so vital gives them a clear weakness, instead of forcing people to obliterate each and every undead they meet.

Also, looking at in game models etc we see a few undead who does in fact have stuff going though their brains. These undead are, generally, not very intelligent however.

[Walrus]

Um, I'd like to point out that by it's very nature, undeath is a difficult prospect. If I am not wrong, the Apothecaries of the Undercity have been trying to unlock it's secrets ever since their formation. The only beings that have been able to invoke the dead to re-animation were the demons who had vast knowledge given on to them by Sargeras, a titan/ an ex-titan.

I highly doubt one can reason all the intricate details of un-death and I highly doubt blizzard has either. It was not made to be fully understood in the Warcraft game. That being said... carry on with your nit-picking! Just joking!