Forum

[eleventh]

I would second the shadow power source comment. But firstly, I like it! One thing I had in mind, though, was a change to "Manipulate Life". It seems a bit out of place in comparison to the other class feature healing actions:

Healing Word - an ally spends a healing surge and regains hit points
Inspiring Word - an ally spends a healing surge and regains hit points
Lay on Hands - you spend a healing surge and an ally regains hit points

All three of these are minor actions, are usable a certain number of times per encounter, are guaranteed to work, and take healing surges away from your party. Your ability is a minor action and is usable a certain number of times per encounter - check. But it is not guaranteed to work; you have to land an attack on an enemy. Also, it takes healing surges away from your enemies (although monsters don't really use this mechanic in my experience). I have an idea to keep with the same theme, which I like, but to reconcile these two differences.

I thought it would be interesting to make this ability a reversal of or shadow to the paladin's "lay on hands" ability. In essence, the ability would allow you to take a healing surge from any willing ally and grant hit points to any other ally. This would be guaranteed (no attack necessary) and would stick with the themes of sacrifice and redistribution of health that your necromancer class seems predicated upon. It might also be cool to base the number of times it is usable per day on some secondary ability (such as charisma or wisdom).

Blood Pact
At-Will (Special) <> Shadow, Healing
Special: You can use this power a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1), but only once per round.
Minor Action, Melee touch
Target: One willing ally
Effect: The target spends a healing surge but gains no hit points. Instead, a different ally you can see regains hit points as though (s)he had spent a healing surge. The target must have at least one healing surge remaining for you to use this power.