Improved Skeletal Servant

[Beholder Bob]

I have a PC necromancer with a skeletal servant instead of a familiar. What I'd like to do is buff him up with a feat - but no such feat exists. What would you think a feat should do, given the ability of improved familiar over a familiar, and that the skeletal servant is an alternative to a familiar?

Become a different type of undead?
Gain abilities?
Gain a template - and if so, which ones?

Any ideas, folks?

BB

 

[Drowbane]

Are you using the Skeletal Minion variant from UA?

While perhaps not "RAW", you could argue that the 3rd Option (enhanced Undead) would apply to your Minion, as well as the Feats out of Libris Mortis (Enhanced Undead would totally count as a virtual Feat for Corpse Crafter).

 

[Beholder Bob]

Are you using the Skeletal Minion variant from UA?

While perhaps not "RAW", you could argue that the 3rd Option (enhanced Undead) would apply to your Minion, as well as the Feats out of Libris Mortis (Enhanced Undead would totally count as a virtual Feat for Corpse Crafter).

Yep, I'm using the Skeletal Minion variant from UA - cool way to give your necro flavor!

I'm unsure of what you meant by '3rd Option (enhanced Undead)'...?

I do not have any of the undeadcrafter feats (focused on the meta-necro spells from the book).

Some options I've thought of...
1) make it intelligent and give it levels instead of just HD.
2) give it the abilities of a familiar
3) allow me to sense and cast spells through it - taking a full round for both of us.
...

BB

 

[Evilhalfling]

For short term you could cast variations of the Augment and Enchance familiar spells
An NPC Pale master IMC has taken the same option. His familiar wears a chainshirt, shield and m.w. sword. It will prolly still just run from the party cleric - thats why he has a devourer as a backup, and a couple of skeltons as fodder to burning turning damage.
I love the throw away nature of it, it so fits a necromancer.

 

[Beholder Bob]

For short term you could cast variations of the Augment and Enchance familiar spells
An NPC Pale master IMC has taken the same option. His familiar wears a chainshirt, shield and m.w. sword. It will prolly still just run from the party cleric - thats why he has a devourer as a backup, and a couple of skeltons as fodder to burning turning damage.
I love the throw away nature of it, it so fits a necromancer.

I've equiped mine with a +1 b-sword, +1 lrg shield, and +1 chain shirt. He also wears my sun-rods on a neck thong.

So, any suggestions for what a feat should do for this poor fellow?

BB

 

[Drowbane]

Yep, I'm using the Skeletal Minion variant from UA - cool way to give your necro flavor!

I'm unsure of what you meant by '3rd Option (enhanced Undead)'...?

I do not have any of the undeadcrafter feats (focused on the meta-necro spells from the book).

Some options I've thought of...
1) make it intelligent and give it levels instead of just HD.
2) give it the abilities of a familiar
3) allow me to sense and cast spells through it - taking a full round for both of us.
...

BB

the Variant specialists have three options you can choose. For necro, First: Skeletal Minion, Second: undead apothosis, Third: Enhanced Undead

 

[Beholder Bob]

the Variant specialists have three options you can choose. For necro, First: Skeletal Minion, Second: undead apothosis, Third: Enhanced Undead

Ahh, I see were you are going. These are the other options for a necromancer specialist (per unearthed arcana). I'm specifically looking to improve my servent, not myself.

A current consideration is tweaking the Spellwarped template to make the Spellwarped Undead. STR, CON, INT not increased since it should be applicable to incorporeal and non-INT undead.

Dex +4
Wis +4
SR 11 + HD
+2 natural AC

Spell Absorption – If SR negates a spell, creature gains:
+5 temporary HP/spell level and +2 luck saves, for 1 minute per spell level negated by SR.

Feedback, thoughts, suggested CR modifier?

BB

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I'd put its Cr on par with the Reviveed Fossil Template.

HD..........CR
1/2.........1/3
1............1
2-3.........2
4-5.........3
6-7.........4
8-9.........5
10-11......6
12-14......7
15-17......8
18-20......9

 

[Lord Wyrm]

Have you thought of the skeleton variants in Libris Mortis, making him a burning skeleton or something similar might be cool.

 

[bossloki]

Here are a few spells that I created for a pale master I played. They might work for you.

Enhance the Animated
Necromancy
Level: Blk 4, Clr 3, Wiz/Sor 4
Components: Remains from Undead the caster has personally animated or created.
Casting time: 10 rounds
Range: Short
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving throw: Will negates
The caster can choose one of the following effects to bestow upon a non-intelligent undead creature that he has personally animated.
1) Maximum hit points.
2) +1 Strength per every five caster levels with +4 maximum.
3) +1 Dexterity per every five caster levels with +4 maximum.
4) Restore a single extraordinary, spell-like, or supernatural ability that was possessed by the base creature.
5) Increase the undeads speed by 5 feet per every five caster levels.
Only one effect may be chosen, and this spell may only affect a given undead once.

Enhance the Undead
Necromancy
Level: Clr 5, Wiz/Sor 6
Components: Remains from Undead the caster has personally animated or created.
Casting time: 10 rounds
Range: Short
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving throw: Harmless
The caster can choose one of the following effects to bestow upon any willing undead creature.
1) Maximum hit points.
2) +1 Strength per every five caster levels with +4 maximum.
3) +1 Dexterity per every five caster levels with +4 maximum.
4) Restore a single extraordinary, spell-like, or supernatural ability that was possessed by the base creature.
5) Increase the undeads speed by 5 feet per every five caster levels.
Only one effect may be chosen, and this spell may only affect a given undead once.

Skeletal Merge
Necromancy
Level: Wiz/Sor 5
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Effect: One HD of Skeletons/level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows the caster to three merge smaller non-intelligent skeletons into a single larger skeleton. The skeletons to be effected by this spell must be under the command of the caster and must have the the same general form (I.E. bipedel, finned, quadripedal, etc...) or else the spell fizzles and the caster loses the spell. The caster can touch and effect one HD of skeletons per level to be merged, which then join, mold, and reshape into a single larger and much more powerful version. The new skeleton has the combined HD of the skeletons used to create it and is one size larger (Three tiny skeletons merge into a single small skeleton, 3 medium skeletons merge into a single large skeleton, etc...).
Optionally the caster may join four non-intelligent skeletons of the same size into a golem like creature of the same size(picture an armored warrior or a stone golem with a hollow interior). The new skeleton has the combined HD of the skeletons used to create it. The caster may create doors and compartments with a successful craft(sculpture) check (DC 12). The skeletons to be effected by this spell must be under the command of the caster and must have the the same general form (I.E. bipedel, finned, quadripedal, etc...) or else the spell fizzles and the caster loses the spell.
All feats, skills, and special abilities of the individual skeletons are possessed by the finished creation. The finished creation possesses the highest ability scores and movement rates of the constituent skeletons.
Material Component: 300gp of black opals covered with 300gp of silver dust.