Revised UE Necromancer Variant

[HoboGod]

Unearthed Arcana provides a way to make a wizard a better necromancer, however it really only provides a Cleric a way to be a better necromancer by taking a single level dip for Enhanced Undead. And even if by house ruling that Enhanced Undead doesn't work for undead created with divine spells, the Cleric is still better for a number of more legitimate reasons than +2 hit points per hit dice. So, I suggest this variant!

First, lets drop Undead Apotheosis, which nobody ever takes, and give this variant the ability to control the undead as a cleric with as many levels as the player has wizard levels. This does not give a wizard the ability to turn or rebuke undead. This ability is in exchange for all the wizard's bonus feats, including scribe scroll at first level.

Secondly, in exchange for taking an additional banned school (totaling three banned classes for being a necromancer specialist,) a necromancer may spontaneously cast her arcane spells into inflict spells of the same spell level or lower, just as an evil cleric. A necromancer still may not choose divination as her banned school.

With these alterations, a cleric and wizard are both equally qualified to command an army of the undead. The cleric still gets Animate Dead and Create Undead at an earlier level and the wizard becomes slightly less versatile in what spells she may cast, but the wizard necromancer is no longer gimped by not being able to heal her undead minions or control the intelligent ones she finds or creates.

 

[HoboGod]

Here's a sample necromancer using this variant. On paper, it's hard to show that he's any different from the UE Necromancer, but note that he commands the undead and can spontaneously cast inflict.

Trucid: Male human necromancer 7; Meduim Humanoid (62 years old); HD 7d4+7; hp 35 (max); Init +5; Spd 30ft.; AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +3; Grp +4; Atk +5 melee (1d4+1/19-20, dagger); skeleton familiar; AL NE; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +7.
Skills and Feats: Appraise +10, Concentration +11, Knowledge (Arcana) +15, Knowledge (History) +15, Knowledge (Local) +15, Knowledge (Religion) +15, Spellcraft +15; Corpse Crafter, Deadly Chill, Hardened Flesh, Improved Initiative.
Class Features: Enhanced Undead, Skeletal Minion, Spontaneous Inflict, Command Undead.
Banned Schools: Abjuration, Enchantment, Transmutation
Wizard Spells Prepared: (4/6/4/4/2; save DC 15 + spell level): 0-Light, Detect Magic (2), Detect Poison; 1st-Comprehend Languages, Detect Undead, Disguise Self, Mage Armor, Obscuring Mist, Ventriloquism; 2nd-Command Undead (2), Invisibility, See Invisibility; 3rd-Gentle Repose, Fireball, Telepathic Bond, Lesser, Tongues; 4th-Animate Dead, Black Tentacles.
Spellbook: 0-Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Light; 1st-Comprehend Languages, Detect Undead, Disguise Self, Identify, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Obscuring Mist, Ray of Enfeeblement, Ventriloquism; 2nd-Command Undead, Invisibility, See Invisibility, Summon Swarm; 3rd-Gentle Repose, Fireball, Telepathic Bond, Lesser, Tongues; 4th-Animate Dead, Black Tentacles.
Possessions: Cloak of Resistance +2, Amulet of Natural Armor +1, Ring of Protection +1, Spellbook, Spell Component Pouch x2, Black Onyx Gems.
Floyd: Male skeleton familiar; CR -; Medium Undead; HD 7d12; hp 84 (max).

I'm looking for any feedback, is this too strong? Are the sacrifices too steep? Should anything be changed?