The Necroblade - Take 2

[Kurashu]

Instead of thread necromancing my old thread about this prestige class, I'm just remaking it.

So, here it is, the revised necroblade.

The Necroblade​

"The necroblades? They're an esoteric order of necromantic warriors. They channel foul energies into their weapons. Abhorrent knights, that's all you really need to remember."

- Saul Harn, scholar and paladin.

Necroblades, often called nefarious warriors of the abyss. However, this is a misnomer as they have no connections to demonic forces of any sort. Rather, they are fetid warriors of undeath, and many seek to embody this perceived virtue for themselves.

Entry Requirements
Alignment: Any non-good
Base Attack Bonus: +4
Feats: Weapon Focus (Any martial or exotic weapon), Spell Focus (Necromancy)
Skills: Knowledge (Religion) 8 ranks, Intimidate 4 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks
Spells: Must be able to cast 2nd level necromancy spells
Special: Must have only cast necromancy spells for the last level.
Special: Must be invited to join the Necroblades by an established member.
Special: If cleric, must possess at least one of the following domains: Death, Undeath, or Deathbound.

Mechanics
Base Attack Bonus Progression: 3/4 (maybe full)
Good Saves: Will
Hit Die Size: d8
Skill Points: 2 + INT
Skills: Concentration (CON), Craft (INT), Intimidate (CHA), Knowledge (Arcana/Religion) (INT), Ride (DEX), Spellcraft (INT)
Spellcasting: Spellcasting is advanced on even levels.

1. Rebuke Undead, Necrotic Strike +1d4, Armored Mage
2. Tomb Tainted Soul, Fear Aura
3. Necrotic Strike +2d4, Darkvision
4. Bonus Feat, Undying Fortitude
5. Necrotic Strike +3d4
6. Stalwart Skin
7. Necrotic Strike +4d4
8. Bonus Feat
9. Necrotic Strike +5d4
10. --
11. Necrotic Strike +6d4
12. Bonus Feat
13. Necrotic Strike +7d4, Undeath Epitome

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Necroblades gain no proficiencies with weapons or armor.

Spells per Day/Spells Known: From 2nd level on, when an even necroblade level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in whatever spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. he does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that he adds the level of necroblade to the level of whatever other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.

If a character had more than one spellcasting class before he became a necroblade, he must decide to which class he adds each level of necroblade for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Advanced Learning (Ex): As a result to his necromantic training, a necroblade learns new necromantic spells. Whenever a necroblade gains a level of spellcasting, he learns a new necromancy spell, up to the highest level he can cast, drawn from any spell lists. Whenever a spell is on multiple spell lists, use the lower level to determine if the necroblade can learn it. Once learned, the spell is cast just like any other spell.

Armored Mage (Ex): One of the first techniques taught to a incoming necroblade is the ability to wear light armor, bucklers, and light shields without risking spell failure. However, medium and heavy armor, as well as other types of shields still cause spell failure.

Rebuke Undead (Su): At first level, a necroblade gains the supernatural ability to command and rebuke undead. He commands undead as would a cleric of his Necroblade level. If the necroblade possessed this ability before, it stacks with his necroblade levels.

Necrotic Strike (Su): Necroblades are known for their ability to channel negative energy. As a swift action, he may energize his weapon with negative energy, dealing an extra 1d4 damage per odd level (1d4 at 1st, 2d4 at 3rd, et cetera). This energy only applies to the first attack that hits in the round it is applied in. If the necroblade misses with all attacks made in the same round, the energy fades, but it does not count against his daily limit of necrotic strikes. This negative energy damage only affects living creatures, therefore constructs and undead are unaffected. This damage only applies on actual attacks, special attacks like trip and disarm are not affected by the negative energy, however, the extra attack from a successful trip would be. The necroblade may use this a number of times per day equal to 3 + His charisma modifier. An affected creature may attempt a will save (DC: 10 + Necroblade Class Level + Charisma Modifier) for half damage.

Tomb Tainted Soul: A Necroblade's attachment to the negative energy plane grows stronger. From 2nd level on, he no longer benefits from regular healing. Instead, a Necroblade receives healing from negative energy. He is harmed by positive energy from now on. If a Necroblade already has the Tomb Tainted Soul feat, he may choose another feat with the perquisites of Tomb Tainted Soul.

Fear Aura (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a necroblade exudes a 5-foot-radius fear as a free action. Enemies in the area must succeed on a Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 his class level + Charisma Modifier) or become shaken. Irregardless of the save, the same creature can not be affected by the same necroblade's fear aura again for 24 hours.

Darkvision (Ex): At 3rd level, the fog of darkness begins to clear for a necroblade, who gains darkvision out to 60 feet. If the necroblade already had darkvision, it is increased by 30 feet.

Bonus Feat: Necroblades advance the art of spell and sword. At 4th, 8th, and 12th levels, they may select a bonus feat drawn from the following list: Extra Turning, any feat with a prerequisite of Tomb Tainted Soul, any profane divine feat, or any fighter bonus feat. The necroblade must still qualify for this feat.

Undying Fortitude (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, a necroblade enhances his ties to undeath. He gains a +4 bonus on fortitude saves except against effects that also affect objects.

Stalwart Skin (Ex): At 6th level, negative energy surges into the necroblade and he becomes immune to nonlethal damage, disease, and stunning.

Undeath Epitome (Ex): Upon reaching 13th level, the necroblade's connection to the negative energy plane is complete. He must return to his cabal and sacrifice himself to the other members of the order. After three days he raises as an undead. The necroblade's type changes to Undead but retains any subtypes he had in life, he loses his constitution score as well as additional hit points from constitution and instead gains his charisma modifier to hit points, all of his hit dice become d12s (reroll all previous hit die), and do not recalculate base attack bonuses or base saves.

Things I would like to revise in particular:

• Make the transformation to undeath more gradual.
• Change Undeath Empitome. I was thinking that the necroblade would raise as a death knight, but I don't know. I'm open for suggestions on this.
• Necrotic Strike. Something about it just seems weird to me, but I don't know what. Am I imagining stuff?
• Would it be too powerful if I upped the BAB to full instead of 3/4?

Anything else you guys see fit to point out is cool too.

Edit: Updated necrotic strike and fear aura with the changes below (including adding in "per day" on necrotic strike, and a note about not recalcuating BAB and saves post-transformation). I'm considering adding different effects to necrotic strike by foregoing damage (sort of like an ambush feat in Complete Scoundrel), any suggestions on this?

 

[Arkhandus]

I think increasing the BAB to full would be too strong, what with the Necrotic Strike being like a more broadly useable Sneak Attack, though a bit weaker (still making them offensively similar to a Rogue in ability). Especially considering that, unlike Rogues, they get spellcasting progression and d8 hit dice so are already better in combat.


I'm not going to bother trying another analysis of this class since I know I already did some of that last time. But I will point out that Necrotic Strike needs at least one bit of clarification: Does it only apply to a single attack each time, or does it function for a full round, or until the Necroblade hits successfully with that weapon, or something else?

And if it's until he/she hits successfully, there'll probably need to be a defined limit on how many rounds it lasts before fading (assuming they just keep missing or something). And, likewise, probably a limitation that they can only have one Necrotic Strike active at any given time (if it's not just applied to the next attack only, wasted if it misses).

 

[Sound of Azure]

Love the idea of this class, especially of your idea of incorporating a progression into a Death Knight. For the second idea, it might be worth making a 20 level base class along the lines of the Dread Necromancer. It'd have to have either 4 levels of spells (like a paladin) or possibly 6 (like a Duskblade).

Regarding the Necrotic Strike, it might be worthwhile creating a number of necromantic effets (energy drain, ability damage/drain, disease, etc) rather than raw damage.

As far as BAB goes, it might be hard to balance with a full BAB. I'll think a bit on it and gt back to you.

I've got to get to work now, but I'll have a bit of a think while I'm there and see if I can come up with anything when I get back.

 

[Kurashu]

I'm not going to bother trying another analysis of this class since I know I already did some of that last time. But I will point out that Necrotic Strike needs at least one bit of clarification: Does it only apply to a single attack each time, or does it function for a full round, or until the Necroblade hits successfully with that weapon, or something else?

And if it's until he/she hits successfully, there'll probably need to be a defined limit on how many rounds it lasts before fading (assuming they just keep missing or something). And, likewise, probably a limitation that they can only have one Necrotic Strike active at any given time (if it's not just applied to the next attack only, wasted if it misses).

Ugh. I thought I forgot something. Here's the revised ability:

Necrotic Strike (Su): Necroblades are known for their ability to channel negative energy. As a swift action, he may energize his weapon with negative energy, dealing an extra 1d4 damage per odd level (1d4 at 1st, 2d4 at 3rd, et cetera). This energy only applies to the first attack that hits in the round it is applied in. If the necroblade misses with all attacks made in the same round, the energy fades, but it does not count against his daily limit of necrotic strikes. This negative energy damage only affects living creatures, therefore constructs and undead are unaffected. This damage only applies on actual attacks, special attacks like trip and disarm are not affected by the negative energy, however, the extra attack from a successful trip would be. The necroblade may use this a number of times equal to 3 + His charisma modifier. An affected creature may attempt a will save (DC: 10 + Necroblade Class Level + Charisma Modifier) for half damage.

Edit: Expect fluff sometime soon. I'm still busy writing it.

Edit 2: A change on the fear aura.

Fear Aura (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a necroblade exudes a 5-foot-radius fear as a free action. Enemies in the area must succeed on a Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 his class level + Charisma Modifier) or become shaken. Irregardless of the save, the same creature can not be affected by the same necroblade's fear aura again for 24 hours.

 

[Arkhandus]

Missed it earlier, but meant to add: Need to say in the Necrotic Strike description that the number of uses is per day or whatever, as it is currently undefined.