The Necroblade

[Kurashu]

Ok. I've been doing some work on my homebrew stuff lately. I've cooked up a PrC called the Necroblade. I'd like it to be balanced to be useable by PCs. I'll spare the fluff for now. It's the mechanics I want to deal with.

In particular, I'd like suggestions for Undeath Epitome. However, anything is fair game.

Entry Requirements
Alignment: Any non-good
Base Attack Bonus: +4
Feats: Undead leadership, Weapon Focus (Any slashing weapon), Spell Focus (Necromancy)
Skills: Knowledge (Religion) 8 ranks,
Spells: Must be able to cast 3rd level necromancy spells
Special: Must have primarily cast necromancy spells for the last level.
Special: Must be invited to join the Necroblades by an established member.

Mechanics
Base Attack Bonus Progression: Full (Maybe Med)
Good Saves: Fort and Will
Hit Die Size: d8 (maybe d10)
Skill Points: 2 + INT
Skills: Concentration (CON), Craft (INT), Handle Animal (CHA), Intimidate (CHA), Knowledge (Arcana/Religion) (INT), Ride (DEX), Spellcraft (INT)

Level           Special                                 	Spellcasting
1st             Rebuke Undead, Necrotic Strike +1d6
2nd             Tomb Tainted Soul                       	+1 Spellcasting
3rd             Advanced Learning, Necrotic Strike +2d6
4th             Bonus Feat                      	        +1 Spellcasting
5th             Necrotic Strike +3d6
6th             Advanced Learning, Mother Cyst                  +1 Spellcasting
7th             Necrotic Strike +4d6
8th             Bonus Feat                                      +1 Spellcasting
9th             Advanced Learning, Necrotic Strike +5d6
10th                                                            +1 Spellcasting
11th            Necrotic Strike +6d6
12th            Advanced Learning, Bonus Feat                   +1 Spellcasting
13th            Necrotic Strike +7d6, Undeath Epitome

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.

Necrotic Strike (Su): Necroblades are known for their ability to channel negative energy. As a free action, he may energize his weapon with negative damage. For every odd level he has the weapon deals an extra 1d6 of damage (1d6 at 1st, 2d6 at 3rd, et cetera). This energy only applies to the first hit of a full attack.

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.

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 divine feat, or any fighter feat. The Necroblade must still meet the requirements for the feat.

Advanced Learning (Ex): As a result to his necromantic training, a Necroblade learns new necromantic spells. At 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th levels Necroblade learns a new necromancy spell, up to the highest level he can cast, drawn from either the cleric or wizard spell lists. Whenever a spell is both a cleric or wizard spell, use the lower level to determine if the Necroblade can learn it. Once learned, the spell is cast just like any other spell.

Mother Cyst: As his connection to the negative energy plane grows even greater, a cyst forms in his body. This cyst allows him access to special necromancy spells. If a Necroblade already has the Mother Cyst feat, he gains no benefit from this.

Undeath Epitome (Ex): The connection to the negative energy plane is complete. The Necroblade becomes an undead being. A Necroblade ventures to his Camarilla and is prepared for the Ritual of Crucimigration. Once completed, the Necroblade rises as a Necropolitian. The Necroblade does not have the pay the 1000 XP cost usually paid for this transformation. In addition, the Necroblade may use his Charisma to determine bonus hit points.

 

[Arkhandus]

1) The primarily necromancy spells prerequisite needs to be more specific.

2) I don't know yet what to suggest regarding the basic stats, so I won't touch on those right now.

3) Since this is a prestige class, and not a 10-level one either, there's really no need to have class features granted in a strict repetitive fashion. The bonus feats and Advanced Learning don't need to be granted in that sort of progression, so you may as well move one of them to the sorta-empty level.

4) The Rebuke Undead ability should probably mention that Necroblade levels stack with other levels that grant the ability to rebuke/command undead.

5) The Necrotic Strike is fairly powerful, and a bit unclear regarding its usage. I would reccomend having it at least limited to one use per round, applied to only one attack per round. Also, as it stands, it's basically a Rogue's Sneak Attack but with absolutely none of the restrictions (just not as useful for full-attacks, but it applies in more situations to more kinds of enemy, as well as being useful in healing undead and Necroblades themselves). I suggest changing the damage dice to d4s and either restrict the total number of uses per day or explicitly prevent the Necrotic Strike being used to to heal damage.

As it stands, with how you have it now, the Necrotic Strike can be used to completely heal the Necroblade and any undead he commands or allies with, just by repeatedly attacking them with Necrotic Strike (probably in combination with an unarmed strike, since nonlethal damage doesn't affect undead, but the negative energy would heal them).

6) I have no idea what the Mother Cyst feat is or does; I assume it probably comes from Libris Mortis the Book of Bad Latin, but I don't have that book so I can't comment. I assume Undeath Epitome's benefits have something to do with Libris Mortis as well, so I can't comment on that either.

 

[Kurashu]

1) The primarily necromancy spells prerequisite needs to be more specific.

I was aiming to a requirement like the Swiftblade PrC. Must use all 3rd level and higher slots to cast nothing but haste. The more I think about it, changing it to using casting only Necromancy spells doesn't hamstring the caster at all.

3) Since this is a prestige class, and not a 10-level one either, there's really no need to have class features granted in a strict repetitive fashion. The bonus feats and Advanced Learning don't need to be granted in that sort of progression, so you may as well move one of them to the sorta-empty level.

So, basically move them around so it's less linear and not have any dead levels?

4) The Rebuke Undead ability should probably mention that Necroblade levels stack with other levels that grant the ability to rebuke/command undead.

It's implied. But I suppose, RAW, it could be taken they don't stack. That's what I get for ganking the Blackguard's description of Rebuke Undead.

5) The Necrotic Strike is fairly powerful, and a bit unclear regarding its usage. I would reccomend having it at least limited to one use per round, applied to only one attack per round. Also, as it stands, it's basically a Rogue's Sneak Attack but with absolutely none of the restrictions (just not as useful for full-attacks, but it applies in more situations to more kinds of enemy, as well as being useful in healing undead and Necroblades themselves). I suggest changing the damage dice to d4s and either restrict the total number of uses per day or explicitly prevent the Necrotic Strike being used to to heal damage.

As it stands, with how you have it now, the Necrotic Strike can be used to completely heal the Necroblade and any undead he commands or allies with, just by repeatedly attacking them with Necrotic Strike (probably in combination with an unarmed strike, since nonlethal damage doesn't affect undead, but the negative energy would heal them).

Either, lower the damage to d4s and limit to a certain amount per day, or leave stand and have it only be used for damage...

Necrotic Strike (Su): Necroblades have a certain connection with the negative energy plane; this tie first manifests itself in the ability to energize a weapon with negative energy. Once per round as a swift action, a Necroblade may energize his weapon with negative energy. For every odd level he has the weapon deals an extra 1d4 of damage (1d4 at 1st, 2d4 at 3rd, et cetera).

This energy only affects living creatures and just applies to the first hit of a full attack.

6) I have no idea what the Mother Cyst feat is or does; I assume it probably comes from Libris Mortis the Book of Bad Latin, but I don't have that book so I can't comment. I assume Undeath Epitome's benefits have something to do with Libris Mortis as well, so I can't comment on that either.

The Book of Bad Latin indeed. Necropolitian is a template from the book, it's a non-descript undead. Nothing really special about them. Which is why I wanted suggestions for transformation at that level. Perhaps Death Knight (Monster Manual II) instead? I don't want to do Lich or Vampire.

Mother Cyst grants 10 spells (1 of every level except 2nd, which gets two) which are other other uncastable by any class (like "Prestige Spells").