The Necromancer: Combo Point Spellcaster, anyone?

[Jeff Carlsen]

I've heard great ideas about the Psion being a per-round class (like the Fighter with her CS).

It's the concept I would like to see explored. Have at-will powers like telekinesis, telepathy, and ego-whip, and then power-points that refresh every round and are used to augment those powers.

But that's not really related to the this thread unless you wanted to provide a way for the Psion to store power points from round to round though his actions. I suppose that would be a cool use for psi-crystals. Every round you can store power points in it, building them up to unleash a powerful effect.

 

[Grimmjow]

shouldnt the necromancer be a wizard school of magic....not a thing anyone can take?

 

[slobster]

shouldnt the necromancer be a wizard school of magic....not a thing anyone can take?

I've heard it both ways.

 

[Grimmjow]

I've heard it both ways.

whats the other way?

 

[ComradeGnull]

whats the other way?

Both as a school of magic (i.e., a focus/scheme within the Wizard class) and as a specialty/set of feats that any spellcaster can take.

The only pre-req right now is being able to cast spells. I can plausibly see clerics, wizards, sorcerers, and warlocks wanting to specialize in necromantic power- which is why it's a specialty right now in the play test doc. Right now, you must be able to cast some spells (which means being a spell casting class or having a minor magic racial ability) in order to take the specialty, and the first feat is only useful if you can cast a necromantic spell.

Having an Elf Fighter or Rogue Necromancer seems a little odd- but it would make perfect sense in Eberron.

 

[slobster]

whats the other way?

The necromancer could be a wizard specialty, as it has been in previous editions, or simply anyone who has gained the ability to manipulate the power of death to produce undead allies, as in the playtest. Both archetypes work for me. We might want to get explicit on how exactly a mundane character unlocks control of the supernatural power of death, however, if we continue down that path. I kind of like that a fighter can command an undead servant in the playtest, though. Cool beans.

 

[Grimmjow]

Both as a school of magic (i.e., a focus/scheme within the Wizard class) and as a specialty/set of feats that any spellcaster can take.

The only pre-req right now is being able to cast spells. I can plausibly see clerics, wizards, sorcerers, and warlocks wanting to specialize in necromantic power- which is why it's a specialty right now in the play test doc. Right now, you must be able to cast some spells (which means being a spell casting class or having a minor magic racial ability) in order to take the specialty, and the first feat is only useful if you can cast a necromantic spell.

Having an Elf Fighter or Rogue Necromancer seems a little odd- but it would make perfect sense in Eberron.

how does that make sence in Eberron??

 

[ComradeGnull]

how does that make sence in Eberron??

One of the main cultures of elves in Eberon has a strong connection to necromancy- they are ancestor worshipers whose eldest leaders are essentially a form of positive energy-powered quasi-undead. An Elf in that culture applying his natural magical talents (racial minor magic) to necromantic pursuits would fit the setting pretty well.

 

[slobster]

how does that make sence in Eberron??

Elves in Eberron, at least those from a particular ancient nation, revere their ancestors and their dead as their religion. In fact their council of elders and the closest thing they have to gods are called the Deathless, and are ancient elves past their natural lifespan who carry on in undeath, animated by positive energy and the faith of their people.

As such these elves have a unique relationship to death and undeath, and the necromancer specialty seems to dovetail nicely.

 

[Grimmjow]

Elves in Eberron, at least those from a particular ancient nation, revere their ancestors and their dead as their religion. In fact their council of elders and the closest thing they have to gods are called the Deathless, and are ancient elves past their natural lifespan who carry on in undeath, animated by positive energy and the faith of their people.

As such these elves have a unique relationship to death and undeath, and the necromancer specialty seems to dovetail nicely.

so its just the lore for the elf.

thats really cool though