I think Horrid Wilting is in line with the standards Necromancy has had since old editions, BUT those old standards are now grossly unfair.
Necromancy school has an "elephant in the room" type problem. It's always done less damage than evocation, but it made up with it's undead. however since recent editions of D&D have not so subtle push PCs to be good, or at least neutral, that pretty much nerfs a significant portion of the Necromancy School for PCs, who the balance of the spell schools are really the only ones the school balances MATTER for, since NPC casters get whatever abilities they need via the DM.
IMHO I definitely understand why WOTC would want to keep PCs from having masses of Undead at their beck and call, but the Necromancy School should get SOMETHING to make up for that! It doesn't need to out damage Evocation, but it shouldn't lag THAT far behind either if players are being strong armed into not using the main part of the school.
Well, first, let me say that making undead is not just a non-good act, its a flat out evil one by the book, because the implication is that you are summoning dark spirits that hate the living to inhabit the dead bodies in a perverse summoning effect. Its like using magic to summon imps to serve you - just with undead instead of fiends."Not a good act" != "an evil act"
"5 days a month (ie - when I go into a dungeon)" != "frequently" in the context of things that can be done multiple times per day.
That's my argument anyway.
That said? Who says you can't play an evil character? Being LE isn't a detriment to play.
I agree with Scorpio's initial assessment, though. Necromantic spells seem to be sub-par compared to evocations, even when both deal direct damage. It seems to have always been the case. Not sure why.