D&D 5E Creating some undead themed spells for a PC

[Quickleaf]

I disagree with this. 3rd level spells are attained at 5th level. 5th is a huge jump in power as the characters enter Tier 2. 3rd level spells are powerful and change the way the game is played.

They aren't merely twice as good as 1st level spells.

Danse Macabre is a 5th level spell. Create Undead is 6th level.

Creating undead, even for a short period of time, should be at least 3rd level.

You're entirely right about 5th level being a major power jump.

I was envisioning the necromancer PC facing enemies with Multiattack and/or Area Effect capability, able to neutralize the brittlebones in a round. So they'd be taking up space and soaking some damage (possibly) and dealing a tiny bit of damage per round...as long as you maintain concentration.

What do you see about that being too powerful for first level? It does seem potent, but not game-breaking.

 

[abirdcall]

You're entirely right about 5th level being a major power jump.

I was envisioning the necromancer PC facing enemies with Multiattack and/or Area Effect capability, able to neutralize the brittlebones in a round. So they'd be taking up space and soaking some damage (possibly) and dealing a tiny bit of damage per round...as long as you maintain concentration.

What do you see about that being too powerful for first level? It does seem potent, but not game-breaking.

PCs have about 10hp each at 1st level.

A typical monster will deal 5-8dmg at that level.

8 brittlebones will absorb 40-64dmg. That's more health than the entire party.

There is no precedent for this in the game. We can't compare it to other spells at 1st level because it has no analogues.

In 5e character archetypes don't fulfill their potential until 5th level. Why can't that be true of a summoner as well? Tier 1, levels 1-4 are about learning new abilities, about becoming their archetype over time.

This spell is not only overpowered, but it is also outside the design of 5e.

 

[Oxylepy]

See, that was my initial thought and thinking more like a 2nd level spell. But then others made it seem substantially weaker than it should be, but finally someone else is looking at things more like the tiers of play. Which means the spell is broken and needs adjusted.

But what if it was 1 summon +8 per 2 spell levels (3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th)

 

[Hawk Diesel]

So here is my thinking in regards to this quandary. From my perspective, most spells benefit from reskinning, as the OP has already begun doing with Evard's Black Tentacles.

While a low level necromancer may not have a whole lot of physical undead, maybe this is because necromancers need to learn to work with control of ephemeral undead before infusing such energy into physical bodies. Thus a necromancer with the Gust cantrip and Unseen Servant is constantly swarmed by undead spirits that move to their will. Toll the Dead or Chill Touch can be reskinned as restless spirits passing through the necromancer's enemies and causing harm. But because they are ghosts, they obviously cannot be targeted or hampered by the necromancer's enemies.

Summon familiar can be the first spell that walks between ghost and physical undead. It would mechanically be a normal familiar option. But instead of going away while in its dimensional pocket, it is just a ghost that has not manifested. When it manifests at the necromancer's command (or just comes out to play as other familiars due when not protected by the invisible pocket) it can interact with the mortal world around it.

A final option would be to create a feat that allows a caster to summon a more powerful familiar similar to the Pact of the Chain. Based on the power level of that pact, at level 3 having access to a Spectre familiar (equal in CR to a Quasit or Imp at CR 1). Alternatively, a spell that summons a spectre for 24 hours that resembles a Pact of the Chain familiar in usage (spcifically that it cannot attack unless the caster uses their action to allow the Spectre to make an attack) would be reasonable. Unlike Summon Familiar, it would require devoting a 2nd level spell slot daily to maintain, which I think would be a reasonable cost for an improved familiar.