Death Ward and Necromancers

[Infiniti2000]

Well, much as I'd say any spell with the [Fear] descriptor is a fear effect, and any spell with the Enchantment (Charm) subschool is an enchantment (charm) effect, I'd say that any spell with the [Death] descriptor is a death effect...

That's certainly reasonable, but my problem with that is trying to ascertain the meaning of each item in the list that death ward blocks. Why are "death spells" and "magical death effects" separated? Assuming that the author was not just being sloppy, he must mean two different things. Do you agree? I suppose some overlap would be okay, but it would have to be coincidental, not planned. So, if we now say that "magical death effects" refer to any spell with the [Death] descriptor (a number of them) or any with "death effect" identified in the description (none), then what definition does that leave for "death spell"? IMO, it's unreasonable to give it a definition that is entirely encompassed in the other one (such as any spell with the word 'death' in the name).

Hmm... interestingly, 'death attack' is defined, in the glossary...

Yes, Frank quoted it earlier. It is largely what I base my conclusions on.