Mmmm...Libris Mortis.

[Samurai]

I don't think so, really, for the same reasons the Mystic Theurge isn't really as unbalanced as it looks. You're trading power for variety. Sure, you can cast a lot more spells, from two different lists, but your spells will be weaker than other casters of equal level, and you'll never have the high-level ones. Any round you're healing, you're not throwing a fireball. Any round you're casting shield on yourself, you're not casting bless on the party.

It sounds, on paper, that having the spellcasting abilities of wiz15/clr15 makes you far more potent than a wiz20 or clr20. In practice, it just doesn't work that way.

I'll admit that, while powerful, the Mystic Theurge is not totally unbalanced. However, what would you say about a Mystic Theurge with very powerful class abilities at every level in addition to the double caster progression? The True Necromancer does get 8th and 9th level spells as class abilities, which he can cast for free 1-2 times per day each. What other PrC gets class abilities as powerful as Wail of the Banshee (all in area save or die) and Horrid Wilting (19d6 damage to all in area at 20th lvl)? And the Necromantic Prowess ability means that by 20th level, he casts necro spells as a 19th level Arcane/Divine caster! Unlike the Theurge, he also still advances in his Rebuke Undead power, and he acts as if he always has the Desecrate spell active. In a single spellcaster, these powers may be balanced, but the tradition of double caster advancement (Mystic Theurge, Psychic Theurge, and Cerebromancer) has always had absolutely no class abilities at all... no bonus powers or feats of any kind, since the double caster progression is plenty. Not only does the True Nec break that tradition, it does so in a big way...

 

[Jolly Giant]

This book is great... an Undead version of the Draconomicon. Same format and style (physiology, psychology, analysis of abilities, new creatures, sample specific creature write-ups, lairs, etc). I wonder what will be next in this series?

Aberrations, coming in january (or was it february?). If they can keep up the quality level of Draconomicon I hope there'll be a looong series of books like this!

 

[Olive]

Thats easily the lamest name I've ever heard for a diety.

What's so special about that fellow?

It's ORCUS!!!

Demon Prince of the Undead etc. etc. I believe the name is the Roman version of Hades (As Jupiter is to Zeus).

 

[Vecna]

Could you please give a list (with a brief description) of the various PrC?

 

[cotton]

For those of you that have Libris Mortis already, where did you get it? Amazon lists it as available 10/27...

 

[Dinkeldog]

It's ORCUS!!!

Demon Prince of the Undead etc. etc. I believe the name is the Roman version of Hades (As Jupiter is to Zeus).

I believe Queen Petite was joking. The Roman version of Hades is Pluto, btw. He may have an alternate name, I guess.

 

[Vecna]

I believe Queen Petite was joking. The Roman version of Hades is Pluto, btw. He may have an alternate name, I guess.

Yes, Pluto was called Orcus too:
http://www.dl.ket.org/latin1/mythology/1deities/gods/olympians/hades.htm

 

[ForceUser]

Could you please give a list (with a brief description) of the various PrC?

Death's Chosen - an undead bodguard (3 levels)
Dirgesinger - a "lamentable" bard (5 levels)
Master of Radiance - what the Radiant Servant of Pelor should have been (5 levels)
Master of Shrouds - an undead summoner (10 levels)
Pale Master - needs no introduction (10 levels)
Sacred Purifier - a destroyer of the undead (5 levels)
True Necromancer - yeah (14 levels)
Undead Prestige Classes
Ephemeral Exemplar - paragons of incorporealness (3 levels)
Lurking Terror - a hunter undead (3 levels)
Master Vampire - controls more thralls (3 levels)
Tomb Warden - self-explanitory (3 levels)

Cool book.

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

Dirgesinger - a "lamentable" bard (5 levels)

Maybe you can answer a question for me.

In a fairly recent dragon - I think it was 309, I wrote up an article containing three prestige classes for Bards, one of which was the Mourner. It was originally a 10 level class, but they kind of gutted it and took out the upper 5 levels of progression.

The Mourner had the ability to seal a dead body from the effects of necromantic magic permanently, and the ability to restore the undead to death with the power of their mournful dirge.

Is the Dirgesinger the same, only with a different name? Could you maybe list the class abilities and put a really short summary of the class' purpose?

Thanks;
Patrick Younts

 

[Nebt Bhakau]

I'm also confused - where did you guys get your copy of Libris Mortis? I haven't seen it anywhere in stores, and it's listed as 'not released yet' on amazon.