Necromancer

[Kae'Yoss]

I just got the idea of an Anti-Necromancer - worshipper of Kelemvor, using necromancy, to hunt down and destroy undead (using Undeath to Death and similar spells). Using Cleric would be best here, of course. Use healing spells to damage undead (and you can cast them spontaneously).

 

[Darkness]

Ok here goes, I'm trying to make a necromancer either cleric or wizard or both, whichever gives the best possibilities for a really cool necro. I'm interested in your views on skills, feats and spell selection.

Point buy system 32 points, all stats begin at 8, after 15 (I think, it starts costing 2, 16 3, 17 4, 18 5) Don't have the DMG with me so I could be wrong, but some nice person will surely help me out.

No price increase at 16 and 18.

That is: 15 and 16 cost 2 points each (i.e., 8 and 10 total, respectively).
17 and 18 cost 3 points each (i.e., 13 and 16 total, respectively).

- Darkness

 

[Despaxas]

Well, this is the beginning of my necro:

Malarious
Human
Wizard (Specialized in Necromancy, forbidden school Evocation) 5/
Shadow Adept 10
STR 8
DEX 14
CON 12
INT 20
WIS 14
CHA 12

Feats:
Summon Familiar
Scribe Scroll
Spellcasting Prodigy (FR)
Shadow Weave Magic (FR)
Still Spell (for coolness factor )
Spell Focus: Necromancy
Insidious Magic (FR)
Pernicious Magic (FR)
Tenacious Magic (FR)
Spell Penetration
Greater Spell Penetration (FR)
Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy (FR)
Empower Spell

Skills 132 skill points (haven't divided em up yet)
Spellcraft
Knowledge Arcana
Knowledge Undead
Concentration
Scry
Bluff
Intimidate
Knowledge Religion
Knowledge History
(Maybe some more, have to go to party now )

So what do you guys think? Any suggestions?

 

[Mr Fidgit]

good start. (btw, pax is right. if Shar is your patron diety you don't take the hit on Wis (and i'm not sure if that's calculated))

one of the things you'll have to plan ahead: you'll want to have all of your spell DCs and spell penetration numbers written out (since they'll be different for just about every school).

does your DM allow the 'PCs above first level' wealth? (that's 200,000 gp!)

 

[Finkin Swiftfingers]

Instead of being cut off from Evocation spells, have you given much thought, to picking Divination?

While you will suffer a penalty with your Evocation spells, seems to me that you will get better use from them. You will really miss just Identify.

Transmutation is too useful to give up, regardless of the penalty.

I'm working on a necro as well and having a very hard time picking the specialization that I will not have access to. Any suggestions?

 

[mzsylver]

Re: Re: Necromancer

if you're taking Still Spell, take Silent Spell too.

Silent Still spells just rock the house - and are damn creepy. random spectral hands appearing draining life force while you have a pleasant conversation

 

[Emongnome]

You know, I was planning on mentioning the write-up in the Hero Builder's Guidebook, but, thankfully, I read it first. It's more humorous than useful. It suggests Toughness if you choose the route of the wizard necromancer! I guess the book is mostly useful for those players that have a hard time figuring out how to roll a 1d3.

 

[green slime]

Instead of being cut off from Evocation spells, have you given much thought, to picking Divination?

While you will suffer a penalty with your Evocation spells, seems to me that you will get better use from them. You will really miss just Identify.

Transmutation is too useful to give up, regardless of the penalty.

I'm working on a necro as well and having a very hard time picking the specialization that I will not have access to. Any suggestions?

I'd very much disagree about choosing Divination as the school to skip. Although I agree with the statement on Transmutation.

Divination contains the spells that can make the difference between an east fight and a disasterous one.Sure it doesn't register on the massive slaughter scale, but the ability to see what is around the corner, see the hidden/invisible, and penetrate the web of lies that NPCs love to spin and thus be better prepared is an ability that will be sorely missed.

Arcane Eye
Clairaudience,
the Detect series,
Scry,
Locate Creature
to say nothing of True Seeing and True Strike. True Strike, in particular combines well with the Spectral Hand to deliver those deadly melee touch spells with ease at range.

In my opinion the best options for Necromancers are either to dump Conjuration, Evocation, or Illusion. But as a shadow adept, you want to keep Illusion. And your spell DCs for Evocation spells will absolutely suck

So I'd drop Evocation. And grab Spell Thematics to add a creepy undead appearance to the Summon Monster series. Seriously you can make do without the flashy Evocation spells. Conjuration has some decent supplements: Acid Fog comes to mind.

Pity you don't get to use T&B, I like the True Necromancer PrC (not powerful just scary), and there are a few cool Necro spells there.

The real shame is that the best Necromancers are Clerics...

 

[Finkin Swiftfingers]

For my necromancer, I am still torn about which direction to go with the Banned school.

I was thinking of Evocation, just because no one has tried that in our game group but it is so useful. Eventually all the negatives from the Shadow Weave are negated. It just takes an extra level to get there.

I am leaning towards Divination still, even though I hate to see that go. Choices, choices...

 

[Johno]

Still undecided, eh Finkin Swiftfingers?

Seriously, remove Evocation.

Evocation doesn't really fit with your vision of the scary summoner of the dead. Dare to be different. Show the others that Evocation isn't required.

Conjuration even grants you the ability to cure wounds; Summon those Formian workers, and once you have 8 of them, they can cure...

And apart from the abilities of conjured creatures, Conjuration also gives you Melf's Acid Arrow, and all the Fog spells.

green slime listed all the reasons for keeping Divination:
True Seeing
True Strike
Detect Invisibility.

If you get yourself banned from Divination, you can't even use items to grant you these effects!!!

Your illusion spells will be quite good, and you will eventually gain the Shadow Evocation spells.

So IMO, Evocation is the school you require the least.

As a tip; create a wand of Spectral Hand to inflict your nasty touch spells at range.