Simon Collins
Explorer
This is not a playtest review.
Necromancer's Legacy is a sourcebook providing new resources for necromancers from Ambient Inc./Mystic Eye Games, and is an expansion of the original Ambient Inc. electronic "Thee Compleat Librum ov Gar'Udok's Necromantik Artes".
Necromancer's Legacy is an 88-page mono softcover product costing $16.99. Margins and font are fairly standard, whilst there are chunks of white space at the end of each chapter. There is no space between paragraphs in the text, which gives more text per page than normal, but leads to a slightly cramped look on occasion. The artwork runs from poor to good, with most towards the higher end of the scale, including the front cover, which shows a barbarian-style necromancer holding a magical staff aloft, whilst a horde of undead crouch at his feet. The writing style is engaging despite the rules-orientated nature of the product - this aspect is enhanced by the fact that most entries contain a sentence or two of flavour text before the rules information, giving an idea of how the effect might be described by a GM. Editing seems good, with occasional if regular mistakes.
Prologue
This gives a brief history and timeline of the necromancer Gar'Udok, whose knowledge of the necromantic arts form a basis for the supposed information found in the book.
Chapter 1: The Necromancies Of Gar'Udok
Contains over 50 'new' necromantic spells (though the content of the entire book draws upon OGC from a number of products from AEG, FFG, Mongoose, Necromancer Games, and several others, as well as previous product from Ambient Inc.). There are spells for all the spellcasting core classes, plus spells available to prestige classes such as the Assassin and Blackguard are also included, as well as for the Necromancer and Death Knight. Examples include:
* Channeling Ward - increases effective Hit Dice of undead by 4 for the purposes of turning. 2nd-level cleric/3rd-level Sor/Wiz spell.
* Skin Walking - 4th level cleric/assassin, 3rd-level Sor/Wiz spell that allows one to use the removed face of a victim as a magical disguise.
* Plague - 6th-level Cleric/Druid, 7th-level Sor/Wiz spell, which infects everyone with plague in a 30 ft radius sphere, with effects similar to a contagion spell.
The chapter also contains a sidebar with some more information on a location known as Mires Ford, where Gar'Udok met his final fate.
Chapter 2: Risen Creatures Of The North
This chapter details ten new creatures, six new templates, and a new kobold variant. Two NPCs mentioned in Gar'Udok's history are covered after their creature category, giving an example of those creatures, plus some samples for the templates. There is also a sidebar offering the new skill of Craft (Embalming), in relation to the creation of True Mummies. Examples from this chapter are as follows:
* Alabaster Maiden - beautiful undead created from a medusa struck down by her own gaze effect. Gar'Udok's consort, Caramina, is given as an example.
* Disease Golem - built by Gar'Udok from the pieces of mummies he destroyed, with mummy-like abilities.
* Cairn Wyrm - scavenger dragons with a negative energy breath weapon. Torexis, Gar'Udok's ally, is given as an example.
* Ghoul Template - similar to Mongoose's template from the Slayers Guide To The Undead, ghoul can be applied to all manner of creatures in a similar way to ghost or vampire.
* Lekassi Template - a being created by sexual union between a mortal and an enspelled sentient undead creature, the offspring usually turning to hunting undead, with necromantic resistance and smite undead abilities.
The Black Hand Kobolds described in this chapter are a kobold variant with true draconic blood, and a favoured class of sorcerer.
Chapter 3: The Dark Lords
This chapter details Prestige Classes - each has an example NPC:
* Anam'Glac - cannibals who feed off the spiritual energy of victims to enhance their own power. 10-level PrC. Gains spellcasting level every three levels as well as various advantages from eating souls. New disease, new spell, and new exotic weapon (curved sword - khukuri) are also included.
* Dark Heart - 10-level PrC suitable specifically to Undead, with improved necromantic spellcasting and an unholy presence. Must be 17th-level to achieve prerequisites. The Gar'Udok of the title is the example NPC given.
* Knight Of The Dread Legion - evil knights clad in enhanced dark armour with improved attack capabilities. 10-level PrC.
* Legion - 5-level PrC for intelligent undead, with undead leadership and bolstering qualities.
* Lotahm - 10-level PrC for those with psionic ability which enables them to bond with a mystical bird to gain avian powers. Also includes a psychometabolic power, Eagle's Claws.
* Mad Tailor - 10-level insane PrC who creates golem-like constructs from living flesh.
* Pale Riders - 5-level PrC who progress to eventually become mounted skeletal knights.
* Priest Of Bone - 10-level PrC who progressively resembles a skeletal undead being (though not actually undead) which gives greater protection but diminishing Charisma and Strength. Also gains access to the Bone Domain (see below).
* Prophet - 10-level PrC with own spellcasting progression, greater domain access and an innate spell 1/day.
* Zombie Master - 5-level PrC concentrating on power over zombies, bolstering and reanimating them.
Chapter 4: Feats
Eleven new feats including additional domain (3rd domain with additional one available every 5 levels), dark summons (allows ability to summon undead with summon monster spells), and necromantic familiar (undead familiar).
Chapter 5: Magic Items
New weapon special abilities (filthy, flaming skulls, spell-launcher), bone lances, and a few rings, staffs, and wondrous items of a necromantic nature are given (e.g. soul leech gauntlets, unholy symbol of Gar'Udok). Two special materials also discussed - White Bone (enchanted bone for use as weapons and armour) and Dragon Hide (adapted from rules for mithril armour from the Core Rules).
Chapter 6: Deities And Domains
Six deities with a focus on undeath, each with a brief description, and information on alignment, domains, favoured weapon, and traits of typical worshippers. Nine domains - bones, disease, greed, insanity, lust, negative energy, souls, undead, and vermin. Spells come from a mixture of SRD and spells from Chapter One.
Last Words
This final chapter gives some advice on integrating the concept of Gar'Udok and his history into a campaign, setting a campaign into the time of Gar'Udok's reign, or even a mix of the two with some time travel or flashbacks thrown in. There is also a spell listing by level for divine and arcane spells separately, each marked with a reference to which source the spell was taken from. It ends with a little information about the author, and Ambient Inc.
Conclusion
This a well-presented mix of rules-based information for necromancers that can be useful for both GMs and players running necromancers. It is greatly enhanced by the snippets of flavour text before most of the rules, and by the good choices of OGC used in the book. As with any book of this ilk, not all of the information will be valid for use in a campaign, but there should be something for most GMs running a fantasy-based campaign where necromancy is an element.
Necromancer's Legacy is a sourcebook providing new resources for necromancers from Ambient Inc./Mystic Eye Games, and is an expansion of the original Ambient Inc. electronic "Thee Compleat Librum ov Gar'Udok's Necromantik Artes".
Necromancer's Legacy is an 88-page mono softcover product costing $16.99. Margins and font are fairly standard, whilst there are chunks of white space at the end of each chapter. There is no space between paragraphs in the text, which gives more text per page than normal, but leads to a slightly cramped look on occasion. The artwork runs from poor to good, with most towards the higher end of the scale, including the front cover, which shows a barbarian-style necromancer holding a magical staff aloft, whilst a horde of undead crouch at his feet. The writing style is engaging despite the rules-orientated nature of the product - this aspect is enhanced by the fact that most entries contain a sentence or two of flavour text before the rules information, giving an idea of how the effect might be described by a GM. Editing seems good, with occasional if regular mistakes.
Prologue
This gives a brief history and timeline of the necromancer Gar'Udok, whose knowledge of the necromantic arts form a basis for the supposed information found in the book.
Chapter 1: The Necromancies Of Gar'Udok
Contains over 50 'new' necromantic spells (though the content of the entire book draws upon OGC from a number of products from AEG, FFG, Mongoose, Necromancer Games, and several others, as well as previous product from Ambient Inc.). There are spells for all the spellcasting core classes, plus spells available to prestige classes such as the Assassin and Blackguard are also included, as well as for the Necromancer and Death Knight. Examples include:
* Channeling Ward - increases effective Hit Dice of undead by 4 for the purposes of turning. 2nd-level cleric/3rd-level Sor/Wiz spell.
* Skin Walking - 4th level cleric/assassin, 3rd-level Sor/Wiz spell that allows one to use the removed face of a victim as a magical disguise.
* Plague - 6th-level Cleric/Druid, 7th-level Sor/Wiz spell, which infects everyone with plague in a 30 ft radius sphere, with effects similar to a contagion spell.
The chapter also contains a sidebar with some more information on a location known as Mires Ford, where Gar'Udok met his final fate.
Chapter 2: Risen Creatures Of The North
This chapter details ten new creatures, six new templates, and a new kobold variant. Two NPCs mentioned in Gar'Udok's history are covered after their creature category, giving an example of those creatures, plus some samples for the templates. There is also a sidebar offering the new skill of Craft (Embalming), in relation to the creation of True Mummies. Examples from this chapter are as follows:
* Alabaster Maiden - beautiful undead created from a medusa struck down by her own gaze effect. Gar'Udok's consort, Caramina, is given as an example.
* Disease Golem - built by Gar'Udok from the pieces of mummies he destroyed, with mummy-like abilities.
* Cairn Wyrm - scavenger dragons with a negative energy breath weapon. Torexis, Gar'Udok's ally, is given as an example.
* Ghoul Template - similar to Mongoose's template from the Slayers Guide To The Undead, ghoul can be applied to all manner of creatures in a similar way to ghost or vampire.
* Lekassi Template - a being created by sexual union between a mortal and an enspelled sentient undead creature, the offspring usually turning to hunting undead, with necromantic resistance and smite undead abilities.
The Black Hand Kobolds described in this chapter are a kobold variant with true draconic blood, and a favoured class of sorcerer.
Chapter 3: The Dark Lords
This chapter details Prestige Classes - each has an example NPC:
* Anam'Glac - cannibals who feed off the spiritual energy of victims to enhance their own power. 10-level PrC. Gains spellcasting level every three levels as well as various advantages from eating souls. New disease, new spell, and new exotic weapon (curved sword - khukuri) are also included.
* Dark Heart - 10-level PrC suitable specifically to Undead, with improved necromantic spellcasting and an unholy presence. Must be 17th-level to achieve prerequisites. The Gar'Udok of the title is the example NPC given.
* Knight Of The Dread Legion - evil knights clad in enhanced dark armour with improved attack capabilities. 10-level PrC.
* Legion - 5-level PrC for intelligent undead, with undead leadership and bolstering qualities.
* Lotahm - 10-level PrC for those with psionic ability which enables them to bond with a mystical bird to gain avian powers. Also includes a psychometabolic power, Eagle's Claws.
* Mad Tailor - 10-level insane PrC who creates golem-like constructs from living flesh.
* Pale Riders - 5-level PrC who progress to eventually become mounted skeletal knights.
* Priest Of Bone - 10-level PrC who progressively resembles a skeletal undead being (though not actually undead) which gives greater protection but diminishing Charisma and Strength. Also gains access to the Bone Domain (see below).
* Prophet - 10-level PrC with own spellcasting progression, greater domain access and an innate spell 1/day.
* Zombie Master - 5-level PrC concentrating on power over zombies, bolstering and reanimating them.
Chapter 4: Feats
Eleven new feats including additional domain (3rd domain with additional one available every 5 levels), dark summons (allows ability to summon undead with summon monster spells), and necromantic familiar (undead familiar).
Chapter 5: Magic Items
New weapon special abilities (filthy, flaming skulls, spell-launcher), bone lances, and a few rings, staffs, and wondrous items of a necromantic nature are given (e.g. soul leech gauntlets, unholy symbol of Gar'Udok). Two special materials also discussed - White Bone (enchanted bone for use as weapons and armour) and Dragon Hide (adapted from rules for mithril armour from the Core Rules).
Chapter 6: Deities And Domains
Six deities with a focus on undeath, each with a brief description, and information on alignment, domains, favoured weapon, and traits of typical worshippers. Nine domains - bones, disease, greed, insanity, lust, negative energy, souls, undead, and vermin. Spells come from a mixture of SRD and spells from Chapter One.
Last Words
This final chapter gives some advice on integrating the concept of Gar'Udok and his history into a campaign, setting a campaign into the time of Gar'Udok's reign, or even a mix of the two with some time travel or flashbacks thrown in. There is also a spell listing by level for divine and arcane spells separately, each marked with a reference to which source the spell was taken from. It ends with a little information about the author, and Ambient Inc.
Conclusion
This a well-presented mix of rules-based information for necromancers that can be useful for both GMs and players running necromancers. It is greatly enhanced by the snippets of flavour text before most of the rules, and by the good choices of OGC used in the book. As with any book of this ilk, not all of the information will be valid for use in a campaign, but there should be something for most GMs running a fantasy-based campaign where necromancy is an element.
