Necromancy spells

[Noir]

Answers to ElectricDragon

Your spell: Whispers of Old should have a duration of Concentration as written instead of Instantaneous; but I suggest limiting the duration to: 3 rounds/level (D).
Something like this:
Duration: Concentration (up to 3 rounds/level) (D)

I have thought about the duration, and you are correct. It should be concentration, but changing it to concentration requires a more detailed explaination to what the spell does, effectively age someone and state that there is no magic left after the spell has ended but yet the effect of it are permanent.
3 rounds/level is the CL cap I was talking about, and maybe it is necessary for the spell to be balanced.

Limited wish used to age its caster 3 years and Wish 10 years. In 2e and earlier, potions of longevity conferred 1d12 years back to their drinker, and potions of youth gave less. If aging effects are to be used in your game; you should also have some easy method of reversing them (like those potions).

As I mentioned in one of my above posts, a DM that allows ageing effects must also allow de-ageing effects. I will write a de-ageing spell as soons as Whispers of Old is finished.

Imagine a lich using this against a party: 60 years per casting (using my suggestion); how hard is it to create a lair that amplifies the whisperings of the old skeleton-mage so that it can be heard on multiple levels of its complex? Reincarnation is one way back from death by natural causes; is there only this one way?

You can only target on creature at the time with Whispers of Old. Do not ask me for a reasonable in game explaination, because I have none. The only thing I can think of is that what is whispered depends on who the target is. This also ensures that no one that hears the whispering are also affected.
The real explaination is to prevent senarios as the one you mention to occur.

I am actually working on a spell that will be able to bring back people whom have died of natural causes. It will be based on a host body concept.

The unlimited nature of the spell as written is way over the top. Unless you add in some kind of rules for vocal loss due to long usage: "I had to quit the spell because I lost my voice; I was unable to cast spells for over a week afterward."

The vocal loss is not that bad a flavor element. How about: The words whispered are so ancient and hard to pronouce that for each round the spell is active the caster loses his voice for one round afterwards.

Finally I have a question for you, since you seem to be quite experienced when it comes to balancing spells. Should you be able to use Whispers of Old via Scry through the use of Message?

 

[ElectricDragon]

At first thought, I would say no to allowing the spell to be used through a Message spell via scrying. Finding reasons for my answer is somewhat problematical; but I'll try.

The message spell does not state that it can be used for word or sonic attacks. And its low level makes me believe that this was not an oversight. Imagine using scrying and message to send a power word, kill across the world.

From the message spell description: "The spell transmits sound, not meaning." In this case, I am taking meaning to be magical effects that rely upon sound to activate. Of course, I realize that this is stretching the definition some.

From the scrying spell: "In addition, the following spells have a 5% chance per caster level of operating through the sensor: detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, and message." The whisper spell is not listed as working through the sensor. Yes, the words convey the power of the spell; but the same can be said of all power word spells and all word spells (blasphemy, holy word, word of recall, dictum, and word of chaos) as well as some sonic descriptor spells. Allowing this one spell the ability to travel through a scrying spell or device would set a precedence that will magnify the power of the message spell 10-fold. Leave out the scrying part for a moment. If power words, word spells, and sonic spells can use message for a medium; it will vastly expand the range of most of them to medium (10 feet/level + 100 feet). Increasing the range of power word, kill to that range without the caster being epic level is too powerful IMHO.

Adding back in the scrying just increases the range to unlimited.

As always, these are just my opinions. In other people's campaigns, this might work. I just have a hard time imagining it.

Ciao
Dave

 

[Mark Chance]

Well, since J. Lloyd never came around to post info about Dark Arts of Necromancy, I'd figure I'd give a brief outline:

1. The Devoted Necromancer. This is a modified specialist wizard with additional class features geared specifically toward necromancy. For example, a devoted necromancer does not get a normal familiar. Instead, he summons a skull familiar, an undead cranium that increases in power as the devoted necromancer advances in levels, but does so in ways different from normal familiars.

2. Prestige Classes and Organizations.

a. Arcane Skrimshander. A 5-level PrC that scribes bones as the Brew Potion item creation feat using a different medium.

b. Corpse Knight. A 10-level PrC with cleric BAB, one good save, and the ability to command an undead horde (which is based on modifications to the Leadership feat). The Order of the Vulture, a knightly order in the service of death, is described as part of this PrC.

c. Dark Channeler. A 5-level PrC that focuses on creating, commanding, and strengthening the undead.

d. Magistrate of the Damned. A 10-level PrC class that is an undead hunter tailored more for clerics and wizards. His main class feature is his ability to smite the damned.

e. Necrophage. A 10-level PrC whose class features include the ability to ingest the abilities of his victims. The Seekers of True Knowledge, desire to fully explore all aspects of death and undeath, are described as part of this PrC.

3. Legendary Classes.

a. Corpse Lord. An uber-version of the corpse knight who can actually conscript undead creatures into temporary service with his undead horde.

b. High Necromancer. This LgC takes the necromancer or devoted necromancer to the next plateau. He can animate dead with but a touch, is surrounded by an aura of desecration, et cetera.

4. New Skills: Knowledge (anatomy), Knowledge (necrology), and Knowledge (spirit lore), including specific uses and synergy bonuses.

5. Eight New Feats. These are all geared specifically toward the devoted necromancer, necromancy in general, or influencing the undead. Here's one example:

Augment Undead [General]
Undead that you create are more powerful than normal.
Prerequisite: Spell Focus (Necromancy).
Benefit: Undead created by you have a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and +2 hit points per HD.

6. Spell Wards and Opposed Spell Conversion. Spell wards is a type of item creation feat largely based on the same idea found in FFG's Spells & Spellcraft. Opposed spell conversion lets a devoted necromancer take a non-necromancy spell and covert it, often with unpleasant side effects, into a necromancy spell.

7. New Spells. More than 50 new necromancy spells for levels 0 through 9. Many of these spells are OGC from other sources, but several were written specifically for Dark Arts. Also included is a complete devoted necromancer spell list for levels 0 through 9 that includes all of the new spells as well as necromancy spells from the core rules. Here're a couple of examples:

1st-Level Devoted Necromancer Spells
*Bone CageM. A twisted cage of interlocked bones appears around the target creatures.
Cause Fear. One creature of 5 HD or less flees for 1d4 rounds.
Chill Touch. One touch/level deals 1d6 damage and possibly 1 Str damage.
*Corruption. You destroy food, drinks, and magical healing potions caught in the 5-foot radius burst.
*Gibbering of the DamnedF. You call forth the tormented gibbering of damned souls to paralyze your foes with fright.
*Necromancer's Blessing, Lesser. Fills your undead allies with competence in battle.
Ray of Enfeeblement. Ray deals 1d6 +1 per two levels Str damage.
*Resist Negative Energy. This spell grants a creature limited protection from negative energy damage, energy drain, and ability damage.
*Resist Positive Energy. The recipient gains protection from positive energy and undead turning.
*Undead Servitor IF. Creates short-lived undead creature to fight for you.

Bone Cage
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area: 1 Medium or smaller creature/level in a 40-ft.-radius spread
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Spell Resistance: No

A twisted cage of interlocked bones appears around the target creatures, causing them to become entangled and preventing movement. The creature can break free and move half its normal speed by using a full-round action to make a DC 20 Strength check or a DC 20 Escape Artist check.

Arcane Material Component: The rib cage of a small animal.

8. A Few Magic Items. Here's an example:

Bad Corpse Dust: Made from finely ground bone and black onyx gems, this dark powder casts animate dead when sprinkled on one or more corpses or skeletons. A single sprinkling is sufficient to animate 14 HD worth of skeletons and zombies. The user cannot control more than 28 HD worth of skeletons and zombies animated by bad corpse dust.
Moderate necromancy; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item, animate dead; Price 1,750 gp.

 

[Noir]

Answer to Mark Chance

Sounds good. Apart from the spells it will be very exciting to see the Devoted Necromancer and High Necromancer.

Question, what is a Legendary Class? An Epic PrC?

 

[Mark Chance]

Sounds good. Apart from the spells it will be very exciting to see the Devoted Necromancer and High Necromancer.

Question, what is a Legendary Class? An Epic PrC?

Legendary classes are a concept developed by Fantasy Flight Games. They are not epic level characters, but rather higher-powered 5-level PrCs developed for characters who are at least 13th level before prerequisites can be met. Each LgC is also customizable within certain parameters. At each level of the LgC, the player gets to pick an ability from a list. The higher the LgC class level at which the ability is picked, the more potent that ability is.

 

[Mark Chance]

Just an Update for Noir

Dark Arts of Necromancy is available for $6.95 US at RPG Now. If you purchase a copy, I'd love to hear your critique.

 

[Noir]

Answer to Mark Chance

Dark Arts of Necromancy is available for $6.95 US at RPG Now. If you purchase a copy, I'd love to hear your critique.

I will let you know what I think of it as soon as I have picked it up and read it.