New campaign, hunters of the undead, I need class ideas.

[Sir ThornCrest]

Several of the players in our group have displayed an interest in starting a new campiagn. The pc's will be specialist in the field of tracking, finding, killing and lore of the undead. 1 player says he wants to be a Psion with powers specifically tuned to the destruction of undead, 2 players want to be Clerics, 1 player wants to be a Dwarf "underground specialist and 1 wants to be a ranger w/ his enemy being the undead....The players are reading the books and trying to find classes and/or prestige classes that would specialize in this. None of the players are steadfast in any one class-ie options are open for suggestion. Any ideas? Looking for some advise on the campaign...thanks for any help

Sir ThornCrest

 

[rom90125]

Anubium (www.anubium.com) has a book titled 'Dark Arts of Necromancy' that contains the class 'Magistrate of the Dead'. This class is another undead-hunter but with more focus on the necromantic aspect with increased turning ability. Nothing fancy.
One of my players is introducing a character with this class next session but what the other PC's don't know is that this char was once a true necromancer who has 'seen the light' and now fights the very creatures she once rebuked. Makes for a nice twist <insert evil laugh here>.

 

[FireLance]

Libris Mortis has some pretty cool feats for undead hunters. If I remember correctly, one allows a cleric to spend turn undead attempts to remove negative levels, and another allows a ranger to add his favored enemy bonus against undead to his saving throws against the special attacks of undead creatures. In addition, it is quite a good sourcebook for DMs planning undead-heavy campaigns as well.

Complete Warrior and Complete Divine have a couple PrCs that would fit the campaign. Off the top of my head, I can think of the Hunter of the Dead, the Sacred Exorcist and the Radiant Servant of Pelor.

For the dwarf "undergound specialist", good choices include the Deepwarden PrC from Races of Stone and the Dungeon Delver from Complete Adventurer.

I wouldn't recommend two clerics in a party as they might be constantly competing for the same spotlight. A paladin or an arcane spellcaster with [Force] spells (useful against incorporeal undead) might round out the party nicely.

 

[jollyninja]

there is some great stuff in the book of exalted deeds, i had a paladin take some levels in a class i can't remember the name of that essentially gives you exalted feats as class abilities, if taken correctly, you can do damage to any undead that close to melee.

 

[Turanil]

There is a prestige class on community3e called the The Shadow Chaser of Urlmar which is a well done undead hunter prestige class. It is an amateur work, but free and with nice layout. It cannot hurt to get a look, and you could add it to other stuff related to the subject.

 

[Trainz]

The Complete Divine has an alternate way of using turning undead:

30' burst, 1d6 damage per cleric level, will save DC=10+cleric level+Cha mod.

Add Extra Turning, Empower Turning, and Quicken Turning, and you've got yourself the most powerful undead slayer possible.

Basically, your 20th level cleric will do 30d6 (will save more or less DC 35 for half) to undead as a free action. For about (maybe more) 12 times per day (add 4 times per day for every time you pick the extra turning feat. Also pick another divine feat such as divine shield for those times when you're not battling undead).

 

[Elephant]

Exorcist of the Silver Flame is nice, if you're playing in Eberron.

 

[wingsandsword]

For your anti-undead Psionic character: In 3.0 Psionics (and an old 2e Dragon article it was taken from) there was a power called "Sever the Tie" that did damage to undead in an area-of-effect by Psychoportively interfering with the tie to the Negative Energy plane that all undead have (instead of flooding it with Positive Energy like Turning or Cure spells, it shuts off its access to Negative Energy to effectively "suffocate" it.)

It isn't in the XPH, but here is it's entry from the 3.0 Psionics SRD, it shouldn't be too hard to update:

Sever the Tie
Psychokinesis (Con)
Level: Psion 2
Display: Au, Ma
Manifestation Time: 1action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: Several undead creatures within a 10-ft.-radius burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will half
Power Resistance: Yes
Power Points: 3
This power disrupts an undead creature’s tie to the Negative Energy Plane, damaging or destroying the creature. The power deals 3d8 points of damage to all undead within the area. Undead that are brought to 0 hit points or below by use of the power fall limply and molder into dust (if corporeal), or slowly disperse (if incorporeal).

 

[Dr Simon]

Arcana Unearthed

There are some classes in Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed (NB, not WOTC's Unearthed Arcana!)
that make good undead killers. The Champion of Life and the Wood Witch both have powers that are boosted when used against undead, plus magical characters (such as the Witch) can take the Hunter Mage feat - it's a bit like the Ranger's "favoured enemy" class ability, but you can apply a spell template so that spells cause x1.5 damage vs. your chosen foe.

 

[jerichothebard]

I run a fairly undead-heavy game myself. Our party consists of a mon/hunter of the dead, a ranger (favored enemy undead, of course), a cleric of the sun (undead turning MACHINE), a paladin cohort, a rogue, and a sorcerer with force and fire spells.

They're pretty bad-ass, actually. Lots of damage can be dished out in a hurry to the walking dead...

I agree with the note that two clerics might be a bit much... maybe a paladin instead? Though, if one of the clerics decides to multi-class with a non-(full-)spellcasting class or a class that doesn't allow for turn undead, then you might want two. I highly recommend that at least one of the clerics not multi-class with a non-full spell progression class - they'll need the spellcasting power, particularly restoration.

I let rangers critical their favored enemies, even if they normally couldn't be. It hasn't been an issue, I don't think he's actually managed to do it once yet. YMMV.

The party does wish it had a bard, largely because I threw a singing ghost at them (crypt chanter from Libris Mortis) and a bard could have countersonged the effect, saving them 7 total drained levels... but that's what restoration is for, right?

It's a cool campaign; they're having a good time with it. Good luck and post any particularly nasty encounters you dream up for us to yoink!

Also - here are some other threads with turn undead information and variants, including the version I use in my campaign.

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=103679
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=102223
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=98180
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=96666