Seeking Avice For A Necromancer

[Jubilee]

I am surprised no one has mentioned the Dread Necromancer from Heroes of Horror, which is slightly better in my opinion than the death master, because there's no spellbooks to deal with (but then again, in the game I am considering playing a necromancer, we're all poor sods deep in the cogs of Sharn). It's an arcane caster with rebuke undead, a big list of special abilities, although they don't get animate dead until 8th level (it's a fourth level spell). The death master does get it as a 2nd level spell, but only ever gets at most 4 spells per level per day (as opposed to the 6 the dread necromancer gets...).

I like the Master of Shrouds except for having to take spell focus (conjuration) (yuck) and Augment Summoning - which gives a bonus to str/con of all things you summon - undead don't have a con & incorporeal don't use strength anyway. It's a useless pair of feats for what you're suppose dto be focusing on =)

There's also a the Dreadgrim prestige class from Eberron's Five Nations - it's a "I hunt the undead but also use and sortof become undeadish" class. I don't remember if it gets turn/rebuke, but I'm pretty sure it's divine.

/ali

 

[Nightfall]

Jubilee,

I'm an Orcus fan. Plus unlike Dread Necromancer, you a) don't have to worry about dedicating yourself to some cretin like Vol. and I like the features that allow you to wear heavy armor as long as you don't mind sacrificing small time people to Orcus.

 

[Chronoglenn]

Hmm... well, I don't think I can get a hold of the dragon conpendium Between my friends and I we practically have every book that comes out... but none of us had heard of the dragon conpendium until now... Hmm... $29.99 on Amazon... maybe I'll have to buy it.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Hmm... well, I don't think I can get a hold of the dragon conpendium Between my friends and I we practically have every book that comes out... but none of us had heard of the dragon conpendium until now... Hmm... $29.99 on Amazon... maybe I'll have to buy it.

I have it. It's actually pretty good. A lot of nice stuff in there.

 

[Chronoglenn]

Well, since ithere's no way that will be shipped before we play... what class does that necromancer start out as typically?

Any other suggestions on what you guys would be if you were a necromancer?

 

[Jubilee]

Jubilee,

I'm an Orcus fan. Plus unlike Dread Necromancer, you a) don't have to worry about dedicating yourself to some cretin like Vol. and I like the features that allow you to wear heavy armor as long as you don't mind sacrificing small time people to Orcus.

Oh yah, sacrificing someone every day to capture their blood in vials so I can cast 8 spells per day without armor penalty is not exactly my idea of practical. I suppose I have more neutral than evil leanings in necromancer creation.

With regards to the original poster - There are quite a few good feats for necromancers in libris mortis - cropsecrafting and necromantic auras, specifically. Since you've said you have access to the true necromancer prestige class, I imagine you must have this book.

In the back of the Players guide to Faerun, there's a drow/female only prestige class that requires 7 ranks in religion and arcana and 3 ranks in perform (sing) (*boggles*). You have to take lichloved from book of vile darkness and spell focus (necromancy) and be able to cast animate dead divinely and spectral hand arcanely and follow Kiaransalee. It's called the Yathrinshee. You get rebuke undead at 1st and you advance divine & arcane casting 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 & 9. She also gets this neat first level ability to stack ALL spellcasting levels for purposes of determining her effective caster level for necromancy spells - thus a 5th cleric, 3rd wizard, 3rd yathrinshee casts necromancy spells at 12th level (7th cleric + 5th wizard). Pretty crazy. Anyway, if you can get the GM to let you alter it to fit for your character/campaign, it'd be worth it, imo. You lose a bit of spellcasting but gain some neato abilities (including the 5th lvl ability that anything you kill immediately rises as a zombie under your control...).

Deadgrim is in magic of eberron, not five nations, and it's more of an undead-hunting class than a necromancer class and probably won't work for your purposes.

good luck =)

/ali

 

[Nightfall]

And yet you choose Kiaranselee Pr-class?!! How logical is that!? Sorry I just...don't care much for her OR most of the drow panethon. *shakes head* Anyway it's all in how you view stuff.

 

[Chronoglenn]

Hmm... I'll have to look into the Magic of Faerun prestige class... Considering we're playing in a homebrew world, I'm pretty sure I can convince the DM to let me at least alter the class to allow other races/genders. I'll look over it.

Lately I've been leaning towards the appeal of Dread Necromancer and Cleric/Master of Shrouds... Actually, there's still like four ways I'm liking, and it'll be interesting to see which way I choose. Thanks for all the advice so far, and I look forward to seeing if anyone else proposes any interesting ideas.

Also, as I said, I have access to almost every book 3e and 3.5. Usually after 3 months after a book is released at least one of the people in my group has purchased the book... or the alternative.

 

[Chronoglenn]

Nevermind, I don't have to buy the Dragon Conpendium book ^_^ I discovered the Death Master online (originally posted in Dragon #76). Looks like the main appeal of this class is that if I choose to cross class Wizard (necromancer) and cleric, those levels will stack along with my Death master levels for commanding/rebuking undead.

I don't know though, seems like I'd regret the higher level spells, considering it require ability to cast 3rd level spells... I think I still like the Master of Shrounds a little better if I choose to go down the rebuke/command path... or mayb the Dread Necromancer... Hmm... decisions decsions...

 

[Jubilee]

And yet you choose Kiaranselee Pr-class?!! How logical is that!? Sorry I just...don't care much for her OR most of the drow panethon. *shakes head* Anyway it's all in how you view stuff.

Huh? I didn't "choose" anything, I was merely making suggestions for necromancer options. I've never played the class, nor a drow, nor a worshiper of Kiaranselee, but I don't really see why you'd be judging me for it, if I had.. *boggle*

Player's Guide to Faerun, btw, not Magic of Faerun, Chronoglenn.

/ali