Take a look at these necromantic spells

[Dakkareth]

I'm playing a 10th level necromancer in a PbP game and created a few custom spells to be used by him. The DM's already approved of them, but I'd still like some feedback

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Merion’s Negative Disruption
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: 20-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will for half
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell, one of Merion’s own designs, disrupts all structures of negative energy within its area of effect. Undead creatures must make a will save or suffer 3d6+ 1 point/level of damage (magical) to a maximum of 3d6+10.

Merion’s Undead Sight
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Target: One undead creature under the caster’s control
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: Yes (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

This spell, one of Merion’s own designs, allows the caster to see through one of his servants eyes and hear through its ears at will for its duration. The spell provides no means to give orders at a distance or improve on mindless undeads’ mental capabilities; the caster is not subject to gaze attacks affecting the undead. If the servant leaves the range of the spell, it ends. Intelligent creatures can detect the presence of the watcher as they would a scrying spell.
Arcane Focus: A piece of a gravestone carved into the likeness of an eye

Merion’s Spirit Spike
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One living creature
Duration: Special
Saving Throw: Fortitude for half
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell, one of Merion’s own designs, is not one he likes to employs, but sometimes there’s simply no choice. When cast it sends a spike of magical energy right into a living target’s soul, brutally tearing through the subtle fabric of life. Even if the unfortunate person survives the onslaught, she’d have to be of remarkable resilience or be possessed of an inhuman capability for concentration to be able to act despite the agony left by the gaping hole in her spiritual body leaking life into the void. Whoever seeks to make use of such magics, had better be firm in his beliefs and ready to deal with the consequences, for not only does the power over life and death corrupt the strongest of characters, but she will have made a mortal enemy of any survivors of this sorcery.
Merion’s Spirit Spike causes 1d6 points/level of magical damage (max. 15d6) and leaves the target in terrible pain for one round/two levels, enforcing concentration checks vs. the DC to cast spells and making the target sickened (as per the rules).
Material Component: A nail, that has been used to crucify a sentient being.

Merion’s Possess Undead
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Special
Target: One undead creature under the caster’s control
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: Yes (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

This spell, one of Merion’s own designs, switches the caster´s mind with that of an undead under his control. He can act freely employing all natural and extraordinary abilities of the creature as well as his own (limited by the creature’s stats and the availability of spell components, etc). The mind of the undead (usually a skeleton or zombie) resides within the casters body for the duration of the spell and continues to be under his control, following the caster’s orders. In the case of the undead vessel’s destruction the spell ends and the caster’s mind is instantly transferred back to his body unless other forces intercede. If the caster isn’t within one mile of his true body, when the spell ends, his mind is unable to retake possession of his body and dissipates. The caster is aware of his being within the one mile range or not. Intelligent creatures can detect the presence of the possessor as they would a scrying spell.
Material Component: A gem, that could be used for an animate dead spell placed on the forehead of the target.


Merion’s Deathless Inquiry
Necromancy [Language-Dependent]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: 10 ft.
Target: One dead creature
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: No

As per the cleric spell speak with dead

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I realize, that Merion's Spirit Spike is pushing it, but there's the understanding, that the material component isn't going to be easily acquired, nor the spell used lightly.

 

[Night Watchman]

As a big fan of non-combat oriented necromantic spells I like Merion’s Undead Sight and Merion’s Possess Undead.

As far as Merion’s Deathless Inquiry and Merion’s Spirit Spike goes, personally I am of the school of thought that only divine magic should be able to manipulate/summon/commune with a soul and arcane magic simply doesn't work in that manner. This steming from the idea that arcane magic is independant of the gods and therefore has no place in their domain, but whatever floats your boat.

 

[Dakkareth]

Well, the spell description of speak with dead specifically states, that it doesn't contact the soul of the deceased, but extracts remnants of knowledge from the corpse. And in the spirit of separation between arcane and divine magic I raised it from 3rd to 4th level.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Ferret]

I'm playing a 10th level necromancer in a PbP game and created a few custom spells to be used by him. The DM's already approved of them, but I'd still like some feedback

Ooooh kay. I like these spells alot. Some thjoughts on them though

Merion’s Negative Disruption

You say it damage structures then mention creatures, which is it? Also you only mention undead damagewise, are other negetive energy creatures damaged in the same way?

Merion’s Undead Sight

As with most 'possesion' spells what happens to the casters body? Are they aware of anything back at base (so to say), or are they catatonic?

Merion’s Spirit Spike

Little powerful but like you said the material cost and moral issues might make it ok. Somepeople don't play with material components (or have eskew materials) and don't care about spell fluff though. Just a though.

Merion’s Possess Undead

Like above with the other 'possesion' spell, alos what happens if the undead is killed?

Merion’s Deathless Inquiry

He he he, "Excuse me mate, have you seen some orcs round here..." It's the inquiry bit, inquire with the dead? I like it though, it being 4th makes it ok in my eyes.


Two more things, how has a tenth level adventuring necromancer researched all these spells? And doesn't Nercomantic sound like a cross between necromancy and romantic....

 

[Dakkareth]

You say it damage structures then mention creatures, which is it? Also you only mention undead damagewise, are other negetive energy creatures damaged in the same way?

It should affect all creatures powered by negative energy, should have made that clearer.

As with most 'possesion' spells what happens to the casters body? Are they aware of anything back at base (so to say), or are they catatonic?

Good call, I should put in something to address this issue. The way it's supposed to work is, that the caster is only remotely aware of his body's surroundings while using the sight power (it's on and off at will during the duration). He wouldn't fall down, but he'd better be standing still. A good slap from a companion should still reach him.

Little powerful but like you said the material cost and moral issues might make it ok. Somepeople don't play with material components (or have eskew materials) and don't care about spell fluff though. Just a though.

Normally I don't like the concept of material components either, but the DM insisted and balance wise it's a good idea with this spell. Maybe I should say, that it's an [evil] spell as opposed to a 'not nice' spell.

Like above with the other 'possesion' spell, alos what happens if the undead is killed?

I hoped to make it clear in the spell description: The caster's body hosts the spirit of the undead creature, mindless as it is in the case of skeletons or zombies and is thus indirectly under the control of the caster. He doesn't know anything about it except distance to his own possessing spirit.

If the caster's body is within one mile of the undead, when it is destroyed, the caster's mind is shunted back into his own body, otherwise he's out of luck and dies. These are the risks with such spells ...

Would it be unbalancing to make this range 1 mile/level instead of a flat 1 mile distance, at which the retransfer works? What about increasing the duration? While the spell lasts, the possessed undead can be farther away from the caster's body anyway.

The spell I compare it to for balancing would be magic jar, which has a much longer duration, allows shifting between bodies and has a far more general target description.

He he he, "Excuse me mate, have you seen some orcs round here..." It's the inquiry bit, inquire with the dead? I like it though, it being 4th makes it ok in my eyes.

I take it 'inquiry' has connotations I'm not aware of as non-native speaker? What alternatives would you suggest?

Two more things, how has a tenth level adventuring necromancer researched all these spells? And doesn't Nercomantic sound like a cross between necromancy and romantic....

As I see it, it is said nowhere, that the two spells per level a wizard gets automatically have to be spells that are on some list ... Also the character in question spent a long time of his career at an academy of necromancy. Finally I think, that any wizard worth his salt should have at least this many custom spells by the time he reaches this level. It's, what he does for a living, it's what distinguishes him from a sorcerer (the create as many spells as you like bit).