Which Necromancy book(s) to buy?

[Krug]

Which Necromancy supplement(s) should I get?

 

[Setanta]

I've been very happy with Secret College. It might not be what you expect if you're looking for the traditional treatment (PrC's- in fact, there are no PrC's in the book). It offers two new core classes which fit the theme quite well. It's loaded with new spells, has some great creatures (though not enough, IMHO), lots of interesting necromancy rules/exposition (how to collect bodies, etc.), and a sample secret organization of necros to plug into a campaign. The book is very well done, and makes necromancers a class to be feared as villains.

I also like Gar'Udok's, though not as much, but the price is right in PDF format. I don't have the Mongoose book, so I know little about it.

 

[jaerdaph]

I can't speak for the third choice, but you really can't go wrong with either Green Ronin or Mongoose's publications. Get both, if you can.

 

[Forrester]

I'd go with Gar'Udok, especially for the price. I've found it more useful than the Mongoose book, and the Mongoose book cost me twice as much.

I definitely wouldn't get both -- too much overlap, methinks.

 

[jaerdaph]

I'd go with Gar'Udok, especially for the price. I've found it more useful than the Mongoose book, and the Mongoose book cost me twice as much.

I definitely wouldn't get both -- too much overlap, methinks.

Forrester makes a good point about the amount of overlap in comparing Mongoose's Necromancy: Beyond the Grave to the Gar'Udok PDF and it dawns on me I should have mentioned this in my comparison of the Mongoose book to Green Ronin's Secret College of Necromancy: I found there was only slight overlap between the two books, and they almost complement one another.

If you had to pin me to a wall to pick one, however, I'd have to say Green Ronin is the better book, with "better" being extemely relative as Necromancy: Beyond the Grave is one of the better Mongoose publications to date.

 

[Krug]

i'm considering picking up the PDF soon before deciding on the books. One q; is there going to be new info in the print version?

 

[Nightfall]

Krug, have to ask Doug about that. I think he hands such things for MEG and Ambient.

That said, I have both Necromancy: Beyond the Grave and Secret College. I think BOTH have great merits, but I'd probably use Necromancy more IF I wanted to give my players access to necromancy as well. GR's book is more for Gms only in my book, though the spells in there are MUCH better excuted in my mind than Mongoose's. But what I liked about Mongooses was the FEATS as well as the focus being on BOTH divine and arcane necromancy.