Why do clerics turn undead?

[kaigrass]

There is a 2nd level wizard spell in the core rules as well ...

 

[Staffan]

Sounds reasonable. Have a suggestion for the prereq? Nothing springs to mind here.

Well, the prereq feat in Eberron is "Gatekeeper Initiate." The Gatekeepers are a druidic sect dedicated to protecting the world from extraplanar incursions of Aberrations. To that end, the feat in question gives:

• +2 saves vs. Su and Sp abilities from aberrations.
• Knowledge (Planes) as a class skill, and you can use it instead of Knowledge (Dungeoneering) to know stuff about Aberrations.
• Add one spell per level to your class spell list (kind of like a cleric domain, except included in the main list instead of being separate).

Something like that might not be too useful for a necromancer, though. Perhaps a True Necromancer feat, that lets you use Knowledge (Arcana) to know stuff about undead (I'm pretty sure they're under Religion otherwise), and made the undead you create tougher... oh! Idea!

Feat 1: Spell Focus (Necromancy)
Feat 2: Augment undead - like Augment Summoning but for undead you create (and Summon if you use the Summon Undead spells from FR). Maybe a stronger bonus than Augment Summoning because "undead created" is a lot less flexible than "creatures summoned".
Feat 3: Rebuke Undead as a cleric of your level.

How's that sound?

 

[MerakSpielman]

Here's an idea.

Let the wizard turn undead at 1/2 caster level, but now they only get 1 free spell per level.

Let them turn undead at full caster level, but now they don't get any free spells per level.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Don't forget the often overlooked 1st level spell "Chill Touch" also known as "The Wizard's Turn Undead".

 

[apsuman]

I have a new idea...

How about just having the character research and/or give them (as the DM) all the spells that do exactly what you want them to do?

This way they get to determine exactly how much undead turning/commanding they want mixed in with their fireballs.

Some spells would simply be changes to PHB core spells, Charm Person could become Charm Undead for example.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I would allow character class variations as per the suggestions in both PHB and DMG. I'd certainly consider allowing a necromancer specialist the arcane ability to channel negative energy to bolster/command undead.

With regards to what features I'd get them to swap out, I'd probably take a leaf from the UA examples of specialist wizard variants. I think I'd say that it costs him his bonus spell per spell level. This is a tradeoff which will hurt him a little (bonus spells going) but gives him a nifty power in its place (channeling negative energy) which could be used for any of the channeling feats as well as for affecting undead.

I think this would be a nicely balanced result.

 

[Thanee]

Some spells would simply be changes to PHB core spells, Charm Person could become Charm Undead for example.

"Charm Undead" already exists: Command Undead (2nd level wizard spell).

Bye
Thanee

 

[welby]

Tome & Blood has a 4th level necromancy spells that lets wizards do exactly that.

This is exactly what I wanted. And as an added bonus I can use it to bolster my undead minions. Now if they just had some of those cool cleric spells like desecrate....