Ponce
2009-04-22, 02:51 AM
The challenge: create a sorcerer whose spell list consists ONLY of necromancy spells. Why? It struck me one day as an interesting idea. Sure you could play a wizard or a dread necromancer or a cleric, and sure you could NOT intentionally debilitate yourself, but where is the fun in that? I hope to play this character (probably within a few weeks or months) so suggestions are very much appreciated!
Books: 3.5e WotC material. Bonus points if it isn't campaign-specific.
Requirements:
-The character must be a sorcerer
-The character may learn only necromancy spells
-The character's main power must derive from its sorcerous spellcasting
Issues:
-Constructs! Immune to necromancy effects! Boo!
-Utility! You don't have any! Well, a bit.
-Whenever you learn a new spell level, you only learn one spell, so make it count!
Notes: You still have the ability to use wands and scrolls not of the school, technically, but I think that using them sort of violates the spirit of the whole thing, so I choose not to. Other characters don't believe you? Meh, you have bluff as a class skill. Also, we're going by RAW, so the Summon Undead line of spells are conjurations! A bit silly perhaps, but true! Multiclassing or prestige classes is allowed, but remember requirement #3.
Feats:
-Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus (Necromancy) [PHB]. We only have necromancy spells, so thats +2 to all save DCs. Good stuff.
-Arcane Thesis [PHBII]. Will stick this bad boy on enervate. Oh yes.
-Mother Cyst [Libris Mortis]. Adds a bunch of really fun necromancy spells to your spells known at every spell level, which is really helpful. Some possess great synergy with other necromancy spells. One even grants an early access necromancy dominate person spell! Nice! The 9th level spell from this feat CONSUMES THE SOUL OF THE TARGET. Yup, not even a True Resurrection, Wish or Miracle can bring them back. They are GONE gone.
-Tomb-Tainted Soul [Libris Mortis]. This feat (chain) isn't as useful to you as it would be to a cleric or dread necromancer, but has potential none the less.
-Corpsecrafter [Libris Mortis]. Can be useful if you intend on building an army. Depends on the campaign. There is a whole tree of related feats.
-Fearsome Necromancy [Complete Mage]. Targets of your necromancy spells (ie of all targetted spells in this case) are shaken for 1 round if they are forced to make a save, regardless of the result of the save. Handy, but does not stack with other fear effects, which is normally the main strength of fear.
-Sickening Grasp [Complete Mage]. The actual sickening part of this feat is kind of useless to you. On the other hand, you get a +1 CL bonus to necromancy (read: all) spells! For 1 feat! Huzzah!
-Lord of the Uttercold [Complete Arcane]. You've seen the undead healing combos on this. Handy... but not so much for a sorcerer. First, you don't have knowledge (the planes) so you can't take it until level 15 unless you multiclass or prestige out to something that does. Further, in the case of this build, you can't use energy substitution'd fireballs, so no go there!
-Necropolis Born [Complete Arcane]. Interesting flavour. Totally useless.
-Split Ray [Complete Arcane]. Worth it just for Enervation.
Spells: Here, the "first pick" spell is underlined, that is, the spell chosen as being the best candidate for you to take first, remembering that when you access a new spell level, you only get 1 spell of that level, so this "first pick" spell isn't necessarily the strongest, merely the most versatile choice if you must choose only 1 spell. The exceptions being level 0 and level 1. Other spells listed are strong choices for later on.
Level 0: Disrupt Undead, Touch of Fatigue (we hit a problem here... there's only 2 necromancy cantrips in the PHB, and none in the SC!)
Level 1: Ray of Enfeeblement, Backbiter, Spirit Worm, Cause Fear
Level 2: Blindness, Command Undead, False Life, Ray of Sickness, Ray of Weakness, Scare, Shroud of Undeath
Level 3: Ray of Exhaustion, Halt Undead, Undead Lieutenant, Greater Disrupt Undead, Skull Watch
Level 4: Enervation, Animate Dead, Bestow Curse, Fear
Level 5: Magic Jar, Waves of Fatigue, Spirit Wall
Level 6: Ghoul Gauntlet, Circle of Death, Undeath to Death, Eyebite, Create Undead
Level 7: Sword of Darkness, Control Undead, Finger of Death, Waves of Exhaustion, Kiss of the Vampire, Arrow of Bone
Level 8: Veil of Undeath, Clone, Create Greater Undead Horrid Wilting
Level 9: Wail of the Banshee, Astral Projection, Plague of Undead
Prestige Classes:
I can't think of any that really fit. Obviously you could take more general ones, but often they don't work out well, or they violate the spirit of restriction #3.
Equipment:
Can't think of many special things. Rod of Undead Mastery, is a good start, along with Metamagic Rods. The necronomicon is pretty handy too I hear, if I happen to find it.
Books: 3.5e WotC material. Bonus points if it isn't campaign-specific.
Requirements:
-The character must be a sorcerer
-The character may learn only necromancy spells
-The character's main power must derive from its sorcerous spellcasting
Issues:
-Constructs! Immune to necromancy effects! Boo!
-Utility! You don't have any! Well, a bit.
-Whenever you learn a new spell level, you only learn one spell, so make it count!
Notes: You still have the ability to use wands and scrolls not of the school, technically, but I think that using them sort of violates the spirit of the whole thing, so I choose not to. Other characters don't believe you? Meh, you have bluff as a class skill. Also, we're going by RAW, so the Summon Undead line of spells are conjurations! A bit silly perhaps, but true! Multiclassing or prestige classes is allowed, but remember requirement #3.
Feats:
-Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus (Necromancy) [PHB]. We only have necromancy spells, so thats +2 to all save DCs. Good stuff.
-Arcane Thesis [PHBII]. Will stick this bad boy on enervate. Oh yes.
-Mother Cyst [Libris Mortis]. Adds a bunch of really fun necromancy spells to your spells known at every spell level, which is really helpful. Some possess great synergy with other necromancy spells. One even grants an early access necromancy dominate person spell! Nice! The 9th level spell from this feat CONSUMES THE SOUL OF THE TARGET. Yup, not even a True Resurrection, Wish or Miracle can bring them back. They are GONE gone.
-Tomb-Tainted Soul [Libris Mortis]. This feat (chain) isn't as useful to you as it would be to a cleric or dread necromancer, but has potential none the less.
-Corpsecrafter [Libris Mortis]. Can be useful if you intend on building an army. Depends on the campaign. There is a whole tree of related feats.
-Fearsome Necromancy [Complete Mage]. Targets of your necromancy spells (ie of all targetted spells in this case) are shaken for 1 round if they are forced to make a save, regardless of the result of the save. Handy, but does not stack with other fear effects, which is normally the main strength of fear.
-Sickening Grasp [Complete Mage]. The actual sickening part of this feat is kind of useless to you. On the other hand, you get a +1 CL bonus to necromancy (read: all) spells! For 1 feat! Huzzah!
-Lord of the Uttercold [Complete Arcane]. You've seen the undead healing combos on this. Handy... but not so much for a sorcerer. First, you don't have knowledge (the planes) so you can't take it until level 15 unless you multiclass or prestige out to something that does. Further, in the case of this build, you can't use energy substitution'd fireballs, so no go there!
-Necropolis Born [Complete Arcane]. Interesting flavour. Totally useless.
-Split Ray [Complete Arcane]. Worth it just for Enervation.
Spells: Here, the "first pick" spell is underlined, that is, the spell chosen as being the best candidate for you to take first, remembering that when you access a new spell level, you only get 1 spell of that level, so this "first pick" spell isn't necessarily the strongest, merely the most versatile choice if you must choose only 1 spell. The exceptions being level 0 and level 1. Other spells listed are strong choices for later on.
Level 0: Disrupt Undead, Touch of Fatigue (we hit a problem here... there's only 2 necromancy cantrips in the PHB, and none in the SC!)
Level 1: Ray of Enfeeblement, Backbiter, Spirit Worm, Cause Fear
Level 2: Blindness, Command Undead, False Life, Ray of Sickness, Ray of Weakness, Scare, Shroud of Undeath
Level 3: Ray of Exhaustion, Halt Undead, Undead Lieutenant, Greater Disrupt Undead, Skull Watch
Level 4: Enervation, Animate Dead, Bestow Curse, Fear
Level 5: Magic Jar, Waves of Fatigue, Spirit Wall
Level 6: Ghoul Gauntlet, Circle of Death, Undeath to Death, Eyebite, Create Undead
Level 7: Sword of Darkness, Control Undead, Finger of Death, Waves of Exhaustion, Kiss of the Vampire, Arrow of Bone
Level 8: Veil of Undeath, Clone, Create Greater Undead Horrid Wilting
Level 9: Wail of the Banshee, Astral Projection, Plague of Undead
Prestige Classes:
I can't think of any that really fit. Obviously you could take more general ones, but often they don't work out well, or they violate the spirit of restriction #3.
Equipment:
Can't think of many special things. Rod of Undead Mastery, is a good start, along with Metamagic Rods. The necronomicon is pretty handy too I hear, if I happen to find it.