[3.5/PF] PC Ghost Necromancer

[BladeHOJ]

So an opportunity to make an unsuall character has presented itself.

I have a character who is now dead (died at level 1) and the DM has allowed me to keep playing her as a Ghost. So I was thinking what better build then a Necromancer.

However I am totally unfamiliar with making that breed of character (my normal characters tend to be Holy Paladins)

So I am looking for any advice, Classes, PRC's and feats that people have out there. I have looked at Dread necromancer. This class seems to be closest to waht I envision but alot of it's focus is becoming a Lich..not really relevent for this character. I also looked into the Ghostwalk campaing setting but found those classes to be rather lacking (spending your entire career just to become a Ghost out of the MM seems a bit underwelming for someone who is already a ghost)

True Necromancer doesn;t fit with my concept. I Dont; see this person as a cleric.

My current idea is to just go as a straight PF Wizard (Necromancy)

But any other ideas are appreciated.

[SurlySeraph]

What kind of necromancer? Undead-controlling or stuff-killing? DNs is better on the controlling undead side, Wizard or Sorc is better for using Enervation and suchlike.

As for feats, Fell Drain, Fell Weaken, and Fell Frighten (from Libris Mortis) all can be pretty useful if you're going for combat.
LM also has Corpsecrafter feats that make undead you raise more powerful, which are excellent for the undead-controlling type.

Since you're a ghost, you get good Charisma synergy, so I'd probably go with Sorcerer or Dread Necromancer.

I find most necromancy-oriented arcane PrCs pretty underwhelming. For a combat-oriented necromancer I'd go into a PrC that improves metamagic. Incantatrix is overpowered, but an effective option. I don't really know what PrCs would work well for an undead-raising necromancer. Straight PF Wizard or PF Sorc are perfectly respectable options.

[Last Laugh]

I kinda like poisons for necromancers, Poison Spell from Drow of The Underdark lets you apply them with any melee touch attack spells.

Poison Chill Touch turns 1 dose into 5
Poison Corrosive Grasp turns 1 dose into Caster Level doses (added to natural attacks/unarmed strikes if you want)

The whole killing people with out damaging their physical capabilities thing.

The issue with both of the above cases is that they are blocked, on average, by 5 cold or acid resistance (respectively) and by 10 resistance completely. Spell resistance also applies.

The feat investment to get around this is steep (Energy Substitution (FIRE) and Searing Spell/Energy Admixture. Searing spell is better in more situations, but admixture is cool)

The specifics to your ghostiness would be nice, it's +5 LA template IIRC. What bonuses are you actually getting?

Dread Necromancer isn't incredibly focused on being a Lich, mechanically that is. Refluffing the Lich Body to Undead Body or Ghostly Body (You have DR because of Rigor Mortis)
The class itself is rather good! Turn undead is nice, respectable spell list (but has a few errors, maybe someone would post a link to a fix?) oh, and if you heal from negative energy you have as much out of combat healing as you need!

[Gnaeus]

Dread Necro also works well as an 8 level class, before branching off into some PRC that adds to your spell list.

[grarrrg]

Hungry Ghost Monk (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/monk#TOC-Hungry-Ghost-Monk)!

Bonus points for actually being a Ghost!

[stainboy]

Options for an int-based, spell-preparing, dress-wearing necromancer:

Archivist is good for wizard flavor without being limited to the wizard spell list (which doesn't have a lot of the iconic necromancy spells). If you're unfamiliar, an archivist is basically a wizard but their spell list is the union of every divine spell list ever. They have to jump through some hoops to learn anything not on the base cleric list but Animate Dead and Desecrate are cleric spells. Won't give you Rebuke Undead but otherwise you're set.

Death Master works too if you can talk your DM into making it less Orcus-flavored. Or if you're into that. Death Master plays like a core-only wizard, but they trade some (important) wizard spells for Rebuke Undead and a pet zombie and access to cleric necromancy. They get all the iconic core necromancy spells, and usually one level earlier, but it's a Dragon magazine class with zero splat support.

Spell-to-Power Erudite has the same union-of-every-spell-list-ever trick as the archivist, but for arcane spells. Grab Animate Dead and Create Undead off the Death Master list to offset the one-level-later limitation on Erudite, and check Complete Psionic for necromancer Sith Lord themed psionic powers. Not bad, but to build it you have to like cheese with your cheese.

[BladeHOJ]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

So far I think Dread Necromancer suites her the best. I belive I will be avoiding the whole summon undead aspect (She may be undead and a Necromancer, but she still wants to avoid any truley evil spells). But controlling undead would be perfect, and so far that seems to be the best class to start with.

Even with the limited spell selection, it fits the character very well.
I believe I am going to swap out some of the more Lich specific stuff and replace it with free Ghost feats from the GhostWalk campaign setting.

What sort of PRcs would expand my spell list comming from a Dread Necromancer Class? Looking for more utility then damaging spells.

As far as Ghost abilities go, I am giving her the Telkenesis Chain and The Possesion chain of feats from GhostWalk. It's been decided that scince she isn't being powered by strong necromantic energy she doesn't get the super powerfull abilites that a normal MM Ghost will have, she has to train them up using feats.

So I think her strategy is to possess the strongest enemy with a poor will save then turn around and start using crippling/damaging Necro spellls..and against undead she just turns them against themselves or the other necromancer that raised them. Being undead herself she has issues with summoners using undead for evil porpuses

Kind of looking to make her a Fights Fire with Fire type of Necromancer.

[Amurion]

Take a look at Master of Shrouds. It is focused on summoning and controlling shades, wraiths, and shadows. Which would be interesting seeing that you yourself are a ghost. Just something else to look at and keep the mind a churning.