Necromancer Cleric build for the lazy DM

[Wizzard]

Hi playgrounders,
I've recently volunteered to DM in a high level 3.5e campaign, but I'm not very experienced at playing at high levels. For the boss battle I now need a necromancer cleric. The group is not going to be optimized much, but they're reasonably competent players. The party consists of a Factotum, a Psion, a Druid, a Warlock, and possibly a Legendary Leader. Here's what I would need:

- Level 20 cleric of Wee Jas or Nerull
I'd prefer a pure Cleric, but would also consider a prestige class if it's stylish enough;
- necromancer (evil)
of the "my undead armies will crush you" type
- as much core as possible
Using Libris Mortis, one of the completes and Spell and Item Compendium would be in order, but it should be at least "80% core".
- possible tactics for a boss battle (on neutral ground)
- as a bonus: possible tactics after he has lost his undead minions (this could come up as a result of the plot)

It would be great if any of you had time for this, or likewise if you could point me to a resource with ready-to-go character builds! I'm really a bit short on preparation time and I fear that I lack the skill to make a kick-ass necromancer myself quickly.

[Maho-Tsukai]

I could whip you up something seeing as I am one of this site's biggest Necromancy enthusiasts, but I must ask if you would allow homebrew/3rd party and also how mean you want to get? I have a vast wealth of third party sources relating to necromancy and while the vast bulk of it is aimed at actually making arcaneists other then dread necromancers worthwhile necros there is a fair bit of material useful to your necro cleric contained within as well. Also, would you be apposed to the use of ACFs? As I almost always run necro clerics as cloistered clerics and usually run them with the divine magician ACF, so if these two ACFs are not allowed I would like to be made aware.

[Requiem_Jeer]

If I remember right the Master of Shrouds PrC is quite good, I think it's in the Libris Mortis.

[Maho-Tsukai]

It's mainly good with an early entry, though, as at the level it's meant to be taken the summons are not nearly as powerful as they should be. Thus, for a 20th level cleric it would be even less spectacular. It's not a bad class and with early entry it's downright evil....for a PC. For 20th level, BBEG, however, it's not as great and the OP said he would prefer a strait cleric anyway.

[Fable Wright]

Hm... the main thing to do with Necromancer boss battles is to make it challenging, frightening, and difficult to turn. The "Core Only" hurts, as most of the good necromancer feats and buff spells are in other books. The good necromancer monsters can easily be done with just core, though.

Some ideas:
1. Abuse incorporeal undead. Shadow legions are very, very nasty and can take deal a lot of damage to the party. Not only do they do strength damage on a hit, but they are incorporeal: They can ghost through walls and floors, which makes them an interesting and dangerous foe. Before the fight, send them some Shadow legions to deal with before the fight, so they know to prepare death ward, and what awaits them if they fail to do so (namely, 0 strength). After they've buffed up and the battle's started for a while (mostly corporeal legions, but a few shadows/wraiths; don't neglect them, but don't make too many), the necromancer drops a dispel bomb. It probably won't remove all the death wards, but it will remove some. Then, in one black, dramatic wave, the Shadows come up through the floor in a dark current. Will scare the **** out of whoever's ward dropped.

2. Save or Dies- not fun. Avoid them, for the most part.

3. Similar to the above: Turn Undead is not too fun, as it just breaks down the encounter. Get a darkskull to help cut down on the costs of ending the rebuking. It also gives a strategic point for the PCs to destroy in the encounter.

4. If possible, don't just enchant yourself with dozens of spells to buff your undead. Spread them all over the legions, so that dispell bombs won't completely devastate your army.

5. This is important. THE NECROMANCER CANNOT DIE AT ANY COST. If they do, without a leader, the army falls dead. If the necromancer is a fleshy bag of flesh, they will die. Take a feat to add Magic Jar to your spell list. Just do it. You won't regret it. Also, rather than just make the necromancer SoD the party with it, make the necromancer control different unrelated undead, and give the gem focus to a ghost, to keep on the ethereal plane after the battle. So, the necromancer doesn't fall without exceptional PC skill, they have an escape plan, and something to help them work on the battle.

6. This is a cleric; start with Blasphemy, and then don't use it again except at the most important time(s) in a battle. Blasphemy is really powerful, offers no save, and can turn the tide in battle... which is what the legions need.

7. Zombies- you want things with Pounce and Hydras to compose much of this army, as well as ranged flying zombie units to rain support from the sky. Also get a Zombie Dragon, preferably Great Wyrm Gold, as per the rules in Draconomicon, to make the centerpiece of your army. The look on your player's face will make it worth it.

Hope this is useful.

[crazyhedgewizrd]

Does it really matter if the cleric is stated, just let the cleric do anything you deem story appropriate. The cleric could be a lich, letting the players go to all that troble of killing him and then releasing they havent. Brake the rule about the caster can only control 4 times his caster level in HD.

Since this is a High level game try to make the battle epic, make the players raise an army to fight cleric. Have the players fight their way to the cleric through a swarm of undead.

question: wouldn't the undead the cleric raised just run rampant if the cleric dies.

[Wizzard]

I could whip you up something seeing as I am one of this site's biggest Necromancy enthusiasts, but I must ask if you would allow homebrew/3rd party and also how mean you want to get? [...] Also, would you be apposed to the use of ACFs? I guess both would be okay as long as they add flavor (as opposed to just being powerful). I want to avoid breaking too many rules (I'm aware it's not really breaking rules, but it could be seen that way).


[Lots of useful ideas]Thank you. I'm going to use some or most of them. Especially flying zombies.


Does it really matter if the cleric is stated, just let the cleric do anything you deem story appropriate.
Well, one idea was to give him a unique item so he can basically summon lots and lots of undead. The players would have to destroy/steal/sunder it to end the effect. Hence the question what he would do once deprived of his undead army.

[riddles]

Have you considered the dread necromancer class? As a big bad, its outstanding because he will have time to build up his undead legions and its a core part of the class. His direct controlling abilities are significant over the cleric.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Hi playgrounders,
I've recently volunteered to DM in a high level 3.5e campaign, but I'm not very experienced at playing at high levels. For the boss battle I now need a necromancer cleric. The group is not going to be optimized much, but they're reasonably competent players. The party consists of a Factotum, a Psion, a Druid, a Warlock, and possibly a Legendary Leader. Here's what I would need:

- Level 20 cleric of Wee Jas or Nerull
I'd prefer a pure Cleric, but would also consider a prestige class if it's stylish enough;
- necromancer (evil)
of the "my undead armies will crush you" type
- as much core as possible
Using Libris Mortis, one of the completes and Spell and Item Compendium would be in order, but it should be at least "80% core".
- possible tactics for a boss battle (on neutral ground)
- as a bonus: possible tactics after he has lost his undead minions (this could come up as a result of the plot)

It would be great if any of you had time for this, or likewise if you could point me to a resource with ready-to-go character builds! I'm really a bit short on preparation time and I fear that I lack the skill to make a kick-ass necromancer myself quickly.

Honestly, except for resources available, I'd say Dread Necro was *MUCH* closer to what you want. It's in Heroes of Horror.

Basically, they get Rebuke Undead, like an evil cleric. Spontaneously cast all their spells, including the Inflict series, so better than an evil cleric. Has much better undead army abilities, with a much larger HD cap, so again better than a Cleric, and the capstone ability turns you into a litch for free.

So you've got the whole 'army of undead' vibe with just as strong a spell lineup, and a few other very useful abilities.

Feats: Since you mentioned the Book of Bad Latin, Corpsecrafter feats are fun. Particularly the one that makes minions explode in an area of negative energy when they die. Makes the PC's wary about closing with even weak undead.

With 'Alternative Spell Source' feat, they can use DMM: Persist. Then they pick up a spell with Advanced Learning at 12th level which increases the size and ability of the innate fear aura, making it tough for the PC's to close with him without finding a way to block Fear effects.

So, other than the whole 'must be mostly Core', it's pretty much exactly what you are asking for. No PrC's needed.

[Wizzard]

Unfortunately, I don't have this book. It's an arcane caster, isn't he? Though that could be reflavored, maybe. I'll try to get hold of it, but would still prefer other builds and ideas.

BTW:
> question: wouldn't the undead the cleric raised just run rampant if the cleric dies.

I think they would, wouldn't they?

[Gabe the Bard]

You could have a couple of undead clerics acting as lieutenants, each commanding a squad of undead mooks. Then your BBEG will only need to control the lieutenants in order to command a much larger army. Give them undead controlling armor and you'll get an even bigger army, plus your villains will be walking around in flashy bone armor.