Undead Companion

[DoughGuy]

I've recently been reading through a couple of threads about necromancy and the revised necromancers handbook and have been intrigued by the undead. I was wondering how one would go about obtaining a undead bodyguard. With leadership banned, using an archivist and approxiametly standard WBL how would one go about creating an undead that was roughly the same level as the PC? Is it possible for the undeads level to scale with the PC or would it a stronger undead need to be created each level? It must be under the control of the PC at all time.

Basically the point is to create an undead bodyguard. I am willing to spend some gold boosting the undead as well.

[Morph Bark]

If you want it to be under your control at all times, animate dead (or possibly animate dread warrior) would do the trick, otherwise you'd have to keep using control undead, since you do not have Rebuke Undead, which would be perfect.

Take Corpsegrafter as a feat to boost your undead's Strength and hp and animate them inside a desecrated area. Also take feats based off Corpsegrafter to your liking.

[DoughGuy]

The problem with animate dead is that you wil loutgrow the undead fairly quickly and its .. not expensive but can be slghtly costly.

ive heard of animate dread warrior but cant find it. What book is it in?

[Wavelab]

Firstly. Welcome to Necromancy!

Also you can check my sig for homebrew necromancy classes.

Animate Dread Warrior is in Unapproachable East, it's the bomb.

What you can try is basic diplomacy to convince something to join your party.

[Morph Bark]

The problem with animate dead is that you wil loutgrow the undead fairly quickly and its .. not expensive but can be slghtly costly.

That's why at every new caster level you attain you create a new, stronger bodyguard. :smallwink:

And costly? Far from it, it will never be more than 100 gp x your caster level. By using desecrate you could even animate defeated boss monsters. Hell, the necromancer in my last party animated a dragon skeleton that had 31 HD and he had a caster level of 8, so it was just enough with desecrate to aid him. The dragon had a higher CR than the entire party, even as a skeleton.

[Vladislav]

This necromancer variant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/specialistWizardVariants.htm#skeletalMinion) provides you with a skeletal companion that grows in power as you advance in levels.

[DoughGuy]

This necromancer variant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/specialistWizardVariants.htm#skeletalMinion) provides you with a skeletal companion that grows in power as you advance in levels.


Firstly. Welcome to Necromancy!

Also you can check my sig for homebrew necromancy classes.

Already playing an archivist so I cant switch to another class.


That's why at every new caster level you attain you create a new, stronger bodyguard. :smallwink:

And costly? Far from it, it will never be more than 100 gp x your caster level. By using desecrate you could even animate defeated boss monsters. Hell, the necromancer in my last party animated a dragon skeleton that had 31 HD and he had a caster level of 8, so it was just enough with desecrate to aid him. The dragon had a higher CR than the entire party, even as a skeleton.

Good point however i was more looking for a bodyguard sort of undead. Preferably it would be humanoid and easy enough to disguise its undeadness from a passing glance.

Unfortunately I dont have unapproachable east so I cant look up Animate dread warrior. Can you give me a basic idea of what it does?

[JaronK]

Animate Dread Warrior costs a good bit of experience, but it raises a humanoid as an undead creature with reduced intelligence but other boosted stats. It retains class levels and still has intelligence (theoretically it could still level up). It works quite well with non Int based class enemies. The big advantage is that it's under your control and there's no control pool, so you can have as many as you can find (but you'd want it as a spell like ability if you're going to use it a lot).

It works well with feats like Corpse Crafter so he's a big tougher. Desecrated Altars also help.

JaronK

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Unfortunately I dont have unapproachable east so I cant look up Animate dread warrior. Can you give me a basic idea of what it does?

Adds the Dread Warrior template, but target retains all class levels they had in life.

They don't keep any casting or psionics, but they keep all combat-related abilities.

[DoughGuy]

Animate Dread Warrior sounds like the perfect spell, since I wanted the undead as a primary melee fighter, especially if it can level up.

Thanks Playgrounders

[Coidzor]

Unlikely. Even awakening an undead minion or using animate dread warrior on the BBEG's "Dragon" is only guaranteed to get you that character as it is, as whether or not an NPC can gain XP is entirely dependent upon the DM's particular fiat.

Indeed, the cohort's XP formula exists entirely for that reason.

[Chilingsworth]

Also, if your DM does let your minion get XP, it'll probably come from splitting the available XP more ways.

[silver spectre]

This necromancer variant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/specialistWizardVariants.htm#skeletalMinion) provides you with a skeletal companion that grows in power as you advance in levels.

I'd forgotten about that little gem. Can you awaken the skeletal companion and still have it remain your skeletal companion?

[Coidzor]

I'd forgotten about that little gem. Can you awaken the skeletal companion and still have it remain your skeletal companion?

Unless the companion's text specifically forbids it, there's no general rule against it, as far as I've ever read.

Same reason that Awaken Undead on the zombie hydra/dragon you made with Animate Dead leaves it still under your control.

Oh, and that reminds me, while it's not going to be quite as strong, it is a minimal investment of gold and as long as you're fighting things that leave corpses you'll be able to scale it up over time.... The Azun-Gund! AKA The Nightcaller's Whistle Works for the entire party too, which means its efficacy increases with every body in the party, cohorts and henchmen included.

I believe it appeared in both The Sunless Citadel adventure and Libris Mortis.

[Coidzor]

I'd forgotten about that little gem. Can you awaken the skeletal companion and still have it remain your skeletal companion?

Unless the companion's text specifically forbids it, there's no general rule against it, as far as I've ever read.

Same reason that Awaken Undead on the zombie hydra/dragon you made with Animate Dead leaves it still under your control.

Oh, and that reminds me, while it's not going to be quite as strong, it is a minimal investment of gold and as long as you're fighting things that leave corpses you'll be able to scale it up over time.... The Azun-Gund! AKA The Nightcaller's Whistle Works for the entire party too, which means its efficacy increases with every body in the party, cohorts and henchmen included.

I believe it appeared in both The Sunless Citadel adventure and Libris Mortis.