Dread necromancer build advice?

[maximus25]

Starting a new campaign soon, thinking of doing Dread Necromancer fun. I want to focus mainly on mastering the undead. Starting from level one, 32 point buy. 3.5 D&D, most books open. What feats should I take? Planning on going to level 20 straight DN. I've read the handbooks, but they don't seem to help a lot. I don't think my DM will allow me to do necropolitain, so tomb tainted soul I guess.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Starting a new campaign soon, thinking of doing Dread Necromancer fun. I want to focus mainly on mastering the undead. Starting from level one, 32 point buy. 3.5 D&D, most books open. What feats should I take? Planning on going to level 20 straight DN. I've read the handbooks, but they don't seem to help a lot. I don't think my DM will allow me to do necropolitain, so tomb tainted soul I guess.

Okay, what do you want to do? Master of Undead is going to happen, regardless.

Do you want to Gish it up? You can easily pull this off with Southern Magician + Arcane Devotee: Pride domain. Persist Divine Power. Congratulations, you're a Gish. This also lets you Persist Aura of Terror for the Scarecrow build I've got in my guide.

Do you want to boost your undead? Sounds like the Corpsecrafter feats are your cuppa. Also see if you can find a Bard. You may need to go Pale Master for the Undead Cohort Bard.

Do you want to have nasty spells? At level 4, for Advanced Learning, take Kelgore's Grave Mist. Couple with Fell Drain for no-save-no-SR negative level output. This also lets you set up your Enervation magics later on. Metamagic School Focus: Necromancy is relevant to your interests. So is Arcane Thesis.

[maximus25]

I have a bard in my party already. So probably minion pumping goodness.

[Whisper rider]

DN... You need to go necropolitan or take tomb tainted soul (1st lvl feat), spell focus and spell penetration. corpse crafter feats... UNDEAD LEADERSHIP..
You need to get the rod of undead mastery and dead walkers ring... Cloack of cha.
You will control a hell lot of undeads...

[maximus25]

Sounds good. So, Human, Strongheart halfling? What am I looking at for races here?

Also, how should I allocate my attributes? I know I need high CHA, so 16 there, but I also need high Con, so 14?

[Hyudra]

Ok, so the big thing is that DN sort of evolves from one archetype to another as you level.

First level, you're fragile and your offensive output isn't so hot. Invest in a ranged weapon (ie. longbow), sit back and pepper the enemy with arrows. If enemies close to melee, you've got charnel touch.

Once you get DR, though, you can function as a tank. Lots of temporary hp, lots of regular healing, DR. Get some good armor, a passable melee weapon, you're the party tank.

Controlling undead doesn't happen until much later. You'll be through something like two or three story arcs before you're at that point. Make the first stuff you grab stuff that you can use in all archetypes.

So as feats go... I suggest Tomb Tainted Soul. Consider Weapon Finesse - it improves your ability to fight hand to hand, it lets you 100% dump Strength for points in other stats, and it improves your touch attacks, of which the Dread Necromancer packs quite a few.

Racewise, I suggest human. If you don't want to go human, or if you want something more exotic, consider Spellscale (+Cha is nice).

[deuxhero]

For race, any +cha thing is neat, Raptorian is good if you don't have another way of flight.


I have a bard in my party already. So probably minion pumping goodness.

Aren't bard buffs mind effecting and most undead mindless?

[maximus25]

For race, any +cha thing is neat, Raptorian is good if you don't have another way of flight.



Aren't bard buffs mind effecting and most undead mindless?

Yes, but with a feat they can affect undead with their inspire courage and whatnot. I don't want to force him to take said feat, but I'll talk to him and see if he will. If not, no big loss, except like +1 to hit and damage.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Okay, some tips:

First off, if you run into any undead after level 4, the spell is Command Undead. This lets you get your Minionmancy on four levels early.

Also, at level 4, Kelgore's Grave Mist should be the spell you pick up with Advanced Learning. Cold damage, area effect, no SR. Perfect to apply Fell Drain and other shenanigans to.

By the time you hit level 8, minions are only one of the tricks in your bag. Enervation just came on-line.

Polymorph Any Object comes on-line late-game, probably with Arcane Disciple and the Trickery domain, but when you do, you can make the perfect minions for yourself out of any appropriately-sized corpse. Want a 12 headed hydra? You can do that, no problem.

Basically, it lets you optimize your undead perfectly. Until then, you have to deal with what you find or can create with the resources available to you.

Animate Dread Warrior will be more important for you than Aura of Terror, due to minionmancy synergy with the Bard in the group. Was an opponent particularly challenging in a fight? Good. Now he belongs to you. Have a nice day.

[Coidzor]

If not, no big loss, except like +1 to hit and damage.

Inspire Courage (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=9830.0) is not a +1 to hit and damage except at low levels, by the time you're capable of making your own undead in the proper method, that is to say, when you can bring a desecrate to bear it's at least a +2 if they're not doing anything but taking bard levels. But they should be boosting it, since several of the ways of doing so in a minor way are very minor investments.