Core Necromancer Build

[reaver2033]

Hey guys, so i really wanna roleplay a necromancer guy, but the thing is, we are only using core rules, like PHB or maybe PHB 2. So i can't play a dread necromancer or whatever other stuff is out there. So i'm thinking about making a wizard specialized in necromancy spells.

So i'l be playing as a level 6 wizard, and so i was wondering what would make a good build? What feats and spells and stuff like that should i choose?

[Zaq]

What does "necromancer" mean to you? What's important that you be able to do?

Also, is the SRD allowed, or just PHB1/2?

[Jopustopin]

Depending on your ability scores you could play either a gnome or halfling ray specialist; necromancy has a lot of ray spells and touch spells both which can benefit from being small and having a high dexterity.

1. Point Blank Shot
3. Precise Shot
6. Spell Focus (Necromancy) and/or Weapon Finesse (for touch attacks)

[reaver2033]

Well i want to specialize in necromancy, mostly just cast necromancy spells, because that is what my character has been studying in the past years so no fireball or magic missle stuff. Or maybe not too very often.

Well we are only using the core PHB and DMG for now. I don't really know what is different in SRD

[Jopustopin]

SRD has psionics and variant unearth arcana rules included as well.

[Calanon]

Well i want to specialize in necromancy, mostly just cast necromancy spells, because that is what my character has been studying in the past years so no fireball or magic missle stuff. Or maybe not too very often.

Complete Arcane has a very well rounded description of how Necromancers are personality wise, of course these are just recommendations. They also dictate which Schools are wise to forbid if you are a Necromancer. Most Necromancers flavorwise forbid Illusion (Why deny your opponents the false reality of what they might be one day?) and Evocation (Evocation users, or Evoker are often viewed as Leaders in there community while Necromancers are shunned and viewed as... Evil by default xD) So either of these would be perfectly reasonable choices (and Ironically quite optimized for Wizards...) Enchantment is a good school that Evil Wizards usually enjoy as well for... obvious reasons... The neat thing about this combination is that it can be used to create Living Zombies which allow there user to effectively live forever... almost... depends really...

If your DM is going completely core then Living Zombies are not an option :smallfrown:

Well i like Necromancy... its a very flavorful school of magic... who wouldn't be afraid of death? Who wouldn't deeply research the methods for Immortality? Necromancy is your school of magic for learning such a method... the Methods to become a Lich! :smallamused:

EDIT: Minionmancy is a REALLY good combination for Necromancers since if your doing it right, you should have an Army of Undead

[Infernalbargain]

If you want undead following you around then go cleric for desecrate and unhallow. If you want to kill people with necromancy go wizard for enervate and the likes.

[NikitaDarkstar]

Well first what kind of necromancer do you want? Wizards aren't very suited for the whole army of undead thing, that's the domain of clerics. Wizards do however do the whole screw you over with negative energy so much better.

Obvious spell choices (I don't remember their levels of the bat, but grab them when you can.) includes spectral hand (makes touch spells much more mangable), bestow curse, false life can save your life, command undead is quite good if you expect to bump into undead every now and then, vampiric touch, halt undead (again if you expect to bump into undead), enervation and fear.

But see if your DM is willing to make the Spell Compendium and/or the Libris Mortis available for feats and spells, and later on consider grabbing the archmage prestige class out of the DMG, it's not necro specific, but it has several useful perks to it.

[Aharon]

Powerwise?
Human Necromancer 5/Red Wizard 1. Don't ban Illusion, or get UMD cross-class/via multiclass. As soon as you've got enough money, get two simulacrums of yourself for a circle.
At 10th level, bind some outsider (Erinyes or a Succubus, for example), zombify her and enter her body via Magic Jar. Carry your body around as a shrunk item so you can return if the Jar is dispelled (which it shouldn't, since your CL is very high). Enjoy using an undead body and giggle madly from time to time :smallwink:

[Amphetryon]

Complete Arcane has a very well rounded description of how Necromancers are personality wise, of course these are just recommendations. They also dictate which Schools are wise to forbid if you are a Necromancer. Most Necromancers flavorwise forbid Illusion (Why deny your opponents the false reality of what they might be one day?) and Evocation (Evocation users, or Evoker are often viewed as Leaders in there community while Necromancers are shunned and viewed as... Evil by default xD) So either of these would be perfectly reasonable choices (and Ironically quite optimized for Wizards...) Enchantment is a good school that Evil Wizards usually enjoy as well for... obvious reasons... The neat thing about this combination is that it can be used to create Living Zombies which allow there user to effectively live forever... almost... depends really...

If your DM is going completely core then Living Zombies are not an option :smallfrown:

Well i like Necromancy... its a very flavorful school of magic... who wouldn't be afraid of death? Who wouldn't deeply research the methods for Immortality? Necromancy is your school of magic for learning such a method... the Methods to become a Lich! :smallamused:

EDIT: Minionmancy is a REALLY good combination for Necromancers since if your doing it right, you should have an Army of UndeadEnchantment is arguably a better school to skip than Illusion, given that as a Necromancer you're focused on undead, which are de facto immune to most Enchantment spells. Granted, Illusion is one of the most oft-cited "DM-specific" schools, so if you know your DM tends to beat Illusions with a nerf-bat, banning Illusion makes sense.

[Aron Times]

Obligatory link to the SRD:

http://www.d20srd.org/

The SRD, or System Reference Document, contains free D&D content from Wizards of the Coast. You might be interested in this:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/specialistWizardVariants.htm#necromancerVariants

Or perhaps this:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#necromancyDomain

[Madara]

A few questions first....

1. How big is your party going to be?
2. How much optimization is done in your group normally?
3. What roles does your party need/already have?
4. Are you familiar with playing a wizard? A cleric?

These things can help you decide whether to go wizard or cleric. If you go wizard, keep in mind that you should still cast the spells that are good wizard spells, not just necromancy. If you go cleric, well clerics are good necromancers by accident. Anyway, Link:K's necromancy Guide (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5584.0)

[hex0]

A few questions first....

1. How big is your party going to be?
2. How much optimization is done in your group normally?
3. What roles does your party need/already have?
4. Are you familiar with playing a wizard? A cleric?

These things can help you decide whether to go wizard or cleric. If you go wizard, keep in mind that you should still cast the spells that are good wizard spells, not just necromancy. If you go cleric, well clerics are good necromancers by accident. Anyway, Link:K's necromancy Guide (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5584.0)

They answeres to all your questions may be playing a Cleric/Wizard/Mystic Theurge. Especially if the rest of the group is low op. This is core only after all.

[Flickerdart]

Mystic Theurge doesn't advance rebuke, so it's not really as good as going straight Cleric for the minionmancy.

[Fable Wright]

Complete Arcane has a very well rounded description of how Necromancers are personality wise, of course these are just recommendations. They also dictate which Schools are wise to forbid if you are a Necromancer. Most Necromancers flavorwise forbid Illusion (Why deny your opponents the false reality of what they might be one day?) and Evocation (Evocation users, or Evoker are often viewed as Leaders in there community while Necromancers are shunned and viewed as... Evil by default xD) So either of these would be perfectly reasonable choices (and Ironically quite optimized for Wizards...) Enchantment is a good school that Evil Wizards usually enjoy as well for... obvious reasons... The neat thing about this combination is that it can be used to create Living Zombies which allow there user to effectively live forever... almost... depends really...

If your DM is going completely core then Living Zombies are not an option :smallfrown:

Well i like Necromancy... its a very flavorful school of magic... who wouldn't be afraid of death? Who wouldn't deeply research the methods for Immortality? Necromancy is your school of magic for learning such a method... the Methods to become a Lich! :smallamused:

EDIT: Minionmancy is a REALLY good combination for Necromancers since if your doing it right, you should have an Army of Undead

That book is actually Complete Mage, not Complete Arcane...

[Calanon]

That book is actually Complete Mage, not Complete Arcane...

I was AFB when I posted that :smalltongue: but yes you are correct fine sir


Enchantment is arguably a better school to skip than Illusion, given that as a Necromancer you're focused on undead, which are de facto immune to most Enchantment spells. Granted, Illusion is one of the most oft-cited "DM-specific" schools, so if you know your DM tends to beat Illusions with a nerf-bat, banning Illusion makes sense.

When I'm playing a Necromancer I usually just play pretty pacifistic and prefer to have my Minions fight for me rather then me actually doing anything, I mean Planar binding, Summon Monster 1-9, Mass Hold Person, Mass Charm Monster, Prismatic Wall, and If i don't ban Evocations Force wall/cage. This is my play style, My motto is (as a Necromancer) "If you can convert them, do so, and if you kill them, Animate them". Enchantment is a school that I like to use to slow my opponent down so that they really don't want to fight anymore. Yes, Necromancers can't Rebuke, but that is why Sadebreth created "Control Undead" Netheril: Empire of Magic, and If your a Necromancer you should PROBABLY never use Control Undead and just use Command for its 1 day/caster lvl duration

Illusions have just never really been my thing, its kind of ironic that when I first started D&D it was my favorite school of magic and that I didn't like Necromancy... kind of the reverse now :smallredface: