[3.5] Non-Horde Dread Necro

[Mari01]

Is there a way to have just 1-2 big bodyguards for undead instead of the massive horde? All the handbooks and general info are about swarming your enemies with undead, but our group has a 1-2 summon limit on any kind of minion shenanigans in order to keep things running smoothly.

TL;DR Dread Necro bruisers instead of horde. Tips/tricks/optimization. 6th level and all 3.5 source material allowed outside of vows from the BoED.

[hamishspence]

Zombie Dragon template in Draconomicon allows zombies which don't get doubled Hit Dice, and have no Hit Dice cap. They also have more abilities than the standard zombie.

an ally with the Desecrate spell and an altar (preferably portable) helps.

[tyckspoon]

Find the biggest, baddest thing you can reasonably kill.
Kill it.
Animate it.

That's.. basically it. Same way horde-style works, except retrieving the raw materials for a good bruiser is more dangerous and it's more work to replace them when they get destroyed.

[Mari01]

Does the corpsecrafter chain apply to things I summon using Summon Undead? if so that would be the best of both worlds since I'd still have my beefy undead and the DM would have his peace of mind.

[Psyren]

Does the corpsecrafter chain apply to things I summon using Summon Undead? if so that would be the best of both worlds since I'd still have my beefy undead and the DM would have his peace of mind.

Unfortunately no, because the Summon Undead line is Conjuration.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

You could just ask your DM to allow you to apply undead-creation effects to summoned undead instead. Note that of the Summon Undead line, the higher level spells are probably going to be better spent on multiple creatures from a lower level list, which will often end up with four summoned minions.

For undead minions, your best option is probably to learn the spell Awaken Undead. Pick from a Cave Troll (MM3) Skeleton, Arrow Demon (MM3) Skeleton, and Razor Boar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/razorBoar.htm) (MM2) Skeleton, all of which should be Awakened. Also add the Nimble Skeleton and Vicious Skeleton variants from Libris Mortis if possible.

You could get feats like Spit Ray and Arcane Thesis: Enervation and just spam negative levels on everything instead of spending feats on improving your minions. You could combine that with Sanctum Spell, Ocular Spell, and a Lesser Rod of Maximize and it will still take a 4th level spell slot to cast. You can set up two such spells, one in each eye, and later spend a full-round action to fire four rays which each deal four negative levels. You can also throw in Twin Spell and maybe Easy/Practical Metamagic as well, to fire four rays which each deal eight negative levels. It helps if you can use flaws and/or go with an Elf race and Dark Chaos Shuffle those feats in.

[Godskook]

For a single large bruiser, Bloodhulks are probably the strongest you can get for the HD, despite being double. Available at CL 6/8/10, which you can get at ECLs earlier than the CL if you optimize for it.

[Gavinfoxx]

Well... there are SEVERAL Dread Necro and Necromancy Handbooks, and most of them support just using a few big bruisers in general...

[Strormer]

You could just ask your DM to allow you to apply undead-creation effects to summoned undead instead. Note that of the Summon Undead line, the higher level spells are probably going to be better spent on multiple creatures from a lower level list, which will often end up with four summoned minions.

Second. I actually had your exact problem in a previous game. My DM absolutely hated summoners and said that if I was going to play one he was going to go harder on me than anyone else for whor*ing out my minions. I told him about the summon line and made up a few monsters for him. He liked that I was working to make a character that wouldn't upset his balance and agreed that it made sense for a necro who specialized in summoning giant beasties one or two at a time to learn to apply the corpsecrafter feats to them. If I remember right he just made me take Augment Summoning as a prereq. for them and said I was good. It worked beautifully actually and I spent most of my time bolstering one slugger who waded into battle for me. I think I used my weapon maybe once in the whole game (lvl 5-21).

[GreenSerpent]

I'd suggest Death Master, from Dragon Compendium. It's like a necromancy-focused wizard, runs off INT, gets an undead companion instead of a familiar - and gets free Lichdom at 20th level (as well as Animate Dead as a 2nd level spell)!

And yes, it's official 3.5 material.

[Psyren]

It also gets Desecrate, unlike Dread Necro. The fluff may be a turnoff though and it's technically Dragon material. Being Int-based rather than Cha-based also hurts its turning potential relative to Dread Necro, and they get lichdom too.

[Madara]

Besides the Homebrew Prestige in my Sig, there are several options.

If you've already started building your character/already been playing it as a Dread Necromancer:
1. Giants, and Genies. I had a handbook that listed the best skeletons, I can get the link if you want.

2.Most handbooks support the big bodyguards. The only swarm tactic is Destructive Retribution, which is...iffy at best.

3. Rebuke some beastly thing and use it as your leader, then have 2 Giants or something.

4. Have more undead, but let them be in the background. Don't take them into all the dungeons, have a small group that does other things for you.

If you haven't started the character, I recommend Master of Shrouds via early entry. It's effective, but not overpowered. Let's you summon incorporeal undead, and have the fun of a normal necromancer.

Also, I assume that you want the undead-using necromancer, because there are other types: Debuff/Drain and Fear. Those can be just as effective.