Dread Necromancer

[Saramoth]

Starting a new campaign and i want to try dead necromanser, so any advice my stats are:
STR: 16
DEX:20
CON:16
INT:18
WIS:18
Cha:18

Race is Githyanki

so i heard i should play as DN up to 8th lvl and then take a prestige class, as for the feats i was thinking: Corpsecrafter, Tomb Tainted Soul, Spell Focus (Necromancy), Greater Spell Focus (Necromancy),Nimble Bones,Destructive Retribution, Deadly Chill

So any suggestions and what do you think?

Thanks in advance :smallsmile:

[SilverLeaf167]

Do you have to play a Githyanki? They aren't necessarily worth their LA.

Other than that, everything seems pretty good, but how exactly do you get such high rolls? Without racial modifiers, those would be

Str 16
Dex 18
Con 14
Int 18
Wis 20
Cha 18

A better set would be:

Str 16
Dex 18
Con 18
Int 18
Wis 14
Cha 20

[Saramoth]

Without the Githyanki stats are
16,18,16,18,16,18

I dont but any suggestion for the race? Humans are always good because of the feat but they are somewhat boring to me :)

[Hyena]

Dragonwrought kobold or strongheart halfling, maybe?
By the way, are nimble bones really that good?

[SilverLeaf167]

Without the Githyanki stats are
16,18,16,18,16,18

I dont but any suggestion for the race? Humans are always good because of the feat but they are somewhat boring to me :)

What version of the githyanki are you using? :smallconfused: The one in the Monster Manual has +2 Dex, +2 Con and -2 Wis. Your version seems to have Dex +2 and Wis +2.

The Spellscale race from Races of the Dragons is pretty interesting. You get a +2 Cha and -2 Con, but the Con penalty will be meaningless once you become undead one way or another (you really should consider doing so, the Necropolitan template from Libris Mortis is a good one). In addition, they get free metamagic feats and other handy effects that they can change every day and the Dragonblood subtype, which grants you access to the Practical Metamagic feat and some other neat stuff.

EDIT: The best part is that they have no LA, so compared to your Githyanki build they effectively gain the benefits of two more levels and are rather clearly superior.

[Morbis Meh]

Without the Githyanki stats are
16,18,16,18,16,18

I dont but any suggestion for the race? Humans are always good because of the feat but they are somewhat boring to me :)

Lesser Aasimar XD fallen angel for the win! +2 wis and +2 cha, Also you may or may not wish to invest in some fear mongering via Imperious Command/Dreadful Wrath but for minionmancy it's not too bad

[VestigeArcanist]

Nercopolitian with a hat of disguise is a good bet. And it will free up the Tomb-tainted soul feat you have, as you are undead.

[Saramoth]

Nercopolitian sound fun :smallsmile:


and the hat is a fun idea :)

[Evard]

Well really the only reason to multiclass/prc out is so you don't have the aurgument about thwe DN level 20 capstone.

Really some people are quite anel (:elan:) about the wording and will screw you out of lichdom.

Also technically you don't get rebuke undead due to faulty wording... But clearly you are meant to have it.

To be awesome...

Step 1: Take a level in a divine class (cleric gives more turn/rebuke undead)
Step 2: Take feat "alternate spell source" in dragon mag
Step 2.5: Take any meta magic feat... Twin Spell or Chain Spell... Maybe something with +1 or +2 level...
Step 3: Take feat "Divine Meta Magic"
Step 4:
Step 5: Profit!

[AWiz_Abroad]

8 levels of DN is about the perfect break point IMHO.

I also really like the Fiendblooded class from Heroes of Horror. 9/10 spellcasting progression, a feature that allows you more spells known, and chock full of flavor.

Also, check into Black Sand from Sandstorm. 1D6 per round fast healing for undead (most applicable if you are a necropolitan).

I've considered a DN/Warlock/Eldritch Theurge to be particurally interesting if you aren't into too much hardcore minionmancy, as it will relatively rapidly give you the ability to use The Dead Walk invocation for your in combat raising needs, eldritch glaive for melee damage(maybe combine with Charnel Touch somehow)

[Silva Stormrage]

8 levels of DN is about the perfect break point IMHO.

I also really like the Fiendblooded class from Heroes of Horror. 9/10 spellcasting progression, a feature that allows you more spells known, and chock full of flavor.

Also, check into Black Sand from Sandstorm. 1D6 per round fast healing for undead (most applicable if you are a necropolitan).

I've considered a DN/Warlock/Eldritch Theurge to be particurally interesting if you aren't into too much hardcore minionmancy, as it will relatively rapidly give you the ability to use The Dead Walk invocation for your in combat raising needs, eldritch glaive for melee damage(maybe combine with Charnel Touch somehow)

Watch out for the level 8 break point. Technically by RAW the Dread Necromancer's Undead Mastery only adds to DN class levels not caster levels. If your DM houserules otherwise than yes DN 8 is a good drop point.

Dread Witch is also a good PRC if you wish to focus on fear as it lets you pierce fear immunity.

Though it looks like you want minionmancy so another PRC is the Pale Master, it loses a caster level at first level so many people dislike it but it does grant you some very nice benefits including, free animate dead at lvl 2, an undead cohort, and at level 10 the ability to kill people with a touch and have them animate as zombies (Zombies which DON'T count towards any cap)

Another PRC that rarely gets mentioned is the Horned Harbinger from Faiths and Pantheons. This one you probably will only want 2 levels in as it does not progress ANY spell casting. You do gain animate dead as a spell like ability at 2nd level so you don't really need any onyx anymore. However, there is a slight catch to the Horned Harbinger's animate dead that makes it different than the palemaster's. You add your charisma to your caster level for the spell. So now your animate dead cap is (4+Charisma) * (CL +Charisma). Assuming your DM doesn't rule that your Undead Mastery only applies to DN levels. It is 3.0 and you need to waive some fluff requirements probably to use it.

[gorfnab]

K's Revised Necromancer Handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=2733)
Dread Necromancer Handbook (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872470/New_Dread_Necromancer_Handbook)
Reanimated Dread Necromancer Handbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214212)

The Pale Master prestige class is a nice option for Dread Necromancer.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Oh jeez, it's turning into a meme... 'Every time you ditch Dread Necro at level 8, PunPun kills a catgirl'...

Really, it depends on what you want to do with your dread necromancer. There are so many fun and useful things one can do with them.

Basically, if you have no interest in minions, level 8 is arbitrary, because you'll never realize that class ability. If you do, you'll generally want more than eight levels. Also, level 12 is 6th level spells and your best choices for Advanced Learning are there. Summon Dread Warrior/Skeletal Champion for the minionmancers or Aura of Terror for the Dread Witch crew.

[Silva Stormrage]

Oh jeez, it's turning into a meme... 'Every time you ditch Dread Necro at level 8, PunPun kills a catgirl'...

Really, it depends on what you want to do with your dread necromancer. There are so many fun and useful things one can do with them.

Basically, if you have no interest in minions, level 8 is arbitrary, because you'll never realize that class ability. If you do, you'll generally want more than eight levels. Also, level 12 is 6th level spells and your best choices for Advanced Learning are there. Summon Dread Warrior/Skeletal Champion for the minionmancers or Aura of Terror for the Dread Witch crew.

I think the problem is that so many DM's and players either don't notice the subtle wording of Undead Mastery or houserule otherwise. Also what is summon Skeletal Champion?

[magwaaf]

i like how he gave himself great stats. prolly figured the 16's would make us think he rolled those. my buddy played a tiefling dread necro and wegot to level 12 before the game ended due to betrayal. it was awesome

[WarlockLord]

You can also randomly pile on arcane disciple feats to add more things to your spell list.

Anima Mage is a great PrC for Dread Necromancers - take Bind Vestige/Improved Bind Vestige and get in w/o losing a caster level. If you are playing with the PrC qualification loss crap than grab the Improved Binding feat at 9th level. You progress casting and once you get to 5th or 7th level (depending on whether you take/keep improved binding) you can progress rebuking too. As well as free metamagic, an extra spell slot, initiative boost...it's a good class.

[mangosta71]

You can play a star elf - -2CON, +2 CHA. If you go necropolitan, the CON penalty becomes meaningless.

If LA buyoff is an option, the fey-touched and half-fey templates are also good CHA boosters. Draconic isn't terrible.

Also, the subtle wording on Undead Mastery? Sure, you don't get any more class levels, but you still get (8 + CHA)x4. If you're a dread necromancer, you're pumping CHA. I'm currently playing a level 8 DN that can control 68 HD of undead. How many more will I ever really need?

If you're playing with taint, Necropolitan has another interesting effect - you automatically gain a huge amount of taint when you become undead. You're immune to the detrimental effects, but RAW you still gain bonus feats. It also opens up the Tainted Scholar PrC, which is good to the point of broken for undead DNs. Unlimited taint = impossible save DCs for your spells, ridiculous numbers of bonus spells... The downside is that your depravity will also make it impossible for you to just dip in the class - you'll be locked in for the full 10 levels.

[Roclat]

i like how he gave himself great stats. prolly figured the 16's would make us think he rolled those. my buddy played a tiefling dread necro and wegot to level 12 before the game ended due to betrayal. it was awesome
3 16's 3 18's make me think it's too uniform and the GM just assigned numbers for a high powered game, if not and he did actually roll, he's wasting his talents on D&D and should consider a life of gambling.