Aldurin
2013-05-09, 03:01 PM
Dread Necromancer Fix
Introduced in Heroes of Horror, the Dread Necromancer is probably the most viable of the three specilialized spontaneous casting classes (the other two being Warmage and Beguiler), due to both having valuable class features (to an extent) and focusing on an aspect that clerics and wizards can only do so well . . . the zambies. Unfortunately, the way the class was designed causes various bizarre jumps in the power progression and renders the class very rigid in how to approach it and makes it difficult to compete with necromancy-dedicated wizards and clerics in several aspects. After seeing T.G. Oscar's Warmage fix (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131346), it inspired me to remake the Dread Necromancer as attractive, too. Also credit goes to Mako-Tsukai and his fix of the spell list (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162358) that first put in my head that I don't have to accept bad design.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Dread Necromancers have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma is the most important stat, determining spells per day and the DCs of those spells and other class features. Constitution is important for Dread Necromancers to gain more hitpoints, but becomes irrelevant at the end of the class when it becomes a nonability. Dexterity makes the Dread Necromancer more able to land ranged spells and weapons, while increasing armor class. Strength is useful for Dread Necromancers who choose to fight at close range.
Alignment: Any Non-good.
Hit Die: d6
Starting Age: As base DN.
Starting Gold: As base DN.
Class Skills
The Dread Necromancer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disguise (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha) Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge(arcana) (Int), Knowledge(religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int)
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
2 skill points per level makes sense for a regular caster, who doesn't need to focus on much else beyond Concentration and Spellcraft. The Dread Necromancer ends up with more useful and relevant skills, with Bluff, Disguise and Hide being important for being indirect and just generally getting by in life as someone who is dedicated to the dark practices of animating the dead. Thus, I increase the base skill points by 2 so that there's more room to work with the skills you want.
Added Diplomacy as a class skill since it makes sense for a caster using undead to have to win over a person if they can't lie or threaten their way through, and fits great for social aspect of the class.
DREAD NECROMANCER
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecial0lvl1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
1st+0+0+0+2Charnel Touch, Rebuke Undead53
2nd+1+0+0+3Lich Body DR 264
3rd+1+1+1+3Negative Energy Burst 1/day65
4th+2+1+1+4Mental Bastion +2, Advanced Learning, Charnel Reflex, Fear Aura663
5th+2+1+1+4Undead Mastery (Minor), Lich Body DR 3664
6th+3+2+2+5Scabrous Touch 1/day6653
7th+3+2+2+5Summon Familiar, Lich Body DR 46664
8th+4+2+2+6Advanced Learning, Negative Energy Burst 2/day, Charnel Critical66653
9th+4+3+3+6Negative Energy Resistance, Light Fortification, Lich Body DR 5, Mental Bastion +466664
10th+5+3+3+7Undead Mastery (Lesser)666653
11th+5+3+3+7Scabrous Touch 2/day, Lich Body DR 6666664
12th+6/+1+4+4+8Advanced Learning, Enervating Touch, Charnel Aim6666653
13th+6/+1+4+4+8Lich Body DR 7, Negative Energy Burst 3/day6666664
14th+7/+2+4+4+9Mental Bastion +666666653
15th+7+5+5+9Undead Mastery, Lich Body DR 866666664
16th+8/+3+5+5+10Advanced Learning, Light Fortification 50%, Scabrous Touch 3/day, Charnel Threat666666653
17th+8/+3+5+5+10Negative Energy Burst 4/day, Enervating Touch (Improved)666666664
18th+9/+4+6+6+11Craft Wondrous Item6666666653
19th+9/+4+6+6+116666666664
20th+10/+5+6+6+12Lich Transformation, Undead Mastery (Greater), Advanced Learning, Improved Charnel Critical6666666665
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Dread Necromancer.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies:
The Dread Necromancer is proficient with all simple weapons and one martial weapon of her choice. Her choice of martial weapon is made when the character takes the first level of Dread Necromancer and cannot be changed.
Dread necromancers are also proficient with light armor, but not with shields. The somatic components required for dread necromancer spells are simple, so members of this class can cast dread necromancer spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. She still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells derived from other classes. In addition, if a dread necromancer wears medium or heavy armor, or uses a shield, she incurs the same chance of arcane spell failure as any other arcane caster if the spell in question has a somatic component (and most do).
Dread Necromancer actually has appropriate abilities, though the shortage of martial proficiencies could pose a diversity problem to the regular Dread Necromancer, this becomes less problematic with the modifications to Charnel Touch to lessen the need for a go-to melee weapon (still have one on hand for those few cases where negative energy doesn't cut it).
Spellcasting:
A dread necromancer casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the dread necromancer's spell list. Like a sorcerer, she can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. When a dread necromancer gains access to a new level of spells, she automatically knows all spells for that level given on the dread necromancer's spell list. Dread necromancers can also add spells to their spell list through the advanced learning ability as they increase in level (see below).
To cast a spell, a dread necromancer must have a Charisma score of 10 + the spell's level. The Difficulty Class for saving throws against a dread necromancer's spell is 10 + spell level + Charisma modifier. Like other spellcasters, a dread necromancer can only cast a certain amount of spells each day (detailed in the above table).
Only change is that this class now gets cantrips, which means that spells like detect magic don't take up valuable first level spell slots.
One big note is I was tempted to make the DN's spells count as Divine for applying divine feats to them (in order to make use of rebuking, and would make sense due to their partially divine spell list). I didn't go through with it since the Dread feat section below I feel does a better job of addressing that. If you or your DM doesn't like those feats, then I recommend making DN spells count as divine for divine feats, as the DMM abuses for this class are not near as bad as a Wizard persisting his best abjurations, so that change in the errata is arguably not meant to nerf the Dread Necromancer.
Charnel Touch (Su):
Negative energy flows through a Dread Necromancer's body, concentrating in her hands. At will, but no more than once per round, she can make a melee touch attack that deals 1d4 negative energy damage. This attack can be used at range using the spectral hand spell.
At 4th level, the Dread Necromancer threatens attacks of opportunities with her Charnel Touch, if not armed with a melee weapon and possessing a free hand. She cannot make an attack of opportunity with this ability if she already used Charnel Touch during her last turn. The damage done by Charnel Touch also scales to 1d8.
At 8th level, the Dread Necromancer's Charnel Touch becomes more unstable with power. Her Charnel Touch attack can threaten critical hits on a natural 20, using her Charisma modifier instead of her Strength or Dexterity modifier on the critical confirmation roll. She can also perform a Coup de Grace using her Charnel Touch as the weapon. She also adds her charisma modifier to her Charnel Touch damage.
At 12th level, the Dread Necromancer can add half of her Charisma modifier on top of the regular attack roll of her Charnel Touch ability.
At 16th level, this ability gains 5' of reach on top of the normal reach for the Dread Necromancer. Critical threat range increases to 19-20
At 20th level, the critical damage of the Dread Necromancer's Charnel touch increases to x4 and the critical threat range increases to 18-20.
Big overhaul here, mainly to make it a more viable attack as time goes on. First off, wording is changed so it's straight negative energy damage, for simplicity's purpose, and Charisma is added to damage instead of 1/4th of class levels so it becomes less pathetic and is more reflective of the Dread Necromancer's inherent power with dark forces.
But what's with the upgrades? Well the Charnel Touch is an important ability for the Dread Necromancer, and giving it boosts increases its usefulness. First two upgrades turn the attack into a proper weapon, minus iterative potential (natural weapon might be a better term), which decomplicates melee fights and executions. The next two help keep it viable and decently strong, while the capstone turns it into a frightening attack, indicative of the Dread Necromancer's mastery of negative energy.
Rebuke Undead (Su):
A Dread Necromancer can rebuke or command undead by channeling negative energy through her body. See the cleric class feature described on page 33 of the Player's Handbook.
No change, rebuking is by no means a bad feature and doesn't require modification in itself.
Lich Body:
Starting at second level, a dread necromancer begins her journey into undeath. The first symptom is her body's increased resilience to physical harm. She gains DR 2/bludgeoning and magic.
At 5th level, the damage reduction increases to 3. At 7th level to 4. At 9th level, to 5. At 11th level, to 6. At 13th level, to 7. At 15th level, to 8.
Giving out DR in sets of two sets up jagged bumps in power, which for the most part we want to avoid, especially at the lower levels. To solve this, each point is given individually while attempting to even out how this is given out in conjunction with the other features (DR is a big deal, and what the DN gets is arguably better than what a Barbarian gets).
Negative Energy Burst (Su):
Beginning at third level, the dread necromancer gains the ability to emit a burst of negative energy from her body, harming creatures within an area up to 5'/level around her. This burst deals 1d4 points of negative energy damage per class level. A successful Will Save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + Cha modifier) reduces the damage by half. The Dread Necromancer can use this ability once per day at third level, gaining an additional daily use every five levels after third (2/day at 8th, 3/day at 13th, 4/day at 18th).
NEB was ok in its original form, but beyond emergency self-healing there wasn't much combat use. Now it's buffed so it doesn't become weak compared to the new Charnel touch, with heavily increased range (with the "up to" clause so you can have it shorter if it means not killing your party members). This will make it formidable as a tide-turning ability, especially when your battle involves undead you are attempting to maintain and living creatures that you need to soften up for them.
Advanced Learning:
At fourth level, and every four levels after, a dread necromancer can add a spell to her spell list. This may be any necromancy spell, or any spell with the evil descriptor (spells that sometimes have that descriptor can only be cast in a way that adds the evil descriptor, should the spell be added via this feature (e.g. Any Summon Monster spell can be added this way, but only evil creatures can be summoned by them), and of a level no higher than the highest spell level the dread necromancer can currently cast. Once selected the spell cannot be changed. If a selected spell's level varies depending on which class is using it, take the lowest of the listed levels.
Ok, you can now cherry pick from ALL necromancy spells, and since that's not necessarily a large or great list when factoring in the new spell list for the class, all evil spells are up for grabs, too. It opens new possibilities, including role expansion without being too broken.
Mental Bastion:
Starting at 4th level, the dread necromancer gains a +2 bonus to saving throws against sleep, poison, paralysis, disease and stunning. This bonus increases to +4 at 9th level, and +6 at 14th level.
This feature is supposed to represent the whole aspect of inching toward undead immunities, but it is one of the heavily ignored features, despite it providing resistance against many save-or-lose conditions. It gets a respectable buff around mid-level, though, as it doesn't feel like something that needs to be awesome.
Fear Aura (Su):
Beginning at 4th level, a dread necromancer radiates a 5-foot-radius fear aura as a free action. Enemies in the area must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 her class levels + Cha modifier) or become shaken until they are no longer in the presence of the dread necromancer, requiring them to be over 10'/level away from the dread necromancer before the effect wears off. A creature who successfully saves cannot be affected by that dread necromancer's fear aura for 24 hours. The fear aura can be used to escalate an existing fear effect applied by a different source (you can't stack fear from your own fear aura) and the shaken effect it applies can be escalated by other sources (though the duration of the new effect ends when either source's duration ends, reverting back to the lesser fear level).
Bumped down to 4th level to help avoid problematic power clashing at level 5, but left unchanged except for a duration clause to help deal with that grey area in how long it lasts, while clarifying the way it stacks.
Undead Mastery:
All undead creatures created by a dread necromancer of at least 5th level gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength and Dexterity and 1 additional hit point per Hit Die.
In addition, the dread necromancer's limit for controlling creatures created by the animate dead spell changes from 4 Hit Die per caster level to (4 + 1/2 of her Charisma modifier) HD per caster level.
At 10th level this bonus increases to +4 Strength and Dexterity, +2 hitpoints per hit die and the dread necromancer adds her entire Charisma modifier to each caster level of her control limit instead of half. The Dread Necromancer also counts as having the Corpsecrafter feat for the purpose of qualifying for other feats in the Corpsecrafter line, but the effects apply to all undead creatures created, not just those created by necromancy spells. A Dread Necromancer that already has Corpsecrafter immediately replaces it with another feat from that feat line upon reaching level 10.
At 15th level this bonus increases to +6 Strength and Dexterity, +3 hitpoints per hit die and the dread necromancer adds 1.5 times her Charisma modifier to each caster level of her control limit.
At 20th level this bonus increases to +8 Strength and Dexterity, +4 hitpoints per hit die and the dread necromancer adds twice her Charisma modifier to each caster level of her control limit.
So this ability is the biggest issue with the dread necromancer class, being the effective "capstone" people would reach for before forever hiding in a pile of prestige classes. It was also a very sudden jump that combined with gaining Animate Dead made it the single most important level in the class. To mediate this problem, I've made it so that half of that power is given out every five levels, which makes each of those points decent spots to jump out of the class from without being definitively too powerful (and the progression is actual incentive to stay with the class, which the original lacked).
Level 10 also has clauses to solve the issue with the Corpsecrafter feat line and its conflicts with Undead Mastery and casters who like Fell Animate.
Scabrous Touch (Su):
Starting at 6th level, once per day the dread necromancer can use her charnel touch to inflict disease on a creature she touches. This ability works like the contagion spell, inflicting the disease of her choice immediately, with no incubation period, unless the target makes a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + her Cha modifier). Should the target fail the save, it immediately takes the initial ability damage of the disease, adding the dread necromancer's charisma modifier to the ability damage inflicted. The DC for subsequent saving throws to resist the effects of the disease depend on the disease inflicted, and secondary damage of the disease is unchanged.
Activating this feature is a swift action. The effect lasts until the dread necromancer makes a successful charnel touch attack. The spectral hand spell enables a dread necromancer to deliver scabrous touch from a distance.
At 11th level, a dread necromancer can use this twice per day. At 16th, this increases to three times per day.
Scabrous touch came off a bit weak to me, partially because it's just an odd contagion ability which doesn't really excel against much except animals and anyone who dumps the wrong stat, but it makes for good fluff and is thematic to the class. Adding the dread necromancer's charisma modifier to the ability damage makes this ability far more potent, becoming real debilitation against opponents, not just for putting down bears and wolves with mindfire.
Summon Familiar:
At 7th level or anytime thereafter, a dread necromancer can obtain a familiar. The familiar she acquires is more powerful than a standard wizard's or sorcerer's familiar, but is unequivocally evil. The play of the dread necromancer chooses one of the following creatures: Imp (devil), Quasit (demon), varguoille, or ghostly visage (221 of the Fiend Folio).
A dread necromancer's familiar gains the usual familiar benefits listed in the Player's handbook with two exceptions. Its type does not change, and it does not gain the ability to speak with other creatures of its kind (unless the creature chosen automatically possesses the ability to speak with a verbal language).
A familiar can use its ability to deliver touch spells with the master's Charnel Touch, Scabrous Touch and Enervating Touch attacks. The master must use a standard action to imbue the touch attack into her familiar.
Another powerful ability just for giving access to one of the best familiars in the game (ghostly visage can give you mind-affecting immunity AND free paralysis), but it still suffers from a bad case of having one amazing option to rule them all. I will probably look into other thematic creatures that could compete in viability but for now it shall remain unmodified. At least it doesn't get feats, otherwise you could get its paralyze DC a +5 immediately.
Negative Energy Resistance:
At 9th level, a dread necromancer gains a +4 bonus to saving throws made to resist negative energy effects, including energy drain, some ability drain and inflict spells.
Eh, crazy saves vs stat loss and the like are decent, and I don't really see it as a priority ability to modify currently, though that may change later.
Light Fortification:
Starting at 9th level, the dread necromancer gains 25% resistance to critical hits. This increases to 50% at level 16.
Again another ability I think is fine, I'm just bumping it down a level so that level 10 doesn't get bloated.
Enervating Touch (Su):
When a dread necromancer reaches 12th level, she gains the ability to bestow negative levels with her Charnel Touch attack. Each day, she can bestow a total number of negative levels equal to her half of her class level, but no more than two with a single touch attack. The saving throw to remove the negative has a DC of 10 + 1/2 of her class level + Cha modifier. Activating and applying this class feature is identical to Scabrous touch. Scoring a critical hit with the Charnel Touch attack delivering the negative levels does not bestow additional levels on the target.
At 17th level, the number of negative levels that can be bestowed per day becomes equal to her class level.
Enervating Touch is good, being able to hand out a daily allotment of negative levels that increase as you level is actually strong, and useful. Overall I feel it should be unchanged, and most change is either "I'm not typing this stuff verbatim anymore" or clarifying how it works with other modified abilities.
Craft Wondrous Item:
At 18th level, the dread necromancer gains Craft Wondrous Item as a bonus feat. This helps her prepare the phylactery required to become a lich.
CWI is moved to level 18, and not counting it both 18 and 19 are now dead levels, in order to offset the benefits gained at level 20. Those levels basically serve as level adjustment with Hit Dice and caster levels as I feel the strength of the earlier levels no longer sacrifices enough to balance the power of getting a "free" template as a capstone. If you don't want that capstone for whatever reason, 18 is your level to enter a prestige class unless you REALLY want to craft items and don't want to spend your 18th level feat on CWI.
Lich Transformation:
When a dread necromancer attains 20th level, she undergoes a hideous transformation and becomes a lich. The lich template (see the the Monster Manual, page 167) is applied to the dread necromancer, but without Paralyzing Touch, the level adjustment normally associated with the template, nor the forced alignment change (she still cannot be good). She must reroll her hitpoints for her new Hit Die. A dread necromancer who is incorporeal, or is an undead, elemental or construct, does not gain the benefit of this template, while all other non-humanoid types do, gaining the Augmented subtype. Dragons who reach level 20 of Dread Necromancer recieve the Dracolich template instead (from Draconomicon), but with the same modifications (no LA or paralyzing touch and you can still be neutral).
Now THIS is what makes a person want to complete a class to its capstone. The original version was awful, as it only affected humanoids and didn't actually give the template. Justified by two dead levels and some nullified class features (from redundancy), this should prove to be a worthwhile step for the class. Combined with advanced learning and another step of Undead Mastery, you are now undeniably better at necromancy than other caster class that tries to build that way. Sure, your abilities beyond that aren't especially great, but at least now that's a balancing factor instead of more bullets in your foot.
Good to note that I removed Paralyzing Touch from this method of becoming a Lich, because otherwise almost every other touch-based class feature or spell is considered useless. Besides, you're already overflowing with ways to disable everything.
Introduced in Heroes of Horror, the Dread Necromancer is probably the most viable of the three specilialized spontaneous casting classes (the other two being Warmage and Beguiler), due to both having valuable class features (to an extent) and focusing on an aspect that clerics and wizards can only do so well . . . the zambies. Unfortunately, the way the class was designed causes various bizarre jumps in the power progression and renders the class very rigid in how to approach it and makes it difficult to compete with necromancy-dedicated wizards and clerics in several aspects. After seeing T.G. Oscar's Warmage fix (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131346), it inspired me to remake the Dread Necromancer as attractive, too. Also credit goes to Mako-Tsukai and his fix of the spell list (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162358) that first put in my head that I don't have to accept bad design.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Dread Necromancers have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma is the most important stat, determining spells per day and the DCs of those spells and other class features. Constitution is important for Dread Necromancers to gain more hitpoints, but becomes irrelevant at the end of the class when it becomes a nonability. Dexterity makes the Dread Necromancer more able to land ranged spells and weapons, while increasing armor class. Strength is useful for Dread Necromancers who choose to fight at close range.
Alignment: Any Non-good.
Hit Die: d6
Starting Age: As base DN.
Starting Gold: As base DN.
Class Skills
The Dread Necromancer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disguise (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha) Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge(arcana) (Int), Knowledge(religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int)
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
2 skill points per level makes sense for a regular caster, who doesn't need to focus on much else beyond Concentration and Spellcraft. The Dread Necromancer ends up with more useful and relevant skills, with Bluff, Disguise and Hide being important for being indirect and just generally getting by in life as someone who is dedicated to the dark practices of animating the dead. Thus, I increase the base skill points by 2 so that there's more room to work with the skills you want.
Added Diplomacy as a class skill since it makes sense for a caster using undead to have to win over a person if they can't lie or threaten their way through, and fits great for social aspect of the class.
DREAD NECROMANCER
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecial0lvl1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
1st+0+0+0+2Charnel Touch, Rebuke Undead53
2nd+1+0+0+3Lich Body DR 264
3rd+1+1+1+3Negative Energy Burst 1/day65
4th+2+1+1+4Mental Bastion +2, Advanced Learning, Charnel Reflex, Fear Aura663
5th+2+1+1+4Undead Mastery (Minor), Lich Body DR 3664
6th+3+2+2+5Scabrous Touch 1/day6653
7th+3+2+2+5Summon Familiar, Lich Body DR 46664
8th+4+2+2+6Advanced Learning, Negative Energy Burst 2/day, Charnel Critical66653
9th+4+3+3+6Negative Energy Resistance, Light Fortification, Lich Body DR 5, Mental Bastion +466664
10th+5+3+3+7Undead Mastery (Lesser)666653
11th+5+3+3+7Scabrous Touch 2/day, Lich Body DR 6666664
12th+6/+1+4+4+8Advanced Learning, Enervating Touch, Charnel Aim6666653
13th+6/+1+4+4+8Lich Body DR 7, Negative Energy Burst 3/day6666664
14th+7/+2+4+4+9Mental Bastion +666666653
15th+7+5+5+9Undead Mastery, Lich Body DR 866666664
16th+8/+3+5+5+10Advanced Learning, Light Fortification 50%, Scabrous Touch 3/day, Charnel Threat666666653
17th+8/+3+5+5+10Negative Energy Burst 4/day, Enervating Touch (Improved)666666664
18th+9/+4+6+6+11Craft Wondrous Item6666666653
19th+9/+4+6+6+116666666664
20th+10/+5+6+6+12Lich Transformation, Undead Mastery (Greater), Advanced Learning, Improved Charnel Critical6666666665
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Dread Necromancer.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies:
The Dread Necromancer is proficient with all simple weapons and one martial weapon of her choice. Her choice of martial weapon is made when the character takes the first level of Dread Necromancer and cannot be changed.
Dread necromancers are also proficient with light armor, but not with shields. The somatic components required for dread necromancer spells are simple, so members of this class can cast dread necromancer spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. She still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells derived from other classes. In addition, if a dread necromancer wears medium or heavy armor, or uses a shield, she incurs the same chance of arcane spell failure as any other arcane caster if the spell in question has a somatic component (and most do).
Dread Necromancer actually has appropriate abilities, though the shortage of martial proficiencies could pose a diversity problem to the regular Dread Necromancer, this becomes less problematic with the modifications to Charnel Touch to lessen the need for a go-to melee weapon (still have one on hand for those few cases where negative energy doesn't cut it).
Spellcasting:
A dread necromancer casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the dread necromancer's spell list. Like a sorcerer, she can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. When a dread necromancer gains access to a new level of spells, she automatically knows all spells for that level given on the dread necromancer's spell list. Dread necromancers can also add spells to their spell list through the advanced learning ability as they increase in level (see below).
To cast a spell, a dread necromancer must have a Charisma score of 10 + the spell's level. The Difficulty Class for saving throws against a dread necromancer's spell is 10 + spell level + Charisma modifier. Like other spellcasters, a dread necromancer can only cast a certain amount of spells each day (detailed in the above table).
Only change is that this class now gets cantrips, which means that spells like detect magic don't take up valuable first level spell slots.
One big note is I was tempted to make the DN's spells count as Divine for applying divine feats to them (in order to make use of rebuking, and would make sense due to their partially divine spell list). I didn't go through with it since the Dread feat section below I feel does a better job of addressing that. If you or your DM doesn't like those feats, then I recommend making DN spells count as divine for divine feats, as the DMM abuses for this class are not near as bad as a Wizard persisting his best abjurations, so that change in the errata is arguably not meant to nerf the Dread Necromancer.
Charnel Touch (Su):
Negative energy flows through a Dread Necromancer's body, concentrating in her hands. At will, but no more than once per round, she can make a melee touch attack that deals 1d4 negative energy damage. This attack can be used at range using the spectral hand spell.
At 4th level, the Dread Necromancer threatens attacks of opportunities with her Charnel Touch, if not armed with a melee weapon and possessing a free hand. She cannot make an attack of opportunity with this ability if she already used Charnel Touch during her last turn. The damage done by Charnel Touch also scales to 1d8.
At 8th level, the Dread Necromancer's Charnel Touch becomes more unstable with power. Her Charnel Touch attack can threaten critical hits on a natural 20, using her Charisma modifier instead of her Strength or Dexterity modifier on the critical confirmation roll. She can also perform a Coup de Grace using her Charnel Touch as the weapon. She also adds her charisma modifier to her Charnel Touch damage.
At 12th level, the Dread Necromancer can add half of her Charisma modifier on top of the regular attack roll of her Charnel Touch ability.
At 16th level, this ability gains 5' of reach on top of the normal reach for the Dread Necromancer. Critical threat range increases to 19-20
At 20th level, the critical damage of the Dread Necromancer's Charnel touch increases to x4 and the critical threat range increases to 18-20.
Big overhaul here, mainly to make it a more viable attack as time goes on. First off, wording is changed so it's straight negative energy damage, for simplicity's purpose, and Charisma is added to damage instead of 1/4th of class levels so it becomes less pathetic and is more reflective of the Dread Necromancer's inherent power with dark forces.
But what's with the upgrades? Well the Charnel Touch is an important ability for the Dread Necromancer, and giving it boosts increases its usefulness. First two upgrades turn the attack into a proper weapon, minus iterative potential (natural weapon might be a better term), which decomplicates melee fights and executions. The next two help keep it viable and decently strong, while the capstone turns it into a frightening attack, indicative of the Dread Necromancer's mastery of negative energy.
Rebuke Undead (Su):
A Dread Necromancer can rebuke or command undead by channeling negative energy through her body. See the cleric class feature described on page 33 of the Player's Handbook.
No change, rebuking is by no means a bad feature and doesn't require modification in itself.
Lich Body:
Starting at second level, a dread necromancer begins her journey into undeath. The first symptom is her body's increased resilience to physical harm. She gains DR 2/bludgeoning and magic.
At 5th level, the damage reduction increases to 3. At 7th level to 4. At 9th level, to 5. At 11th level, to 6. At 13th level, to 7. At 15th level, to 8.
Giving out DR in sets of two sets up jagged bumps in power, which for the most part we want to avoid, especially at the lower levels. To solve this, each point is given individually while attempting to even out how this is given out in conjunction with the other features (DR is a big deal, and what the DN gets is arguably better than what a Barbarian gets).
Negative Energy Burst (Su):
Beginning at third level, the dread necromancer gains the ability to emit a burst of negative energy from her body, harming creatures within an area up to 5'/level around her. This burst deals 1d4 points of negative energy damage per class level. A successful Will Save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + Cha modifier) reduces the damage by half. The Dread Necromancer can use this ability once per day at third level, gaining an additional daily use every five levels after third (2/day at 8th, 3/day at 13th, 4/day at 18th).
NEB was ok in its original form, but beyond emergency self-healing there wasn't much combat use. Now it's buffed so it doesn't become weak compared to the new Charnel touch, with heavily increased range (with the "up to" clause so you can have it shorter if it means not killing your party members). This will make it formidable as a tide-turning ability, especially when your battle involves undead you are attempting to maintain and living creatures that you need to soften up for them.
Advanced Learning:
At fourth level, and every four levels after, a dread necromancer can add a spell to her spell list. This may be any necromancy spell, or any spell with the evil descriptor (spells that sometimes have that descriptor can only be cast in a way that adds the evil descriptor, should the spell be added via this feature (e.g. Any Summon Monster spell can be added this way, but only evil creatures can be summoned by them), and of a level no higher than the highest spell level the dread necromancer can currently cast. Once selected the spell cannot be changed. If a selected spell's level varies depending on which class is using it, take the lowest of the listed levels.
Ok, you can now cherry pick from ALL necromancy spells, and since that's not necessarily a large or great list when factoring in the new spell list for the class, all evil spells are up for grabs, too. It opens new possibilities, including role expansion without being too broken.
Mental Bastion:
Starting at 4th level, the dread necromancer gains a +2 bonus to saving throws against sleep, poison, paralysis, disease and stunning. This bonus increases to +4 at 9th level, and +6 at 14th level.
This feature is supposed to represent the whole aspect of inching toward undead immunities, but it is one of the heavily ignored features, despite it providing resistance against many save-or-lose conditions. It gets a respectable buff around mid-level, though, as it doesn't feel like something that needs to be awesome.
Fear Aura (Su):
Beginning at 4th level, a dread necromancer radiates a 5-foot-radius fear aura as a free action. Enemies in the area must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 her class levels + Cha modifier) or become shaken until they are no longer in the presence of the dread necromancer, requiring them to be over 10'/level away from the dread necromancer before the effect wears off. A creature who successfully saves cannot be affected by that dread necromancer's fear aura for 24 hours. The fear aura can be used to escalate an existing fear effect applied by a different source (you can't stack fear from your own fear aura) and the shaken effect it applies can be escalated by other sources (though the duration of the new effect ends when either source's duration ends, reverting back to the lesser fear level).
Bumped down to 4th level to help avoid problematic power clashing at level 5, but left unchanged except for a duration clause to help deal with that grey area in how long it lasts, while clarifying the way it stacks.
Undead Mastery:
All undead creatures created by a dread necromancer of at least 5th level gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength and Dexterity and 1 additional hit point per Hit Die.
In addition, the dread necromancer's limit for controlling creatures created by the animate dead spell changes from 4 Hit Die per caster level to (4 + 1/2 of her Charisma modifier) HD per caster level.
At 10th level this bonus increases to +4 Strength and Dexterity, +2 hitpoints per hit die and the dread necromancer adds her entire Charisma modifier to each caster level of her control limit instead of half. The Dread Necromancer also counts as having the Corpsecrafter feat for the purpose of qualifying for other feats in the Corpsecrafter line, but the effects apply to all undead creatures created, not just those created by necromancy spells. A Dread Necromancer that already has Corpsecrafter immediately replaces it with another feat from that feat line upon reaching level 10.
At 15th level this bonus increases to +6 Strength and Dexterity, +3 hitpoints per hit die and the dread necromancer adds 1.5 times her Charisma modifier to each caster level of her control limit.
At 20th level this bonus increases to +8 Strength and Dexterity, +4 hitpoints per hit die and the dread necromancer adds twice her Charisma modifier to each caster level of her control limit.
So this ability is the biggest issue with the dread necromancer class, being the effective "capstone" people would reach for before forever hiding in a pile of prestige classes. It was also a very sudden jump that combined with gaining Animate Dead made it the single most important level in the class. To mediate this problem, I've made it so that half of that power is given out every five levels, which makes each of those points decent spots to jump out of the class from without being definitively too powerful (and the progression is actual incentive to stay with the class, which the original lacked).
Level 10 also has clauses to solve the issue with the Corpsecrafter feat line and its conflicts with Undead Mastery and casters who like Fell Animate.
Scabrous Touch (Su):
Starting at 6th level, once per day the dread necromancer can use her charnel touch to inflict disease on a creature she touches. This ability works like the contagion spell, inflicting the disease of her choice immediately, with no incubation period, unless the target makes a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + her Cha modifier). Should the target fail the save, it immediately takes the initial ability damage of the disease, adding the dread necromancer's charisma modifier to the ability damage inflicted. The DC for subsequent saving throws to resist the effects of the disease depend on the disease inflicted, and secondary damage of the disease is unchanged.
Activating this feature is a swift action. The effect lasts until the dread necromancer makes a successful charnel touch attack. The spectral hand spell enables a dread necromancer to deliver scabrous touch from a distance.
At 11th level, a dread necromancer can use this twice per day. At 16th, this increases to three times per day.
Scabrous touch came off a bit weak to me, partially because it's just an odd contagion ability which doesn't really excel against much except animals and anyone who dumps the wrong stat, but it makes for good fluff and is thematic to the class. Adding the dread necromancer's charisma modifier to the ability damage makes this ability far more potent, becoming real debilitation against opponents, not just for putting down bears and wolves with mindfire.
Summon Familiar:
At 7th level or anytime thereafter, a dread necromancer can obtain a familiar. The familiar she acquires is more powerful than a standard wizard's or sorcerer's familiar, but is unequivocally evil. The play of the dread necromancer chooses one of the following creatures: Imp (devil), Quasit (demon), varguoille, or ghostly visage (221 of the Fiend Folio).
A dread necromancer's familiar gains the usual familiar benefits listed in the Player's handbook with two exceptions. Its type does not change, and it does not gain the ability to speak with other creatures of its kind (unless the creature chosen automatically possesses the ability to speak with a verbal language).
A familiar can use its ability to deliver touch spells with the master's Charnel Touch, Scabrous Touch and Enervating Touch attacks. The master must use a standard action to imbue the touch attack into her familiar.
Another powerful ability just for giving access to one of the best familiars in the game (ghostly visage can give you mind-affecting immunity AND free paralysis), but it still suffers from a bad case of having one amazing option to rule them all. I will probably look into other thematic creatures that could compete in viability but for now it shall remain unmodified. At least it doesn't get feats, otherwise you could get its paralyze DC a +5 immediately.
Negative Energy Resistance:
At 9th level, a dread necromancer gains a +4 bonus to saving throws made to resist negative energy effects, including energy drain, some ability drain and inflict spells.
Eh, crazy saves vs stat loss and the like are decent, and I don't really see it as a priority ability to modify currently, though that may change later.
Light Fortification:
Starting at 9th level, the dread necromancer gains 25% resistance to critical hits. This increases to 50% at level 16.
Again another ability I think is fine, I'm just bumping it down a level so that level 10 doesn't get bloated.
Enervating Touch (Su):
When a dread necromancer reaches 12th level, she gains the ability to bestow negative levels with her Charnel Touch attack. Each day, she can bestow a total number of negative levels equal to her half of her class level, but no more than two with a single touch attack. The saving throw to remove the negative has a DC of 10 + 1/2 of her class level + Cha modifier. Activating and applying this class feature is identical to Scabrous touch. Scoring a critical hit with the Charnel Touch attack delivering the negative levels does not bestow additional levels on the target.
At 17th level, the number of negative levels that can be bestowed per day becomes equal to her class level.
Enervating Touch is good, being able to hand out a daily allotment of negative levels that increase as you level is actually strong, and useful. Overall I feel it should be unchanged, and most change is either "I'm not typing this stuff verbatim anymore" or clarifying how it works with other modified abilities.
Craft Wondrous Item:
At 18th level, the dread necromancer gains Craft Wondrous Item as a bonus feat. This helps her prepare the phylactery required to become a lich.
CWI is moved to level 18, and not counting it both 18 and 19 are now dead levels, in order to offset the benefits gained at level 20. Those levels basically serve as level adjustment with Hit Dice and caster levels as I feel the strength of the earlier levels no longer sacrifices enough to balance the power of getting a "free" template as a capstone. If you don't want that capstone for whatever reason, 18 is your level to enter a prestige class unless you REALLY want to craft items and don't want to spend your 18th level feat on CWI.
Lich Transformation:
When a dread necromancer attains 20th level, she undergoes a hideous transformation and becomes a lich. The lich template (see the the Monster Manual, page 167) is applied to the dread necromancer, but without Paralyzing Touch, the level adjustment normally associated with the template, nor the forced alignment change (she still cannot be good). She must reroll her hitpoints for her new Hit Die. A dread necromancer who is incorporeal, or is an undead, elemental or construct, does not gain the benefit of this template, while all other non-humanoid types do, gaining the Augmented subtype. Dragons who reach level 20 of Dread Necromancer recieve the Dracolich template instead (from Draconomicon), but with the same modifications (no LA or paralyzing touch and you can still be neutral).
Now THIS is what makes a person want to complete a class to its capstone. The original version was awful, as it only affected humanoids and didn't actually give the template. Justified by two dead levels and some nullified class features (from redundancy), this should prove to be a worthwhile step for the class. Combined with advanced learning and another step of Undead Mastery, you are now undeniably better at necromancy than other caster class that tries to build that way. Sure, your abilities beyond that aren't especially great, but at least now that's a balancing factor instead of more bullets in your foot.
Good to note that I removed Paralyzing Touch from this method of becoming a Lich, because otherwise almost every other touch-based class feature or spell is considered useless. Besides, you're already overflowing with ways to disable everything.