Necromancer build help, level 2 as a start.

[deathwolf669]

Ok going to be building a necromancer, he isn't a "bad guy" style necro, comes from a small settlement who place their dead in a great necropolis to be called upon for defense and labour, leaving the living to look at the other parts of life.

So the problem is I was just going to write up another wizard with necromancer spells, but my last elven wizard became spider food and I am looking at ways to make mine slightly harder to kill by raising his AC. So any suggestions on how to do this at level 2? I am thinking of multi-classing either going barb or paladin at level 1 to give the armour and shield options, but I am also looking at keeping to 1 class but altering a background or making my own.

Which option looks better?

Also I am stuck between picking my class at the moment, of course my only 3 options are Sorc, warlock or wizard, but that is for me to try and sort rather than go a discussion going here about it at the moment, same with race, thats either a rock gnome, dragonborn or a high elf again, but also not a discussion here, I like all 3 and depending on class depends on what I pick as a race. I am not looking to optimize this character as I have a little theme and backstory to play to which of course is going to make optimizing him impossible.

[archaeo]

I am not looking to optimize this character as I have a little theme and backstory to play to which of course is going to make optimizing him impossible.

First off, you definitely want to be a School of Necromancy Wizard if you're planning on using your undead bros as part of your regular combat stuff. All that multiclassing stuff is for scrubs.

Consider starting as the dwarf that gets heavy armor or as a human with the optional feat, which you can use to buff yourself up. If you're attached to the races you've picked out, though, then I think you've designed yourself into a bit of a hole. You can dip Cleric if you desperately want that heavy armor, but imo, you're best off just sticking to the character you really want to play and just hoping the dice go your way this time.

[deathwolf669]

Consider starting as the dwarf ...

HOLD ON 1 second!!!! Are you saying dwarves can now be magic users?

Since when did that happen?

[hawklost]

All Races can be magic casters or any other Class. This has been true since at least 3e if not possibly before.

Also, anyone of any Alignment can be a Paladin now too.

If you plan on using 5e, you might want to try reading through the Basic PhB quickly to get yourself more acquainted with it.

http://media.wizards.com/downloads/dnd/DnDBasicRules.pdf

EDIT: it doesn't give you everything (especially the classes and Races) but it gives you enough to realize there are huge differences in your knowledge base and what 5e can do now.

[deathwolf669]

I have bits and bobs of the 5th ed phb being scanned for me at the mo to read in the morning before I get my hands on a propper copy :D

I always through dwarves could not use magic, but that must just be a warhammer thing, will have to talk with my DM about a spell slinging dwarf necromancer. Well sorta ruins my idea of a rock gnome but I do get to bring my heavy armoured dwarf spell slinger from shadownrun :D

[VeliciaL]

There's absolutely nothing stopping a dwarf from using magic in D&D outside of the lack of an Int bump. That's not really a deal breaker in 5e, it just means you take a little longer capping your Int. :smallcool:

Mountain Dwaves even get light & medium armor proficiencies, making lots of people excited to play armored spellcasters. :smallbiggrin: I have half a mind to make a transmuter with a blacksmith background, myself.

[deathwolf669]

Going for the brewing toolkit proficiency myself, it is my guise due to being a traveling mortician :D

[Sartharina]

And dwarves even have the "Revere their dead ancestors" thing going for them as well. As long as he treats those he re-animates with respect, he should be golden.

[deathwolf669]

Where is that mentioned, I missed that bit and cant see it in a quick skim of the dwarf pages.

[Naanomi]

And dwarves even have the "Revere their dead ancestors" thing going for them as well. As long as he treats those he re-animates with respect, he should be golden.
They are also huge on being massively unforgiving, so raise up the corpses of the 'dishonorable' to do your work so they can work of that karmic debt instead of just dying guilty

[deathwolf669]

AH my GM is suggesting I go with my rock gnome idea just because a dwarf isnt that good as caster compared to it.

Question is which do you think is better, an armoured spell slinging battle axe wielding dwarf or a rock gnome with a toy frog, lighter and a music box?

[1of3]

It depends on what you consider a "good caster". The gnome gets Int +2. This affects your spells prepared, your saving throw DCs and your attack rolls with spells.

If you want to use spells for controlling undead (possible beginning at level 5), buffing your allies and other utilities, your Intelligence is not that important.

On the other hand +2 Con and Medium armor is more surviability at low levels. And an extra spell slot, because you need not cast Mage Armor.

So depends on what you want and what else you have in the party. Do you want to throw Fireballs from the back line? Does your party have a solid front line? (If your last character died in melee, probabably not.)