Morcurst
2016-08-13, 12:27 AM
I'm running a campaign based in a made-up town between High Horn and Skull Crag. PCs sent to rescue captives of an ogre find he's collecting them for a necromancer to sacrifice to summon a Balor demon and its minions to turn Cormyr into a kingdom of undead. The necromancer, Gonwald, is 6th level and allied with a 9th-level Undeath Domain Cleric (preparing to invade a monastery in the Stormhorns aided by a corrupted monk). But to pull all this off, the necromancers need some demonic help (i.e., new spells and magic items). The wizard, raised a blacksmith, was taught by a quasit the following new spells:
Dark Charm (L3), an enchantment on a worn object that keeps magic in effect while it's worn. Gonwald uses these variants:
1) Command Undead: the worn object allows continual control over created undead (13 per level).
2) Curse of Undeath: the wearer rises as an undead creature after death. The type of undead varies by spellcaster's level.
3) Curse of Undead Service: an undead wearer of the object serves the wizard who cast the charm.
A dark charm on a worn item ends when the item is removed; but if a 6th level or higher spell slot is used, the effect is permanent.
Blade of Undeath (L3): a charmed weapon causes anyone it kills to rise as an undead creature in 24 hours (creature type dependent on wizard level).
Armor of Bones (L1): transforms a bone pile into magical bone armor equivalent to plate mail for the spell's duration, after which it falls apart.
Wight Armor (L2): gives the receiver resistance against damage from non-silver weapons for the spell's duration. With an L3 or higher spell slot, it can also be a dark charm (e.g., effected through a ring or other worn item).
Corpse Rot (L1): the target contracts a flesh-rotting disease causing body parts at extremities to rot and fall off until the curse is removed.
Aged Bones (Cantrip): the target contracts painful arthritis, doubling over with extreme pain in joints and back. Disadvantage on Str, Dex, and Con checks. Take 1d4 damage from any fall or blow (given or received), and on a failed Con check become crippled with a broken bone. The spell effect passes, but any injuries remain.
Blood Horror (L1): the target takes 1d10 damage as his pores gush blood, which runs down his face and drenches clothing, and he is blinded for 1 round. For each spell slot above 1st, there can be 1 additional target.
With demonic aid, 2 of these spells were enhanced to create a wight enslaved to the wizard's demon master.
What do you think of these necromancer modifications, and can you suggest any improvements or other spells/abilities? Necromancers in 5e seem to have too few spells related to their field of arcana, and the Animate Dead spell seems far too limited.
Dark Charm (L3), an enchantment on a worn object that keeps magic in effect while it's worn. Gonwald uses these variants:
1) Command Undead: the worn object allows continual control over created undead (13 per level).
2) Curse of Undeath: the wearer rises as an undead creature after death. The type of undead varies by spellcaster's level.
3) Curse of Undead Service: an undead wearer of the object serves the wizard who cast the charm.
A dark charm on a worn item ends when the item is removed; but if a 6th level or higher spell slot is used, the effect is permanent.
Blade of Undeath (L3): a charmed weapon causes anyone it kills to rise as an undead creature in 24 hours (creature type dependent on wizard level).
Armor of Bones (L1): transforms a bone pile into magical bone armor equivalent to plate mail for the spell's duration, after which it falls apart.
Wight Armor (L2): gives the receiver resistance against damage from non-silver weapons for the spell's duration. With an L3 or higher spell slot, it can also be a dark charm (e.g., effected through a ring or other worn item).
Corpse Rot (L1): the target contracts a flesh-rotting disease causing body parts at extremities to rot and fall off until the curse is removed.
Aged Bones (Cantrip): the target contracts painful arthritis, doubling over with extreme pain in joints and back. Disadvantage on Str, Dex, and Con checks. Take 1d4 damage from any fall or blow (given or received), and on a failed Con check become crippled with a broken bone. The spell effect passes, but any injuries remain.
Blood Horror (L1): the target takes 1d10 damage as his pores gush blood, which runs down his face and drenches clothing, and he is blinded for 1 round. For each spell slot above 1st, there can be 1 additional target.
With demonic aid, 2 of these spells were enhanced to create a wight enslaved to the wizard's demon master.
What do you think of these necromancer modifications, and can you suggest any improvements or other spells/abilities? Necromancers in 5e seem to have too few spells related to their field of arcana, and the Animate Dead spell seems far too limited.