Giegue
2017-04-03, 08:31 AM
So I wanted to make more options for Pathfinder necromancers because, as it stands, the necromancy options that exsist (Undead Lord cleric, Undead Master wizard) are quite underwhelming. Likewise, there are almost no good feats for the minion focused necromancer in pathfinder, so I wanted to rectify this as well. Not sure how balanced these are, so any/all help on that front would be appreciated!
Child Necromancer
http://i.imgur.com/6iHVR01.png
Child Necromancer
Your fascination with Necromancy and undeath started at a very early age. As a result the negative energies that you played with as a small child have warped you at a fundamental level, leaving you forever trapped in a child's body regardless of your age. Your size is small, if it is not already. Additionally, you gain a -4 size penalty to strength and a -2 size penalty to constitution, but also a +2 size bonus to dextarity. Additionally, you no longer show the physical signs of ageing and retain your youthful looks into venerable age. (You still gain the bonuses and penalties for ageing, and otherwise age as normal for a member of your race.) Also, due to your time spent in a body too small and weak for your age, you have learned how to wield your necrotic magics with agility rather than force; you gain the benefits of the Weapon Finesse feat for all melee touch attacks you make for Necromancy spells and Necromancy school specialization features.
Obsession with Undeath
Your obsession with necromancy is so all-consuming that it leads you to hyper-specalize, focusing on the black arts above all other forms of magic. When you choose your school specialization at 1st level you must choose the Necromancy school. Additionally, when you gain your school specialization you must choose one additional opposition school. However, due to your utter obsession with necromancy you gain access to necromantic magics at a faster rate than other wizards, and also learn the typically divine art of desecrating areas to empower undead. For you, the spells Lesser Animate Dead and Animate Dead are moved down one spell level on the Wizard spell list. (So, for example, Lesser Animate Dead would be a 2nd level spell for you, while Animate Dead would be a 3rd level one.) Additionally, you add the spell Desecrate to the Wizard spell list as a 2nd level Necromancy spell. (So instead of being an evocation [evil] spell, for you it is a necromancy [evil] spell.)
This feature alters the Wizard's School Specialization feature and spellcasting.
Unchained Channeling
Due to the early start you had studying negative energies you can weild them in more ways than a standard necromancer. You no longer have any restrictions on the Channel Negative Energy feature you gain from your Power Over Undead feature. Thus, you can use your channel negative energy to heal undead or harm living creatures as an evil cleric of your wizard level could. You can take any channeling feat, even those normally not allowed under the rules of your power over undead feature, as long as those feats do not have worshiping a deity as a requirement. However, due to your channeling coming from your scholarly understanding of negative energies and not s direct line to a deity, you cannot alter your channel energy with variant channeling effects. Additionally, you reduce the number of times you can channel negative energy each day to 1+ your Intelligence modifier.
This feature replaces the Grave Touch feature of the necromancy arcane school and alters the Power Over Undead feature of the necromancy Arcane school.
Undead Companion (Su)
Whether through an occult ritual or some other long-forgotten arte, you animated your first undead early in life. That undead now follows you as a loyal companion and serves you till the day it is destroyed. Your undead companion is typically a wolf skeleton or a zombie troglodyte. With your GM's permission you can gain the services of a different skeleton or zombie creature with a total, post- template CR of 1 or lower.
Your Undead companion gains new abilities as you gain levels. An Undead Companion's abilities depend on your total level in the wizard class. This Undead Companion is a creature you animated when you where very young. It obeys your commands without fail, and even takes suicidal actions. If destroyed, you can animate a new undead companion via the same ritual (No gold or other components required), though it takes 24 hours to fully rise as an undead creature. You can also choose to dismiss this companion to raise a new one. In this case, you still conduct the ritual and wait 24 hours for it to rise as an undead.
You can choose to gain the services of a more powerful Undead Companion at higher levels. Subtract the level modifier listed for companion from your wizard level to determine the abilities and bonuses it gains. For example, as an 11th-level wizard with a ghast companion, that companion would gain its benefits as if you where a 2nd-level wizard.
This feature replaces the Wizard's Arcane Bond feature.
Undead Companions
A Child Necromancer's undead companion is superior to a normal undead creature of its kind and has special powers, as described below.
Wizard LevelBonus HDStr/Dex BonusSpecial
[tr]
1-4+0+0Turn Resistance +4
5-8+2+2Vile Might
9-12+4+4Sacrificial Corpse
13-16+6+6Vile Link
17-20+8+8Relentless Minion
Undead Companion Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion's kind, as given in the appropriate bestiary, but make the following changes.
Bonus Hit Dice: The undead companion gains the listed bonus hit dice. Advance its saving throws, base attack bonus, and so forth as per the Monster Manual It does not increase in size due to these bonus HD.
Str/Dex Bonus: The undead companion gains the listed bonus to both its Strength and Dexterity scores.
Special Abilities: As you gain gains levels, your undead companion gains a number of special abilities.
Turn Resistance +4 (Ex): Your undead companion gains this turn resistance in addition to any turn resistance it normally gains.
Vile Might (Su): Once per day as a standard action, you can channel negative energy into your companion to allow it to fight with increased vigor. You must touch the companion and spend 2 use of your channel negative energy to imbue it with this power. The companion gains a +4 bonus to Strength and a +2 bonus on all saves for a number of rounds equal to your Channel Energy die. If the companion is a zombie, it loses the single actions only drawback for the duration of this ability.
Sacrificial Corpse (Ex): You may cannibalize pieces from your companion to fuel the creation of greater horrors. You can destroy your companion as a part of the casting of Animate Dead or a similar spell to reduce the cost of the onyx required to cast that spell by 100 GP per HD of the companion.
Vile Link (Sp): Once per day, your companion can cast Shield Other as a spell-like ability, but may only target you.
Relentless Minion: Your companion gains fast healing 3.
Alternate Undead Companions
As explained earlier in this feature entry, if you are sufficiently high level you can select your undead minion from one of the following lists, applying the indicated adjustment to your level (in parentheses) for purposes of determining the companion's characteristics and special abilities.
4th Level or Higher (Level -3)
Bugbear zombie
Ghoul
Owlbear skeleton
7th Level or Higher (Level -6)
Chimera skeleton
Minotaur zombie
Ogre zombie
Wyvern zombie
10th Level or Higher (Level -9)
Ettin skeleton
Ghast
Gray render zombie
Wight
13th Level or Higher (Level -12)
Cloud giant skeleton
Mummy
Consume Essence (Su)
At 10th level, your focused study of Necromancy allows you to draw temporary sustenance from undead you control. Once per round as a free action, you can can draw energy from a single undead creature you control within 60ft of you. When you do this, you reduce the undead creature to a pile of dust and gains 2 temporary hit points per Hit Die of the undead creature. These temporary hit points fade after 1 hour. An undead creature with an Intelligence score can make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your wizard level + your charisma modifier) to avoid destruction. If the save succeeds, you gain no temporary hit points, the undead creature survives and it is freed from your control. You may still attempt to re-assert control of it with your Command Undead feat as normal.
This feature replaces the Wizard's 10th level bonus feat.
Fellfrost Necromancer
http://i.imgur.com/M4Ojc5r.png
Dedicated Necromancer
While you do study evocation deeply, your main focus as an Uttercold Assault Necromancer is still necromancy. When you select your arcane school, you must choose the Necromancy school and cannot choose Evocation as an opposition school. Additionally, you move the spells Lesser Aninate Dead and Animate Dead down one level on the wizard spell list. (So for you, Lesser Animate Dead is a 2nd level spell and Animate Dead is a 3rd level spell)
This feature alters the Wizard's Arcane School and spellcasting features.
Felfrost Conversion (Su)
While you are a necromancer first and foremost, as an Uttercold Assult Necromancer you also study evocation. While your ultimate goal is to blend negative energies and elemental cold, you must start with simply gaining mastery over cold and negative energies seperatly. Starting at 1st level, your mastery of ice and cold allows you to convert your evocation spells that deal non-cold damage into cold spells.
When you cast an evocation spell that does acid, electricity, or fire damage, you may change the damage dealt to cold damage. This changes the descriptor of the spell to match the new energy type. Any non-damaging effects remain unchanged unless the new energy type invalidates them. Such effects are subject to GM discretion. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.
This feature replaces the Wizard's Arcane Bond.
Fellfrost Focus
Also at 1st level, your study of evocation makes your cold spells stronger. You gain Spell Specialization as a bonus feat, treating yourself as having Spell Focus (Evocation) for it's prerequisites and effects. (even if you don't.) You can only choose an Evocation spell with this bonus feat. The benefits of this feat only apply to the chosen spell when it deals cold damage. (So if you chose Burning Hands for your spell specialization, you would only gain the caster level bonus to that spell when you used your Fellfrost Conversion feature to make it deal cold damage.) Additionally, you count as having Spell Focus (Evocation) for the prerequisites of all feats, even if you do not have the feat.
This feature replaces the Wizard's Scribe Scroll feat.
Fellfrost Spells (Su)
Starting at 5th level, you finally achieve the point of your dual focus...the blending of Negative energies and energies from the elemental plane of ice. When you cast a wizard spell that deals cold damage, it deals half it's damage as Negative Energy damage. Undead heal from this Negative Energy damage as normal, though the cold damage negates any healing they receive unless those Undead have cold resistance or immunity.
This feature replaces the Wizard's 5th level bonus feat.
New Feats
In addition to this new wizard archetype, I decided to create several new feats, dedicated to the dark art of Necromancy. I am not sure how balanced these are, so please, if anybody has any comments on their balance, share them!
Augmented Undead
Prerequisites: Spell Focus (Necromancy), ability to cast either Lesser Animate Dead or Animate Dead
Benefit: Undead you raise or create with Necromancy spells (Such as Lesser Animate Dead or Animate Dead.) gain +2 hit points per-hit die they possess and a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength or Dexterity, chosen when you cast the spell and not subject to change afterwards.
Zone of Animation
Prerequisites: Spell Focus (Necromancy), ability to cast Animate Dead.
Benefit: You can animate the corpses of the dead without touching them. When you cast Animate Dead, it’s range increases from touch to a spread with a radius of 25ft + 5ft/2 caster levels you possess. You do not need to touch the corpses in this area of effect for them to be reanimated as undead, but must still place the required black onyx in those corpses/bone piles prior to casting the spell as normal.
Exploding Undead
Prerequisites: Spell Focus (Necromancy), ability to cast Lesser Animate Dead or Animate Dead.
BenefitsEach undead you raise or create with any necromancy spell (Such as Lesser Animate Dead orAnimate Dead.) releases a burst of negative energy upon its destruction, dealing 1d6 points of damage plus an additional 1d6 points per 2 Hit Dice to every creature within a 10-foot spread (Reflex DC 15 half). This damage comes from negative energy, and it therefore heals undead creatures.
If anybody has any balance suggestions for this, or if it looks fine already, please post here and comment!
Child Necromancer
http://i.imgur.com/6iHVR01.png
Child Necromancer
Your fascination with Necromancy and undeath started at a very early age. As a result the negative energies that you played with as a small child have warped you at a fundamental level, leaving you forever trapped in a child's body regardless of your age. Your size is small, if it is not already. Additionally, you gain a -4 size penalty to strength and a -2 size penalty to constitution, but also a +2 size bonus to dextarity. Additionally, you no longer show the physical signs of ageing and retain your youthful looks into venerable age. (You still gain the bonuses and penalties for ageing, and otherwise age as normal for a member of your race.) Also, due to your time spent in a body too small and weak for your age, you have learned how to wield your necrotic magics with agility rather than force; you gain the benefits of the Weapon Finesse feat for all melee touch attacks you make for Necromancy spells and Necromancy school specialization features.
Obsession with Undeath
Your obsession with necromancy is so all-consuming that it leads you to hyper-specalize, focusing on the black arts above all other forms of magic. When you choose your school specialization at 1st level you must choose the Necromancy school. Additionally, when you gain your school specialization you must choose one additional opposition school. However, due to your utter obsession with necromancy you gain access to necromantic magics at a faster rate than other wizards, and also learn the typically divine art of desecrating areas to empower undead. For you, the spells Lesser Animate Dead and Animate Dead are moved down one spell level on the Wizard spell list. (So, for example, Lesser Animate Dead would be a 2nd level spell for you, while Animate Dead would be a 3rd level one.) Additionally, you add the spell Desecrate to the Wizard spell list as a 2nd level Necromancy spell. (So instead of being an evocation [evil] spell, for you it is a necromancy [evil] spell.)
This feature alters the Wizard's School Specialization feature and spellcasting.
Unchained Channeling
Due to the early start you had studying negative energies you can weild them in more ways than a standard necromancer. You no longer have any restrictions on the Channel Negative Energy feature you gain from your Power Over Undead feature. Thus, you can use your channel negative energy to heal undead or harm living creatures as an evil cleric of your wizard level could. You can take any channeling feat, even those normally not allowed under the rules of your power over undead feature, as long as those feats do not have worshiping a deity as a requirement. However, due to your channeling coming from your scholarly understanding of negative energies and not s direct line to a deity, you cannot alter your channel energy with variant channeling effects. Additionally, you reduce the number of times you can channel negative energy each day to 1+ your Intelligence modifier.
This feature replaces the Grave Touch feature of the necromancy arcane school and alters the Power Over Undead feature of the necromancy Arcane school.
Undead Companion (Su)
Whether through an occult ritual or some other long-forgotten arte, you animated your first undead early in life. That undead now follows you as a loyal companion and serves you till the day it is destroyed. Your undead companion is typically a wolf skeleton or a zombie troglodyte. With your GM's permission you can gain the services of a different skeleton or zombie creature with a total, post- template CR of 1 or lower.
Your Undead companion gains new abilities as you gain levels. An Undead Companion's abilities depend on your total level in the wizard class. This Undead Companion is a creature you animated when you where very young. It obeys your commands without fail, and even takes suicidal actions. If destroyed, you can animate a new undead companion via the same ritual (No gold or other components required), though it takes 24 hours to fully rise as an undead creature. You can also choose to dismiss this companion to raise a new one. In this case, you still conduct the ritual and wait 24 hours for it to rise as an undead.
You can choose to gain the services of a more powerful Undead Companion at higher levels. Subtract the level modifier listed for companion from your wizard level to determine the abilities and bonuses it gains. For example, as an 11th-level wizard with a ghast companion, that companion would gain its benefits as if you where a 2nd-level wizard.
This feature replaces the Wizard's Arcane Bond feature.
Undead Companions
A Child Necromancer's undead companion is superior to a normal undead creature of its kind and has special powers, as described below.
Wizard LevelBonus HDStr/Dex BonusSpecial
[tr]
1-4+0+0Turn Resistance +4
5-8+2+2Vile Might
9-12+4+4Sacrificial Corpse
13-16+6+6Vile Link
17-20+8+8Relentless Minion
Undead Companion Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion's kind, as given in the appropriate bestiary, but make the following changes.
Bonus Hit Dice: The undead companion gains the listed bonus hit dice. Advance its saving throws, base attack bonus, and so forth as per the Monster Manual It does not increase in size due to these bonus HD.
Str/Dex Bonus: The undead companion gains the listed bonus to both its Strength and Dexterity scores.
Special Abilities: As you gain gains levels, your undead companion gains a number of special abilities.
Turn Resistance +4 (Ex): Your undead companion gains this turn resistance in addition to any turn resistance it normally gains.
Vile Might (Su): Once per day as a standard action, you can channel negative energy into your companion to allow it to fight with increased vigor. You must touch the companion and spend 2 use of your channel negative energy to imbue it with this power. The companion gains a +4 bonus to Strength and a +2 bonus on all saves for a number of rounds equal to your Channel Energy die. If the companion is a zombie, it loses the single actions only drawback for the duration of this ability.
Sacrificial Corpse (Ex): You may cannibalize pieces from your companion to fuel the creation of greater horrors. You can destroy your companion as a part of the casting of Animate Dead or a similar spell to reduce the cost of the onyx required to cast that spell by 100 GP per HD of the companion.
Vile Link (Sp): Once per day, your companion can cast Shield Other as a spell-like ability, but may only target you.
Relentless Minion: Your companion gains fast healing 3.
Alternate Undead Companions
As explained earlier in this feature entry, if you are sufficiently high level you can select your undead minion from one of the following lists, applying the indicated adjustment to your level (in parentheses) for purposes of determining the companion's characteristics and special abilities.
4th Level or Higher (Level -3)
Bugbear zombie
Ghoul
Owlbear skeleton
7th Level or Higher (Level -6)
Chimera skeleton
Minotaur zombie
Ogre zombie
Wyvern zombie
10th Level or Higher (Level -9)
Ettin skeleton
Ghast
Gray render zombie
Wight
13th Level or Higher (Level -12)
Cloud giant skeleton
Mummy
Consume Essence (Su)
At 10th level, your focused study of Necromancy allows you to draw temporary sustenance from undead you control. Once per round as a free action, you can can draw energy from a single undead creature you control within 60ft of you. When you do this, you reduce the undead creature to a pile of dust and gains 2 temporary hit points per Hit Die of the undead creature. These temporary hit points fade after 1 hour. An undead creature with an Intelligence score can make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your wizard level + your charisma modifier) to avoid destruction. If the save succeeds, you gain no temporary hit points, the undead creature survives and it is freed from your control. You may still attempt to re-assert control of it with your Command Undead feat as normal.
This feature replaces the Wizard's 10th level bonus feat.
Fellfrost Necromancer
http://i.imgur.com/M4Ojc5r.png
Dedicated Necromancer
While you do study evocation deeply, your main focus as an Uttercold Assault Necromancer is still necromancy. When you select your arcane school, you must choose the Necromancy school and cannot choose Evocation as an opposition school. Additionally, you move the spells Lesser Aninate Dead and Animate Dead down one level on the wizard spell list. (So for you, Lesser Animate Dead is a 2nd level spell and Animate Dead is a 3rd level spell)
This feature alters the Wizard's Arcane School and spellcasting features.
Felfrost Conversion (Su)
While you are a necromancer first and foremost, as an Uttercold Assult Necromancer you also study evocation. While your ultimate goal is to blend negative energies and elemental cold, you must start with simply gaining mastery over cold and negative energies seperatly. Starting at 1st level, your mastery of ice and cold allows you to convert your evocation spells that deal non-cold damage into cold spells.
When you cast an evocation spell that does acid, electricity, or fire damage, you may change the damage dealt to cold damage. This changes the descriptor of the spell to match the new energy type. Any non-damaging effects remain unchanged unless the new energy type invalidates them. Such effects are subject to GM discretion. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.
This feature replaces the Wizard's Arcane Bond.
Fellfrost Focus
Also at 1st level, your study of evocation makes your cold spells stronger. You gain Spell Specialization as a bonus feat, treating yourself as having Spell Focus (Evocation) for it's prerequisites and effects. (even if you don't.) You can only choose an Evocation spell with this bonus feat. The benefits of this feat only apply to the chosen spell when it deals cold damage. (So if you chose Burning Hands for your spell specialization, you would only gain the caster level bonus to that spell when you used your Fellfrost Conversion feature to make it deal cold damage.) Additionally, you count as having Spell Focus (Evocation) for the prerequisites of all feats, even if you do not have the feat.
This feature replaces the Wizard's Scribe Scroll feat.
Fellfrost Spells (Su)
Starting at 5th level, you finally achieve the point of your dual focus...the blending of Negative energies and energies from the elemental plane of ice. When you cast a wizard spell that deals cold damage, it deals half it's damage as Negative Energy damage. Undead heal from this Negative Energy damage as normal, though the cold damage negates any healing they receive unless those Undead have cold resistance or immunity.
This feature replaces the Wizard's 5th level bonus feat.
New Feats
In addition to this new wizard archetype, I decided to create several new feats, dedicated to the dark art of Necromancy. I am not sure how balanced these are, so please, if anybody has any comments on their balance, share them!
Augmented Undead
Prerequisites: Spell Focus (Necromancy), ability to cast either Lesser Animate Dead or Animate Dead
Benefit: Undead you raise or create with Necromancy spells (Such as Lesser Animate Dead or Animate Dead.) gain +2 hit points per-hit die they possess and a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength or Dexterity, chosen when you cast the spell and not subject to change afterwards.
Zone of Animation
Prerequisites: Spell Focus (Necromancy), ability to cast Animate Dead.
Benefit: You can animate the corpses of the dead without touching them. When you cast Animate Dead, it’s range increases from touch to a spread with a radius of 25ft + 5ft/2 caster levels you possess. You do not need to touch the corpses in this area of effect for them to be reanimated as undead, but must still place the required black onyx in those corpses/bone piles prior to casting the spell as normal.
Exploding Undead
Prerequisites: Spell Focus (Necromancy), ability to cast Lesser Animate Dead or Animate Dead.
BenefitsEach undead you raise or create with any necromancy spell (Such as Lesser Animate Dead orAnimate Dead.) releases a burst of negative energy upon its destruction, dealing 1d6 points of damage plus an additional 1d6 points per 2 Hit Dice to every creature within a 10-foot spread (Reflex DC 15 half). This damage comes from negative energy, and it therefore heals undead creatures.
If anybody has any balance suggestions for this, or if it looks fine already, please post here and comment!