Non-Undead Necromancer

[Jakynth]

Does anyone know of any good modifications for the 5e Wizard Necromancy Arcane Tradition that removes the undead aspects of it? I am enjoying the idea of playing a necromancer that believes that undeath goes against the ebb and flow of life and death and is appalled by it. So i need specifically to replace the 6th level ability Undead Thralls, and the 14th level ability Control Undead. My potential dm is open to the idea so any ideas will be appreciated.

First Time Poster,
Jakynth

[Garfunion]

What character concept are you trying to make with the necromancer that doesn't create undead?

[Ninja_Prawn]

Mhm. Usually the 'runs around destroying undead' thing is the realm of paladins and clerics.

From a mechanical perspective, if it's the minionmany you're after, conjurer works fine. Better, even. If you want an old-fashioned healing-focused necromancer... you should probably be looking at clerics again.

If you're set on customising the existing necromancy tradition... That's more complicated. It'd be homebrew and you'd need to discuss it with your DM. Generally with subclasses it's cleaner to start from scratch rather than trying to modify existing stuff: they're pretty much self-contained units.

[Jakynth]

I like many of the necromancer spells that don't animate/create undead. Since those are inherently evil in most games I figured I would just come up with a character concept that cuts them out. He focuses on the life and death aspects of necromancy and stays away from the undeath aspect as he feels its a disruption to the life and death cycle of energy. So its not that I want him to be any sort of minion mancer and he doesn't have to hunt down undead he's just a necromancer that isn't of the cliche raising undead sort.

[Jakynth]

If you're set on customising the existing necromancy tradition... That's more complicated. It'd be homebrew and you'd need to discuss it with your DM. Generally with subclasses it's cleaner to start from scratch rather than trying to modify existing stuff: they're pretty much self-contained units.

As i said in the original post the dm is open to ideas. Also in my experience with other systems its always easier to start with something thats already created as your less likely to create some overpowered. Since i'm only looking to replace 2 of the abilities one of them being pretty strong it shouldn't be that big of a deal, I just don't have any ideas yet as I'm pretty new to 5e and just figured I would see what others had first.

[Garfunion]

Are you open to take another class like the Sorcerer? The new UA favored soul allows you to learn cleric and sorcerer spells. This will give you a larger choice of life and death spells. The UA starter spells add a few more necromancy spells

Edit: this link provides quick access to UA articles.
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?483561-Index-of-Unearthed-Aracana

[Jakynth]

Are you open to take another class like the Sorcerer? The new UA favored soul allows you to learn cleric and sorcerer spells. This will give you a larger choice of life and death spells. The UA starter spells add a few more necromancy spells


Didn't even know about the Favored Soul sorcerer, it looks pretty neat. Only thing i don't like about sorcerers is the spells known number is so low while you can have so many spells in your spell book. I'll keep it in mind though.

[King539]

OOOH!! OOOH!! Play a Theurge! (https://media.wizards.com/2016/dnd/downloads/UA%20Non-Divine%20Faithful%20SFG.pdf) Maybe with the Repose (https://media.wizards.com/2016/dnd/downloads/UA_Cleric.pdf) Domain!

[scalyfreak]

I like many of the necromancer spells that don't animate/create undead. Since those are inherently evil in most games I figured I would just come up with a character concept that cuts them out. He focuses on the life and death aspects of necromancy and stays away from the undeath aspect as he feels its a disruption to the life and death cycle of energy. So its not that I want him to be any sort of minion mancer and he doesn't have to hunt down undead he's just a necromancer that isn't of the cliche raising undead sort.

A druid of some kind? Someone who wanted to be a doctor and failed? A devout follower of a god of death who sees death as the trigger of rebirth? A family therapist who helps those who were left behind get in touch with their lost and loved ones to reassure them they are happy in the afterlife? A traditional necromancer who can't stomach the thought of raising undead, either because of the smell and mess they make, or because of moral objections, and has been forced to seek another career path?

I'm unfamiliar with the 5e Necromancer class, so i'm essentially just spouting off character concept I hope are helpful. If not, just say so and I'll stop. :smallsmile:

[Mortis_Elrod]

Check the twilight Druid unearthed arcana. Or the death cleric or the grave cleric. They don't focus on undead, more necrotic energy focus. Twilight is almost the exact flavor you want. And right after that is the grave domain.

[Pex]

6th level

Creatures resistant to necrotic damage take full damage from your spells that deal necrotic damage.

14th level

You have advantage on all saving throws against spells and effects from undead creatures. Undead creatures have disadvantage on all saving throws against your spells.

[TripleD]

Are you open to refluffing?

I dislike the vast majority of the material in 3.5 splatbook "Book of Exhalted Deeds", but one idea I found interesting was the concept of good undead (I forget what they called them). Basically necromancy is seen as evil because it is a mockery of life, an act of hubris where you take a living thing and force its body and mind to work against its original purpose.

With this variant, it's more like you contact the spirit in the afterlife and ask if it would like to come back for a mission or purpose. It's not true unlife, since their spirit only sticks around in the corpse until the mission is complete, at which point they are free to return to the afterlife.

They aren't mindless servants either. They are meant to still have their minds and wills fully intact, albeit constrained within the bounds of the mission/purpose. So it's less "Create Thrall" and more "Friends from the Other Side".

[Naanomi]

Could be a wizard trained as a necromancer (or raised in a necromantic culture) who rebelled and followed another path... abjurer for the anti-Magic angle?

[Herobizkit]

What you're actually requesting is completely in your control, OP. You are playing a Necromancy wizard who chooses not to Animate Dead despite automatically learning it.

Does it 'gimp' you? Only insofar as much as you planned to create undead or control it... which isn't at all... which begs the question "why did you choose a necromancer"?

Also, controlling undead will be useful should you find any who are free-willed and want to, say, hold off the charge of a red dragon for a round or two. If you're anathema to undeath, finding ways to remove it from the world is one way to put it on your to-do lost.

As for a different option, how about something like:

6th level: you learn Bestow Curse and can affect up to two targets you can see within 30' of you per casting, or a single enemy gets disadvantage to its save.
6th level: you learn Vampiric Touch; you can exceed your max HP up to [Con score] with this spell by storing the excess as Temp HP until your next long rest; you add your proficiency (maybe Int?) bonus to damage with this spell.

[Ninja_Prawn]

which begs the question "why did you choose a necromancer"?

...as opposed to being a Life or Death cleric, or using the Twilight druid from UA. Those are much closer to the theme you're looking for.