A Druidic Necromancer

[ATHATH]

So, I've recently been piecing together a concept in my head for a Druid(ic) necromancer. Not one of those pansy "Ooh, I only use my powers over death to heal the living and combat the undead!" types, either; I'm talking about a proper, undead-raising necromancer.

I'm more interested in the life-and-death-themed spells here, rather than Wild Shape and my Animal Companion, but I'd still like to advance them if possible.

I've accumulated a few ideas so far, some of which might be incompatible with each other:
*Routinely casting the Ghost Companion spell on my Animal Companion (or Wild Cohort), adventuring with it until the spell runs out, then just picking up a new one. If I can sneak a level of Arcane Heirophant into my build (preferably using the Southern Magician feat to get in without needing any levels in Arcane spellcasting classes), I could probably refluff my Familiar Companion into being a ghost-friend that must consume the life force of an animal every few days in order to maintain its form, which would be pretty cool, to say the least. What Animal Companion has the highest CHA score?
*Picking up Turn Undead from the Sun domain (from that one sidebar in Unearthed Arcana that gave Druids access to a few domains), then using a single-level dip into the Bone Knight PrC to turn it into Rebuke Undead. The Extra Turning feat can give me extra uses of Rebuke Undead, if I need them, and a one-level dip into Paragnostic Apostle will boost my effective Turn/Rebuke Undead level by 3.
*Acquiring a domain from a dip into Earthshaker or somesuch, then using the Heretic of the Faith feat to swap it for the Undeath domain (which conveniently gives me the Extra Turning feat for free) in order to gain some of the classic "this guy's a necromancer" spells.
*Picking up the Spell domain in order to snag the Anyspell line?
*Being a (refluffed) Wild Reaper in order to pick up proficiency in scythes (although the Grasslands Druid ACF gives me that too) and in order to give me some cool spontaneous spells. What counts as being a carrion-eater? I mean, if I gave a hungry wolf (or a hungry fleshraker) some rotting flesh, it might eventually eat it if it was desperate... Also, what happens when I pick up Turn Undead a second time from the same class?
*Dipping Deadgrim in order to add Command Undead to my spell list.
*Taking some levels in Hexer for some extra Sorcerer/Wizard spells?
*Taking some levels in Faith Scion?
*Claiming that I still "revere nature" because I acknowledge its potential as a power source. Maybe I could believe that undead are (or should be) part of the natural ecosystem or something.
*Somehow justifying a TN alignment so that I can use both Sanctified and Corrupt spells (which combo well with the Wild Reaper's increased stat damage regeneration speed), which I could refluff to be ancient (druidic?) magic.
*Using the Preserve Organ osiron for... something. Maybe I could invest in using some of those "power spells with/make items out of dead monsters" mechanics (I think they were detailed in a Dragon Magazine article or two).

And, before you ask, yes, I know about the existence of the Blighter and Talontar Blightlord PrCs, yes, I have read eggynack's Druid handbook, and yes, I know that a Divine Magician Cleric with the Plant domain and/or some Holt Warden levels could probably pull off this concept better than a Druid could.

[ATHATH]

Does Bone Knight let me Rebuke Undead with the Bone Talisman spell? That might help me a lot.

[Lazymancer]

What Animal Companion has the highest CHA score?
My guess is Tressym (FRCS p309; Sandstorm lists it as possible Companion) - Cha 13.

Chances are it also will be smarter than you (Int 12). Yes, it's listed as Animal there.


Maybe I could believe that undead are (or should be) part of the natural ecosystem or something.
Well, you could believe, but I'm quite certain few will agree with you.


*Somehow justifying a TN alignment
:smallcool: Okay, I gotta see this.


*Using the Preserve Organ osiron for... something.
Reincarnation. Also, there was something somewhere about eating fresh brains. Don't forget to reconcile it with TN as well.


and yes, I know that a Divine Magician Cleric with the Plant domain and/or some Holt Warden levels could probably pull off this concept better than a Druid could.
I would've suggested Spirit Shaman.

[Thurbane]

I would've suggested Spirit Shaman.

Same here. Maybe Southern Magician to pick up Necromantic Bloodline.

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I'd definitely recommend Mother Cyst as a feat in the build (and maybe some more in that feat chain).

[Divayth Fyr]

What is your/your GM's stance on homebrew? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?116191-3-5-PrC-PEACH-Children-Dance-and-Children-Play)

[ATHATH]

Same here. Maybe Southern Magician to pick up Necromantic Bloodline.

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I'd definitely recommend Mother Cyst as a feat in the build (and maybe some more in that feat chain).
While I do like the Spirit Shaman class, it unfortunately lacks an innate way to access Turn Undead, which means that starting as one will severely set back my Rebuke Undead progression. I am still considering it, though.

The problem with the Necromantic Bloodline feat is that I want to be a master of both life AND (un)death, and that feat cuts out all of my Conjuration (Healing) spells (which admittedly isn't a huge loss).

Yeah, Mother Cyst is a good suggestion. I'm considering it alongside Cerebrosis, Natural Spell, Aberration Wild Shape, etc.

[eggynack]

The main method of druidic undead raising is actually wild shape based. Either myconid sovereign form or yellow musk creeper form allow access to pseudo-zombies. Beyond that, there's also animate with the spirit, which is like undead raising crossed with lesser planar ally, blackwater tentacle or SNA VIII for a sporebat to negative level something to death, and putrefy, which is a crazy necromantically oriented corrupt 9th level spell. As for preserve organ, don't know if you're aware of this but most of the utility of that spell comes from corrupt spells in BoED, particularly absorb mind, absorb strength, and consume likeness.

[ShurikVch]

I'm kinda surprised nobody mentioned Nightbringer Initiate feat - since Eberron stuff is available, it's the most obvious choice

Other stuff:

Aberration Wild Shape: turn into Rot Reaver (Monster Manual III) - it may give access to Rebuke Undead and Animate Dead

Urban Companion (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a):
Benefit: The character gains the companionship of a smaller but far more intelligent creature than she otherwise would have. This is identical to the sorcerer's ability to summon a familiar (PH 52), including all benefits granted and gained by the familiar, except as noted below. Her functional level for determining the abilities of the companion is equal to her druid level or one-half her ranger level.
She does not lose experience points if her urban companion is slain, and she requires only 24 hours to replace one who is lost.
Her urban companion has total hit points equal to 3/4 her own hit points, rather than half as per a familiar.
The urban companion gains the ability to speak with other animals of its kind when she has an effective master level of 1st, rather than 7th.
When she reaches an effective master level of 7th, she can speak with animals of her companion's kind, as per speak with animals. This is a supernatural ability that functions constantly, and it requires only a free action to reactivate if somehow dispelled.IMHO, access to stronger creatures (such as from the Improved Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#improvedFamiliar) feat) should be included into list of "all benefits"
There are rather numerous ways to get Undead as a Familiar:
Animate Dead Familiar (http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20011209a) spell
Betrayal of the Spirit Linked feat (Dragon #336) allow to turn your Familiar into Skeleton or Zombie
Darkness Familiar feat (Dragon #322) - can give access to Shadow (from 9th level) and Wraith (14th), and also Shadow Asp (6th; it's poison turns victims into Shadows)
Stitched Flesh Familiar feat (Libris Mortis)
Swarm Familiars (Dragon #329) allow to get a swarm as Improved Familiar - including Bone Rat Swarm (9th), Corpse Rat Swarm (11th), Ephemeral Swarm (11th), and Bloodmote Cloud (13th)
Undead Familiar feat (Dragon #280)


PrCs:
Thrall of Zuggtmoy (Dragon #337) - 9/10 CL; Druids are mentioned as entry option; Raise the Rotten - your Undead got +2 Str and natural AC; Feast of the Fallen - 1/day, effect of Death Knell on (ex-living, non-planar) corpse and also regain 2d8 + (1 per creature's HD) hp, corpse rots away at the next turn
Deepwood Avenger (Polyhedron #147) 10/10 CL; permanent barkskin; awaken costs only 100 XP; Compost Enemy - capstone, SoD ("return to the earth that bore you"), 1/day
(Unfortunately, those PrCs aren't advancing your Companion or Wild Shape)

Also, the same article in Polyhedron also have Arborror (which is a Plant, but crafted "from a burnt-out lifeless husks of trees felled by the expanse of civilised lands into wilderness"), and Plague Wind construct (which is doable for Druid, but looks and sounds very "necromantic")

Also, certain monster are could either be Undead-like without being Undead, or give you access to Undead(-like) minions:
Death's Head Tree (Dragon #339) - the heads could fly and infect with the tree's seeds
Dusanu (Dragon #339) - they are look like Undead, but, in fact, Plants
Fungus Golem (Dragon #341) - Breath Weapon
Maggot Golem (Dragon #339)
Myconid Sovereign (Monster Manual II) - spores of Animation
Rancid Beetle Swarm (Sharn) - swarm's victims would turn into Rancid Beetle Zombies (which are, in fact, real Undead)
Slaver Fungus (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20020519a) - Fungus Minions are have all statistics of Zombie, except Plant type and fire vulnerability
Yellow Musk Creeper (Fiend Folio) - Yellow Musk Zombies



*Claiming that I still "revere nature" because I acknowledge its potential as a power source. Maybe I could believe that undead are (or should be) part of the natural ecosystem or something.Because the Material Plane is the perfect mix of all Inner Planes, and Negative Energy Plane is an Inner Plane
Undead may occur without any meddling from any creature - thus, natural!

*Somehow justifying a TN alignment so that I can use both Sanctified and Corrupt spellsIt's because nature isn't nice: disasters and diseases are natural too...

[ATHATH]

Thanks for the assistance/advice, ShurikVch.

[ExLibrisMortis]

The Talontar Blightlord from Unapproachable East gets some necromancy, but in a very amusing and roundabout way. You can infect people with disease, and when they are reduced to 0 CHA before 0 CON, they acquire the Blightspawned template (turning them into plants, and granting them the disease ability), which eventually turns them into Juju Zombies (save 1/month or acquire that template). So everything you get is an undead plant creature, though it must be an animal or plant to start with. Just need to get command undead somewhere, and you're set. Oh, and your animal companion gets the template, too, so they can infect people with the disease as well. Takes only a one-level dip.

Edit: Ah, you know about this one. Did you know about the double template thing? Anyhow, still useful for reference, better to leave it up.