Who is the best necromanic caster?

[Throne12]

So I would like to play a character that necromancy spells. Someone that's a doctor I'll be taking the healer feat have a book on different medical things. I like necromancer wizard but I don't want or be using undead minions. The death cleric is cool but it don't get some of the wizards cool necro spells.

My DM is pretty understanding so just a quick idea what would you replace the abilities the wizard necromancer get with?

[JackPhoenix]

With a different wizard subclass. Nothing prevents you from using necromancy spells as conjurer, diviner, or (given the healer theme) transmuter.

[Eradis]

A little dip into the Cleric will also opens you the door to its spells. If I am not mistaken (I might be on that one though), one level of multi-class in Cleric let you pick any of the Cleric's spells when you ready yours, and not just the first level spells, but any that your actual caster level allows you (see the multi-class spell slot table in the Player's Handbook for the details).

[Azazel_Unbound]

A little dip into the Cleric will also opens you the door to its spells. If I am not mistaken (I might be on that one though), one level of multi-class in Cleric let you pick any of the Cleric's spells when you ready yours, and not just the first level spells, but any that your actual caster level allows you (see the multi-class spell slot table in the Player's Handbook for the details).

I'm pretty sure it is set up individually. I'm pretty sure you can't chose past 1st level cleric spells with only a single dip.

[Eradis]

I'm pretty sure it is set up individually. I'm pretty sure you can't chose past 1st level cleric spells with only a single dip.

I read about the opposite in another thread, but you might be right. Still something worth investigating for such a build, even though Cleric spells are Wisdom based whereas the Wizard's are Intelligence based.

[Lombra]

I read about the opposite in another thread, but you might be right. Still something worth investigating for such a build, even though Cleric spells are Wisdom based whereas the Wizard's are Intelligence based.

As a multiclass caster, you know and prepare spells for each class individually, it's written in the multiclassing section of thr PHB.

I like to believe that wizards of the necromancy school are the best at necromancy. Most of their kit is about buffing your minions.

[MrStabby]

Well for a theme, death cleric will cover necromancy and healing - the early ability to twin cantrips can really add a lot of punch with the XGtE options.

Also consider bard. Healing comes naturally in the class and magical secrets can get necromancy options, but that might be a bit late on for you.

Depending on levels you will play at there are multiclass options. 1 level of death cleric and the rest eldritch knight can be pretty terrifying. Can do necromancy and healing but as supliments to combat.

[TundraBuccaneer]

What about grave cleric from Xana, it has both healing and necro based abilities

[MxKit]

What about grave cleric from Xana, it has both healing and necro based abilities

I was just coming here to say this! Go with Grave Cleric, it gives you some nice necromancy spells but makes you anti-undead rather than a raise-the-dead type, and lets you heal and protect your allies pretty darn well. Go ahead and multiclass into some kind of Wizard if you want access to specific necromancy spells that only a Wizard can get. I agree with JackPhoenix that Transmuter is probably your best bet if you're going even up to 6th level Wizard; if you're not going that far, at least Necromancer will make your necromancy spells cheaper and let you heal yourself a bit more.

Hell, the Grave Cleric capstone is good but not amazing, so if you really wanted the higher level Wizard necromancy spells, you could probably get away with going Grave Cleric 6/Transmutation Wizard 14, getting both Sentinel at Death's Door and Master Transmuter, and having access to the spare the dying cantrip, revivify, and the circle of death, magic jar and finger of death spells (though you might not even want that last one, actually; just upcast with your 7th-level slot). If you don't feel the need for Master Transmuter, you can still get 6th-level wizard spells by going Grave Cleric 8/Transmutation Wizard 12, which will maximize your ASI's/feats and give you the Potent Spellcasting feature from the Grave Domain, which is nice.

[Elminster298]

Theurgy Wizard from UA if UA is allowed. Choose either death or grave for your domain. If done right you get a lot of cleric spells and still have access to all the wizard spells. Plus you are single class so still get all the super crazy high level wizard stuff.

[Quoxis]

As a multiclass caster, you know and prepare spells for each class individually, it's written in the multiclassing section of thr PHB.

I like to believe that wizards of the necromancy school are the best at necromancy. Most of their kit is about buffing your minions.

But i thought specific (in this case, the cleric rules) tops general (as in the multiclassing rules) :smallwink:

That aside: OP stated he doesn't want undead. Going necro wizard isn't only good for raising undead, but heavily focused on it. I'd advise to go death cleric for twinning necromancy spells or grave cleric for necromancy while being an anti-undead guy flavor-wise (plus clerics need their wis, as does someone using medicine - maybe a doctor of sorts...).