GrayDeath
2018-08-12, 01:40 PM
Preface: As with all my classes, this is meant to be 3.p. If using it for 3.x, a reduction of the SKillpts/LEvel and slightly reducing one or three class features should be enough to land it in the same ballpark balancewise.
THis class is intended to be THE Necromancy focussed Caster, with some (not too much) flexibility tacked on. It is aimed to be middle of the road T2 (worse inc asting overall, but much better in class features, than the Sorcerer).
Everthing running counter to that aim, I am very grateful for anybody to point out, in as much detail as possible.
What I am not looking for (needless to say, really^^) are comments alà "not needed/Class combo abcxy does that already" and similar stuff.
What is neither asked nor refused are other comments (Funny ones are preferred though :P ).
So, without further Ado:
The Death Sage
Be it due to unique talents, cursed heritage, a fanatical hunger for knowledge of (and power over) death or a combination of those, the DeathS ages are magic users almost entirely focussed on manipulating the very energies of death itself.
WHile not inherently of any alignment, it is a very rare Death Sage that is good (and mostly not for long), and few of them are truly chaotic, as they are usually to single mindedly focussed for that.
Role: Caster with Focus on Miniomancy, Battlefield Control and "Save or lose" Spells.
Important Stats: Intelligence is the most important attribute of the Death Sage, closely followed by Wisdom. Constitution can, if one survives until Level 10, be ignored, but is important beforehand.
They usually look derogatoriyl upon Charisma (soft skills, pah) and Strength (what are minions for?).
Mechanics:
Regular Death Sage (Deathbringer Deathsage)
Hitdie: D6 (D8)
BAB: Low (Medium)
Saves: High Will (and Reflex)
Skillpts/Level 4+Int Mod
CLass Skills: Class Skills: Bluff, Craft (Flesh, Bone, any one), Intimidate, Knowledge (Arcane, Religion, History), Linguistics, Perception.
Weapon/Armor Proficiencies: All Simple Weapons, Light Armor, no Shields (+ Warscythe, + Medium Armor).
Spellcasting: Death Sages are spontaneous casters which can pick their spells from any Necromancy and [Evil] SPells that are not in their forbidden Schools (see below) as well as any Sorcerer/Wizard List Spells of the Necromancy and Abjuration Schools.
They may choose one other School to add to their Knowledge (these can never be Illusion, as they disdain the "Playfulness" of the school, or Transmutation, as their focus on necromantic energies hampers their understanding of the subject) to learn spells from (also limited to Sorcerer/Wizard List) OR, if they concentrate on the 2 "Basic" schools only, add one spell known of up to their second highest possible Spell level at levels 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19 and 20.
They begin the Game knowing all Necromancy and Abjuration Orisons!
CLarification: If a Spell not from the WIzard or Sorcerer List they can choose appears on different Spell levels in different CLass Tables, they must use only Tables of full 9th Level casters. From these however, they can pick it up as early as it appears.
Spells known (For Deathbringers subtract one Spell known Maximum and move the Level where new Spells are gained to Sorcerer Progression instead of the listed!).
Deathsage Spells known
================================================== =
Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
================================================== =
1 2 - - - - - - - -
2 4 - - - - - - - -
3 4 1 - - - - - - -
4 5 1 - - - - - - -
5 5 2 1 - - - - - -
6 6 3 2 - - - - - -
7 6 3 3 1 - - - - -
8 7 4 3 1 - - - - -
9 7 5 3 2 1 - - - -
10 8 5 4 3 1 - - - -
11 8 6 4 3 2 1 - - -
12 8 6 5 4 3 1 - - -
13 8 7 5 4 3 2 1 - -
14 8 7 6 5 3 2 1 - -
15 8 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 -
16 8 8 7 6 4 3 2 1 -
17 8 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
18 8 8 8 7 6 5 3 2 1
19 8 8 8 7 7 6 4 3 1
20 8 8 8 7 7 7 5 3 2
Death Sage Spells/Day
================================================== =
Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
================================================== =
1 3 - - - - - - - -
2 5 - - - - - - - -
3 6 1 - - - - - - -
4 7 3 - - - - - - -
5 8 5 1 - - - - - -
6 9 6 3 - - - - - -
7 9 7 5 1 - - - - -
8 9 8 6 3 - - - - -
9 9 9 7 5 1 - - - -
10 9 9 8 6 3 - - - -
11 9 9 9 6 5 1 - - -
12 9 9 9 7 5 3 - - -
13 9 9 9 7 6 4 1 - -
14 9 9 9 8 6 5 2 - -
15 9 9 9 8 7 5 3 1 -
16 9 9 9 8 7 6 4 2 -
17 9 9 9 8 7 6 4 2 1
18 9 9 9 8 8 7 5 3 1
19 9 9 9 8 8 7 5 3 2
20 9 9 9 8 8 7 6 4 3
Bonus SPells/Day due to High Intelligence are claculated as for the Wizard.
Death Sage
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Undead Knowledge, Armored Caster (Light, medium if Deathbringer), Rebuke Undead
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Touched by Death 1,, Spell Focus Necromancy
3rd
+1
+1
+1
+3
Skill Focus Craft and Linguistics
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Channel Negative Energy
5th
+2
+4
+4
+1
Touched By Death 2
6th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Friend of the Undead, Improved Animate Dead 1
7th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Undead Commander 1
8th
+4
+2
+2
+6
Touched by Death 3
9th
+4
+6
+6
+3
Greater Spell Focus Necromancy
10th
+5
+3
+3
+7
Lesser Undead Body (Necropolitan Variant), Consume Undead 1
11th
+5
+4
+4
+7
Touched by Death 4, improved Animate Dead 2
12th
+6/+1
+4
+4
+8
Undead Commander 2
13th
+6/+1
+5
+5
+8
Spirit over Matter
14th
+7/+2
+5
+5
+9
Necromantic Enlightenment 1
15th
+7/+2
+5
+5
+9
Touched by Death 5, Improved Animate Dead 2
16th
+8/3
+6
+6
+10
Undead Body (improved)
17th
+8/3
+6
+6
+10
Consume Undead 2
18th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+11
Dual Being
19th
+9/+4
6
+6
+11
Undead Commander 3l
20th
+10/+5
+6
+6
+12
Lich Transformation, Necromantic Enlughtenment 2.
Armored Caster: A Death Sages Gestures are primal and primitive if compared to more refined and learned (or as he would say softer casters). hence he can cast in light Armor (or if the Deathbringer Archetpye is chosen, medium) armor without risking Arcane Spell Failure.
Undead Knowledge: Adds his level in this class to any rolls made to identify Undead and half the level to determine specific weaknesses of unknown/new Undead.
Touched by Death: For every Level of this ability, gains DR 2/Crushing, Cold Resistance 5 and +3 HP.
Channel Negative Energy: See Cleric Ability, but uses Wisdom instead of Charisma for ALL effects.
Same for Rebuke Undead.
Improved Animate Dead 1: Your Maximum Limit of Creatures controlled via Animate Dead is now 6 HD instead of 4 HD per Caster Level.
Improved Animate Dead 2: You can now create 3 times your caster levels worth of Undead HD with one casting of Animate Dead instead of 2 times. This also allows you to animate creatures with more than 20 HD with this spell (given your level is high enough and the creature is a valid target).
Friend of the Undead: Mindless undead never attack the Death Sage unless commanded to do so. Intelligent Undead begin one step more friendly towards him at first meeting.
Undead Commander: Per Level of this ability, add +5+1/2 Level to the maximum number of HD of Intelligent and twice that to the maximum number of mindless Undead controllable via Rebuke Undead or “Create X” Spells.
Lesser Undead Body: The Death Sage transforms into a basic, intelligent Undead with the following modifications (others might be added if another Death Sage or multiples help with the ritual, though that requires payment in height of one Level worth of XP and can add +2 to all a ttributes and Natural AC in addition to the regular changes): Type: Undead, with all regular immunities and Weaknesses, -2 Cha, Turn Resistance +4.
Consume Undead: The Death Sages new Body allows her to consume other beings driven by negative energy to heal herself. Any Undead under the Control of the Death Sage is a valid target. Consume undead heals her by that Creatures HD *3 HP. This ability can only be used every other turn.
Consume Undead 2 increases the amount healed by 2hp per hd and grants a temporary boost to Strength of 1. The duration of the boost is 5 Minutes per HD the creature had (if using multiple creatures, the duration counts the lowest HD number among them!).
With both abilities an attempt can be made to affect an undead NOT under the Death Sages Control, but in that case, a comparing Will Save is made. If the Death Sage loses, the targetted undead instead “steals” 10 hp from him.
Spirit over Matter: The Deathsage adds the combined natural Bonus of his Intelligence and Wisdom as Bonus HP per Level.
Necromantic Enlightenment: Whenever casting a Necromancy Spell 2 levels or more below the maximum Level he can cast, roll a D20. On a Result of 7 or less, the Spell is not expended. Add +1 for each time this ability has worked within the last 24 hours to the roll (ergo after working 6 times at the latest the ability ceases to work).
The second Level of this Ability increases the number to be rolled below to 11.
Dual Being: The Death Sage is now permanently partially in the negative Energy plane, unless he specifically suppresses this ability (which requires a swift action each turn he does so but has no other negative (^^) effects).
Effects: Immunity to critical hits/Precision damage of any type, Miss chance of 33 % against all physical attacks, can perceive and interact with both planes at the same time, gains +20ft movement speed and SR equal to 15+ his Level.
Lich Transformation: Varies depending on Style and Alignment. Usually choose one of the LA +4 or less Liches available or, with the DM`s permission, design one.
All have in Common: At least +4 natural AC, Phylactery of some kind, no longer "looking pretty and human” and Fast Healing of at least 3.
Deathbringer Archetype: Some Death Sages revel in a more direct approach towards Death, and prefer to kill thier ... subjects themselves before repurposing them, or simply have too much unchecked aggression. These are called D Deathbringers, and sadly follow the CLichee of Madmen with Scythes to a T.
Still, as Edgelordly as they may look, they are still quite powerful Necromancer/Combattant Combos, if played and built well enough.
Experimental Ideas:
Class Only Feats: Planning on allowig only 1 of these to be chosen, somewhere around Level 8-10ish.
Necromantic Overchannel: Requires Wisdom 15+ and the Ability to Channel Negative Energy.
When casting any Necromancy Spell, you may expend one usage of Channel Negative Energy in the same action.
This has one of the following 3 Effects:
1.: With Spells dealing Damage: The Negative Energy Damage is simply added to the Spell, but at the SPells area, not the normal AoE of the Channel!
2.: Spells Anmating Undead: If used to animate Mindless Undead, they are created with a bonus of +4 to their Strength Score and +1 HP/HD. However they have a chance of 20% (determined at casting) to self destruct violently after 1d3 days.
If used to create intelligent Undead, the created Undead has the Ability to Channel negative Energy 1 time/ day for every 4 HD it has (round down). Its effective Cleric Level for this ability euqls total HD -2.
3.: With Spells doing neither: Their Save DC is increased by 1+your Level in Death Sage/3.
Channeling that much raw energy of Death however has its price. Every time, starting with the second use of this ability within 24 hours, you Overchannel, you suffer from increased vulnerability to your mind afterwards. For 1 hour after using this ability, your will save is reduced by 3 points. THis Malus cannot reduce your Will Save total below +1.
Touch of Negativity Requires Intelligence of 18 or more, and the ability to cast 4th level necromancy Spells.
Whenever casting a Necromancy spell on a target with less HD than you, one of the follwoing 2 things happens:
1.: Spells that require a Save: The Target has to save twice against the Spell, and pass both saves to pass.
2.: Spells that do not allow a Save: You may isntinctively "attach" a second Necromancy Spell, that does not require a save either, to the first. Both Spells take effect seperately, but at the same time.
This expends both spells, and the increased effort makes it impossible to use this ability more often than every 3 turns.
True Lord of the Dead: Requires Level 12.
Choose either Mindless or Intelligent Undead.
If mindless are chosen, all Mindless undead you create (in addition to any other bonuses due to spells or Skills or whatever) gain +1 HP per Hitdie, and +2 natural Armor Class.
If Intelligent are chosen, the Number of Intelligent Undead you can control is increased by 33% (after applying all other numrerical bonuses).
THis class is intended to be THE Necromancy focussed Caster, with some (not too much) flexibility tacked on. It is aimed to be middle of the road T2 (worse inc asting overall, but much better in class features, than the Sorcerer).
Everthing running counter to that aim, I am very grateful for anybody to point out, in as much detail as possible.
What I am not looking for (needless to say, really^^) are comments alà "not needed/Class combo abcxy does that already" and similar stuff.
What is neither asked nor refused are other comments (Funny ones are preferred though :P ).
So, without further Ado:
The Death Sage
Be it due to unique talents, cursed heritage, a fanatical hunger for knowledge of (and power over) death or a combination of those, the DeathS ages are magic users almost entirely focussed on manipulating the very energies of death itself.
WHile not inherently of any alignment, it is a very rare Death Sage that is good (and mostly not for long), and few of them are truly chaotic, as they are usually to single mindedly focussed for that.
Role: Caster with Focus on Miniomancy, Battlefield Control and "Save or lose" Spells.
Important Stats: Intelligence is the most important attribute of the Death Sage, closely followed by Wisdom. Constitution can, if one survives until Level 10, be ignored, but is important beforehand.
They usually look derogatoriyl upon Charisma (soft skills, pah) and Strength (what are minions for?).
Mechanics:
Regular Death Sage (Deathbringer Deathsage)
Hitdie: D6 (D8)
BAB: Low (Medium)
Saves: High Will (and Reflex)
Skillpts/Level 4+Int Mod
CLass Skills: Class Skills: Bluff, Craft (Flesh, Bone, any one), Intimidate, Knowledge (Arcane, Religion, History), Linguistics, Perception.
Weapon/Armor Proficiencies: All Simple Weapons, Light Armor, no Shields (+ Warscythe, + Medium Armor).
Spellcasting: Death Sages are spontaneous casters which can pick their spells from any Necromancy and [Evil] SPells that are not in their forbidden Schools (see below) as well as any Sorcerer/Wizard List Spells of the Necromancy and Abjuration Schools.
They may choose one other School to add to their Knowledge (these can never be Illusion, as they disdain the "Playfulness" of the school, or Transmutation, as their focus on necromantic energies hampers their understanding of the subject) to learn spells from (also limited to Sorcerer/Wizard List) OR, if they concentrate on the 2 "Basic" schools only, add one spell known of up to their second highest possible Spell level at levels 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19 and 20.
They begin the Game knowing all Necromancy and Abjuration Orisons!
CLarification: If a Spell not from the WIzard or Sorcerer List they can choose appears on different Spell levels in different CLass Tables, they must use only Tables of full 9th Level casters. From these however, they can pick it up as early as it appears.
Spells known (For Deathbringers subtract one Spell known Maximum and move the Level where new Spells are gained to Sorcerer Progression instead of the listed!).
Deathsage Spells known
================================================== =
Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
================================================== =
1 2 - - - - - - - -
2 4 - - - - - - - -
3 4 1 - - - - - - -
4 5 1 - - - - - - -
5 5 2 1 - - - - - -
6 6 3 2 - - - - - -
7 6 3 3 1 - - - - -
8 7 4 3 1 - - - - -
9 7 5 3 2 1 - - - -
10 8 5 4 3 1 - - - -
11 8 6 4 3 2 1 - - -
12 8 6 5 4 3 1 - - -
13 8 7 5 4 3 2 1 - -
14 8 7 6 5 3 2 1 - -
15 8 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 -
16 8 8 7 6 4 3 2 1 -
17 8 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
18 8 8 8 7 6 5 3 2 1
19 8 8 8 7 7 6 4 3 1
20 8 8 8 7 7 7 5 3 2
Death Sage Spells/Day
================================================== =
Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
================================================== =
1 3 - - - - - - - -
2 5 - - - - - - - -
3 6 1 - - - - - - -
4 7 3 - - - - - - -
5 8 5 1 - - - - - -
6 9 6 3 - - - - - -
7 9 7 5 1 - - - - -
8 9 8 6 3 - - - - -
9 9 9 7 5 1 - - - -
10 9 9 8 6 3 - - - -
11 9 9 9 6 5 1 - - -
12 9 9 9 7 5 3 - - -
13 9 9 9 7 6 4 1 - -
14 9 9 9 8 6 5 2 - -
15 9 9 9 8 7 5 3 1 -
16 9 9 9 8 7 6 4 2 -
17 9 9 9 8 7 6 4 2 1
18 9 9 9 8 8 7 5 3 1
19 9 9 9 8 8 7 5 3 2
20 9 9 9 8 8 7 6 4 3
Bonus SPells/Day due to High Intelligence are claculated as for the Wizard.
Death Sage
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Undead Knowledge, Armored Caster (Light, medium if Deathbringer), Rebuke Undead
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Touched by Death 1,, Spell Focus Necromancy
3rd
+1
+1
+1
+3
Skill Focus Craft and Linguistics
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Channel Negative Energy
5th
+2
+4
+4
+1
Touched By Death 2
6th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Friend of the Undead, Improved Animate Dead 1
7th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Undead Commander 1
8th
+4
+2
+2
+6
Touched by Death 3
9th
+4
+6
+6
+3
Greater Spell Focus Necromancy
10th
+5
+3
+3
+7
Lesser Undead Body (Necropolitan Variant), Consume Undead 1
11th
+5
+4
+4
+7
Touched by Death 4, improved Animate Dead 2
12th
+6/+1
+4
+4
+8
Undead Commander 2
13th
+6/+1
+5
+5
+8
Spirit over Matter
14th
+7/+2
+5
+5
+9
Necromantic Enlightenment 1
15th
+7/+2
+5
+5
+9
Touched by Death 5, Improved Animate Dead 2
16th
+8/3
+6
+6
+10
Undead Body (improved)
17th
+8/3
+6
+6
+10
Consume Undead 2
18th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+11
Dual Being
19th
+9/+4
6
+6
+11
Undead Commander 3l
20th
+10/+5
+6
+6
+12
Lich Transformation, Necromantic Enlughtenment 2.
Armored Caster: A Death Sages Gestures are primal and primitive if compared to more refined and learned (or as he would say softer casters). hence he can cast in light Armor (or if the Deathbringer Archetpye is chosen, medium) armor without risking Arcane Spell Failure.
Undead Knowledge: Adds his level in this class to any rolls made to identify Undead and half the level to determine specific weaknesses of unknown/new Undead.
Touched by Death: For every Level of this ability, gains DR 2/Crushing, Cold Resistance 5 and +3 HP.
Channel Negative Energy: See Cleric Ability, but uses Wisdom instead of Charisma for ALL effects.
Same for Rebuke Undead.
Improved Animate Dead 1: Your Maximum Limit of Creatures controlled via Animate Dead is now 6 HD instead of 4 HD per Caster Level.
Improved Animate Dead 2: You can now create 3 times your caster levels worth of Undead HD with one casting of Animate Dead instead of 2 times. This also allows you to animate creatures with more than 20 HD with this spell (given your level is high enough and the creature is a valid target).
Friend of the Undead: Mindless undead never attack the Death Sage unless commanded to do so. Intelligent Undead begin one step more friendly towards him at first meeting.
Undead Commander: Per Level of this ability, add +5+1/2 Level to the maximum number of HD of Intelligent and twice that to the maximum number of mindless Undead controllable via Rebuke Undead or “Create X” Spells.
Lesser Undead Body: The Death Sage transforms into a basic, intelligent Undead with the following modifications (others might be added if another Death Sage or multiples help with the ritual, though that requires payment in height of one Level worth of XP and can add +2 to all a ttributes and Natural AC in addition to the regular changes): Type: Undead, with all regular immunities and Weaknesses, -2 Cha, Turn Resistance +4.
Consume Undead: The Death Sages new Body allows her to consume other beings driven by negative energy to heal herself. Any Undead under the Control of the Death Sage is a valid target. Consume undead heals her by that Creatures HD *3 HP. This ability can only be used every other turn.
Consume Undead 2 increases the amount healed by 2hp per hd and grants a temporary boost to Strength of 1. The duration of the boost is 5 Minutes per HD the creature had (if using multiple creatures, the duration counts the lowest HD number among them!).
With both abilities an attempt can be made to affect an undead NOT under the Death Sages Control, but in that case, a comparing Will Save is made. If the Death Sage loses, the targetted undead instead “steals” 10 hp from him.
Spirit over Matter: The Deathsage adds the combined natural Bonus of his Intelligence and Wisdom as Bonus HP per Level.
Necromantic Enlightenment: Whenever casting a Necromancy Spell 2 levels or more below the maximum Level he can cast, roll a D20. On a Result of 7 or less, the Spell is not expended. Add +1 for each time this ability has worked within the last 24 hours to the roll (ergo after working 6 times at the latest the ability ceases to work).
The second Level of this Ability increases the number to be rolled below to 11.
Dual Being: The Death Sage is now permanently partially in the negative Energy plane, unless he specifically suppresses this ability (which requires a swift action each turn he does so but has no other negative (^^) effects).
Effects: Immunity to critical hits/Precision damage of any type, Miss chance of 33 % against all physical attacks, can perceive and interact with both planes at the same time, gains +20ft movement speed and SR equal to 15+ his Level.
Lich Transformation: Varies depending on Style and Alignment. Usually choose one of the LA +4 or less Liches available or, with the DM`s permission, design one.
All have in Common: At least +4 natural AC, Phylactery of some kind, no longer "looking pretty and human” and Fast Healing of at least 3.
Deathbringer Archetype: Some Death Sages revel in a more direct approach towards Death, and prefer to kill thier ... subjects themselves before repurposing them, or simply have too much unchecked aggression. These are called D Deathbringers, and sadly follow the CLichee of Madmen with Scythes to a T.
Still, as Edgelordly as they may look, they are still quite powerful Necromancer/Combattant Combos, if played and built well enough.
Experimental Ideas:
Class Only Feats: Planning on allowig only 1 of these to be chosen, somewhere around Level 8-10ish.
Necromantic Overchannel: Requires Wisdom 15+ and the Ability to Channel Negative Energy.
When casting any Necromancy Spell, you may expend one usage of Channel Negative Energy in the same action.
This has one of the following 3 Effects:
1.: With Spells dealing Damage: The Negative Energy Damage is simply added to the Spell, but at the SPells area, not the normal AoE of the Channel!
2.: Spells Anmating Undead: If used to animate Mindless Undead, they are created with a bonus of +4 to their Strength Score and +1 HP/HD. However they have a chance of 20% (determined at casting) to self destruct violently after 1d3 days.
If used to create intelligent Undead, the created Undead has the Ability to Channel negative Energy 1 time/ day for every 4 HD it has (round down). Its effective Cleric Level for this ability euqls total HD -2.
3.: With Spells doing neither: Their Save DC is increased by 1+your Level in Death Sage/3.
Channeling that much raw energy of Death however has its price. Every time, starting with the second use of this ability within 24 hours, you Overchannel, you suffer from increased vulnerability to your mind afterwards. For 1 hour after using this ability, your will save is reduced by 3 points. THis Malus cannot reduce your Will Save total below +1.
Touch of Negativity Requires Intelligence of 18 or more, and the ability to cast 4th level necromancy Spells.
Whenever casting a Necromancy spell on a target with less HD than you, one of the follwoing 2 things happens:
1.: Spells that require a Save: The Target has to save twice against the Spell, and pass both saves to pass.
2.: Spells that do not allow a Save: You may isntinctively "attach" a second Necromancy Spell, that does not require a save either, to the first. Both Spells take effect seperately, but at the same time.
This expends both spells, and the increased effort makes it impossible to use this ability more often than every 3 turns.
True Lord of the Dead: Requires Level 12.
Choose either Mindless or Intelligent Undead.
If mindless are chosen, all Mindless undead you create (in addition to any other bonuses due to spells or Skills or whatever) gain +1 HP per Hitdie, and +2 natural Armor Class.
If Intelligent are chosen, the Number of Intelligent Undead you can control is increased by 33% (after applying all other numrerical bonuses).