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View Full Version : Which Way Should I Take My Necromancer?



Geesuv
2007-09-29, 08:57 AM
I recently started playing in an evil themed D&D campaign.
So when I had to come up with my evil character I decided to go for a necromancer type character. But I've been feeling some indecision as to how to take my character forward and I was hoping to get some advice.
I'm currently looking at a 2nd level Necromancer Wizard/2nd level Cleric of Nerull and I've been thinking about going for either the Mystic Theurge or the True Necromancer.
Which direction do you guys think would be the best choice? (or y'know, if there is any other options)
Thanks a lot :smallsmile:

Kurald Galain
2007-09-29, 09:00 AM
Depends on the power level, really. Mystic Theurges are fun, but seriously underpowered, so if the rest of the group is strong you may want to reconsider doing a wizard/cleric hybrid.

Master Specialist is always an option for wizards, and there are plenty of evil/demonic prestige classes for them.

bugsysservant
2007-09-29, 09:10 AM
Do you have Heroes of Horror? I always found the dread necromancer to be much more "necromancery" than the wizard specialist.

Dausuul
2007-09-29, 09:15 AM
I recently started playing in an evil themed D&D campaign.
So when I had to come up with my evil character I decided to go for a necromancer type character. But I've been feeling some indecision as to how to take my character forward and I was hoping to get some advice.
I'm currently looking at a 2nd level Necromancer Wizard/2nd level Cleric of Nerull and I've been thinking about going for either the Mystic Theurge or the True Necromancer.
Which direction do you guys think would be the best choice? (or y'know, if there is any other options)
Thanks a lot :smallsmile:

Well, if you want to be a classic necromancer with hordes of undead minions, the Dread Necromancer from Heroes of Horror is the way to go. You get a sorceror's spells per day, but your spells known consist of pretty much all the necromancy spells (and a few from other schools); plus you get hefty bonuses when animating skeletons and zombies, and a bunch of nice class features.

However, bear in mind that a dread necro is not a utility caster by any stretch of the imagination; you'll want another arcanist in the party to cover that angle, or at least a rogue with maxed-out Use Magic Device. Your role is to debuff the hell out of anything you fight; and, later on, to provide a front line of skeletons and zombies to help out your melee types. (Handy tip: Instead of controlling all your minions directly, hand them out to your fellow PCs and let their players run them. That way your combat turns won't take five times as long as everyone else's, and you'll be a lot more popular in the party.)

If you aren't so much interested in the undead hordes and want a little more utility, a straight-up wizard specializing in necromancy might be a good idea. Feel free to PrC after you hit 5th level, of course; just remember the First Law of Wizard PrCs, to wit, "Thou shalt not give up caster levels."

An evil cleric is also a definite possibility. Clerics aren't as good at undead-raising as the dread necro, but they do a tolerable job, and they can fight in the front lines and use clerical magic as well. If you want to be a dark knight who strides into battle with his evil minions around him, cleric is the way to go. Just be sure to prep some regular healing spells, since you can't convert to cure the way a good-aligned cleric can.

I recommend against mystic theurge and true necromancer. They're just not good enough at what they do.

JackMage666
2007-09-29, 01:15 PM
Also remember, that Clerics get Animate Dead as a Level 3 spell, while Wizards get it as a Level 4. That's a whole 2 levels earlier, which can be a nice boost. I fact, if you went full Cleric, you'd get to start raisin' skellies next level!

Corpsecrafter feats in Libris Mortis help the minions survive, while Fell Animate, a metamagic feat, automatically raises creatures killed by affected damaging spells - at no cost other than spell level for the day, which is good for a hard up Necro (keep in mind, it's something like Spell Level +3 or +4, though, not sure).

brian c
2007-09-29, 01:55 PM
If you just want to do necromancy, i'll reiterate that Dread Necro is a great choice. However, necromancer wizard can be very good, and if you go that route you should do Master Specialist.

However, it sounds like you are already Wiz 2/Clr 2 ? From what I've heard, True Necro isn't that great of a class considering what you give up, and iirc it doesn't get caster progression every level so that sucks about it. Mystic Theurge would be better, but might not be as good as straight Cleric or Wizard.

wormwood
2007-10-22, 09:48 AM
I currently have a clr 3/wiz 3/true necro 9. Don't bother. I've regretted the choice for about 5 levels now. The loss of 2 spell levels, the need for Wis and Int for DC, and the lackluster abilities of the True Necro are just too much.

Go with the Dread Necromancer or a straight wiz or cleric.

Keld Denar
2007-10-22, 10:13 AM
Wizard Necromancers tend toward the "wave fingers, you die" type rather than the "hordes of undead devouring flesh" type. They just lack the ability to control most of the stuff they animate past the 2x caster level cap. There is a build using the Lord of Uttercold metamagic feat to do some cheesy things with Wall of Fire though.

Cleric Necromancers do tend more toward the hordy type. Take the Tomb-Tainted Soul feat (I think from Libris Mortis: The Book of Bad Latin) and you are healed by negative energy. Then, since you channel negative energy you can spontaniously convert spells into inflict spells, which heal you AND your minions. Take the Deathbound domain and you increase your horde to 3x your caster level instead of 2, and the Desecrate spell makes it 4x. Straight cleric all the way would probably be best, so you don't lose rebuking level. As far as I know, there arn't any good prclasses that have full casting and advance rebuking level.

Plus, clerics get rebuke undead, and there are some pretty sweet low HD undead that are pretty beastly to command (I'm lookin at you incorporials!) Having your own personal shadow(vanillia or greater), alip, wraith, or specter body guard is pretty useful. The only limit is that you are capped out by 1/2 your rebuking level. There are some items that increase your turning level, and maybe you can get your DM to say they affect rebuking level too. The foremost is a rod from Libris Mortis that gives +4, but I forget the name.

PLUS! You get rebuke undead, which you can fuel into divine metamagic. Having a persisted fel animating consumptive field up turns you into a walking zombie factory. Anything dropped to 0 or less hp around you is automatically killed and raised as a zombie AND you get a caster level crack from it. Even your friends! If you do this, prepare to have your DM throw books at you. Lots of books, and maybe a can of soda and a plate of stinky cheese.

Otherwise go with Dread Necro, but if you do, again, take Tomb-Tainted. Your negative energy touch attack will always heal you and your minions up to full between combats, and the burst is an ok bit of damage that heals you and your minions as well.

In closing, one other matter.....BRAINS!!!!!!

jameswilliamogle
2007-10-22, 10:14 AM
I'd go w/ straight wizard, cleric, or dread necromancer, not mixing them between each other. True Necromancer sucketh, as does Mystic Theurge. There's plenty of options available, though: Pale Master is very flavorful, and good for an arcanist. There's Master of Shrouds for divine. Lots of others, too.

http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=759515
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=599129

edit: Its also very possible to get a little necro flavor from both a Binder and an Incarnate, if you are interested.