Permeant Minions Build

[Nagog]

So I've been theorizing about a "Necromancer" type build that utilizes as many permeant minions as possible, and I'm finding that most options that provide permeant minions don't lean into Necromancy much at all. Thus far, the build is Echo Knight 3, Battle Master 3, V.Human for either Ritual Caster (Wizard) or Magic Initiate (Wizard) for Find Familiar. With all of these combined, there are 4 permeant minions active at any given moment: a Steel Defender, a Homunculus Servant, a Manifested Echo, and a Familiar. This can be increased again with 3 levels into Beast Master, but considering the limited nature of the Beast Master without continued investment in the class, I think these two combined is enough. What applications would this build be capable of? What class should further levels be invested in?

[Fynzmirs]

So I've been theorizing about a "Necromancer" type build that utilizes as many permeant minions as possible, and I'm finding that most options that provide permeant minions don't lean into Necromancy much at all. Thus far, the build is Echo Knight 3, Battle Master 3, V.Human for either Ritual Caster (Wizard) or Magic Initiate (Wizard) for Find Familiar. With all of these combined, there are 4 permeant minions active at any given moment: a Steel Defender, a Homunculus Servant, a Manifested Echo, and a Familiar. This can be increased again with 3 levels into Beast Master, but considering the limited nature of the Beast Master without continued investment in the class, I think these two combined is enough. What applications would this build be capable of? What class should further levels be invested in?

Do you not count Animate Dead zombies/skeletons as permanent? For as long as you are pumping your spell slots into them they are going to remain loyal and even after that they are still feral undead (so can be utilized if you go about it the right way).

Find familiar is much more useful for a Chainlock if you have levels to spare (especially with the new invocations).

Create homunculus isn't technically necromancy but it works amazingly on a necromancer wizard.

[RogueJK]

You'd need 6 total levels of Battle Smith Artificer to get a Homunculus Servant through the Artificer Infusion. (I'm assuming you meant Battle Smith, since Battle Master is a Fighter Subclass, and you can't take two different Fighter subclasses.)

Or you can also get a Homunculus through the 6th level Wizard spell Create Homunculus.

A Level 14+ Necromancer Wizard can get a permanent Undead minion through their Command Undead feature. That would also remove the need to spend a feat to get Find Familiar, or to take 6 Artificer levels to get a Homunculus. (Doesn't come online until late, though.)


So you could be a Echo Knight/Battle Smith with Magic Initiate/Ritual Caster feat, and have four permanent minions by 9th level, but be a MAD character with a smattering of middling abilities, and have to spend a feat. Or you could be a straight classed Necromancer, using Find Familiar starting at 1st, Animate Dead starting at 5th, Create Undead and Create Homunculus starting at 11th, and the Command Undead ability starting at 14th, plus be SAD, have some boosts to your minion's abilities, and have full Wizard spellcasting progression to boot.

[MaxWilson]

So I've been theorizing about a "Necromancer" type build that utilizes as many permeant minions as possible, and I'm finding that most options that provide permeant minions don't lean into Necromancy much at all. Thus far, the build is Echo Knight 3, Battle Master 3, V.Human for either Ritual Caster (Wizard) or Magic Initiate (Wizard) for Find Familiar. With all of these combined, there are 4 permeant minions active at any given moment: a Steel Defender, a Homunculus Servant, a Manifested Echo, and a Familiar. This can be increased again with 3 levels into Beast Master, but considering the limited nature of the Beast Master without continued investment in the class, I think these two combined is enough. What applications would this build be capable of? What class should further levels be invested in?

Diviner 17 with Wish, Planar Binding, and True Polymorph. Make minions (Summon Greater Demon VIII: Glabrezu, or Armanites for magic weapons, or conjure elementals if you don't want demons) and then Wish (Planar Binding VIII) them with Portent, or True Polymorph trees into Young Adult Silver Dragons.

Wish (Find Greater Steed: Pegasus) while you're at it.

[Rentirith]

Using Wish to cast Create Magen on a necromancer wizard is really good as well; the minions themselves aren't anything to write home about really, but after a week or two you can have a little squadron of constructs that will follow your orders forever with no cost, some who can wield weapons and armor, throw lightning, or read minds. Create the first magic chemical battery and hook up the galvanic magen or whatever they are called, and you have infinite energy to power something else.

[MaxWilson]

Using Wish to cast Create Magen on a necromancer wizard is really good as well; the minions themselves aren't anything to write home about really, but after a week or two you can have a little squadron of constructs that will follow your orders forever with no cost, some who can wield weapons and armor, throw lightning, or read minds. Create the first magic chemical battery and hook up the galvanic magen or whatever they are called, and you have infinite energy to power something else.

Oh wow, that's neat! Inured To Undeath just went from a "meh" to a "wow!"

I wouldn't wait for Wish though, I'd start immediately as soon as I got 7th level slots, and make at least 3000 gp worth of magens immediately.

[Greywander]

A 2nd level artificer can get the infusion for the Pot of Awakening. It takes 30 days to awaken one shrub, and, uh, the stats aren't great, but it is a permanent minion.

Or you could just pay hirelings. That works too.

Any kind of minion is going to benefit greatly if the DM allows them to take sidekick levels, so that's another option to explore.

Necromancers also get a special shoutout for their 14th level feature, Command Undead. This allows you to seize control of an undead, making it a permanent minion. If their INT is 12 or higher, though, they get to repeat the save every hour to break free, so you're mostly restricted to creatures with less than 12 INT (though in a pinch you can use it on a creature with more than 12 INT and gain control of them for at least an hour, which is definitely long enough to command it to kill itself). Some standout undead with less than 12 INT are: mummy lords, nightwalkers, and ancient white dracoliches.

[MaxWilson]

Some standout undead with less than 12 INT are: mummy lords, nightwalkers, and ancient white dracoliches.

And to a lesser extent Sword Wraith Commanders, Zombie Beholders, Bodaks, Vampire Spawns, and Ghosts.