Minionmancy in all its glory... and all its horror's

[tepes]

I have always been drawn to the concept of minionmancers in D&D, I just think they're neat. but recently I have become somewhat bored re-reading the same ideas on every single thread "thrall heard this, diplomancer that" and of course the good old "which class is REALLY the best necromancer". so I come to you of the play ground in my time of need... I wish to learn all there is in this expansive art craft. and I mean ALL OF IT, the good the bad the beautiful and the ugly, I mean the most obscure sh*t there is. Be it summoning, animating, crafting, creating, or companions of any sort. from anything ranging from spell to power to feat to class ability. As permanent or fleeting and as numerus or singular as they may be. From any source that has anything so much as resembling a Wizards Of The Coast logo on it be it Forgotten Realms, Eberon, Dragonlance, Ravenloft, Kingdoms of Kalamar, Magazine, Web-article or ANYTHING ELSE with so much as an ounce of legitimacy as an official source. and if such a list already exists I would very much like to see it. and if not then let it start here.

I shall admit my knowledge of this esoteric art is likely novice at best and laymen at worst but here are the most obscure sorts I know

1. create crawling claw - spell - monster compendium
2. call undead 1-9 - spell - Age of Mortals
3. techsmith - PrC - Faiths and Pantheons
4. call lemur/dretch horde - spell - Book of Vile Darkness
5. Nightstalker - base class - Races of Ansalon
6. leadership (and all its subsequent feats) - feat - players handbook
7. vile rebellion - spell - DM #300
8. searing seed (some potential for resurrection abuse) - spell - DM #300

I will add any others that I remember as I'm sure I am forgetting many, it is getting late and I work early tomorrow, So i shall leave the rest to you all.

[redking]

Take anything you see on this forum with a grain of salt, especially stuff like leadership stacking. Anyway, for legit and explicit rules as intended AND written, you need look no further than Animate Dread Warrior. There is an XP cost, but this cost is explicitly evaded by using spellstiched undead to cast the spell. And in this case, it's an NPC, the Zulkir Szass Tam, doing it (written in the flavour text of the spell).

[Anthrowhale]

I find minionmancy a bit iffy since it tends to limit stealth and bogs down the game.

Nevertheless, there is quite a bit you can do with Halaster's Fetch, Polymorph Any Object, and Necrotic Tumor. Looking at the Summoner's desk reference (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?255219-The-Summoner-s-Desk-Reference-D-amp-D-3-5) you could Fetch an Artaaglith, Necrotic Tumor them, and then Polymorph Any Object into a Kelvezu. They have decent stealth, flight, and damage via poison and sneak attack. Give each one a couple poison rings (from Dragon Compendium) so they hit with a touch attack. Repeat 100 times to get a cheap but fairly dangerous small army even vs CR 20 monsters.

A higher investment approach is via Ice Assassin. If you use Uncanny Forethought to reduce the casting time and Dweomerkeeper's Supernatural Spell to evade the component costs you can duplicate pretty much anything.

[Fero]

My notes on minionomancy include the following forms:

1. Summoning: Summon Marked Homonculous (lasts hours), and Regal Procession (a large number of horses).
2. Calling Spells: BoVD and BoED both have extreme duration calling spells that you can use to build small armies of outsiders. See also fiendbinder. Someone even wrote a guide on calling (but likely not controling) the Elder Evils. https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?258840-Binding-Elder-Evils-A-miniguide.
3. Undead: draft Handbook at https://docs.google.com/document/d/15L-v7lxuRhzEw0Jfwj_Si9D6M7iHZuxq_ddm_j5-aZg/edit?usp=drivesdk (very much still WIP and need to include citations. Please do not share until done.).
4. Ectomancy: Ghostwalk has rules for creating and manipulating ghosts.
5. Constructs. See .https://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=18109.0
6. Effigies. See Effigy Master CA.
7. Animate Objects + Permanancy (super fun if your DM lets you use the animated objects outside combat).
8. Minor Servitor (Savage Species)
9. Minor figurines (DMG & Sandstorm)
10. Origamimancy: Paper of Folding (OA) lets you make animated origami animals.
11. Phantom Guardians & Shadow Guardians give you a squad of Illusory warriors.
12. Simulacrum
13. Charm Monster lasts day/ level
14. Domination/Thralls.
15. Leadership
16. Trap foes in bottles with Smoky Confinment or as tiny statues (Flesh to Stone plus Shrink Object). Throw bottle/statue into an unrelated fight and then somehow end the effect.
17. Rebuking. Catalogues of Enlightenment lets you access various forms of Rebuking including various elemental types, lizards, and spiders. The spiders are particularly cool due to another feat (can't remember name) that lets you exclude vermin from your spells. I think you can also rebuke oozes to use in conjunction with the Engulfing Terror spell (creates gellatinous cubes). Dragon Compendium has bloodline feats that can extend Rebuking to mind flyers. Certain outsiders, and faeries.
18. On a related note, there is a PRC that lets you create and control living spells.
19. Limbomancy: there is a special material from PlH that lets you create objects from raw Limbo stuff, including creatures fine size or less.
20. Faerie Circle is like Planar Binding, but for Fae instead of outsiders. Use with Dragon Compendium Rebuking for loyal Fae allies.
21. Leadership
22. Wild Cohort feat mimics an animal companion.
22.Zhenthrirm Sky Mage gives you a flying mount.
23. Bonded Summoner gives you a powerful elemental that you can do some cool things with.

I will try to add book references and anything else I can think of a bit later.

[Bonzai]

If going for the Necromancy route, check out the spell Haunt Shift. A very underutilized and under appreciated spell from Liber Mortis. It solves the whole issue of stealth and transportation for undead minions. Essentially it turns undead into a haunting presence that can be physically bound to an item of your choice. Several times a day they can manifest physically. So if you control them, then you can command them to manifest, and presto... instant army. You don't even have to control them. Bind a bunch of undead into a coin or rock, store it in an extra dimensional storage space, and just pull it out and chuck it at your target. Undead grenade!

[tepes]

My notes on minionomancy include the following forms:

1. Summoning: Summon Marked Homonculous (lasts hours), and Regal Procession (a large number of horses).
2. Calling Spells: BoVD and BoED both have extreme duration calling spells that you can use to build small armies of outsiders. See also fiendbinder. Someone even wrote a guide on calling (but likely not controling) the Elder Evils. https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?258840-Binding-Elder-Evils-A-miniguide.
3. Undead: draft Handbook at https://docs.google.com/document/d/15L-v7lxuRhzEw0Jfwj_Si9D6M7iHZuxq_ddm_j5-aZg/edit?usp=drivesdk (very much still WIP and need to include citations. Please do not share until done.).
4. Ectomancy: Ghostwalk has rules for creating and manipulating ghosts.
5. Constructs. See .https://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=18109.0
6. Effigies. See Effigy Master CA.
7. Animate Objects + Permanancy (super fun if your DM lets you use the animated objects outside combat).
8. Minor Servitor (Savage Species)
9. Minor figurines (DMG & Sandstorm)
10. Origamimancy: Paper of Folding (OA) lets you make animated origami animals.
11. Phantom Guardians & Shadow Guardians give you a squad of Illusory warriors.
12. Simulacrum
13. Charm Monster lasts day/ level
14. Domination/Thralls.
15. Leadership
16. Trap foes in bottles with Smoky Confinment or as tiny statues (Flesh to Stone plus Shrink Object). Throw bottle/statue into an unrelated fight and then somehow end the effect.
17. Rebuking. Catalogues of Enlightenment lets you access various forms of Rebuking including various elemental types, lizards, and spiders. The spiders are particularly cool due to another feat (can't remember name) that lets you exclude vermin from your spells. I think you can also rebuke oozes to use in conjunction with the Engulfing Terror spell (creates gellatinous cubes). Dragon Compendium has bloodline feats that can extend Rebuking to mind flyers. Certain outsiders, and faeries.
18. On a related note, there is a PRC that lets you create and control living spells.
19. Limbomancy: there is a special material from PlH that lets you create objects from raw Limbo stuff, including creatures fine size or less.
20. Faerie Circle is like Planar Binding, but for Fae instead of outsiders. Use with Dragon Compendium Rebuking for loyal Fae allies.
21. Leadership
22. Wild Cohort feat mimics an animal companion.
22.Zhenthrirm Sky Mage gives you a flying mount.
23. Bonded Summoner gives you a powerful elemental that you can do some cool things with.

I will try to add book references and anything else I can think of a bit later.

Now this is what I'm talking about, there's a few in there I haven't heard of, origamimancy and limbomancy look like they could be neet.

[tepes]

If going for the Necromancy route, check out the spell Haunt Shift. A very underutilized and under appreciated spell from Liber Mortis. It solves the whole issue of stealth and transportation for undead minions. Essentially it turns undead into a haunting presence that can be physically bound to an item of your choice. Several times a day they can manifest physically. So if you control them, then you can command them to manifest, and presto... instant army. You don't even have to control them. Bind a bunch of undead into a coin or rock, store it in an extra dimensional storage space, and just pull it out and chuck it at your target. Undead grenade!

knew about haunt shift already, but all the discussions id seen were more centered on turning mid level minions into sudo-warforged titans. never even thought about an undead grenade could be wicked with something like shadows or Wight's. something like a instant flanking -20 levels to the face could be funny to watch.

[Tohron]

Shadowcraft Mage can use Shadow Illusion to convert Heightened Silent Images into Summon Monster effects. My "Persistent Shadowsummoner" build (https://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=19953.0) combines a whole bunch of abilities to be able to deploy over 140,000 summons at once, many of them with multi-day durations. Obviously not intended for actual play.

[Gruftzwerg]

Have a look at my BORG Queen (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?643998)

With a combination of the "symbiotic template" (savage species) & some invocations, you can build up a BORG army and assimilate any ability into your collective. Break the game by turning everything into BORG.
Features epic spell lvl before getting into epic lvls thx due to hivemind. Very OP and shouldn't be played unless you wanna unleash an unstoppable force into the 3.5 multiverse. ;)



Another super minion is the "Ghostly Visage" symbiont which a Dread Necromancer can get as familiar (@lvl7).
It can meld into creatures to either buff em (if the target is friendly) or "wrestle for control" if an "interest conflict occurs". The icing is that this doesn't count as "mindaffecting" ability and that the DC scales with the master's HD for a familiar. If you want to see a full build around this, have a look at my Sakon & Ukon build (see signature). "Meld" into your enemies and either take control over em or just grow your body parts out of his body to beat him up. While more on the playable side compared to the BORG Queen, still a very strong build that should be taken with care (talk to your DM before taking any of these pls..^^)

[tepes]

Have a look at my BORG Queen (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?643998)

With a combination of the "symbiotic template" (savage species) & some invocations, you can build up a BORG army and assimilate any ability into your collective. Break the game by turning everything into BORG.
Features epic spell lvl before getting into epic lvls thx due to hivemind. Very OP and shouldn't be played unless you wanna unleash an unstoppable force into the 3.5 multiverse. ;)

Damn, that just plain disgusting... I LOVE IT:belkar:

[Gruftzwerg]

Damn, that just plain disgusting... I LOVE IT:belkar:

I'm glad if you enjoyed it.^^
But sadly "unplayable" due to gamebreaking powerscale..

[Zombulian]

Not huge but worth mentioning that a Spell to Power Erudite that learns Animate Dead can create undead for free if they spend an extra two pp. Also since Death Masters are arcane casters a StP Erudite can learn Animate Dead as a 2nd level power.

[Zarvistic]

Using the Sentinel paladin variant and the Extra divine power feat, you can summon 3 celestial fleshrakers that scale with you paladin level. Could add Stalwart planar ally to this. Or Golden cup sub levels + allied defense to give them huge AC also. I think it's pretty cool cause it can be a full paladin build.

[Zombulian]

My notes on minionomancy include the following forms:

1. Summoning: Summon Marked Homonculous (lasts hours), and Regal Procession (a large number of horses).
2. Calling Spells: BoVD and BoED both have extreme duration calling spells that you can use to build small armies of outsiders. See also fiendbinder. Someone even wrote a guide on calling (but likely not controling) the Elder Evils. https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?258840-Binding-Elder-Evils-A-miniguide.
3. Undead: draft Handbook at https://docs.google.com/document/d/15L-v7lxuRhzEw0Jfwj_Si9D6M7iHZuxq_ddm_j5-aZg/edit?usp=drivesdk (very much still WIP and need to include citations. Please do not share until done.).
4. Ectomancy: Ghostwalk has rules for creating and manipulating ghosts.
5. Constructs. See .https://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=18109.0
6. Effigies. See Effigy Master CA.
7. Animate Objects + Permanancy (super fun if your DM lets you use the animated objects outside combat).
8. Minor Servitor (Savage Species)
9. Minor figurines (DMG & Sandstorm)
10. Origamimancy: Paper of Folding (OA) lets you make animated origami animals.
11. Phantom Guardians & Shadow Guardians give you a squad of Illusory warriors.
12. Simulacrum
13. Charm Monster lasts day/ level
14. Domination/Thralls.
15. Leadership
16. Trap foes in bottles with Smoky Confinment or as tiny statues (Flesh to Stone plus Shrink Object). Throw bottle/statue into an unrelated fight and then somehow end the effect.
17. Rebuking. Catalogues of Enlightenment lets you access various forms of Rebuking including various elemental types, lizards, and spiders. The spiders are particularly cool due to another feat (can't remember name) that lets you exclude vermin from your spells. I think you can also rebuke oozes to use in conjunction with the Engulfing Terror spell (creates gellatinous cubes). Dragon Compendium has bloodline feats that can extend Rebuking to mind flyers. Certain outsiders, and faeries.
18. On a related note, there is a PRC that lets you create and control living spells.
19. Limbomancy: there is a special material from PlH that lets you create objects from raw Limbo stuff, including creatures fine size or less.
20. Faerie Circle is like Planar Binding, but for Fae instead of outsiders. Use with Dragon Compendium Rebuking for loyal Fae allies.
21. Leadership
22. Wild Cohort feat mimics an animal companion.
22.Zhenthrirm Sky Mage gives you a flying mount.
23. Bonded Summoner gives you a powerful elemental that you can do some cool things with.

I will try to add book references and anything else I can think of a bit later.

Does each additional ability to rebuke creatures give you another command pool? If so, domain power stacking may be one of the easiest ways to gather an army aside from Leadership/Thrallherd abuse.

[Fero]

Does each additional ability to rebuke creatures give you another command pool? If so, domain power stacking may be one of the easiest ways to gather an army aside from Leadership/Thrallherd abuse.

I think RAW each type of rebuke gives a seperate pool but the rules are murkey enough that your DM could go the other way. That said, I don't think it is the path towards an army. Rebuking is great for controlling creatures with powerful abilities etc. (Planar Binding to call an efrit and then rebuke it with fire domain etc.) However, to build a full army undead are a better route. A mid level wizard can control 100s+ HD of undead gairly easily. Even better, methods to command minions who have their own minions can be absurdly good. This includes spawn shenanigans and dominating the king.