Rakshasa True Necromancer [peach]

[fireinthedust]

I'm in process of making a Rakshasa True Necromancer (libris Mortis). I want him to be big on creating minions rather than wading into combat. I'll post the link to thetangledweb sheet in a but (I want to finish some more) but I could use some advice on how to make him really useful for a campaign that's 10th level or so. Also... I think it'd just be fun to make a rakshasa True Necro!

CRwise he's about CR18, but I'm planning on having him spend spells and item slots on things that allow him more skeletons and creatures rather than directly buffing him for a final combat.

This is the initial character sheet; I'll change it due to suggestions (if any):
http://www.thetangledweb.net/addon.php?addon=Profiler&page=view_char&cid=5917

First character for a critique, so please help?


spell suggestions
item suggestions
minions I should focus on

[RandomFellow]

I'd strongly suggest switching to Ur-Priest (Complete Divine or Book of Vile Darkness) from Cleric.

Is this supposed to be a LBEG, BBEG or PC? For figuring out how he'll fit into a 10th level game that matters alot.

[brian c]

If it's about CR, then I assume he's a bad guy of some kind.

General advice, True Necromancer is a pretty weak class. Honestly, if you want a arcane/divine necromancer mix, you'd be better off taking Mystic Theurge.

Also, this should probably be in General RPG, not Homebrew.

[fireinthedust]

y'think so? Yeah, I guess (ie: it's d20, not my new made-up class). I'm just thinking that general is more "does this work", while this is a particular NPC (bbeg) I'm clunking out. I've been here for a while, so I know it's not the same as the atomicthinktank forums' rollcall section... but still! (where on this site would I put a rollcall of characters I'd crunched out? so they can be peach'd?)

Mystic Theurge: you think so? I figured this class has everything MT does, as that's just the mix of casting types. True Necro also has special abilities (aura of desicrate, create undead bonus, bonus to necromantic effects (both rebuke and casting, and I think creation of undead), and rebuke level stacking.

[fireinthedust]

Ur priest... complete Divine. Looks interesting. Why Ur priest?

[RandomFellow]

Ur priest... complete Divine. Looks interesting. Why Ur priest?

Because True Necromancer is really weak class mechanically. While Ur-Priest (combined with a double advancing class) is really strong mechanically due to it's quick spell level progression.

The same build as a Ur-Priest will have higher level divine spell access for the cost of 1 rebuking level. Usually a good trade off considering all of the ways you can boost Turning Level. However, you can't boost spell level access.

That said, if this BBEG for flavor reasons, needs to be a worshiper of divine entity X...you either need to 'adjust' the Ur-Priest flavor text in this one instance or stick with cleric.

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For Minions, assuming the goal is 'World/Nation/etc Domination'...you can never go wrong with the Spectre and/or Wight army. Just Command (via Rebuking) one guy...feed him some human commoners and order the Spawn to follow your orders. Bam. Unleash said horde on villages, etc to grow army. Keep the 'key' undead in safe place (stronghold, fortress, etc.).

Gives the PCs a place to go after to cause you to lose control of your undead army...no overlord spawn and you lose control of the army.

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For Items:
- Scepter of the Netherworld (LM)
- Talisman of Undead Mastery (MIC)
- Lyre of the Restful Soul (LM) - Note: Requires DC 15 Perform Check
- Phylactery Of Undead Turning (SRD)
- Rod of Undead Mastery (LM)
- Rod of Defiance (LM)

-8 Turn Resistance, +11 Turning Level (once/day otherwise it's +7)

7 (with Ur-Priest) + 11 + 16 (-8 TR is equivalent to dropping an undead's HD by 8) = can control anything with 17 HD or less. Atropal Scion (LM) is a great way to start that Wight Army. Just teleport into the middle of a village and have it walk around...bam. Instant Wights under your control.
8 (with Cleric) + 11 + 16 = Same.

[fireinthedust]

Because True Necromancer is really weak class mechanically. While Ur-Priest (combined with a double advancing class) is really strong mechanically due to it's quick spell level progression.

oooooh, I get what you're saying. I was thinking "this guy is nuts", but the higher-level spell prog with the double-spellcasting PrC is good.
However, I'd just as soon replace Cleric levels with Ur-priest levels. That way I get the 5 levels of true necromancer AND the spellcasting of Ur priest.

True Necro isn't so bad, then, as I'd get ridiculously fast advancement plus the sorc. levels, and stack them both. the loss, though, is the domain spells and abilities, which I'd lose with Ur priest. tru nec does mystic theurge better, and I need the death domain for it. Hmmm....

time to thinkthinkthink...

[RandomFellow]

oooooh, I get what you're saying. I was thinking "this guy is nuts", but the higher-level spell prog with the double-spellcasting PrC is good.
However, I'd just as soon replace Cleric levels with Ur-priest levels. That way I get the 5 levels of true necromancer AND the spellcasting of Ur priest.

True Necro isn't so bad, then, as I'd get ridiculously fast advancement plus the sorc. levels, and stack them both. the loss, though, is the domain spells and abilities, which I'd lose with Ur priest. tru nec does mystic theurge better, and I need the death domain for it. Hmmm....

time to thinkthinkthink...
I dunno about you...but sometimes I'll wave a fluffish requirement (e.g. Death Domain) for a BBEG to 'work'. Sort of like I wave alignment restrictions for most classes. =)

But ya, I tend to mix up what I do and RAW. Sorry about that. As A MT, it still sorta works but you lose those 5 Rebuking Levels.

[brian c]

y'think so? Yeah, I guess (ie: it's d20, not my new made-up class). I'm just thinking that general is more "does this work", while this is a particular NPC (bbeg) I'm clunking out. I've been here for a while, so I know it's not the same as the atomicthinktank forums' rollcall section... but still! (where on this site would I put a rollcall of characters I'd crunched out? so they can be peach'd?)

Mystic Theurge: you think so? I figured this class has everything MT does, as that's just the mix of casting types. True Necro also has special abilities (aura of desicrate, create undead bonus, bonus to necromantic effects (both rebuke and casting, and I think creation of undead), and rebuke level stacking.

Well, the advantage of Mystic Theurge is that it gets full casting for both progressions, whereas True Necro loses a caster level for both. It depends how many levels you'd be taking in it; the more you take, the less of an issue it is.