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Eloel
2008-12-17, 11:47 AM
I have the concept, I have the level/type of build, yet I don't have the slightest idea what would be a good necromancer. The character basically will raise an undead army, and wreak havoc. What would be the best build?

RMS Oceanic
2008-12-17, 11:48 AM
Dread Necromancer 20 on one side (Heroes of Horror). It's pretty much designed for that.

Basic description: Warmage/Beguiler style casting, but for Necromancy. You slowly turn into a Lich.

kamikasei
2008-12-17, 11:49 AM
What books do you have access to?

I'm inclined to say Dread Necromancer//Sorcerer for Cha synergy and lots and lots of controlled undead, but the DN may get most good Sorcerer necromancy spells already. On the other hand, something like DN//Marshal might be good to let you grant bonuses to your undead horde.

Eloel
2008-12-17, 11:50 AM
I have access to all books, if I keep consistent. (No, I can't mix Eberron with FRealms)

Keld Denar
2008-12-17, 11:53 AM
Wizard20//Cleric20

Take Corpsecrafter and friends from LM, then Lord of Uttercold and raise an army of skeletons. Nuke them with Energy Sub [Cold] spells with Uttercold applied to heal them while hurting your enemies. Probably want to become Necropolitan (LM) yourself, to be able to heal yourself with negative energy. Get the Deathbound domain to increase the number of HD of undead you can control. Other domain is mutable, but Undeath is ok for Extra Turning, or something like Destruction is fun too.

Use Animate Dead to aquire your skeletons, and Rebuke Undead from cleric to aquire some incorporial lieutenants like Shadows or Alips. These will give you great joy.

Eloel
2008-12-17, 11:57 AM
Wizard20//Cleric20

Take Corpsecrafter and friends from LM, then Lord of Uttercold and raise an army of skeletons. Nuke them with Energy Sub [Cold] spells with Uttercold applied to heal them while hurting your enemies. Probably want to become Necropolitan (LM) yourself, to be able to heal yourself with negative energy. Get the Deathbound domain to increase the number of HD of undead you can control. Other domain is mutable, but Undeath is ok for Extra Turning, or something like Destruction is fun too.

Use Animate Dead to aquire your skeletons, and Rebuke Undead from cleric to aquire some incorporial lieutenants like Shadows or Alips. These will give you great joy.

That's kinda MAD though. Int for Wiz, Wis for Cleric, Cha for Rebuke Undead.
Only if there was some way to make Wiz Wis based...

kamikasei
2008-12-17, 11:57 AM
Wizard20//Cleric20

See, the reason I didn't suggest this is the MAD. However, it occurs to me that if you go DN//Cleric you can just keep Cha pumped, use DN for your spells, and use Cleric mostly for turning/rebuking (which your Cha will help with).

Duke of URL
2008-12-17, 12:02 PM
It may not be optimal, but I like Dread Necro 20 // Favored Soul 20 (or, more likely, DN 20 // FS 5 / full divine progression PrCs 15). Good CHA synergy and you have access to a pretty good sized spell list, including the divine spells really needed to make a quality necromancer, as well as self- and group-buffing. Generally weak on direct damage, but that's not going to be your gig anyway.

WIS doesn't need to be high, just 13 with a +6 WIS booster, so pump CHA for all it's worth.

Edit: Cleric is not a bad choice either (more flexible), but you already get Rebuke Undead from DN, so I like the FS better here. Unless you want to be able to turn and rebuke as a LN, TN, or CN character, but why?

mikeejimbo
2008-12-17, 12:09 PM
Wizard 20 // Archivist 20, maybe? I'm also almost inclined to ask if you can get True Necromancer in there somehow, but probably not, that would be Cheesy.

I've always wanted to play a Wizard // Archivist though. *sigh*.

Starscream
2008-12-17, 12:27 PM
Everyone's ideas seem very good, just thought I'd mention that Dragon Compendium has a class called Death Master which works with this concept. I personally don't like it as much as Dread Necromancer, but I felt it was worth mentioning because the spellcasting is intelligence based. So it would probably be easier on your ability scores to combine with Wizard than Cleric, Favored Soul, Dread Necromancer, etc.

Edit:
And like Dread Necro you get to become a lich at level 20, which is cool, as well as rebuke like an evil cleric.

Keld Denar
2008-12-17, 12:29 PM
Wizard 20 // Archivist 20, maybe? I'm also almost inclined to ask if you can get True Necromancer in there somehow, but probably not, that would be Cheesy.

I've always wanted to play a Wizard // Archivist though. *sigh*.

Problem with this is that you don't get turn/rebuke undead, which is a powerful feature of an undead controller. At level 6, you can have a permanent Shadow friend, and his Str damage is killer at that level. He can practically SOLO most encounters you'll face at level 6. Thats good.

As far as Wiz//Clr being MAD, I'd say its not so bad. Focus mostly on INT, since most of your DC spells will be there. Put all of your level up points in there. Then you'd only need a moderate wisdom (you don't need a TON of bonus spells, since you have a ton of wizard casting as well), and an OK cha. Str, Dex, and if Necropolitan, Con are all dump stats, so if you are using PB, you can leave them all at 8 or so. Craft +2 stat onto an item at some point to bring them up to 10 for only 2k gold each.

mabriss lethe
2008-12-17, 12:42 PM
Dread Necromancer20//Binder18?/Marshal 2?

Very undead army friendly.

Noneoyabizzness
2008-12-17, 12:57 PM
pretty much dread necro is your bread and butter.

going dread necro/sorc you gain great spells plus the choice of spells to fill in utility.

dread necro/bard-requiem feat (libmort)=bardic music boosts for your undead legions, lore, some extra utility spells, and either go sublime chord if you want to get to 9th level on that side, dirgesinger for more boosts to undead specifics, or countless other routes.

dread necro/beguiler-3 great schools at your disposal plus cloaked castign isnt class specific.

DN/marshal-similar to bard

dn/dragon shaman-some of it great, but touch of vitality seems counter-undead lord. however if you want to drain level or restore levels drained, it makes for an interestign "lord of life and death" schtick if you want some living refields doing your biddign too.

Human Paragon 3
2008-12-17, 01:34 PM
I would second Dread Necro/Favored Soul. You'll be completely charisma powered and the spellcasting abilities of the favored soul will plug any holes of the Dread Necro. There are plenty of great buffs on the cleric list, not to mention that the favored soul is a little more sturdy than the cleric.

Finally, the image of turning into a wingled lich flying abouve your undead horde is pretty awesome, even if it does come late.

Eloel
2008-12-17, 02:09 PM
Would anyone care to make a list of spells for a Favored Soul/Dread Necromancer?
I get an extra spell for Dread Necromancer for 2nd level, 4th level, 6th level, 8th level and 9th level spells.
I don't want any duplicates (Spells that appear on both lists) as I have enough spells/day on both sides due to nice Cha.

Deth Muncher
2008-12-17, 08:37 PM
Dread Necro 20//Incarnum Class X/Necrocarnate Y-X. Just...mmm-mmm good.

wadledo
2008-12-17, 09:25 PM
Dread Necro 20//Incarnum Class X/Necrocarnate Y-X. Just...mmm-mmm good.

DN 20//Incarnate 7/Necrocarnate 13
Has to be Incarnate 7.

Though you could switch around those last 3 levels.

This build is basically never having to anything but stand next to corpses for a round, put incarnum in your spells, and then unleash hell.

The (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=599129) two (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=759515) necromancy handbooks.

dspeyer
2008-12-18, 01:08 AM
Have you considered 4 levels in Paladin of Tyranny? CHA to all saves, aura of despair and d10 HD will help you survive early levels in you unpopular profession. And Rebuke undead is always useful. A 5th level gets you a mount, in case you want one.

Apart from that, probably put together spell lists for sorcerer and favored soul (carefully omitting what DN already has), and take the class with the better list. I suspect sorcerer may win that -- most of the good divine party-buffs are the same level arcane, and there's more utility and offense.