Dread Necro

[Jonrea]

So, having obtained Heroes of Horror for $.01 (plus shipping), I must say that the Dread Necromancer looks fun. Looking for some advice. Here's what I have so far (level 6):

Human
Cha -> Dex -> Con -> Str -> Int -> Wis
Concentrate -> Intimidate -> Disguise -> ... -> Knowledge (Religion) 5 ranks

Feats:
1. Tomb-tainted soul (obviously)
B. Spell Focus (Necromancy)
3. Gr. Spell Focus (Necromancy)
6. Versatile Spellcaster/Extraordinary Spell Aim/Corpsecrafter
Obviously I'm confused about where to go at this point.

Advanced Learning:
Kelgore's Grave Mist/Rigor Mortis
I don't want to cheese out too much with that 3d6 no save Dex damage spell from Frostburn, and these looked good.

Martial Proficiency: Guisarme
I figure I could use the reach and/or tripping if need be, and if it becomes close quarters then fear aura and charnel touch.

Imp familiar.

Items:
Mast. Guisarme
Cloak of Cha +2
Mithral Breastplate (+1?)
Type I Bag of Holding (for undead, most likely)
Un/Holy Symbol
Basic supplies

This leaves about 1000gp for some black onyx.

The party is evil, so no worries there. Any suggestions on how to play and/or character design?

[Solo]

Go forth my undead minions! Save the orphans!

[Leon]

Ty, you've helped me even before i asked my question

sorry i cant add any help

[Dausuul]

So, having obtained Heroes of Horror for $.01 (plus shipping), I must say that the Dread Necromancer looks fun. Looking for some advice. Here's what I have so far (level 6):

Human
Cha -> Dex -> Con -> Str -> Int -> Wis
Concentrate -> Intimidate -> Disguise -> ... -> Knowledge (Religion) 5 ranks

Feats:
1. Tomb-tainted soul (obviously)
B. Spell Focus (Necromancy)
3. Gr. Spell Focus (Necromancy)
6. Versatile Spellcaster/Extraordinary Spell Aim/Corpsecrafter
Obviously I'm confused about where to go at this point.

Advanced Learning:
Kelgore's Grave Mist/Rigor Mortis
I don't want to cheese out too much with that 3d6 no save Dex damage spell from Frostburn, and these looked good.

Martial Proficiency: Guisarme
I figure I could use the reach and/or tripping if need be, and if it becomes close quarters then fear aura and charnel touch.

Imp familiar.

Items:
Mast. Guisarme
Cloak of Cha +2
Mithral Breastplate (+1?)
Type I Bag of Holding (for undead, most likely)
Un/Holy Symbol
Basic supplies

This leaves about 1000gp for some black onyx.

The party is evil, so no worries there. Any suggestions on how to play and/or character design?

Let me see...

Corpsecrafter is not as good for you as it would be for an evil cleric or wizard, mostly because the Strength and Dexterity bonuses don't stack with the bonuses you get just for being a dread necro. However, the hit point bonus does stack, which might make it worth it anyway.

I strongly recommend the Undead Lieutenant spell from the Spell Compendium for one of your advanced learnings. Combine that with a ghost visage familiar, and you can offload to your familiar the task of directing your minions; that way you don't have to waste a standard action when you want to change what your skeletons and zombies are doing.

Allow the other players to control some of your undead minions in battle (even if you're the one giving them orders). That way they won't get annoyed with you for taking up way too much time in combat.

I don't know that I'd bother with the mithral breastplate. A +1 chain shirt is almost as good and 3K cheaper. It's not really worth making a big effort to pump up your AC. That's what you have (or will have) minions and damage reduction for.

Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration are good ideas going into the mid-levels, since you don't have Assay Spell Resistance to help you out.

See if you can get the other PCs to pick up Tomb-Tainted Soul as well. Point out that this will enable you to heal up the entire party, for free, after every battle; plus you can use spells like mass inflict light wounds when you get to higher levels, and heal your friends at the same time you blast your foes.

[kemmotar]

Silly question...what book is dread necromancer in?

[Dausuul]

Silly question...what book is dread necromancer in?

Heroes of Horror.

[brian c]

Since the Dread Necro already gets almost the exact same bonuses as the Corpsecrafter feat would give you, and they don't stack, ask your DM if you can use that as a virtual feat. That is, you can take other feats as if you had Corpsecrafter as a pre-req, but you don't need to spend a feat on it.

Other than that, what you have looks good. If you can get permission from the above from your DM, definitely go for Destructive Retribution, undead explode in negative energy when they die (which means they heal each other and you). Or you could do some metamagic.

[kemmotar]

An interesting choice for you would be the fiendish familiar symbiont from fiend folio...even more so if you're playing an evil party.It's free anyway...

[Maerok]

You can get the same bonus hp/HD from the Deadwalker's Ring in Complete Mage, I wouldn't recommend burning a feat (I am an absolute feat junky) on Corpsecrafter with a Dread. I've been working on creating an awesome arcane necromancer build (either Dread Necro 20, or Necromancer 10/Master Specialist 10) and it don't seem worth it in the end to use Corpsecrafter with the Dread. However, beg/bribe/stab your DM until he/she lets you use this instead. You get all that you'd get from the entire Corpsecrafter family tree, but more.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

As mentioned before, the dread necro doesn't benefit from Corpsecrafter as say, a wizard or cleric, but it is the only segway into some of the feats that require Corpsecrafter, like my favorites: Deathly Chill and Destruction Retribution.

[Xefas]

Let me see...
Allow the other players to control some of your undead minions in battle (even if you're the one giving them orders). That way they won't get annoyed with you for taking up way too much time in combat.

I can't recommend this enough if you're planning on having a sizeable amount of minions. I had a Dread Necro in the last game I GMed, who spent all of his feat slots on Corpsecrafter feats. After only a couple of sessions, his turns were taking about 8 times as long as everyone elses', and that wasn't even when he started using Summon Undead. It got boring for everyone else pretty quickly.

Also, on the subject of Summon Undead, Allips are all bastards.

[kemmotar]

The bad thing about playing the minion master is that all the other players will hate you...its bad enough playing two characters with leadership...commanding for than 5 undead at a time can seriously be a letdown for other players...you'll be hogging all the actual time for one round of attacks or to create undead, roleplay something else, have the undead do chores, build a castle...whatever...but all the other players will assassinate you first chance they get...be sure of that...

[Dunemous]

Color me a newbie but why don't the corpsecrafter bonuses stack? I've read te dread necro and corpsecrafter descriptions and can't see where it says anything.

[truekender]

Color me a newbie but why don't the corpsecrafter bonuses stack? I've read te dread necro and corpsecrafter descriptions and can't see where it says anything.

I haven't looked recently so I'll just assume they offer the same type of bonus.

If they offer the same type of bonus (such as enhancement) only the greater bonus applies.

[Zore]

Color me a newbie but why don't the corpsecrafter bonuses stack? I've read te dread necro and corpsecrafter descriptions and can't see where it says anything.

Both are enhancement bonuses to Str. and Dex. Same name bonuses don't stack.

[DragoonWraith]

They're both Enhancement bonuses. Bonuses of the same type don't stack.

[Vaynor]

The Red Towel: Dread thread necromancy.