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My feeling, though, is that some of PF's focus on flexibility and options should be built into the class. That is, the Dread Necromancer gets the innate boosts to undead they make/control, the path to become a lich, and their spellcasting, but there is little choice involved anywhere beyond feats and the 4 or 5 Advanced Learnings they gain.
This is especially troublesome as, in some games, toting around a shambling army of minions doesn't work well (paladin in party, metropolis-based campaign, etc...). So, I was wondering whether anyone had considered taking some of the class' abilities out and instead giving the Dread Necromancer 2 or 3 options for how it develops.
Just as a rough idea, I was thinking:
-One line that focused on the undead army thing (Channel, Command, the STR/DEX/HP boost and higher control limit)-One line that focused on necromantic spells (maybe a few special abilities similar to those of the sorcerer's Undead bloodline or cleric's Death domain, and something enhancing their spellcasting in some way)
-One line that focused more on the transformation aspect of the class (DR, healing via negative energy, enhanced scrabrous touch attacks, etc...)
Any thoughts on where to go with this? Whether it's worth doing?
I had actually had this exact same thought process, and had come up with a little bit of a build to do just this. Malisteen brings up some very good points, which made me reluctant to post this. However, in the end, I just wanted to have fun trying to come up with a thematic and semi-reasonable build for a Dread Necromancer.
Dread Necromancer
(Replaces Rebuke Undead)
Channel Negative Energy: The Dread Necromancer can channel negative energy as an evil cleric can with two differences- she uses her Charisma modifier for any saving throws and number of times per day it can be used, and she may choose to affect herself with her channeled energy. The latter will become significant later.
1. Two options for first level abilities
1. Selective Channeling: The Dread Necromancer gains the Selective Channeling feat, assuming she can meet the prerequisites.
2. Control Undead: The Dread Necromancer gains the Control Undead feat, assuming she can meet all the prerequisites.
Choose one:
1. Death Within: The Dread Necromancer can temporarily infuse herself with the aspect of Death. During this time she gains +4 to resist mind-affecting effects, sleep effects, poisons, and negative energy effects, her DR from Lich Body becomes 5/bludgeoning and magic, and mindless undead ignore her unless she directly attacks them. She will have no pulse, cannot be made to Bleed, and does not need to breathe (but can if she wants to). She can also opt to look rotted or desiccated. This power can be activated 3 + her Charisma modifier times a day.
This power can be activated two ways; if activated as a swift action, it lasts for a number of turns equal to her class level. If activated using a minute-long ritual, it lasts a number of hours equal to her Charisma modifier, but this activation can only be done once a day and prevents any further use that day. It takes a similar one-minute ritual to end the effect prematurely.
The bonuses grow to +6 to resist and DR 10/bludgeoning and magic at level 10, and +8 to resist and DR 15/bludgeoning and magic at level 15. Note the bonus to resist doesn't stack with Mental Bastion, it overlaps it.
2. Death Without: Undead are treated as their previous creature type with regards to how the Dread Necromancer's spells affect them. For example, a human zombie would be treated as a human, and therefore susceptible to Scare. A skeletal giant would count as a giant, a Dracolich would count as a dragon, etc.
They also gain additional Advanced Learning opportunities at 13th and 18th level.
Choose one:
1. Brush With Death: Should the Dread Necromancer have taken the Death Within ability, they may pass it to a willing subject with a touch. That subject gains the abilities and attributes (including the optional withered appearance, chosen by the Necromancer).
Also, when the subject of Death Within takes negative energy damage, they are instead healed for one-quarter of the damage that would have been dealt.
They gain an Advanced Learning opportunity at 11th level.
2. Dread Reach: The Dread Necromancer gains a form of blindsight that can detect only living and undead targets. The Necromancer can only distinguish if the target is living or undead; constructs, oozes and equipment carried by the targets cannot be detected. The targets appear as semi-colorful silhouettes, and can be seen up to a range of 120'. Using this form of sight is a swift action, and turns the Necromancer's eyes black or dull grey. Spells that blind the necromancer have a 50% chance of negating this form of blindsight- blindfolds and shades have no effect. Deafness does not affect the blindsight.
By spending a spell slot one higher than the original, they can attempt to draw a line of effect to match their blindsight. This allows the spell to ignore cover and obscuring objects, but other living or unliving things will block the line of effect as normal.
They gain an Advanced Learning opportunity at 11th level.
3. Scabrous Touch: Unmodified
Choose one:
1. Master's Champion: The Dread Necromancer may appoint any one undead under her sole control to be her champion. This undead must be controlled and either mindless or willing to be so appointed. This requires a touch and a quick incantation, but grants the undead many benefits. It loses any appetites or diet needs it previously had (such as a ghoul's hunger for flesh or a vampire's thirst for blood), but can still gain benefits from partaking (if any). It gains +1 to attack rolls (+1 per 3 levels of the Dread Nec.), the same in deflection modifier to AC, and 3 additional hit points per hit dice. These last until the Dread Necromancer withdraws the boon, appoints a new champion, or the undead is destroyed. The boon can be withdrawn at any time with a similar incantation (a free action).
2. Dark Talisman: The Dread Necromancer can form a potent talisman of Death. This can take many forms, from a mummified hand, a jar full of eyes, a scroll of skin, an etched chalice, a cursed mirror, all the way to a painted skull on a strap. By brandishing this talisman and reciting eldritch passages, the Dread Necromancer can amplify their spells. While maintaining concentration (a move action) to recite the passages, any spells cast will either be treated as though affected by Heighten Spell with no cost or it will heighten the caster level by 2 levels. Reciting the eldrich passages is necessary for the function of the talisman, but does not interfere with the verbal components of the spell.
Constructing this talisman is a very personal task, and can take hours or days depending on the item. Regardless of its type, materials worth around 100 gp and one day-long ritual to bind the item to the Dread Necromancer's aura are needed.
They also immediately gain an Advanced Learning Opportunity.
3. Summon Familiar: Unmodified.
I offer alternatives to the Scabrous Touch since I barely ever used it when playing my own Dread Necromancer. The alternatives to Summon Familiar was because of the theme from PF for not having to have an animal with you if you didn't want one. All the extra learning opportunities was to help take advantage of all the necromancy splatbooks, and to keep the theme of a spell-driven necromancer.
I'm probably opening myself to a lot of flak, but tell me what you think.