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This started as a re-build of the Dread Necromancer, but contains a great deal of new material as well. Let me know of any balance issues you see.
BAB: poor
HD:d6
Good Saves: Will
Skill Points: 4 + Int mod
Class Skills:
Appraise, Bluff, Craft, Disguise, Intimidate, Knowledge(Arcana), Knowledge(dungeoneering), Knowledge(local), Knowledge(religion), Linguistics, Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft
Level / Ability
1 / Channel Negative Energy 1d6, Channeling Feat
2 / Dread Grip or Reaper's Fingers
3 / Channel Negative Energy 2d6,Death Within or Death Without
4 / Bonus Spell, Cold Mind +2
5 / Channel Negative Energy 3d6
6 / Brush With Death or Dread Reach
7 / Channel Negative Energy 4d6
8 / Bonus Spell, Swell the Ranks +2, Master's Champion or Dark Talisman or Summon Familiar
9 / Channel Negative Energy 5d6, Swarm Form
10 / Cold Mind +4, Cold Eyes and Dead Ears, Swell the Ranks +4
11 / Channel Negative Energy 6d6
12 / Bonus Spell, Swell the Ranks +6
13 / Channel Negative Energy 7d6
14 / Swarm Form Teleport 3 times/day, Swell the Ranks +8
15 / Channel Negative Energy 8d6, Cold Mind +6
16 / Bonus Spell
17 / Channel Negative Energy 9d6
18 / Crafting Feat
19 / Channel Negative Energy 10d6
20 / Bonus Spell, Lich Ascension
Channel Negative Energy: The Dark 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.
Channeling feat- choose one at 1st level
1. Selective Channeling: The Dark Necromancer gains the Selective Channeling feat, assuming she can meet the prerequisites.
2. Control Undead: The Dark Necromancer gains the Control Undead feat, assuming she can meet all the prerequisites.
At 2nd level
Choose one
1. Dread Grip: The Dark Necromancer can secret a spell in their body for more potent use on their target later. Any necromancy spell that affects a single target (such as a ray spell) can be instead cast on the Necromancer. The spell has no immediate effect, but can be stored for a number of minutes equal to the Dark Necromancer's class level. If she has the Extend Spell feat, this turns into a number of hours equal to her class level. The spell remains dormant until the Necromancer makes bodily contact with the intended victim (such as a handshake, a kiss, a melee grab, or a grapple). As long as the spell has been "stored" for at least one full turn, the saving throw becomes one point higher. Storing it for a minute or more raises the saving throw by two points. If the spell is not discharged by the end of the duration, she suffers the effects unless she makes a fortitude saving throw of 10 + the spell's level, not counting any metamagic modifiers.
2. Reaper's Fingers: The Dark Necromancer's fingers become drawn, and the last bone of each digit lengthens to a point. The Dark Necromancer gains claws and immediately becomes proficient in them. They deal the same amount of damage as an unarmed strike, but she is considered armed while using them. She loses the use of her claws while wearing magical gloves or gauntlets. At 5th level, they become charged with death, allowing her do deal +4 points of negative energy damage with any weapon she wields. This becomes +8 damage at 10th level, and +12 damage at 15th level. She may choose not to deal this negative energy damage.
At 3rd level
Choose one
1. Death Within: The Dark 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, she gains DR of 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 Cold Mind, it overlaps it.
2. Death Without: Undead are treated as their previous creature type with regards to how the Dark 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 a bonus spell at 7th and 9th Dark Necromancer levels.
Bonus Spells: The Dark Necromancer gains further knowledge of their chosen specialization at certain levels, and by expressing a desire to concentrate further, can learn even more. Bonus spells are taken from the necromancy school from either the cleric or sorcerer/wizard spell lists. (this ability is meant to enable you to gain non-core spells: Encyclopedia Arcane: Necromancy is a good source)
Cold Mind: Constantly dwelling on the mystic secrets of death affects the Dark Necromancer's thought patterns. They gain +2 to saving throws to resist mind-affecting effects and sleep effects. This bonus grows to +4 at 10th level, and +6 at 15th level. On a roleplaying note, she becomes more somber and matter-of-fact, with any humor most likely to be deadpan.
At 6th Level
Choose one
1. Brush With Death: Should the Dark 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.
2. Dread Reach: The Dark 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 a bonus spell at 11th Dark Necromancer level.
At 8th Level
Choose one
1. Master's Champion: The Dark 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 Dark Nec.), the same in deflection modifier to AC, and 3 additional hit points per hit dice. These last until the Dark 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 Dark 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 Dark Necromancer's aura are needed.
They also gain a bonus spell at 15th level.
3. Summon Familiar: As per wizard.
Swarm Form: The Dark Necromancer can break down their entire body into numerous small creatures, either blackbirds, rats, flies, worms or beetles. During this time, they cannot cast spells, wield weapons, wear armor or use class abilities. In all forms except blackbirds, they cannot communicate verbally. They have complete control over where the swarm moves and can interact with objects one size category smaller than their original body. The swarm is considered to have hit dice, hit points and saving throws equivalent to the Necromancer. The swarm can be attacked and dispersed; if this happens, the Dark Necromancer reforms in the square of the swarm at 0 hit points and dying. A swarm dispersed by nonlethal damage will reform once it recovers positive hit points once again.
While in this form they take on the properties of a Swarm. They can use movement speeds appropriate to their constituent beasts (burrow 10' for worms, fly 20' for beetles, fly 30' for flies and fly 40' for blackbirds) and can fit into any space small enough to permit a single animal, though exact passage time is GM prerogative. The swarm does not attack per se, but deals damage to creatures within the swarm as per the Bestiary entry for the Swarm subtype.
Assuming Swarm Form is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. They can assume swarm form for a total of their class level in minutes per day. These minutes do not need to be spent in one use.
At 14th level they can deliberately disperse the swarm to reform elsewhere as if casting teleport. This form of teleport has a d4 +2 round delay before arrival, during which the Dread Necromancer cannot be harmed physically and cannot perceive their surroundings except for their destination. They can do this up to three times per day.
Cold Eyes and Dead Ears: The Dark Necromancer can, at will, shift their consciousness into an undead thrall they control. They perceive the world as if their senses were located in the thrall's body (for those thralls with no ears, eyes, nose, skin or tongue such as skeletons). Their own body remains in a state of deep concentration, and is immobile and for all purposes helpless. While controlling the thrall, they can cast spells, verbally communicate as long as the thrall has a mouth (the magic enables the communication, the thrall's form is merely the focus), use class abilities appropriate to their thrall's form and make use of any supernatural attacks they have. They do not retain any magical item effects while controlling the thrall, however.
In combat, use the Necromancer's base attack bonus and the thrall's physical statistics. Should the thrall be attacked while the Necromancer is casting a spell, the spell can be disrupted as normal. Should the thrall suffer enough damage to destroy it, or another entity gain control of the thrall, the Necromancer is thrown back into their body and dazed for d4 rounds. Any attempts to gain control of the thrall become a contest against the Necromancer's caster level + Charisma modifier. The Necromancer suffers only one-quarter of the damage (max of one quarter, rounded down, of the thrall's max hit points) and none of the effects the thrall suffered.
Should the Necromancer's body come under attack, the Necromancer immediately knows this and feels any pain the attack causes. Any effects suffered by the necromancer's body are similarly experienced by the Necromancer while controlling the thrall (stunning, Bleeding, coup de grace, etc), though the body is immune to visual and auditory effects (their senses are elsewhere). If the Necromancer's body is destroyed or reduced to 0 hit points, the Necromancer's consciousness returns to their body and they suffer normal effects of the damage (up to and including death).
Cold Eyes and Dead Ears is initiated as a move-equivalent incantation. Ending it is a reflexive immediate action. It can be maintained as long as the Necromancer wishes.
Swell the Ranks: The Dark Necromancer's ability to control undead greatly surpasses that of others. While other casters are able to command 4 HD worth of undead per caster level, the Dark Necromancer adds this bonus to the number of hit dice per caster level they can control. So at 8th level, with Swell the Ranks + 2, the Dark Necromancer can control 6 HD worth of undead per caster level. At 10th level this grows to 8 HD per caster level, and at 12th level it grows to 10 HD per caster level. Finally, at level 14, it grows to 12 HD per caster level.
Crafting Feat: The Dark Necromancer gains the Craft Wondrous Items feat if she does not already have it. If she does, she gains another crafting feat of her choice she doesn't already have.
Lich Ascension: At the apex of her career, the Dark Necromancer tranforms into an undead creature. She gains the Senses, Armor Class, Hit Dice, Defensive abilities, ability modifiers and skills of the Lich template, and acquires the Undead subtype. She does not gain any of the Melee attacks or Special attacks of the Lich template.
Cantrips: Read Magic, Bleed, Detect Magic, Detect Undead, Disrupt Undead
1st level
Cause Fear, Chill Touch, Ray of Enfeeblement, Hide From Undead, Doom, Deathwatch, Detect Chaos/Evil/Good/Law
2nd level
Blindness/Deafness, Command Undead, False Life, Scare, Spectral Hand, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Remove Paralysis (for making fast zombies)
3rd level
Contagion, Halt Undead, Ray of Exhaustion, Vampiric Touch, Speak with Dead, Inflict Serious Wounds
4th level
Animate Dead, Bestow Curse, Enervation, Fear, Death Ward, Poison, Inflict Critical Wounds
5th level
Blight, Symbol of Pain, Waves of Fatigue, Slay Living, Inflict Light Wounds (Mass),
6th level
Circle of Death, Create Undead, Eyebite, Symbol of Fear, Undeath to Death, Harm, Inflict Moderate Wounds (Mass)
7th level
Control Undead, Finger of Death, Symbol of Weakness, Waves of Exhaustion, Inflict Serious Wounds (Mass)
8th level
Create Greater Undead, Horrid Wilting, Symbol of Death
9th level
Energy Drain, Soul Bind, Wail of the Banshee
Well, I'm going to commit Necromancy on the Necromancer you've posted, and ask how the hell no one has discussed this. Why are there no comments? Personally, I think this is great, and not only because I can't find any other good Necromancer classes.
Probably it got pushed out of the latest threads in Homebrew but multiple other threads like it happens to many topics :(
The class description lacks information about the spellcasting, ability score that governs spellcasting, spell list and spells known (I have certain suspicions, basing them on the fact that it seems to be inspired by Dread Necromancer) but it should be stated.
Personally, I would recreate 3.5 Dread Necromancer as alternate Sorcerer with bloodline powers replaced by dread necromancer abilities and a very limited selection of necromantic spells to learn. Giving him full dread necromancer spell list as it was in 3.5 would make that class superior to poor sorcerer with his more limited number of spells known.
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Well, I'm going to commit Necromancy on the Necromancer you've posted, and ask how the hell no one has discussed this. Why are there no comments? Personally, I think this is great, and not only because I can't find any other good Necromancer classes.
Check SGG's Death Mage !
... not only because I can't find any other good Necromancer classes.Check SGG's Death Mage !
Or this: Maa'Kheru
Check SGG's Death Mage !
I'm well aware. That class is disgustingly unbalanced.
Haven't seen that before, Tvarog. I'll look into it.
OP's class could use a bit more fleshing out, but it's easy to make assumptions about the primary stat and spell table. Definitely not perfect or anything. Most balanced 3rd Party Necromancer I've seen.
Once again, Really? Free Light Armor Proficiency and a ton of Weapons? Double Damage to Undead? Three persistent Cantrips? And plenty of other questionable features. I can't believe they actually published that Death Mage class.