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This was one of my favorite supplements back in he day. I am horrible at conversions for whatever reason. I have also been looking for that perfect necromancer class and have yet to find it. I was impressed with the oracle (reminded me of the Diable 2 necromancer) but fell short in the summoning.
So, i dug up my old Hollowfaust: City of Necromancers book and I am wondering if it would be hard to co nvert the Animator? Or make it a Archtype for the Oracle?
Plus how would you convert the Dragon, the masterwork skeleton (A template maybe?) and some of the magic items?
Thoughts?
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For a direct conversion of the Animator as a Prestige Class, I'd do the following;
Raise HD to d6s
[same as wizards in PF]
Change skill ranks to Craft (alchemy) 5 ranks, Heal 5 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks.
[knowledge - anatomy and knowledge - undead don't exist in PF, and would swap out for heal and knowledge - religion]
Feats: Skill Focus (heal), Spell Focus (necromancy), Spell Mastery
Must know - animate vermin, cadaver dance and gentle repose
[If those first two spells aren't being converted, replace with decompose corpse and lesser animate dead from Ultimate Magic.]
The class abilities would mostly stay the same;
1st - gain Command Undead as per the necromancer school specialty power. If you already have that feature (as a necromancer specialist or a negative energy channeling cleric), levels in Animator stack with levels of necromancer or cleric, to advance Command Undead or negative energy channeling ability. You can take Extra Turning to add additional uses of this ability.
2nd - gain the ability to Turn Undead as if using the Turn Undead feat, but using negative energy instead of positive energy.
3rd - animate dead as a spell like ability (requiring no components) 1 / day, but only to create skeletal undead.
5th - +1 daily use of animate dead SLA.
6th - create undead as a spell like ability (requiring no components) 1 / day, but only to create corporeal undead.
7th - control undead as a spell like ability 1 / day, but only to control corporeal undead.
8th - +1 daily use of control undead SLA.
9th - the animator can create and control flesh golems, and Scarred Lands specific undead constructions such as ash or bone golems, ignoring normal level requirements.
10th - destroy an undead creature by touch, either as written, or perhaps made much less 'all or nothing' and more frequently usable (with less punitive side-effects).
The Prestige Class has stuff at almost every level (save 4th), but limits the animate dead and control undead SLAs to once or twice per day, unlike the base PrC, which doesn't have a stated limit, and could be intented to be 1/day, or could be at will...
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As an Archetype, I'd start with base necromancer specialist, and dump the bonus feats and perhaps the arcane bond to add the extra options, such as being able to Turn Undead using negative energy, or gaining animate dead and control undead as SLAs.
As a 20th level 'end-cap' archetype ability, replacing the last bonus feat a necromancer/wizard would gain, I'd be inclined to make Destruction very effective at blowing undead out of their boots (like a harm spell that only affects undead), and much less debilitating to the user.
The Archetype would probably be easier (and perhaps easier to balance, as well), now that I think about it, but I was of a mind to recreate the PrC as faithfully as possible.
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Thank you for the help. It looks really awesome so far. I think it might be easier as an archetype but I want to keep both on hand just in case.
Do you think at will for the create undead ability is too powerful? What do you think the archtype should look like?
Should it be for the wizard or sorcerer? Or even a Cleric?
This was one of my favorite supplements back in he day...
+1 !
Well, you could use the Oracle of Bone from the module City of Spears from the "jungle AP" (sorry can't remember the actual name).
It's the only Summoner that can create non-evil undead, which was a big theme in Hollowfaust.
Masterwork Sceleton would be an Skeleton with the Advanced template I guess.
The dragon could be a undead Version of the umbral dragon from Bestiary 2.
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My own choice for 'masterwork' skeletons would be to allow craft skills to affect the final results when crafting skeletons or zombies. Selecting thicker bones, adding extra bones, etc. could increase hit points or armor class, while 'jerking' a zombie could similarly make it as tough as boiled leather (and, if you're not careful, very yummy smelling, which could be a serious problem if it attracts insects and carrion-eaters from all around!).
Whatever mechanics you want to use, from the fairly simple (Advanced template) to the somewhat more fidgety (bonus hit points based on size using the table for constructs) to the very fine-tuned (bonus hit points based on how much you made your craft roll).
Here's an article on this very subject, although I'm sure you can find many other options. (Such as the 3.X Corpsecrafter feats, or other options in 3rd party books.)
Rather than try to make a good representation of the Bonewrack Dragon, I think I'd just use whatever size dragon I wanted, give it the 'skeletal dragon' template from the Draconomicon, perhaps jazzed up a bit, replacing it's breath weapon options with something more undead themed, like shards of bone infused with negative energy or a cloud of rotting gas or something. It's more of a 'one off' creature than something more formulaic like a dracoliche.
cliff rice is converting massive amounts of Scarred Lands creatures over on this thread, you might find the ash or bone golem there, or pester him to put them closer to the front of his queue, since he isn't necessarily doing them in order.
I am converting all the monsters to pathfinder. I am about 90% done with the Bonewrack and have already done the bone golem.
Necromatic Bone Golem
Name CR 2
XP 400
N Medium Construct
Init +0; Senses Low Light Vision, Darkvision 60 ft; Perception +0
Defense
AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+5 natural)
hp 25 (1d10+20)
Fort 0, Ref 0, Will 0
SD Immune Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms), disease, death effects, necromancy effects paralysis, poison, sleep effects, stunning, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain, and nonlethal damage. DR 5/Blunt, Immune to magic.
Offense
Speed 0 ft.
Melee Strike +6 (1d10+5 ),
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5ft.
SA Filler
Statistics
Str 20, Dex 10, Con -, Int 1, Wis 11, Cha 1
Base Atk +1; CMB +6; CMD 16
Feats Skill Focus (Pick A Skill)
Skills Any Skill (Pick One) +1
SQ Absorb Bones, Bone Tools, Positive Energy Vulnerability
Ecology
Environment Domesticated or City.
Organization solitary
Treasure none
Special Abilities
Bone tools (Ex): A Bone Golem can reshape the bones in its body to replicate what amounts to high quality tools. This amounts to A +2 to any skill roll that requires tools such as many professions and opening locks. Each round the Bone golem can Choose what type of damage its Natural attack delivers, Either Slashing, Peircing or Bludgeoning.
Immunity to Magic (Ex) A Bone golem is immune to any spell
or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition,
certain spells and effects function differently against the
creature, as noted below.
Healing Spells and positive energy affect the Golem as if they were inflict spells. Likewise someone with the proper feat can turn a Bone golem.
Absorb Bones (ex): A Bone golem can absorb the skeleton of a dead Medium Sized or smaller creature into its-self in order to heal its wounds. A Medium sized skeleton heals the creature of 5 Hitpoints of damage. Double the Number of Skeletons it takes to regain 5 hp for each size catagory smaller the skeleton is. Small Creature take 2 skeletons. Tiny Creatures take 4 Ect. Ect. This ability takes a minute to use.
Ecology
Habitat & Society
Special:
CL 7th; Price 4,500
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Construct, animate Dead, geas/quest; Skill Craft (armor), or Craft (weapons) DC 15; Cost 2,250 gp (Bones); 4.500
Carnival Crew Necromantic Golem (Cr 8)
As per the bone golem But advanced to Huge size and 10 HD Its Dr is 10/Bludgeoning. It Also Enjoys what amounts to +3 Channel resistance to avoid the effects of positive energy.
CL 10th; Price 60,500
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Construct, animate Dead, geas/quest; Skill Craft (armor), or Craft (weapons) DC 15; Cost 30,250 gp (Bones); 60.500