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Hello, I've been working on this class for quite some time. I'd really like your opinion about that.
Necromancer
A specialist wizard who calls himself a necromancer or a cleric with the death domain has significant power over undead and the forces of negative energy, but a necromancer is their true master. A practitioner of vile and forbidden arts, the necromancer roots about in graveyards, searching out moldering components for his obscene spells. He calls upon restless, tormented spirits of the dead, seeking their arcane secrets. He might be a consummate villain, or perhaps a tortured hero whose obsession with death leads him along questionable moral path.
Role: A necromancer is similar to other arcane spellcasters such as wizards, sorcerer, or witches. He does not learn spells as quickly as wizards do, nor have access to such a great variety of spells, but he excels at her primary repertoire- necromantic, evil, and fear-related spells. He is a combat caster, with more resilience than a wizard or sorcerer and a definite emphasis on combat-oriented necromantic spells.
Alignment: Any non-good.
Hit Die: d6.
Base Attack Bonus: Poor.
Good Save: Will.
Class Skills
The necromancer’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Cha), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
NECROMANCER
1st Cantrips, Charnel Touch, Power Over Undead
2nd Lich Body DR 2
3rd Channel Negative Energy
4th Advanced Learning, Mental Bastion +2
5th Fear Aura
6th Lich Body DR 4, Scabrous Touch 1/Day
7th Arcane Bond
8th Advanced Learning, Undead Mastery
9th Negative Energy Resistance
10th Lich Body DR 6, Light Fortification 25%
11th Scabrous Touch 2/Day
12th Advanced Learning
13th Enervating Touch
14th Lich Body DR 8, Mental Bastion +4
15th Improved Fear Aura
16th Advanced Learning, Scabrous Touch 3/Day
17th Greater Enervating Touch, Light Fortification 50%
18th Lich Body DR 10
19th Craft Wondrous Item
20th Advanced Learning, Lich Transformation
Class Features
The following are class features of the necromancer.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Necromancers are proficient with all simple weapons and with one martial weapon of his choice. His choice of martial weapon is made when the character takes his first level of necromancer and cannot be changed. Necromancers are also proficient with light armor, but not with shields. The somatic components required for a necromancer spells are simple, so members of this class can cast necromancer spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. He still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells derived from other classes. In addition, if a necromancer wears medium armor or heavy armor, or uses a shield, he incurs the same chance of arcane spell failure as any other arcane caster if the spell in question has somatic component.
Spells: A necromancer casts arcane spells drawn from the necromancer spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a necromancer must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a necromancer's spell is 10 + the spell level + the necromancer's Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a necromancer can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Sorcerer. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score.
A necromancer begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of his choice. When a necromancer gains access to a new level of spells, he automatically knows all the spells for that level given on the necromancer's spell list. Necromancers also have the option of adding to their existing spell list through their advanced learning ability as they increase in level. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a necromancer knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the numbers on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known are fixed.) These new spells can be common spells chosen from the necromancer spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the necromancer has gained some understanding of through study.
Unlike a wizard or a cleric a necromancer need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his spells per day for that spell level.
Cantrips: Necromancers learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known under “Spells Known.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.
Charnel Touch (Su): Negative energy flows through a necromancer’s body. As a standard action, you can make a melee touch attack against a living foe that deals 1d6 points of damage of negative energy +1 for every two necromancer levels. This touch heals undead creature, restoring 1 hit point +1 for every two necromancer levels. A necromancer can use the spectral hand spell to deliver this attack from a distance. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
Power over Undead (Su): A necromancer receives Command Undead as a bonus feat. He can channel energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier, but only to use the selected feat. He can take other feats to add to this ability, such as Extra Channel and Improved Channel, but not feats that alter this ability, such as Elemental Channel and Alignment Channel. The DC to save against these feats is equal to 10 + 1/2 his necromancer level + his Charisma modifier. At 20th level, undead cannot add their channel resistance to the save against this ability.
Lich Body: Starting at 2nd level, a necromancer begins his journey into undeath. The first symptom is his body's increased resilience to physical harm. He gains DR 2/bludgeoning and magic. As the necromancer increases in level, this DR increases in effectiveness, to DR 4 at 6th level, DR 6 at 10th level, DR 8 at 14th level, and DR 10 at 18th level.
Channel Negative Energy (Su): When a necromancer reaches 3rd level, he gains the supernatural ability to channel negative energy like a cleric. Using this ability consumes his power over undead ability. A necromancer uses his level as his effective cleric level when channeling negative energy.
Advanced Learning (Ex): At 4th level, a necromancer can add a new spell to his list, representing the result of personal study and experimentation. The spell must be a wizard spell of a level no higher than that of the highest-level spell the necromancer already knows. Once a new spell is selected, it is added to that dread necromancer's spell list and can be cast just like any other spell he knows. These spells are in addition to the number of spells given on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known. These spells cannot be exchanged for different spells at higher levels. A necromancer gains an additional new spell at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level.
Mental Bastion: Starting at 4th level, a necromancer gains a +2 bonus on saving throws made to resist sleep, stunning, paralysis, poison, or disease. This bonus increases to +4 at 14th level.
Fear Aura (Su): Beginning at 5th level, a necromancer radiates a 5-foot-radius fear aura as a free action. Creatures in the area must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 his class level + his Charisma modifier) or become shaken for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 the necromancer's level. At 15th level, the fear aura’s radius increases to 20 feet and persists for a number of rounds equal to his necromancer level. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected by the same necromancer’s fear aura for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Scabrous Touch (Su): Starting at 6th level, once per day a dread necromancer can use his charnel touch to inflict disease on a creature he touches. This ability works like the contagion spell, inflicting the disease of his choice immediately, with no incubation period, unless the target makes a successful Fortitude save (DC10 + 1/2 his class level + his Charisma modifier). The DC for subsequent saving throws to resist the effects of the disease depends on the disease inflicted.
Activating this class feature is a swift action. The effect lasts until the necromancer makes a successful charnel touch attack. The spectral hand spell enables a necromancer to deliver a scabrous touch attack from a distance.
A necromancer can use this ability once per day at 6th level, twice per day at 11th level, and three times per day at 16th level.
Arcane Bond (Ex or Sp): At 7th level, a necromancer gains an arcane bond, as a wizard equal to the necromancer level. The necromancer levels stack with any wizard levels he possesses when determining the powers of his familiar or bonded object. Once per day, his bonded item allows him to cast any one of his spells known (unlike a wizard’s bonded item, which allows him to cast any one spell in his spellbook). This ability does not allow you to have both a familiar and a bonded item.
If a necromancer chooses a familiar, he receives additional options besides the standard familiar list. The necromancer may choose one of the following creatures: imp (devil), quasit (demon), vargouille, or ghostly visage. All these creatures are described in the Bestiary except for the ghostly visage, an undead symbiont described on the Fiend Folio.
A necromancer's familiar gains the usual familiar benefits, with two exceptions. Its type does not change, and it does not gain the exceptional ability to speak with other creatures of its kind. A necromancer's familiar can use its ability to deliver touch spells such as its master's charnel touch, scabrous touch, or enervating touch attack. The master must use a standard action to imbue the touch attack into his familiar.
Undead Mastery: A necromancer gains Undead Master as a bonus feat, even if he would not normally qualify for this feat. Besides its normal benefit, when a necromancer casts the control undead spell, the spell targets up to (2 + his Charisma bonus) HD/level of undead creatures, rather than the 2 HD/level normally granted by the spell.
In addition, all undead creatures created by a necromancer gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and Dexterity and 2 additional hit points per Hit Die.
If he already has this feat, he can choose any item creation feat or metamagic feat he qualifies for in its place.
Negative Energy Resistance: Beginning at 9th level, a necromancer gains a +4 bonus on saving throws made to resist negative energy effects, including energy drain, some ability drain, and inflict spells.
Light Fortification: Starting at 10th level, a necromancer gains 25% resistance to critical hits; this is the equivalent of the light fortification armor special ability. At 17th level, this fortification increases to 50%.
Enervating Touch (Su): When a necromancer reaches 12th level, he gains the ability to bestow negative levels when he uses his charnel touch attack. Each day, he can bestow a total number of negative levels equal to 1/2 his class level, but no more than two negative levels with a single touch. The saving throw to remove the negative levels has a DC of 10 + 1/2 his class level + his Charisma modifier.
Activating this class feature is a swift action. The effect lasts until he makes a successful charnel touch attack.
A necromancer can use the spectral hand spell to deliver this attack from a distance.
Beginning at 17th level, the number of negative levels a necromancer can bestow per day increases to equal his class level.
Craft Wondrous Item: At 19th level, the necromancer gains Craft Wondrous Item as a bonus feat. This helps him prepare the phylactery required to become a lich. If he already has this feat, he can choose any item creation feat or metamagic feat he qualifies for in its place.
Lich Transformation: When a necromancer attains 20th level, he undergoes a hideous transformation and becomes a lich. His type changes to undead, and he gains all the traits of the undead. A necromancer need not pay gold to create his phylactery.
Necromancer Spells
Necromancers gain access to the following spells. While most of these spells are found in the Core Rulebook, those marked with an asterisk (*) appear in Heroes of Horror.
0-Level Necromancer Spells – acid splash, arcane mark, bleed, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, ghost sound, light, mage hand, mending, message, open/close, putrefy food and drink, read magic, resistance, ray of frost, spark, touch of fatigue.
1st-Level Necromancer Spells - bane, bestow wound*, cause fear, chill touch, curse water, deathwatch, decompose body, detect undead, doom, hide from undead, inflict light wounds, interrogation, ray of enfeeblement, ray of sickening, restore corpse, sculpt corpse, summon undead I*, undetectable alignment, undine's curse.
2nd-Level Necromancer Spells - blindness/deafness, brow gasher, command undead, darkness, death candle, death knell, enemy's heart, false life, fester, gentle repose, ghoul touch, inflict moderate wounds, lesser animate dead, pernicious poison, pox pustules, scare, sentry skull, skinsend, spectral hand, steal voice, summon swarm, summon undead II*, unshakable chill.
3rd-Level Necromancer Spells - animate dead, bestow curse, contagion, crushing despair, deadly juggernaut, eldritch fever, fungal infestation, halt undead, haunting choir, healing thief, howling agony, inflict serious wounds, ki leech, malediction, marionette possession, nap stack, ray of exhaustion, sands of time, speak with dead, summon undead III*, toxic gift, vampiric touch.
4th-Level Necromancer Spells - absorb toxicity, aura of doom, bloody claws, death ward, dispel magic, enervation, evard's black tentacles, familiar melding, fear, giant vermin, greater false life, inflict critical wounds, phantasmal killer, plague carrier, poison, rest eternal, shadow projection, summon undead IV*, summoner conduit.
5th-Level Necromancer Spells - blight, cloudkill, fire in the blood*, insect plague, lesser astral projection, lesser planar binding, magic jar, mark of justice, mass inflict light wounds, nightmare, oath of blood*, old salt's curse, possess object, slay living, spawn ward, suffocation, summon undead V*, symbol of pain, undeath to death, unhallow, waves of fatigue.
6th-Level Necromancer Spells - acid fog, circle of death, create undead, eyebite, geas/quest, greater contagion, greater dispel magic, harm, major curse, mass fester, mass inflict moderate wounds, planar binding, symbol of fear, unwilling shield, waves of exhaustion.
7th-Level Necromancer Spells - black mark, control undead, destruction, epidemic, finger of death, greater harm*, mass inflict serious wounds, plague storm, song of discord, symbol of weakness, temporary resurrection, vile death*.
8th-Level Necromancer Spells - clone, create greater undead, dimensional lock, greater planar binding, horrid wilting, mass inflict critical wounds, orb of the void, symbol of death, temporal stasis, trap the soul.
9th-Level Necromancer Spells - astral projection, cursed earth, energy drain, imprison soul*, mass harm*, mass suffocation, plague of undead*, soul bind, wail of the banshee.
To make the spell list I used: Core Rulebook, Advanced Player's Guide, Advanced Race Guide, Ultimate Magic, Ultimate Combat and Heroes of Horror.
It needs magic circle against evil if it is going to have planar binding. I would also drop the option for the bonded item. The reason the wizard and arcane bloodline get it is because of their focus specifically on magic. It does not fit the necromancer flavor.
I just skimmed over it.
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This is almost exactly like the 3.5 version, why drop 3/4 bab and not up their HD to d8s?
This is almost exactly like the 3.5 version, why drop 3/4 bab and not up their HD to d8s?
QFT.