Right. So I've actually yet to act as a player in a campaign even though I've been a dm for a bit of time now and at the present I'm trying to create a charachter for a campaign in the making by one of the guys in my group. I wanted to have two options to go off of depending on what the others in the new campaign group end being so i decided to make a mele and ranged build. I have a barbarian good to go for the mele (at least I believe I do) but I'm lost on how to make the ranged build im looking for. Basically Im trying to use the charachter Momonga from the light novel Overlord as a template (not sure how to put in a link to show what I'm looking for sorry; should pop up if one searches-light novel Overlord). I really enjoy the novel and the way he is so I figured why not. The problem is that I'm not sure how to go about it. The options im considering now are a wizard focused in the necromancer/undead specialization, a cleric of either the undead lord or death and ghoul domain, or a sorcerer with the undead bloodline. However, I can't figure out what would match up best with Momonga's charachter. I'm looking to be able to summon and control undead of course but he also has a fair amount of abilities such as releasing a dark pulse as an aoe attack, exuding an overbearing deathly aura, etc. As a playstyle is probably want to have a good mix of undead summon and control as well as...ya know all those zap evil laser beam and grasping people hearts with my mind stuff*. I can't figure out which option (or any options I have not looked into yet) would fit best for a charachter like this. I'm also unsure of race since he was technically just undead from the start but I'm thinking of human, dhamphir, or drow at the moment. I plan on getting the agent of the grave prestige at the moment and eventually becoming a litch in order to get appearance and abilities similair to momonga. I think litch is the closest thing at least. Sorry for such a scatterbrained message hear but I've been working on this for the last couple of hours and my mind is a bit shot. I understand that unless someone read/reads parts of the light novel they won't exactly understand what I'm trying to do but any help is appreciated, im to confused with the possibilties. Thanks ^ ^. *also I don't expect to be as overpowered as momonga is in the light novel, I understand I'm a level one charachter and neither undead nor a litch yet so im basically just trying to get a good ground foundation to come into my tyrannical self later on. Even then I don't expect to be that overpowered :P*
OK, I will state at the outset I have no idea who or what Mormonga is, so what I will offer is some basic advice on how to build the character that you want.
Firstly, look at the character concept and ask yourself: is this person strong, smart, wise, imposing, tough, fast, or any combination of these. If you conceive Mormonga as being mainly imposing and cool, then that implies high charisma. If he's insightful but not intellectual, that implies wisdom, etc.
Then look at the powers you want to have, the abilities and where you want the character to go, and find what fits best with a little re-skinning:
Cleric: a cleric or oracle really sounds the closest to the kind of things you want to do. Pull a heart out of a chest? slay living spell. Wave of dark energy? Channel negative energy ability. Create and control undead? Cleric of Urgothoa should be able to handle that no problem! Clerics are tough, too, but the downside is that it's all about the god, not so much about you.
Sorcerer: The undead bloodline is cool, and you can do most of the stuff you want to do via spells and abilities. However, sorcerers are fragile and they have some restrictions on versatility - few skills and limited spells. Still it could work well with the right feats.
Wizard (necromancer): They do not call him "god-wizard" for nothing. You have wide choice of spells, great effects, and you can work toward becoming a lich if that's what you want. No-one can make and control undead like a wizard.
Psion: Now this one is a rank outsider, but I mention it because a lot of the powers you mention work great in Dreamscarred's psionics system. While there is no psionic equivalent of necromancy, you could be a shaper and create "skeletons" and other "undead" as your astral constructs with just a little re-skinning. Less limited than a wizard, more versatile than a sorcerer, this could actually work.
There are other possibilities - oracle is a bit like a charisma-oriented cleric, arcanist combines the best features of sorcerer and wizard, but these are the basics.
Race: When in doubt, go human. That said, a dhampir has potential as a semi-undead race, but they can be a real problem to heal in a standard party.
OK, now if you have picked a class, sorted your stats, selected race, there is one more question and it is the most important:
How is your character going to fit into a party?
Here's the big thing, most parties tend to be good or neutral oriented. They avoid Evil, because no-one likes a shiv in the back. If the rest of your group decide that a cleric of Pharasma and a paladin of Iomadae are their thing, you have a problem with a character wanting to become a lich. Here's where the undead bloodline can come in, though, because it's not your fault you are tainted with undeath and have these undead-manipulating powers, right? You can play on the tragic rather than the awesome side of the character.
Hope I've helped!