necromancer build for carrion crown


Carrion Crown

Sczarni

I might be playing in carrion crown which would start in about a month and I have an idea about a character. I am interested in playing a pc that starts out as an arcane necromancer with the intentions of killing undead. There will most likely be one or more paladins so I cannot be evil or necessarily do evil things.

I could look for best optimal builds but looking more at storyline about how he travels the length of the AP with the best of his intentions of fighting undead only to fall at the end and pursue becoming a lich.

But I could use assistance in a build that is effective but does not come close to dinging as evil.

Sczarni

Looking at starting with the following

Human Necromancy Wizard

Str 10
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 18 (16 + 2 racial)
Wis 10
Cha 10

Feats
Improved Initiative
Spell Focus: Necromancy (racial bonus)

Traits
Unknown


Consider boosting charisma, and taking traits to boost the DC of your command undead saves.


Alternatively, you could just actually be Evil. The Detect Evil abilities do not even register a normal Evil person until they are level 5. This is conveniently when you can start casting Nondetection if need be. Once you hit level 7, you can enchant your bonded item as a permanent Ring of Mind Shielding for a reasonable cost. If you want to start as a Neutral alignment, these are options also if you start to slip early.


The problem with playing a Necromancer in almost any adventure path is that creating undead is an evil act. If you have a paladin in the party it shouldn't matter that you don't detect as evil; if that paladin doesn't try to stop you then they should probably risk falling or retire the character because they leave the group.

Of course, if your group is less about role play or your GM house rules that creating undead isn't inherently evil, you'll be okay I suppose.

On the other hand if you're trying to abide by Golarion canon, my recommendation for this sort of character would be to still play a Necromancer but one who doesn't create/use undead, at least not at first. Necromancy spells can work against undead in their own way in a fight fire with fire sort of situation. As the AP progresses, perhaps the lore you discover about the Whispering Way tempts you, leading to you betraying the party at the end, perhaps?


Necromancers don’t necessarily create undead. The Ustalavic church of Pharasma includes white necromancers who use their powers to combat undead and other enemies of the faith. I would recommend making your character one of those, because otherwise the hostility of NPCs might limit your character’s effectiveness.

Use your first few feats for general advantages, rather than to specialize in necromantic spells--i.e. Toughness, Improved Initiative, Great Fortitude and the like--rather than Spell Focus (Necromancy) or whatever. There are a few nice low-level necromancy spells (Blindness, False Life, Limp Lash, etc.), but they’re not worth specializing in until around level 7, when you get access to hard-hitting spells like Boneshatter, Enervation and Fear. Definitely get your necromancy DC up by level 9, when you’ll get access to Magic Jar and Suffocation. The Thanatopic and Thernodic metamagic spell feats would fit the character and would let you use more of your necromancy spells against undead. A late-game purchase of a rod of either of these would be an even better idea.

If you find yourself in a party that would allow you to play a necromancer who creates undead--i.e. no paladins Pharasmans, and the like--then consider investing skill points and a trait to max out your disguise skill, and then make sure your spellbook contains Disguise Other and Veil. A bag of holding can be useful for smuggling undead servants from place to place in one of the most rabidly anti-undead societies on Goralion.


What exactly is your plan for, "only to fall at the end and pursue becoming a lich"? And, is this plan worked out with the GM?

Abandoning or turning on your party late in the AP is almost certainly going to get them killed, unless you are going to make it a matter of story and your GM is ready to go with another PC insertion.

During this AP, you probably won't really have the opportunity to spend the years of investigation for the lich transformation formulae that is personalized for you.

It would be an interesting idea though. You could pitch it as a quest for personal power only to help destroy a greater threat. Then, you can invite the party to deal with you as well if they must.

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