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Necromancer (Cleric Archetype)
Deity: Must worship a deity of death.
Grim Reaper:
The Necromancer follows the balance of life and death. The Necromancer only gain one domain: Death domain or any of its subdomain at the player discretion.
The Necromancer gain proficiency with the Scythe if she doesn't have it already and all successful melee attacks done with a scythe cause 1 bleeding damage.
This alters domains and weapon proficiency of the Cleric.
Bonus feats:
All Necromancer gain Command Undead as a bonus feat. In addition, at 10th level, she may select one of the following as a bonus feat: Channel Smite, Extra Channel, Improved Channel, Quick Channel, Selective Channeling, Skeleton Summoner, Undead Master.
Siphon Blood (Su):
Beginning at 2nd level, The Necromancer regains hit points from creatures they kill. The necromancer regain hit points equal to twice the creature HD or Three times the creature HD if killed by a school of Necromancy spell or the creature was suffering from bleeding damage as a free action.
The Necromancer doesn't regain life from creatures that can't be affected by bleeding (Undead, Construct, etc...).
Corpse Explosion (Sp):
Beginning at level 7, The Necromancer can spontaneously cast the spell Bloatbomb and can trigger the explosion as an immediate action, as if he had touched the corpse from a range of 30 feet + 5 feet every 2 levels.
The Necromancer can enhance the explosion by spontaneously casting the spell at higher spell slot, for every spell level increase, increase the damage by 2d6, to a maximum of +10d6 or 13d6 total for a 9th level spell.
Spells:
The Necromancer adds the following spells to his spell list:
-Circle of death (6th) : The visual are changed to look like a sphere and the spell is called Death Nova.
-Bone Spear functions like Lightning Bolt (3rd) except it is school [Necromancy] spell and deals negative energy damage instead of electricity. It launches a Bone lance at the enemy in a line.
-Add all witch spell list curse descriptor spells.
This alters the cleric spell list.
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Notes: I know some people are going to ask why not a wizard necromancer? Quite honestly Wizards already have the best options in the game and many people complain that Clerics don't have enough options or class features.
It could be probably be tweaked to be an Oracle Mystery, but well, Oracles already enjoy so much customization, it's probably not necessary.
I think you've got a good idea at least, though as someone who isn't a fan of the cleric class, in general, I can only give so much help since I am a big fan of the D3 Necromancer.
I think that Siphon Blood might be best if made into something using Channel Energy, maybe spending a use of it to drain blood from a target like a ray attack, and regain half the damage dealt? As it is it's practically infinite healing since someone could take bleeding attack or a wounding weapon for ridiculously cheesy healing for a class that can already self-heal. This isn't even assuming they are using a scythe and getting it just because of thanks to the first ability. They would be next to immortal in melee combat at early levels or even possibly later ones.
I think Corpse Explosion is an interesting idea, if not a little odd damage wise with a 13d6 cap.
The new 'Spells' I think are also a promising idea, but I would possibly make them into their own thing. Maybe make them unique class powers like the corpse explosion one and give them more in-depth differences?
I am however not so much ok with just handing the cleric list MORE spells for nothing. I would give them some sort of drawback if nothing else removing Cure spells from their list to compensate since they are undead types anyway.
I think you have a good concept of what you want, but I don't think it really trades out anything while just giving an already hugely powerful class free toys. If you'd like to hear some thoughts of my own, I think making some changes to Siphon Blood so it somehow has to expend resources (making it both more balanced and dynamic), would lead to their abilities maybe having a Hit Point cost in order to effect unique class powers like how the D3 Necro does? Like maybe they could spend X amount of hit points to convert a 3rd level spell slot into a Bone Spear, then at later levels, it could become a Blood Spear for more health.
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@Naoki00 thanks for the feedback, let see:
-I actually like this suggestion of half the damage dealt, would be more balanced than straight up healing back a lot of damage.
-I'll adjust the damage cap of corpse explosion, to be more standard, probably cap at 15d6.
-true I was mostly looking for more stuffs to trade out for cleric, the list is pretty slim to say the least, but I can see trading out the cure spells being a valid trade off.
-Making it a blood pool or something similar with Siphon Pool to use Bone Spear and higher version actually sounds pretty good.
I'll work on it and post a tweaked version tomorrow.
I look forward to seeing it! By the way, something I will say is that it may be easier to tie things into Channel uses if you don't want to make a whole new resource pool, but go for what you think feels good.
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Here we go Necromancer D3 Revised:
Necromancer
Deity: Must worship a Deity of Death.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Necromancer are proficient with all simple weapons light armor, medium armor and shields (Except tower shields). Necromancer are also proficient with the Scythe.
It alters their Deity's favored weapon proficiency but for the purposes of feats requiring a Deity's favored weapon, they can use the Scythe to meet the requirement for it.
Dark Reaping(su):
The Necromancer has only access to one Domain: Death and at the discretion of the player, he can also choose any of the subdomains of it and is able to spontaneously cast the spells from the death domain.
This alters the Domain class feature and replaces the spontaneous casting class feature of the Cleric.
Siphon Blood (su):
Siphon Blood is a ranged touch attack made of negative energy using one charge of channel energy as a standard action. The Necromancer rolls a ranged touch attack of 30 ft against a target and uses the damage of her channel energy, also regains half the damage dealt as hit points (rounded down), as he is siphoning the blood from his foes. Creatures that cannot bleed (Undead, construct etc…) are immune to this effect.
If the Necromancer possesses the channel smite feat, he is able to channel Siphon blood into his scythe melee attacks and regains half the damage dealt as well.
The Necromancer can only use his normal channel energy to either harm the living or harm the undead. It should be noted that the Necromancer can heal himself if he is able to benefit from negative energy healing like the undead.
It alters the channel energy class feature and remove all cure spells from the Necromancer spell list.
Commander of the Risen Dead:
All Necromancer gain Command Undead as a bonus feat. In addition, at 10th level, she may select one of the following as a bonus feat: Channel Smite, Extra Channel, Improved Channel, Quick Channel, Selective Channeling, Skeleton Summoner, Undead Master.
Bone Spikes (su): At level 3, the Necromancer can spend two uses of channel energy and target a 20 foot square in a 30 foot range and creates spikes made of bones. Any creature moving on foot into or through the spell’s area takes 1d4 points of piercing damage for each 5 feet of movement through the spiked area. The damage increases by 1d4 every 4 levels up to a maximum of 5d4 at level 16.
Any creature that takes damage from this spell must also succeed on a Reflex save(10+½ Necromancer level+Charisma modifier) or suffer injuries to its feet and legs that slow its land speed by half. This speed penalty lasts for 24 hours or until the injured creature receives a cure spell (which also restores lost hit points). Another character can remove the penalty by taking 10 minutes to dress the injuries and succeeding on a Heal check against the Bone spikes' save DC.
Bone Spear (su):
Beginning at level 5, the Necromancer by spending 1 use of channel energy can launch a lance made of bones and terrifying feature is launched in a line at his enemies.
The line has a range of 120 ft and deals negative energy damage equals to the channel energy damage.
Targets in the line can Reflex save for half (10+½ Necromancer level+Charisma modifier).
Corpse Explosion (Su):
Beginning at level 7, The Necromancer can spontaneously cast the spell Bloatbomb and can trigger the explosion as an immediate action, as if he had touched the corpse from a range of 30 feet + 5 feet every 2 levels.
The Necromancer can enhance the explosion by using two uses of channel energy, it deals damage equal to 1d6 per necromancer level up to a maximum of 15d6 at level 15.
Death Nova (Su):
At level 11, The Necromancer has become a lord of the Dead and can create a sphere in a 20 ft radius centered on him by spending 3 uses of Channel Energy and snuff out the life of his foes. Death Nova slays 1d4 HD worth of living creatures per caster level to a maximum of 20d4. Creatures with the fewest HD are affected first and no creatures with 9 or more HD can be affected by it.
It is considered a death effect. The fort negate save DC is 10+½ Necromancer level+charisma modifier.
Death Shield(Su):
At level 17, If the Necromancer ever receives enough damage to put him unconscious or dead and has at least 3 channel energy uses left, he sacrifice all his undead servants by spending 3 channel energy and regain 100 hp.
Note: Here we go with the revised version, more balanced with trading out some class features. Death Shield might seem a lot but to be quite honest the average amount of hp healed with 3 charges of channel energy is roughly 95 hp, so made it a round number at 100 hp.
This version relies more on charisma to take advantage of the Necromancer powers and channel energy uses. Extra Channel is almost a must have for any serious Necromancer.
I simply decided to let players build their own kind of Necromancer in respect to the Scythe by allowing it to qualify for favored weapon line of feats, if someone want to focus on their scythe, there are some options out there.
Here we go Necromancer D3 Revised:
Necromancer
Deity: Must worship a Deity of Death.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Necromancer are proficient with all simple weapons light armor, medium armor and shields (Except tower shields). Necromancer are also proficient with the Scythe.It alters their Deity's favored weapon proficiency but for the purposes of feats requiring a Deity's favored weapon, they can use the Scythe to meet the requirement for it.
Dark Reaping(su):
The Necromancer has only access to one Domain: Death and at the discretion of the player, he can also choose any of the subdomains of it and is able to spontaneously cast the spells from the death domain.
This alters the Domain class feature and replaces the spontaneous casting class feature of the Cleric.
Siphon Blood (su):
Siphon Blood is a ranged touch attack made of negative energy using one charge of channel energy as a standard action. The Necromancer rolls a ranged touch attack of 30 ft against a target and uses the damage of her channel energy, also regains half the damage dealt as hit points (rounded down), as he is siphoning the blood from his foes. Creatures that cannot bleed (Undead, construct etc…) are immune to this effect.
If the Necromancer possesses the channel smite feat, he is able to channel Siphon blood into his scythe melee attacks and regains half the damage dealt as well.
The Necromancer can only use his normal channel energy to either harm the living or harm the undead. It should be noted that the Necromancer can heal himself if he is able to benefit from negative energy healing like the undead.
It alters the channel energy class feature and remove all cure spells from the Necromancer spell list.
Commander of the Risen Dead:
All Necromancer gain Command Undead as a bonus feat. In addition, at 10th level, she may select one of the following as a bonus feat: Channel Smite, Extra Channel, Improved Channel, Quick Channel, Selective...
Alright I think this looks like it's going in a good direction! I think the wording on some abilities could use some clarifying or clean up (and I can try to do that a bit if you'd like, though I'm not always the best at it either). Now on to my thoughts on the new stuff.
Dark Reaping: I actually think the spontaneous casting here is pretty nice. It helps to make up for the loss of a Domain for sure.
Siphon Blood: One major thing I would clarify is if when they use channel smite if you mean they heal for half of the entire ATTACK or still just the damage of the channel, it's not super clear which is the case though I'm assuming you mean just the channel damage. However I do think that the healing on negative energy part could be it's own ability, possibly something gained a little later. After all channel energy has the line "A cleric can choose whether or not to include herself in this effect". Otherwise I think this fits much better.
Commander of the Risen Dead: I don't really see anything wrong with this, two bonus feats is hardly out of line.
Bone Spikes: I actually kinda like this, though it feels a little clunky in some ways. How long do the spikes last? Can a creature move half speed to avoid the damage? If you prefer how it works right now then clearing those up should solve most of the issues, alternatively you could possibly have it mimic an effect similar to a Barbed Chains spell.
Bone Spear: Now thats one heck of a toss! I don't really think it's a problem myself though.
Corpse Explosion: Maybe this could be tied in with Siphon Blood somehow? As is it's burning two uses of channel and a spell slot for some semi-situational damage. Perhaps something like if a creature dies due to Siphon Blood than anything next to them also takes channel damage? That might be too strong of a crowd control but I'm not sure.
Death Nova: Ok so this feels...really good. I can't necessarily say if it's obscenely good or not since spell balance isn't my forte, but it definitely reads as being pretty dang powerful for when you get it. Without any playtesting, I can't accurately say how strong it'll end up.
Death Shield: I will say this feels a little clunky and maybe out of place. The way it reads seems to imply you need a certain number of summoned undead in order for it to work, but without an actual number you could sacrifice '0' and it still works.
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@Naoki00: I welcome any help to fix the wording or clarifying it of course.
Siphon Blood will try to clarify a bit more but yes the intent is just for the channel smite attack.
Good point on the channel energy self healing, will need to adjust for the level it or make it into his own thing, like you say, probably can call it "Fueled by Death" like the passive skill in D3.
Bone spikes: I know that I forgot something, the duration is going to be 1 round per level.
Corpse explosion: I'll have to think about it, but yeah it is very situational right now.
Death Nova: It can be powerful depending on the situation but usually , even if you fight a couple of 5 HD monsters, you will be able to affect 4 of them on average at level 11. That if you are surrounded of course.
Good point on Death Shield, I might need to write down a minimum of undead servant, if not, it might be a little cheap.