OK...Help me build an Undead controller

[Patman]

So I was thinking Oracle with Juju mystery and spirit vessels...But how do I get the command Undead feat...you need to be able to channel Negative Energy, plus that means no good alignment.I'm stuck...I don't want to go the cleric route....How do I make a kick ass undead controller...I think later in the campaign there will be a lot of intelligent undead...is there a way to handle them too, or should I just go with a Cleric undead destroyer/turner? maybe a Blossming Light?

[VoodistMonk]

Agent of the Grave is going to be your best way to handle intelligent Undead.

Dirge Bard is another way.

[Patman]

I want to be able to take control of them, like charm and dominate spells do to the living...If I encounter Zombies or Skeletons, I want to grab control of them

[Patman]

Dirge bard doesn't do what I want...

[LordKailas]

It can be done with feats.

Skill Focus[Any Knowledge skill] + Eldritch Heritage[Arcane] + Adept Channel.

Now you can channel negative energy twice per day and qualify for the feat Command Undead.

It's helpful to be human or half-elf as these can pick up the skill focus feat for free.

I use it as part of the following build

Juju Commander of Urgathoa (Oracle)

Spoiler:

Key concepts: A necromancer with a vast undead army
Deity: Urgathoa
Race: Human or Half-elf
Racial Trait: Heart of the Fey and Focused Study(Human) or Adaptability (Half-elf)
Class: Oracle(6), Exalted/Evangelist(10), Oracle(4)
Archetype(s): Spirit Guide[Bones] (oracle)
Arcane Bond: Familiar
Mystery: Juju (PAP39/PZO9039)
Hex: Bone Lock
Curse: Covetous (UMD) or Reclusive (inst. self-only spells are +1 CL), Lich (heal as undead),
Key Revelations: Spirit Vessels, Undead Servitude
Feats: Skill Focus[k. religion](1st), Undead Master(1st), Eldritch Heritage[Arcane](3rd), Deific Obedience(5th), Adept Channel(7th)
Key Features:• All necromancy spells are cast at CL+1
• Gets 2 pools of Channel energy/Command Undead each at CL+4
• At 8th level can cast Animate Dead 1/day as a SLA
• At 9th level when casting animate dead can control 6xCL in HD instead of 4xCL
• At 11th level can cast all Death Domain spells as 1/day SLA (Exalted only)

edit: Alternatively, you could just take the oracle revelation Undead Servitude. It gives you command undead along with a limited negative energy channel to use it. I take advantage of this in the build I listed as it gives me two pools of channel negative energy I can use to grab undead with since the two channel energy features don't stack. It should be noted that undead servitude gives you command undead and the ability to channel negative energy regardless of your character's alignment.

[blahpers]

1. Find a dead controller. If you can only find a living controller, kill it.

2. Cast animate dead on it.

[Zwordsman]

As a sidenote. Assuming you mean "take wild undead under your control in a fight" and not "make undead to fight for me"
Mesmer can (if I rememeber right) get abilities to allow mind effects vs undead. So you could use that to actually dominate and such.

[Joynt Jezebel]

I was going to sugges the revelation-

Undead Servitude (Su): You gain Command Undead as a bonus feat. You can channel negative energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier, but only to use Command Undead. You can take other feats to add to this ability, such as Improved Channel, but not feats that alter this ability, such as Alignment Channel.

Then realised Lord Kailas had already done so. And it conveniently comes from the same Oracle revelation as Spirit Vessels.

You wanted to be of good alignment. There is nothing in the rules that says you have to be evil, or even can't be good, and be a JuJu Oracle.

You will likely have trouble convincing others that you and your monstrous horde of undead slaves are not evil however. And some GMs won't allow an good undead master but by the rules that is certainly a way to do it.

An alternative is a Wizard, necromancy school which has this as a level 1 power-

Power over Undead (Su)
You receive Command Undead or Turn Undead as a bonus feat. You can channel energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier, but only to use the selected feat. You 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 your wizard level + your Charisma modifier. At 20th level, undead cannot add their channel resistance to the save against this ability.

I would think you have to channel +ve energy if good, but your GM may not agree. But you can be neutral. It is another option.