Hi guys and dolls,
I really wanted to play a necromancer in Pathfinder 1e, so doing a bunch of
research, the archetype for Occultist, Necroccultist seemed pretty funkie. It should be noted I am starting at 7th level.
However, I have a question about the implements and how they work for this
archetype.
At the very start of the description, it says:
"At 1st level, a necroccultist gains access to only the necromancy school of implements."
My confusion is whether it gets a second school later on in my build? My DM says that I get a second one, and so I took Conjuration. But I am not sure that is right.
Can you guys set me straight?
Here is my build (Done in HeroLab):
Hycea Kasamir
Female human (Varisian) occultist (necroccultist) 7 (Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures 46, 100)
NE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +7; Senses Perception +11
Defense
AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex)
hp 41 (7d8+7)
Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +6; +2 trait bonus against mind-affecting effects, +2 bonus vs. death and fear effects **Dont I only get one of these?*
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Implement Schools (13 generic focus)
Conjuration (figurine, 0 points) Resonant—casting focus; Focus—mind steed, servitor
Necromancy (skull, 0 points) Resonant—necromantic focus; Focus—mind fear, necromantic servant, pain wave, psychic curse, soulbound puppet
Occultist (Necroccultist) Spells Known (CL 7th; concentration +11)
3rd (2/day)—animate dead, inflict serious wounds (DC 17), pocketful of vipersUI (DC 17)
2nd (4/day)—lesser animate deadUM, cure moderate wounds, spectral hand
1st (5/day)—cause fear (DC 15), restore corpseUM, unseen servant
0 (at will)—bleed (DC 14), grave wordsOA, stabilize, touch of fatigue (DC 14)
Statistics
Str 9, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 16
Base Atk +5; CMB +4; CMD 15
Feats Arisen, Combat Casting, CosmopolitanAPG, Extra Mental FocusOA, Improved Initiative
Traits deathtouched, reactionary
Skills Appraise +12, Bluff +5, Diplomacy +13, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Linguistics +9, Perception +11, Perform (Sexual Techniques) +10, Profession (courtesan) +6, Ride +4, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +14, Stealth +2, Survival +2, Use Magic Device +14
Languages Abyssal, Common, Daemonic, Goblin, Osiriani, Varisian
SQ deadspeaker, ghostly horde, hedonistic, implements 4, magic item skill, mental focus (13/day), shift focus
Special Abilities
Arisen (Completed, 1/day) Healing spells affect you at +1 CL, +2 to save vs. death/fear & can gain temp Hp for 10 min.
Casting Focus (Su) Use as extra focus component to add to CL for conjuration spell.
Combat Casting +4 to Concentration checks to cast while on the defensive.
Conjuration (figurine) Implements used in conjuration allow the occultist to perform magic that transports or calls creatures. Implements: Bowl, brazier, compass, figurine, lantern, mirror.
Deadspeaker (3/day) (Su) Learn answers about a dead or undead creature, as blood biography.
Extra Spells (Necromancy [skull]) Select this to add extra spells of the selected school to the occultist's spell list.
Ghostly Horde 3d6 (1/day, DC 17) (Su) 1 focus: summon a ghostly horde that damages those in a 20-ft. circle.
Hedonistic If you do not gain a reward in a day, you are fatigued for 4h the next day (Fort DC 20 negates)
Implements (Su) Gain a series of items which grant access to schools and powers.
Magic Item Skill Add half level as bonus to Use Magical Device.
Mental Focus (13/day) (Su) You have a pool of points that activate your focus powers.
Mind Fear (DC 17) (Su) Target creature is frightened 1d4 rnds. if it has your HD or less, shaken if more (Will neg).
Mind Steed (70 minutes) (Sp) 1 focus: Summon a spectral horse, as mount
Necromancy (skull) Implements that draw power from necromancy can control undead and harm the living. Implements: Bone, coin, doll, drum, robe, skull.
Necromantic Focus (Su) Use implement as focus to command or create additional undead.
Necromantic Servant (3 servants, 70 minutes) (Sp) 1 focus: Raise human skeleton or zombie to serve you.
Pain Wave (7 rounds, DC 17) (Sp) 1 focus: Creatures in 20-ft. burst within 100 ft. are sickened by pain (Will partial).
Psychic Curse (7 days, DC 17) (Sp) 1 focus: Curse creature within 30 feet.
Servitor (Summon Monster III) (Sp) Standard action and 1 focus to summon a single creature, as summon monster
Shift Focus (Extra Spells, 10 focus) (Su) Shift focus from one implement to another, but lose 1 point.
Soulbound Puppet (70 minutes) (Su) 1 focus: create soulbound puppet from bone, doll, or skull.
Thanks in advance,
Graham C.
A vanilla occultist gets 2 implements at first level. The necroccultist only gets 1, and it's fixed as necromancy. When either gets more implements at 2nd, 6th level etc. they can choose any school - including the option of choosing necromancy again if they wish to know more than 1 necromancy spell per spell level.
I will say that the necroccultist does not impress me. The vanilla occultist, or a haunt collector or even a psychodermist (mainly for the look) would make better occultist necromancers IMO.
Thanks so much. That clears it up!
A vanilla occultist gets 2 implements at first level. The necroccultist only gets 1, and it's fixed as necromancy. When either gets more implements at 2nd, 6th level etc. they can choose any school - including the option of choosing necromancy again if they wish to know more than 1 necromancy spell per spell level.
I will say that the necroccultist does not impress me. The vanilla occultist, or a haunt collector or even a psychodermist (mainly for the look) would make better occultist necromancers IMO.
Just to clarify that part, a Necrooccultist DOES learn more than 1 Necromancy spell per spell level. They gain 1 Necromancy spell per spell level from the Occultist spell list AND they gain 1 Necromancy spell per CHARACTER level from the Wizard spell list - effectively getting 20 bonus Necromancy spells over the course of the game. This of course comes at the cost of 1 Implement at first level and another at 14th level .
Each time he gains an occultist level, a necroccultist can add one necromancy spell from the wizard spell list to his occultist spell list and his list of spells known.
As to the rest of avr's statement ... yeah I usually rate a regular Occultist higher. There's definitely something to be said for knowing more spells in your chosen school, but how many good Necromancy spells are there that you need? You'll end up with 27 Necromancy spells ... how many of them will never see use?
If you really want to lean heavily into Necromancy and can't get enough Necromancy spells by taking 2 Necromancy Implements then I'd say it's worth it.
K. Thanks to you both.