I will start with my original attempt at building a necromancer... a repurposed character from the Kingmaker AP... Nugrah, the Decrepit. In the AP, he is this insane Druid, right? His wife dies giving birth to his son. In my version, he turns towards necromancy [Blight Druid with the Death Domain] to try return his wife from the dead. During his research, he comes across and assembles the pieces of a rare, broken artifact... the Phylactery of Jadis-Vel. This whole time, cruelly raising a son that he resents and unfairly blames for the death of his wife. The son grows up to be a bandit lord, and imprisons Nugrah before he can complete his studies. The party freed Nugrah from his son's prison, and banished him from the kingdom.
In excile, Nugrah followed the path of the Whispering Way [Agent of the Grave], learning death's secrets, and literally whispered to by the artifact he now wears. Along the way, he has totally forgotten about his original intentions of raising his wife. Driven nearly mad by the artifact he assembled, his only focus is eternal lichdom. Due to his failing body and venerable age, he cheats the system by wearing an Amulet of Grasping Souls and purposefully drinking Ghost Syrup before becoming a Lich.
Regardless of having all five levels of Agent of the Grave, the Phylactery of Jadis-Vel still switched Nugrah's mind with that of Jadis-Vel... its evil plan all along was to use Nugrah [or whomever else happened to assemble it] as a host for the new and improved Jadis-Vel...
An incorporeal, Wild Shape'ing, Lich necromancer. Lol.
1) Nugrah, the Decrepit:
Blight Druid 6/Agent of the Grave 5
I have others, probably over a dozen in total...
Count Timrek le Gorf, a Grippli Ranger VMC Sorcerer... Grippli FCB for Ranger gifts you a swim speed, and having a swim speed happens to eliminate some inherent weakness of Vampires. Nobody wants to be someone else's Vampire, so Agent of the Grave is an obvious choice. Agent of the Grave requires one to be able to cast Animate Dead. Animate Dead isn't a Ranger spell, or a Bard spell, in the case of the Dandy Ranger (which Count Timrek le Gorf is). So we VMC Sorcerer, take the Arcane Bloodline, and pick up Animate Dead via New Arcana at level 15. Just in time to squeeze in all five levels of Agent of the Grave. Funny story, though, Vampires do not get a bite attack from the template. Lol. So we take Fiendish Obedience [Kabriri] to get a bite attack, and Ranger Combat Style feats to get some claws. For being a 20lb frog, a 20HD Charisma-based Ranger /Agent of the Grave (VMC Sorcerer) turns out to be actually kind of legit... using its Agile Tongue to deliver Ghoul Touch [also picked up via New Arcana] to paralyze you before pitter-pattering down the wall to suck your blood.
2) Count Timrek le Gorf:
Dandy Ranger 15/Agent of the Grave 5 (VMC Sorcerer)
3) An Urgathoa AntiPaladin... my combat medic. Lol. But for reals, this is all about combining the 2nd Exalted boon gotten from Deific Obedience Urgathoa, Bolstering Channel, with the feat Bolster Undead. It takes 16 hit dice to get the aforementioned boon, so we take 11 levels of AntiPaladin and all 5 levels of Agent of the Grave. I wanted an Agent of the Grave build that wasn't soft and squishy... nailed it. Homeboy here is a wonderful asset to have in the middle of your Undead army.
4) I wanted an archer in my Coven, so I sent an Eldrith Archer-Hecrafter Magus down the path of the Whispering Way. Figured Magi get enough feats to VMC Witch to really bring out the Hexcrafter part of all this. I wanted all the archetype-specific Arcana before jumping into Agent of the Grave, so we end up with Eldritch Archer-Hexcrafter Magus 12/Agent of the Grave 5 (VMC Witch).
5) Another Ranger, this one is a Witchguard Ranger with the Plague Patron to get Animate Dead at 13... I went Ranger 15/Agent of the Grave 5, because stopping two levels shy of 20 is stupid. Anyways, no self-respecting Witchguard would be complete without VMC Witch with the Coven Hex in order to join the Coven that they guard.
6) I wanted to expand on what this group could do, so I added a Rogue. Not that I especially like Rogues, but I respect some of the things they can do. Having an Arcane Trickster necromancer adds a surprising level of utility/versatility. Eldritch Scoundrel UnRogue 4/Arcane Trickster 6/Agent of the Grave 5.
That's about half of what I have. I may list the others, but hopefully this is enough to get others going. I don't know how often people actually use the Agent of the Grave prestige class, though. I know Ryze Kuja posted quite possibly the scariest necromancer build I have ever seen using JuJu Oracle 4/Gravewalker Witch 3/Mystic Theurge 2/Agent of the Grave 5/Mystic Theurge 6... an absolutely terrifying amount of Undead. Epic.
Not a lot of love for the Agent of the Grave prestige class, huh? Sad.
Anyways, I did find an entire Paladin oath focused on destroying agents of the Whispering Way and stopping the spread of their philosophy... Oath Against the Whispering Way... Paladins aren't known for their creativity, so forgive the primative title, but their hearts are in the right place. Bless them.
It's good to know your enemies.
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JujuOracle6 / AgentOfTheGrave5 / JujuOracleX
Juju zombies pwn, and they're always max HP when created by a JujuOracle, so these guys make one of the best zookeepers in the game, and at level 11 (AotG5) you can pick up Wizard necromancy spells, so get Command Undead. Have both Extend Spell and Undead Master feats online before or right at level 11.
Wizard5 / AotG2 / WizardX (Sorc6 / AotG2 / SorcX or Arcanist6 / AotG2 / ArcanistX also work)
We're only getting 2 levels of AotG this time, but it's for Undead Manipulator. If you want to be a crowd controller of not just humanoids but also Undead, this build might be for you. You get your own little zoo with this as well, so this can spark some pretty interesting necromancer vs. necromancer fights.
GravewalkerWitch5 / AotG5 / GWitchX
Probably one of the best builds for zookeepers in the game as well, because aura of desecration provides Turn Resistance for the Zoo and the Gravewalker archetype is compatible with Hex Channeler, and with AotG. Deliver touch spells thru the Poppet is a nice bonus too. It's basically a lesser Reach Magic but doesn't increase your spell slot.
Funny story... I have an Oracle 8/Agent of the Grave 5 Aasimar with the Scion of Humanity alternative racial feature, so she can take the Mark of the Devoted feat at level one. Now, upon death, she rises as a JuJu Zombie with free will, and class levels/feats. A JuJu Zombie JuJu Oracle with Angel Wings and Flyby Attack and 6th-level spells. Lol.
I also have the Gravewalker-Hex Channeler Witch 6/Agent of the Grave 5 combination in me notes, I just hate losing Witch levels... even though the only Hex he has taken is Coven.
I have the idea of a Antipaladin/Blackblood Oracle/Agent of Grave/Holy Vindicator
Once it’s built I’ll post it. The rough theory being a deathnight without being a Graveknight
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Starting stats 15 Point Buy
Str 16
Dex 12
Con 12
Int 10
Wis 7
Cha 16
Human Antipaladin lv5 / Oracle lv5 / Agent of the Grave lv5 / Holy
Vindicator lv5
ECL: 20
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Size: Medium
Land Speed: 30 ft / round
HP: 200 XP: 0
STR: 16 (+3)
DEX: 12 (+1)
CON: 12 (+1)
INT: 10 (+0)
WIS: 7 (-2)
CHA: 21 (+5)
Fortitude: +17
Reflex Will
: +12 : +17
AC Normal
AC Touch
AC Flat-Footed: 10
Armor : -
Shield: -
-- Resistance --
Cold: 5
BAB: +15 / +10 / +5
Initiative: 1
CMB: +18
CMD: 29
-- Attacks --
* Unarmed Strike (+18/+13/+8, 1d3+3, ×2)
-- Items in Backpack --
[no items]
-- Items in Storage --
[no items]
-- Carrying Capacity --
Light Load : 76 lb.
Medium Load: 153 lb.
Heavy Load : 230 lb.
-- Class Features / Racial Traits --
* Inspired Necromancy (Ex)
* Aura of Cowardice (Su)
* Aura of Evil (Ex)
* Black Blood Revelations
* Bloodfire (Su)
* Bonus Feat (Spell Focus (Necromancy))
* Channel Energy (Su)
* Channel Negative Energy (Su)
* Cruelty (Sickened) (Su)
* Curse of Black Blood (Su)
* Death’s Shroud (Su)
* Detect Good (Sp)
* Divine Wrath (Sp)
* Faith Healing (Empower) (Su)
* Fiendish Boon (Fiendish Servant) (Sp)
* Inflict spells (Oracle)
* Languages
* Lich’s Touch (Su)
* Martial Weapon Proficiency (all)
* Negative Energy Affinity (Ex)
* Negative Energy Conduit (Ex)
* Orisons
* Plague Bringer (Ex)
* Secrets Of Death (Ex)
* Skilled
* Smite Good 2/day (Su)
* Spirit Vessels
* Stigmata (Su)
* Touch of Corruption (Su)
* Undead Manipulator (Ex)
* Undead Servitude (Su)
* Undeath Initiate (Ex)
* Unholy Fortitude (Su)
* Unholy Resilience (Su)
* Vindicator's Shield (Su)
* Alignment Channel (Good)
* Armor Proficiency, Heavy
* Armor Proficiency, Light
* Armor Proficiency, Medium
* Channel Smite
* Channel Smite
* Cleave
* Command Undead
* Extra Lay On Hands
* Greater Channel Smite
* Improved Channel
* Leadership
* Power Attack
* Quick Channel
* Shield Proficiency
* Simple Weapon Proficiency
* Spell Focus (Necromancy)
* Undead Master
-- Spells --
- Antipaladin -
Prepared Spells
Spell Level 1 (Spells per day: 3)
[no Spells prepared]
Known Spells
Spell Level 1
Animal Purpose Training
Bane
Blood Blaze
Cause Fear
Command
Curse Water
Death Candle
Death Knell
Demand Offering
Detect Poison
Disguise Self
Doom
Inflict Light Wounds
Ironbeard
Linebreaker
Litany of Sloth
Litany of Weakness
Longshot
Magic Weapon
Murderous Command
Obscure Poison
Protection from Good
Protection from Law
Read Magic
Savage Maw
Sentry Skull
Summon Minor Monster
Summon Monster I
Wartrain Mount
- Oracle -
Known Spells
Orisons (available spells: [Unlimited])
Bleed
Create Water
Detect Magic
Guidance
Mending
Read Magic
Resistance
Spark
Stabilize
Spell Level 1 (available spells: 0 / 8)
Cause Fear
Curse Water
Deathwatch
Decompose Corpse
Inflict Light Wounds
Ray of Sickening
Speak with Animals
Spell Level 2 (available spells: 0 / 7)
Animate Dead, Lesser
Enemy's Heart
Gentle Repose
Hideous Laughter
Inflict Moderate Wounds
Sentry Skull
Unliving Rage
Spell Level 3 (available spells: 0 / 7)
Animate Dead
Bestow Curse
Blindness/Deafness
Deadly Juggernaut
Spell Level 4 (available spells: 0 / 7)
Bloatbomb
Plague Carrier
Poison
Spell Level 5 (available spells: 0 / 6)
Contagion, Greater
Slay Living
Spell Level 6 (available spells: 0 / 3)
Create Undead
I have the idea of a Antipaladin/Blackblood Oracle/Agent of Grave/Holy Vindicator
Once it’s built I’ll post it. The rough theory being a deathnight without being a Graveknight
Nice.
Not that it matters, but I have a Rampager AntiPaladin 6/Holy Vindicator 10 using Fiendish Obedience for Shax's 2nd Exalted boon, called Life in Blood. This allows one to treat bleed damage as fast healing... which will activate when you use Stigmata. Take some damage before activating Stigmata, and gain fast healing. Wait until the second round to knock them out. Lol.
I made the build I posted only it was AP4/Oracle 6/HV10 as a Necromancer tank but this one allows a bigger UD pool with AotG