Necromancer Prestige Class

Necromancers thrive on the study of the dead and dying. They are fascinated by corruption, graveyards and the macabre This fascination extends to their magical powers; a necromancer is never satisfied with knowing about death, he must actually reach out to death with his magical essence, seeking to embrace it.

A necromancer usually starts out as sorcerer, wizard or cleric, but even bards and rangers can become fascinated with the powers of undeath. A druid would have to be of a very peculiar religion to continue in their old class after taking up the practice of necromancy, and a paladin would instantly lose the status. Barbarians, fighters, monks and rogues have very little to gain from necromancy.

Necromancers are definitely not welcome in polite society, and most civilized lands outlaw the practice of necromancy.

Hit Die: d6

Class Skills

Alchemy (Int), Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Move Silently (Wis), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int).

Skill points at each level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the necromancer prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The necromancer is proficient with all simple melee weapons and light armor and with a shield. Note that most armor can casue spell failure in arcane spells with somatic components. Also note that necromancers can use armor made out of parts of the dead without incurring this risk, see Death Attunement, below.

Spells: The does not gain the ability to cast any additional spells each day. Instead, he gains new spells to add to his class list. In this manner, he gains the ability to cast new spells, or to cast old spells at lower levels than normal. These new spells are learned, prepared and cast just as if they were spells of the characters other class(es). If prepared as bard, sorcerer or wizard spells, they are arcane spells and suffer from arcane spell failure. If prepared as cleric, druid, ranger or paladin spells, they count as divine spells.

A bard or sorcerer who learns new spells in this manner may learn two additional spells of the spell level in question, that must be chosen from this list.

A Guideline to Necromancer Spell Levels When determining what level a new spell should be to a necromancer, apply the following guidelines. Necromancers don't get an improvement to general spellcasting ability, so their sole spell improvement comes through these new spells, so they should be a major improvement. Pick the first category below that applies. Spells that animate or create undead are available two levels earlier than for a normal class. Sorcerer/Wizard/Druid necromancy spells are the same level as they are to the original class. Cleric necromancy spells are reduced by one level. Cleric spells that cause wounds or inflictions keep their original level. Cleric spells that restore the dead keep their original level. Cleric spells that heal are increased by one level.

Turn Undead: The necromancer may now command undead just as an evil cleric of three times his Necromancer level or his character level, whichever is less.

Death Attunement: If wearing armor made only out of the bodies of dead creatures, the necromancer won't suffer from arcane spell failure. Leather and hide armor can be made this way, as can shields equivalent to wooden shields. Certain creatures, such as dragons, can also be slaughtered to provide armor of excellent protective value; see the Monster Manual.

Necromantic Mastery: At tenth level, the necromancer has mastered the school of necromancy. All necromancy spells are cast with the following feats applied, at no increase in caster level: Empower Spell, Extend Spell, Still Spell.

Level    Base Attack Bonus Fortitude Save Reflex Save Will Save Added spells 1 +0 +2 +0 +2 First level spells: animate dead, cause fear, chill touch, cure light wounds, deathwatch, detect undead, inflict minor wounds, invisibility to undead, magic fang, ray of enfeeblement. 2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Second level spells: death knell, delay poison, desecrate, gentle repose, inflict moderate wounds, lesser restoration, remove paralysis, scare, speak with dead, spectral hand. 3 +2 +3 +1 +3 Third level spells: contagion, cure moderate wounds, ghoul touch, greater magic fang, halt undead, helping hand, inflict serious wounds, negative energy protection, vampiric touch. 4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Fourth level spells: create undead, cure serious wounds, death ward, enervation, fear, inflict critical wounds, neutralize poison, poison, remove disease, rusting grasp. 5 +3 +4 +1 +4 Fifth level spells: circle of doom, magic jar, raise dead, restoration, slay living, unhallow. 6 +4 +5 +2 +5 Sixth level spells: antilife shell, circle of death, create greater undead, harm, raise dead. 7 +5 +5 +2 +5 Seventh level spells: control undead, destruction, greater restoration, regenerate, resurection, soul bind. 8 +6 +6 +2 +6 Eight level spells: energy drain, finger of death, horrid wilting, unholy aura. 9 +6 +6 +3 +6 Ninth level spells: astral projection, implosion, true resurection, wail of the banshee. 10 +7 +7 +3 +7 Necromantic mastery