Cardea
2011-01-03, 06:06 PM
http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad232/CardeaAfton/Necromancer_by_randis.jpg?t=1293508212 (http://randis.deviantart.com/art/Necromancer-142384783?q=boost:popular+necromancer&qo=0)
"Necromancy. You spoke of it as a child, as the weapon of the villain. You spoke of it as a young woman, using it as a fuel to power your crusade. And now you speak of it to me, now, to try and bring back your beloved? Well, child... let us see what I can do." - Naelis Vahl
The Art of Necromancy is a practice that few will take part in, and even fewer that will admit to using it. Those who are more outspoken are those who wish to dominate the living, or have treaded with the likes of Orcus. Conquerers, Rulers, Tyrants, Evil-doers; all of these tags have been put onto these practitioners of the Art. And while there does exist what is known as a 'White' Necromancer, those who use Necromancy in the name of Good and of the Living, they are few and far off in between, and no more trusted than those who wish to rule with the Undead. But there are, however, some who look beyond this Black and White distinction; the Grey Arcanist.
Rather than approaching Necromancy from the view of right or wrong, under the influence or command of some higher power, or even taking it as a form of power to be abused to conquer, Grey Arcanists seek to master the Art of Necromancy by approaching it as merely the manipulation of the Life Force found in living things. By studying the Art with this mentality, with a strict discipline and a strong mind, a Grey Arcanist learns to bend the Life Force of creatures around him... as well as his own.
HD: d6
Requirements
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral, Lawful Neutral or True Neutral
Feats: Spell Focus: Necromancy, Fearsome Necromancy
Spellcasting: Able to cast 3rd-level Arcane Spells; three of which must be of the Necromancy School.
Special: Must have been subject to a drain effect, either of your ability score(s) or level, coming from either an Undead, another Necromancer or a spell from the Necromancy School.
Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill-points per level: 2+Int modifier
The Grey Arcanist
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spells
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2| Necromantic Studies, Teachings of the Undead| +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3| Necromantic Studies|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3| Necromantic Studies, Necrosis Effect|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4| Necromantic Studies|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4| Necromantic Studies, Granted of the Mind and Body|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class[/table]
Spells per Day: When a new level in Grey Arcanist is gained, she gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of Grey Arcanist to the level of whatever other arcane spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.
If a Grey Arcanist had more than one arcane spellcasting class before she became a Grey Arcanist, she must decide to which class she adds each level of Grey Arcanist for the purpose of determining spells per day.
Teachings of the Undead: A Grey Arcanist begins her studies of the dead headstrong; learning more and more about the Art of Necromancy becoming a passion for her. Upon gaining the first level in this class, the DC Saves for all of her Necromancy spells increase by 1.
Necromantic Studies: A Grey Arcanist learns to warp her Necromancy spells, making them function in new and improved ways. At every level of this class, The Grey Arcanist may choose two of the Studies listed below.
Studies of the 1st
Backbiter Study -
Cause Fear Study - Your Cause Fear spell now affects creatures up to 1/2 your HD, and can now affect creatures normally immune to fear.
Chill Touch Study - Your Chill Touch spell now deals 1d6 per Caster Level (5d6 Max), and deals 1d6 Strength Damage if they fail a Fortitude Save. You can still use this a number of times equal to your level, but the damage to a single creature's Strength Score cannot go past 6 by use of this spell.
Ray of Enfeeblement Study - In addition to normal affects, a creature struck with this spell becomes Fatigued.
Studies of the 2nd
Blindness and Deafness Study - When you Blind a creature with this spell, you gain a bonus to spot checks equal to your half of your Caster Level. When you Deafen a creature with this spell, you gain a bonus to listen checks equal to half of your Caster Level. You lose the ability to make the same creature Blind and Deaf with this spell.
Command Undead Study - You form a telepathic bond with whatever Undead you use this spell on.
False Life Study - While this spell is active, for every Caster Level you possess, you gain 1d10+1 Temporary Hit Points (Max: 5d10+10).
Scare - SR no longer applies to this spell.
Spectral Hand Study - The Spectral Hand now has an AC of 10 + Your Int Mod + Your Caster Level. When casting this spell, you roll 1d4 as normal, and lose that same amount of health, but the hand now has an HP equal to the number rolled on the d4, times your Caster Level.
Studies of the 3rd
Gentle Repose Study - Any corpse affected by this spell is considered weightless when carried by You, or anyone you designate. Additionally, if cast on a living creature, they are affected as if affected by Slow.
Halt Undead Study - You can now affect a number of Undead equal to your Caster Level.
Healing Touch Study - This spell no longer deals damage to you. This spell also heals 1d6 per Caster Level (Max 15d6).
Ray of Exhaustion Study - When you cast this spell, the ray splits off from the main target, even if it didn't hit, and attempts to hit a second target.
Vampiric Touch Study - Temporary hit points gained by this spell now last up to two hours after casting. Additionally, the target takes 2 points of Constitution Damage.
Studies of the 4th
Animate Dead Study - When using this spell, you now can control 5HD worth of creatures per Caster Level.
Bestow Curse Study - In addition to the main effect of this spell, you may choose an additional curse to bestow onto the target. This secondary curse may not be the same one as the first, and only has 1/2 the effectiveness as it would normally. (-3 to Ability Score, -2 Penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks., or 75% to Act Normally)
Contagion Study - The DCs for all diseases available by this spell is increased by your main spellcasting modifier.
Enervation Study - Any Undead affected by this spell now gains 2d4x5 Temporary Hit Points.
Fear Study - You can now choose to reshape this spell into five 5 ft. squares.
Studies of the 5th
Blight Study - This spell can now be cast as either a ray (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels Range) or a 30 ft. cone.
Magic Jar Study - You gain a bonus to a number of skills equal to your spellcasting modifier for a number of hours equal to the amount of time you spent inside another body. You may only choose skills that the host body had ranks in. The bonus to the skills selected is equal to half of the modifier the host body had in it. (Example: A Wizard with an Intelligence of 15 may select two skills the host body had ranks in. He chooses Knowledge (Arcana) and Climb. The creature had a +12 Bonus to Knowledge (Arcana) and a +7 to Climb. He gains a +6 bonus to his Knowledge (Arcana) checks and a +3 to Climb checks. He spent 15 hours inhabiting the host creature, so he gains these bonuses to Knowledge (Arcana) and Climb for the next 15 hours.)
Symbol of Pain Study - Creatures affected by a Symbol of Pain must make a Will save or become Frightened.
Wave of Fatigue Study - Creatures affected by this spell that are already Fatigued are now Exhausted.
Necrosis Effect: You gain a bonus equal to your main spellcasting modifier to saves against Ability Drains, Ability Damage, Negative Levels, Negative Energy Effects, Necromancy Spells, Spells cast by Necromancers, and any effects of any Undead. In addition, you gain Cold Resistance equal to your Caster Level.
Granted of the Mind and Body: As your intensive study of the Art grows to a close, it doesn't mean that you cannot continue to learn bit and pieces of Necromantic knowledge. Upon gaining fifth level in this class, at every other level you gain afterwards, of any class, you may switch out one of your Necromantic Studies with any other you do not currently possess. You may treat any Undead as having an Intelligence Score of 2 for the purpose of spells that require a mind (Only applies to Mindless Undead.) You also gain a bonus to all Charisma-based skills when dealing with Undead equal to your main spellcasting modifier.
Additionally, you may scribe a Symbol of Necromantic Power onto every Undead you create using Animate Dead. A Symbol of Necromantic Power grants an Undead. Imbuing a Symbol of Necromantic Power uses up a 5th level Spell Slot. You do not need to imbue a symbol upon Animating a corpse; you may imbue one later on. You need not prepare to cast a Symbol of Necromantic Power, if you prepare spells. You may exchange one of your prepared spells for it.
Symbol of Necromantic Power - Undead you control imbued with a Symbol of Necromantic Power become more tuned in with you. You may telepathically communicate simple commands to them. Specific commands (Ex: "Attack the Bandit, but avoid the Farmers, and salvage any weapons you find") still require verbal communication. You are aware of the location of any Undead you control with the Symbol of Necromantic Power on them, as well as their current HP. There is no limit to the distance of your telepathic communication. In addition, any Undead you control with the Symbol of Necromantic Power on them, can give you short messages via your link. They are usually three or four word descriptions (Ex: "Big room with dragon").
Comments/Changelogs
Hopefully this won't be wrecked too badly.
Considering adding Studies for spell levels 6 - 9. Just... don't know how to make them balanced.
Not sure if this is balanced, either.
Debating to make this a ten level class, to add some more abilities, and to spread them out more.
Edit One: Editing this is a nightmare.
"Necromancy. You spoke of it as a child, as the weapon of the villain. You spoke of it as a young woman, using it as a fuel to power your crusade. And now you speak of it to me, now, to try and bring back your beloved? Well, child... let us see what I can do." - Naelis Vahl
The Art of Necromancy is a practice that few will take part in, and even fewer that will admit to using it. Those who are more outspoken are those who wish to dominate the living, or have treaded with the likes of Orcus. Conquerers, Rulers, Tyrants, Evil-doers; all of these tags have been put onto these practitioners of the Art. And while there does exist what is known as a 'White' Necromancer, those who use Necromancy in the name of Good and of the Living, they are few and far off in between, and no more trusted than those who wish to rule with the Undead. But there are, however, some who look beyond this Black and White distinction; the Grey Arcanist.
Rather than approaching Necromancy from the view of right or wrong, under the influence or command of some higher power, or even taking it as a form of power to be abused to conquer, Grey Arcanists seek to master the Art of Necromancy by approaching it as merely the manipulation of the Life Force found in living things. By studying the Art with this mentality, with a strict discipline and a strong mind, a Grey Arcanist learns to bend the Life Force of creatures around him... as well as his own.
HD: d6
Requirements
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral, Lawful Neutral or True Neutral
Feats: Spell Focus: Necromancy, Fearsome Necromancy
Spellcasting: Able to cast 3rd-level Arcane Spells; three of which must be of the Necromancy School.
Special: Must have been subject to a drain effect, either of your ability score(s) or level, coming from either an Undead, another Necromancer or a spell from the Necromancy School.
Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill-points per level: 2+Int modifier
The Grey Arcanist
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spells
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2| Necromantic Studies, Teachings of the Undead| +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3| Necromantic Studies|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3| Necromantic Studies, Necrosis Effect|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4| Necromantic Studies|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4| Necromantic Studies, Granted of the Mind and Body|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class[/table]
Spells per Day: When a new level in Grey Arcanist is gained, she gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of Grey Arcanist to the level of whatever other arcane spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.
If a Grey Arcanist had more than one arcane spellcasting class before she became a Grey Arcanist, she must decide to which class she adds each level of Grey Arcanist for the purpose of determining spells per day.
Teachings of the Undead: A Grey Arcanist begins her studies of the dead headstrong; learning more and more about the Art of Necromancy becoming a passion for her. Upon gaining the first level in this class, the DC Saves for all of her Necromancy spells increase by 1.
Necromantic Studies: A Grey Arcanist learns to warp her Necromancy spells, making them function in new and improved ways. At every level of this class, The Grey Arcanist may choose two of the Studies listed below.
Studies of the 1st
Backbiter Study -
Cause Fear Study - Your Cause Fear spell now affects creatures up to 1/2 your HD, and can now affect creatures normally immune to fear.
Chill Touch Study - Your Chill Touch spell now deals 1d6 per Caster Level (5d6 Max), and deals 1d6 Strength Damage if they fail a Fortitude Save. You can still use this a number of times equal to your level, but the damage to a single creature's Strength Score cannot go past 6 by use of this spell.
Ray of Enfeeblement Study - In addition to normal affects, a creature struck with this spell becomes Fatigued.
Studies of the 2nd
Blindness and Deafness Study - When you Blind a creature with this spell, you gain a bonus to spot checks equal to your half of your Caster Level. When you Deafen a creature with this spell, you gain a bonus to listen checks equal to half of your Caster Level. You lose the ability to make the same creature Blind and Deaf with this spell.
Command Undead Study - You form a telepathic bond with whatever Undead you use this spell on.
False Life Study - While this spell is active, for every Caster Level you possess, you gain 1d10+1 Temporary Hit Points (Max: 5d10+10).
Scare - SR no longer applies to this spell.
Spectral Hand Study - The Spectral Hand now has an AC of 10 + Your Int Mod + Your Caster Level. When casting this spell, you roll 1d4 as normal, and lose that same amount of health, but the hand now has an HP equal to the number rolled on the d4, times your Caster Level.
Studies of the 3rd
Gentle Repose Study - Any corpse affected by this spell is considered weightless when carried by You, or anyone you designate. Additionally, if cast on a living creature, they are affected as if affected by Slow.
Halt Undead Study - You can now affect a number of Undead equal to your Caster Level.
Healing Touch Study - This spell no longer deals damage to you. This spell also heals 1d6 per Caster Level (Max 15d6).
Ray of Exhaustion Study - When you cast this spell, the ray splits off from the main target, even if it didn't hit, and attempts to hit a second target.
Vampiric Touch Study - Temporary hit points gained by this spell now last up to two hours after casting. Additionally, the target takes 2 points of Constitution Damage.
Studies of the 4th
Animate Dead Study - When using this spell, you now can control 5HD worth of creatures per Caster Level.
Bestow Curse Study - In addition to the main effect of this spell, you may choose an additional curse to bestow onto the target. This secondary curse may not be the same one as the first, and only has 1/2 the effectiveness as it would normally. (-3 to Ability Score, -2 Penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks., or 75% to Act Normally)
Contagion Study - The DCs for all diseases available by this spell is increased by your main spellcasting modifier.
Enervation Study - Any Undead affected by this spell now gains 2d4x5 Temporary Hit Points.
Fear Study - You can now choose to reshape this spell into five 5 ft. squares.
Studies of the 5th
Blight Study - This spell can now be cast as either a ray (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels Range) or a 30 ft. cone.
Magic Jar Study - You gain a bonus to a number of skills equal to your spellcasting modifier for a number of hours equal to the amount of time you spent inside another body. You may only choose skills that the host body had ranks in. The bonus to the skills selected is equal to half of the modifier the host body had in it. (Example: A Wizard with an Intelligence of 15 may select two skills the host body had ranks in. He chooses Knowledge (Arcana) and Climb. The creature had a +12 Bonus to Knowledge (Arcana) and a +7 to Climb. He gains a +6 bonus to his Knowledge (Arcana) checks and a +3 to Climb checks. He spent 15 hours inhabiting the host creature, so he gains these bonuses to Knowledge (Arcana) and Climb for the next 15 hours.)
Symbol of Pain Study - Creatures affected by a Symbol of Pain must make a Will save or become Frightened.
Wave of Fatigue Study - Creatures affected by this spell that are already Fatigued are now Exhausted.
Necrosis Effect: You gain a bonus equal to your main spellcasting modifier to saves against Ability Drains, Ability Damage, Negative Levels, Negative Energy Effects, Necromancy Spells, Spells cast by Necromancers, and any effects of any Undead. In addition, you gain Cold Resistance equal to your Caster Level.
Granted of the Mind and Body: As your intensive study of the Art grows to a close, it doesn't mean that you cannot continue to learn bit and pieces of Necromantic knowledge. Upon gaining fifth level in this class, at every other level you gain afterwards, of any class, you may switch out one of your Necromantic Studies with any other you do not currently possess. You may treat any Undead as having an Intelligence Score of 2 for the purpose of spells that require a mind (Only applies to Mindless Undead.) You also gain a bonus to all Charisma-based skills when dealing with Undead equal to your main spellcasting modifier.
Additionally, you may scribe a Symbol of Necromantic Power onto every Undead you create using Animate Dead. A Symbol of Necromantic Power grants an Undead. Imbuing a Symbol of Necromantic Power uses up a 5th level Spell Slot. You do not need to imbue a symbol upon Animating a corpse; you may imbue one later on. You need not prepare to cast a Symbol of Necromantic Power, if you prepare spells. You may exchange one of your prepared spells for it.
Symbol of Necromantic Power - Undead you control imbued with a Symbol of Necromantic Power become more tuned in with you. You may telepathically communicate simple commands to them. Specific commands (Ex: "Attack the Bandit, but avoid the Farmers, and salvage any weapons you find") still require verbal communication. You are aware of the location of any Undead you control with the Symbol of Necromantic Power on them, as well as their current HP. There is no limit to the distance of your telepathic communication. In addition, any Undead you control with the Symbol of Necromantic Power on them, can give you short messages via your link. They are usually three or four word descriptions (Ex: "Big room with dragon").
Comments/Changelogs
Hopefully this won't be wrecked too badly.
Considering adding Studies for spell levels 6 - 9. Just... don't know how to make them balanced.
Not sure if this is balanced, either.
Debating to make this a ten level class, to add some more abilities, and to spread them out more.
Edit One: Editing this is a nightmare.