[3.5 PrC]Necrotic Disciple

[Pyromancer999]

Background- One of my group members asked me if there was a way for me to expand upon my Animator feat so that it granted greater Necro-power. This is my way of doing it.

The Necrotic Disciple

Necromancy is not a school of magic to be taken lightly, as messing around with the forces of life and death is a very serious business. Thus, when learning the rudimentary portions of Necromancy, it is not a suprise that those who find it difficult often run away and pursue another way to gain power. However, sometimes these runaway disciples practice their Necromantic powers, and little by little, grow stronger, taking in the experiences of their life to grant them Necromantic power that, while not the equal of a True Necromantic Master, still comes to rival it.

Prerequisites:
Skill: Arcana 8 ranks
Feat:Animator (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=194514)
Special: Cannot have spell slots or otherwise make use of spells of the Necromancy school (However, spell-like abilities are deemed okay)

HD: d6
Skill Points: 2 + Int modifier skill points
Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

The Necrotic Disciple
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Necrotic Points

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Necrotic Body, Still Working|2

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Corpsecrafter|4

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+3|Necrotic Creation|6

4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Specialist Corpsecrafter|8

5th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Necrotic Creation, Running With The Big Boys|10[/table]

Class Features

Armor and Weapon Proficiencies: Necrotic Disciples do not gain any armor or weapon proficiences

Necrotic Body: Necromancy is the Necrotic Disciple's game. This enhanced ability is shown in multiple ways. Firstly, the Necrotic Disciple, at each level, may choose a spell of the Necromancy school of level equal to or lower than his class level. Secondly, he gains Necrotic Points. These can be used in two ways.The first way is to temporarily animate Undead, this acting the same as the Necrotic Disciple's Animator feat, except that it takes 1 minute per HD of creature, and lasts for 1 hour/class level. These undead do not count against the Necrotic Disciple's limit of undead they may animate. Undead are animated this way at the cost of 1 Necrotic Point per 1 HD of creature to be raised. Secondly, Necrotic Points can be used to cast spells learned through this class feature at the rate of 1 Necrotic Point per level of spell to be cast.
Lastly, this class feature has the effect of increasing the Necrotic Disciple's control pool to twice your HD -3.

Still Working: You still advance your existing abilities from your previous class, but do not have the time to learn new ones. Necrotic Disciple levels stack with existing class levels in classes taken prior to this one for the purpose of determining improvements to existing class features, or class level-based effects.(Ex. A Rogue 5/Necrotic Disciple 3 would have his Sneak Attack improved to +4d6, but would not gain Improved Uncanny Dodge).

Corpsecrafter: At 2nd level, the Necrotic Disciple learns more about the construction of undead, and gains the Corpsecrafter feat as a bonus feat.

Necrotic Creation:At 3rd level, and every two levels after, the Necrotic Disciple learns how to make entirely new kinds of undead, choosing one type of undead. The Necrotic Disciple may now raise corpses through his Animator feat as undead of this type. Also, once this class feature is gained, your undead control pool is expanded to three times your HD - 4.

Specialist Corpsecrafter:At 4th level, you expand upon undead creation techniques you already know, gaining the Specialist Corpsecrafter feat as a bonus feat.

Running With The Big Boys:You have now come to be more on par with those who put extreme focus into necromancy. Your undead control pool now expands to four times your HD - 5 HD's worth of undead, and you may now raise undead that are of greater HD than you. Also, you learn how to imbue temporary undead with Corpsecrafter traits you know, by expending an additional Necrotic Point per Corpsecrafter trait to be added. You cannot add the specialized version of traits this way.

Well, that appears to be it. Please PEACH and let me know how this looks!

[Benly]

How do the control pool changes work out if the character selects Animate Dead as one of his Necrotic Body spells?

[Pyromancer999]

How do the control pool changes work out if the character selects Animate Dead as one of his Necrotic Body spells?

Could you explain?

[Benly]

Could you explain?

Animate Dead is a legitimate option for a spell to take with Necrotic Body and cast using Necrosis Points. It gives a specific size of control pool. Animator is said to use Animate Dead's control pool if one exists. However, the Necrotic Body and Running With The Big Boys class features also set your "undead control pool" to specific amounts which are different from the Animate Dead calculation. What is the size of your control pool if you have both abilities?

In a related question, what is the caster level of spells cast using the Necrotic Body ability?

[Pyromancer999]

Animate Dead is a legitimate option for a spell to take with Necrotic Body and cast using Necrosis Points. It gives a specific size of control pool. Animator is said to use Animate Dead's control pool if one exists. However, the Necrotic Body and Running With The Big Boys class features also set your "undead control pool" to specific amounts which are different from the Animate Dead calculation. What is the size of your control pool if you have both abilities?

Well, this class pretty much prevents you from taking it if you can cast Animate Dead already. Still, I may have to ban Animate Undead, as it would sort of negate this class's entire reason for existing, and also, is a bit redundant, as they can already animate dead when they enter this class.


In a related question, what is the caster level of spells cast using the Necrotic Body ability?
Hmmmm.....I'm thinking either twice class level or just equal to HD.

[Amechra]

Hmm...

Damn it, now I had a thought; what if you somehow unified this with your [Mage] feats?

[Pyromancer999]

Hmm...

Damn it, now I had a thought; what if you somehow unified this with your [Mage] feats?

Meh, actually, not really any point to it. Animator is sort of the replacement for Bone Dance. Also, I sort of have one single feat(that's right, one) that's sort of intended to be a sort of update for the [Mage] feats, so not much point to incorporating them. You can always think of a Necrotic Point-Magic Point Conversion, but that's all I can see for now.