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View Full Version : Undead Overseer(3.5Prestige class)[PEACH]



Madara
2011-12-29, 06:36 PM
http://i.imgur.com/wcuBc.jpg


Of course they do whatever I say. Its all there in the contract. We had a deal."

Sometimes, adventurers don't like doing manual labor. Those adventurers proceed to hire people to carry there things and set up camp for them. But hirelings cost money, need food, move slowly, need protection, and are just plain annoying. Casters have another option. Some casters realize that the Animate Dead spell won't create undead just for combat, but that these undead are there to do any job for you. These casters all ready made a deal to control the undead, and spent onyx as part of the exchange. A few however, learn that the deal they make can be far more detailed than a simple exchange. Any type of caster may become an Undead Overseer, as long as they can cast Animate Dead or use a similar ability.

Requirements: To become an Undead Overseer, a character must fulfill the following criteria:
Alignment: Any non-chaotic
Caster Level: 5th
Skills: 6 ranks in Profession(Lawyer), 3 ranks in Bluff
Special: Must be able to Cast Animate Dead or have a similar ability.


The Undead Overseer
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |
Spellcasting

1st|+0|+1|+0|+1|Contract Undead|
+1 Level of Previous Spellcasting

2nd|+1|+1|+0|+1||
+1 Level of Previous Spellcasting

3rd|+2|+2|+1|+2|Blend with the living|
+1 Level of Previous Spellcasting

4th|+3|+2|+1|+2||
+1 Level of Previous Spellcasting

5th|+3|+3|+1|+3|Reverse Contract|
+1 Level of Previous Spellcasting

6th|+4|+3|+2|+3|And Sign it in blood|
+1 Level of Previous Spellcasting

7th|+5|+3|+2|+3|Reverse Contract +1 use /day|
+1 Level of Previous Spellcasting

8th|+6/+1|+4|+2|+4||
+1 Level of Previous Spellcasting

9th|+6/+1|+4|+3|+4|Reverse Contract +1 use /day, Read the Small Print|
+1 Level of Previous Spellcasting

10th|+7/+2|+5|+3|+5|Contract with Necromancy|
+1 Level of Previous Spellcasting

[/table]
Alignment: Not Chaotic
Hit Die: 1d6

Class Skills:
Appraise, Bluff, Concentration, Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge(Any), Sense Motive, Spellcraft
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier


Special Abilities:
Spellcasting: A caster who takes this prestige class advances their ability to cast spells as if they had taken another level in their previous class. They do not, however, improve any of their other abilities such as turning/rebuking or their familiar. The Overseer adds the following spells to their spells known/spellbook if they were not previously on it:
Desecrate, Awaken Undead, Summon Undead I,II,III,IV,V, Revive Undead, Undead Lieutenant, and one other necromancy spell of their choice from any other list. If they did not have spells know before taking this class, they get a feat of their choice.

Contract Undead: At first level, an Overseer starts to use the opportunity to have undead labor. He now has the ability to make a contract when he uses animate dead. He can make a contract with up to 1/2 the HD of the total cap of undead controlled by his animate dead. It costs 25gp for every HD contracted.

These contracted undead can now be summoned as if summoned by a spell. Summoning contracted Undead takes 1 round and they stay in their new location indefinably, unless moved or summoned to a new location. The undead are also more advanced, and can understand complex commands.

If the Overseer loses control of the undead by replacing them with new ones by use of Animate Dead, the Contract is broken, even if control is reestablished, the contract must be made again.

Blend with the Living: While the undead are tireless workers who require no food or compensation, they usually alarm the living with their presence. At 3rd level, the Overseer's contracted undead are under the effects of an effect similar to the Disguise Self spell, and gain a +10 bonus on disguise checks to look living.

Reverse Contract: At 5th level, an Overseer has developed a more beneficial contract with his undead. Once per day, and Overseer can Teleport to the location of one of his contracted undead. The Overseer can increase this ability to twice a day at 7th level, and three times per day at 9th.

And Sign it in Blood: At 6th level, an Overseer looks for new undead to contract. He strikes a bargain with an undead who has 2HD less than himself. This contract costs 100gp per HD of the Undead, but grants the Undead a +1 bonus on attacks while contracted. He commands this undead as if it were controlled with Rebuking of a Cleric(See Turning and Rebuking (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#turnOrRebukeUndead)). It does not count towards the limit previously controlled by Rebuking(if any). This undead is treated as if contracted under the Contract Undead ability, but does not count towards the total HD contracted with.

Read the Small Print: At 9th level, the Overseer has become a master of striking deals. He discovers a way to increase his Contracted Undead Limit to 3/4 total HD cap controlled by Animate Dead.

His laborers can't find any way out of the deal, not even being destroyed. Once per day the Overseer can bring back a former contracted undead from destruction as with the Revive Undead Spell(SpC).

Contract with Necromancy: At 10th level, the Overseer strikes a deal with Necromancy itself, which has several effects:
1. The Overseer has to pick a school to ban as if they were a wizard.
2. The Overseer gains a +2 Bonus to his Caster Level with Necromancy Spells
3. The Overseer's type changes to Undead, his HD changes to d12s, he loses his Con score and is treated as an undead for all purposes.
4. The Overseer uses their Charisma to determine extra Hit Points.
5. The Overseer gains Turn Resistance +2
6. Once per Month, the Overseer can set up his contract to Revive him if he is destroyed as by the Revive Undead spell.

Thoughts, comments, advice? I'm still going to find a picture and need to do some more playtesting. The purpose of this class is to get a necromancer who doesn't bog down the game with his 50 minions, but has more powerful minions, which he can take with him.

Mathias1313
2011-12-30, 12:12 AM
I like the class, it is pretty interesting, just have some questions for you.

Contract Undead - what exactly can you get the undead to do? How oftern can you summon them. If they are labourers, do they get any skills?

And Sign it in Blood - How do you strike a bargain? Does it matter if they are intelligent or not? how often can you do this?If it allows command as if thru rebuking does that mean they fall under the rebuking control limit?

Some clarification would be appreciated. :smallsmile:

Madara
2011-12-30, 11:05 AM
Contract Undead doesn't grant any new skills, it is a way of narrowing the animate dead pool for the purpose of this class. The concept of "Laborers" is saying that the Overseer uses his undead for things other than combat. It's mostly fluff.

You can summon them as often as you want, you already control them with Animate Dead. The purpose of the summoning is to allow you to adventure without your army/ mob of undead and then summon them when actually needed. It's for the practical purpose of easing game play for a minion master and his party.

And Sign it In Blood: I'll add some clarification to it, but it doesn't have to be intelligent, but it can be. Which is obviously more optimal. This ability is supposed to make up for lost turning/rebuking. The reason I mention Turn/Reb is that's the manner in which its controlled. From the SRD: edits made to show what this class actually uses..

Commanded
A commanded undead creature is under the mental control of the evil cleric. The cleric must take a standard action to give mental orders to a commanded undead. At any one time, the cleric may command any number of undead whose total Hit Dice do not exceed his level. He may voluntarily relinquish command on any commanded undead creature or creatures in order to command new ones.
and no, it does not count towards your limit controlled by turn/rebuke. The class isn't meant for just Clerics.

Empedocles
2012-04-04, 09:37 PM
Ok Madara you've PEACHed a ton of my stuff so I feel like I owe you a thorough PEACH here.

Flavor: Interesting. Not particularly stylized or captivating, but the idea here is very strong. Definitely convinces me it's worthy of a PrC, and it sounds like there can't really be a case made that it should be a base class instead. So overall, good.

Requirements: BaB requirement? For a class that has full spellcasting progression, a d6 HD, and a CL requirement? That seems a little silly. Two little nitpicky things: Profession (lawyer) should be written like that, not Profession: Lawyer. Also, similar is spelled "similar," not simular. Otherwise, I agree with the requirements, and they make sense.

Skills: 3 at each level? All classes have an even number (it goes 2-4-6-8, and then the changeling rogue actually has 10...no 5's or 7's :smalltongue:) With the number of skills he has, 2 + int. modifier is fine, especially since this class will draw a lot of wizards (they have high Int. so they can get away with less skill points). For any necromantic class, I'd also add Intimidate to the list of skills. Otherwise, I like everything on there.

Spellcasting: Excellent. Full spellcasting progression works here, and I like the bonus spells.

Contract Undead: Cool, flavorful, and opens up a huge variety of options. Love this.

Blend with the Living: Awesome. I can think of a ton of cool options this ability opens up. However, you should probably specify that this ability only helps them blend in with normal people (I couldn't conjure up a bunch of contracted undead in the dragons lair and have the dragon think they're a bunch of cute, harmless little half-dragons).

Reverse Contract: Very cool, very powerful. I'd say make it so that at least half of his contracted undead have to be where he's teleporting (otherwise he could just spread them everywhere and hop instantaneously around the world. And that might be a bit much). Also, give this planar limits or at high levels I could escape to Celestia every few minutes (you can only teleport within the plane you are on).

Read the Small Print: Amazing. Nothing bad to say here, and no suggestions really.

Contract with Necromancy: Interesting. I like all of the benefits.

Overall, one of the strongest homebrewed PrCs I've seen. Good job! here's a suggestion for an image...

http://i.imgur.com/wcuBc.jpg

Madara
2012-04-04, 10:40 PM
Thanks for the PEACH. By RAW, teleport already restricts to the same plane of existence, so I didn't clarify, and I'm not going to put another restriction on it because I find that the limited uses per day prevent too much abuse, plus you have to journey places to put your undead. And, you're leaving them unattended...ect. There are a lot of flaws in placing them all over to teleport to.

As for blend with the living, they'll already have the penalties from the disguise skill for trying to look like something of a different size or race, so that shouldn't be a problem.

:smallsmile: Thanks again.

bobthe6th
2012-04-07, 10:55 PM
query: why a full BAB progression? The cleric is lucky to get 3/4, so why full with full casting progression? seems 1/2 would be better, as even clerics should give up something for the class features.

Empedocles
2012-04-07, 11:02 PM
query: why a full BAB progression? The cleric is lucky to get 3/4, so why full with full casting progression? seems 1/2 would be better, as even clerics should give up something for the class features.

I didn't even notice that, but I agree that it should be either 1/2 or 3/4.

Madara
2012-04-08, 08:41 AM
Indeed, I should change it to 3/4 :smallsmile:

I didn't notice:smallredface: