Ashen Necromancer

[Realms of Chaos]

Ashen Necromancer

“No matter how much those practitioners of necromancy claim their specialty an art, they always end up looking more like generals than artists.”
Alfred Himdul, Archmage

Since the discovery of necromantic magic, the threat of undead hordes have lorded over many sentient species. The thought of an army capable of replenishing itself from your fallen troops is enough to inspire fear in even the most stalwart tacticians. Luckily, necromancy is a much deeper and complex art than most give it credit, requiring much study or supplication before the secrets to undead creation are revealed. In most cases, necromancers can be weeded out before they become a problem. To every rule, unfortunately, there is an exception. Ashen Necromancers focus their energies exclusively on the creation and enhancement of undead, getting considerable talent with undead creation at an alarming rate. Although they cast no spells, they are an undeniable threat.
Hit Dice: d6

Class Skills:
An Ashen Necromancer’s class skills are Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Disguise, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Spellcraft, Use Magic Device
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier


Base Fort Ref Will
Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save Special
1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Undead Augmentation, Soul Gem
2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Channel Undeath, Bone Armor (+2)
3 +1 +3 +1 +3 Undead Augmentation
4 +2 +4 +1 +4 Craft Dead
5 +2 +4 +1 +4 Undead Augmentation
6 +3 +5 +2 +5 Bone Armor (+3)
7 +3 +5 +2 +5 Undead Augmentation
8 +4 +6 +2 +6 Horde Specialization
9 +4 +6 +3 +6 Undead Augmentation
10 +5 +7 +3 +7 Bone Armor (+4)
11 +5 +7 +3 +7 Undead Augmentation
12 +6/+1 +8 +4 +8 Horde Specialization
13 +6/+1 +8 +4 +8 Undead Augmentation
14 +7/+2 +9 +4 +9 Bone Armor (+5)
15 +7/+2 +9 +5 +9 Undead Augmentation
16 +8/+3 +10 +5 +10 Horde Specialization
17 +8/+3 +10 +5 +10 Undead Augmentation
18 +9/+4 +11 +6 +11 Bone Armor (+6)
19 +9/+4 +11 +6 +11 Undead Augmentation
20 +10/+5 +12 +6 +12 Horde Specialization,
Ashen Apotheosis


Class Features:
The Following are class features of the Ashen Necromancer.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain proficiency with simple weapons and with light armor, but not with shields.

Undead Augmentation (Ex): Stating at 1st level, you gain the ability to augment undead. At 1st level, you gain a single first tier augmentation. At every odd level afterwards, you gain access to an additional augmentation and you may increase a previously known augmentation to the next tier. You may only gain access to a new tier of augmentations when you possess at least two augmentations of at least that tier.
It is possible to add augmentations to preexisting undead, whether or not they are under your control. Doing so takes 24 hours per tier of the augmentation and costs 500 gp of materials per tier of the augmentation. In addition, the capturing of the proper energies needed takes a spellcraft check (DC 15+ [5 x tier]). A failure on this check results in wasted time and resources.
You gain a +2 bonus on all charisma-based checks made against Intelligent creatures outfitted with your undead augmentations for each of your undead augmentations on its person. An unintelligent undead outfitted with your undead augmentations may not take hostile actions against you, even if commanded to do so by its creator. A single undead creature may bear no more than one undead augmentation for every two hit dice they possess (minimum 1). In addition, the added tiers of all undead augmentations created for undead (and soul gems) under your direct control (including those gained through the undead leadership feat, but not intelligent undead won over as allies) may not exceed 4/class level. A single undead augmentation may not be applied to a single creature more than once unless they specifically state otherwise.

Soul Gem (Su): Starting at 1st level, you learn the secret to temporary undead animation. By placing an onyx gem worth at least 25 gp/hit dice onto a corpse, the corpse is consumed in black flames as the gem obtains the body’s spiritual imprint. At any later point, you may crush the onyx gem as a full round action to temporarily animate the body imprinted upon the gem as a skeleton or zombie (depending on the state of the corpse at the time of imprinting). This undead creature serves you for 1 minute/level before crumbling into dust. You may not animate an undead with more than twice your level in hit dice (although you may freely imprint them) and a single gem can not bear more than one imprint. Other creatures may shatter an imprinted gem to animate the undead within but the undead is under your control (unless controlled by some outside source) and attacks anyone else who cracks the gem unless you are close enough to order them not to. Undead animated in this way do not count towards your limit of undead controlled.
Undead augmentations may be applied to soul gems. These augmentations count towards your maximum and do not take effect until the undead is animated. The augmentation process is simplified when applying it to a soul gem, however, lowering the time needed to 24 hours, regardless of its tier.
This ability counts as a spell of the necromancy school for the purposes of feats like corpsecrafter

Bone Armor (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, you learn how to form yourself a suit of armor from bone to enhance your connection to the dead. The armor grants a +2 armor bonus, a –1 armor check penalty, and a maximum +8 dexterity bonus. In addition, you gain darkvision out to 60 feet while wearing this armor.
Starting at 6th level, you can craft yourself a new suit of bone armor. The armor grants a +3 armor bonus, a –2 armor check penalty, and a maximum +7 dexterity bonus. In addition to darkvision, you no longer need to eat or drink while wearing this armor.
Starting at 10th level, you can craft a vastly improved suit of bone armor. This armor grants a +4 armor bonus, a –3 armor check penalty, and a maximum +6 dexterity bonus. In addition to all previous abilities, you are immune to all poisons and diseases while wearing this armor.
Starting at 14th level, you can craft a superior suit of bone armor. This armor grants a +5 armor bonus, a –4 armor check penalty, and a maximum +5 dexterity bonus. In addition to all previous abilities, you no longer need to sleep and gain immunity to fatigue and exhaustion while wearing this armor.
Starting at 18th level, you can craft the most protective suit of bone armor possible. This armor grants a +6 armor bonus, a –5 armor check penalty, and a maximum +4 dexterity bonus. In addition to all previous abilities, you gain immunity to mind-affecting effects, ability damage, ability drain, and energy drain while wearing this armor.
The construction of this armor takes 24 hours of work and a skeleton of your type and size category. For all purposes, Bone Armor is considered to be light armor. No other creature can benefit from bone armor other than a Necromancer of a sufficient level to create such as suit of armor. In addition, one this armor is donned (a process that takes one minute, with or without help), it is destroyed the moment that it is removed (a full-round action) or that its wearer loses contact with the ground. Therefore, running, charging, jumping, climbing, swimming, flying, falling, teleporting, and levitating all destroy this armor.

Channel Undeath (Su): Starting at 2nd level, you learn how to channel negative energy through you. You gain a pool of points equal to your class level x your charisma modifier (minimum x 1) that refresh themselves each day at midnight. As a standard action, you may touch yourself or an undead target to heal them on a point-for-point basis. As this healing comes from negative energy, you may also use this ability to harm the living, although they may make a will save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + Cha modifier) to take half damage.
In addition, so long as you possess at least one point per level, you are healed by negative energy (and positive energy) and unintelligent undead treat you as if you were an undead.

Craft Dead (Su): At 4th level, you gain the ability to craft all forms of corporeal undead. Doing so requires 1 corpse of the proper size (larger specimens may not make advanced versions of the intended undead). The Crafting process takes 1 hour per HD of the undead (including turn resistance) and costs 500 gp per HD (also including turn resistance). Furthermore, the process requires a successful Knowledge (religion) check (DC 10 + [2 x Undead’s hit dice, including turn resistance]). When crafting unintelligent undead, you gain a +5 bonus on this check.
Undead created in this way are under your control and count towards your maximum HD of undead controlled. Whenever an intelligent undead created in this way is destroyed, however, some of the life force you invested in it is taken directly from you, requiring your to make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + [HD x 2]) or lose 200 xp per hit dice of that creature.
If an augmentation is applied while using craft dead, the time needed overlaps and the augmentation costs only 200 gp per tier. However, the Knowledge (religion) DC is raised by +2 for each tier of undead augmentations applied in this way.
You may only craft undead with a CR equal to or less than 1/2 your class level (minimum CR 1). Also, this ability may not be used to apply templates to creatures.
Lastly, whenever you summon a skeleton or zombie via your soul gem ability, you may have it last indefinitely by counting it towards your hit dice of undead controlled.
This ability is counted as a necromancy spell for the purposes of feats like corpsecrafter

Horde Specialization (Ex): At 8th level, you gain the ability to focus your undead in one of two ways. Either you can grant all undead you control 6 extra hit points or you can gain an undead champion. You can declare an undead creature you control to serve as your undead champion through a 1-hour ritual. At the end of the ritual, that undead creature’s natural weapons are considered evil for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction and gains 2 hit points/class level you possess. In addition, an undead champion can bear four more tiers of augmentations than is normally allowed.
At 12th, 16th, and 20th level, you gain this ability additional times, each time either empowering all of their undead further or gaining another undead champion. An undead champion cannot go through the process used to create an undead champion.
Lastly, whenever you gain this ability, you may control an addtional number of HD in undead equal to your class level. Whenever you gain a class level, you may control one additional HD of undead for each time you have acquired this ability.

Ashen Apotheosis (Ex): At 20th level, you achieve the ultimate aim of all necromancers, to conquer death itself. Although you do not gain the undead type, you no longer age and do not die when your time is up. Furthermore, you may bestow yourself with undead augmentations as if you were an undead creature. Augmentations placed on yourself do not count towards your maximum (although your hit dice still limits the number of augmentations you may possess)

[Realms of Chaos]

Augmentations:

Spread Perceptions:
Tier 1: If you possess at least one undead within 10 feet of you, you may hear objects out to 20 feet away without a penalty on your listen checks. For every undead close enough to you to be heard without receiving a penalty for distance, you can hear 10 feet further without penalty.
Tier 2: As a free action, you can choose to see through the eyes of an undead you have bestowed with this ability for 1 round. If that undead can see another undead you have bestowed with this ability, you instead see through that undead’s eyes as another free action. You may change your perspective any number of times in one round using this method.
Tier 3: Whenever an undead you have bestowed with this ability is damaged or destroyed, you instantly learn that fact and learn how they were injured. The explanation is always simple and refers to what was actually dealing the damage (so an undead damaged by a dwarf wielding an axe would inform you that it was damaged by an axe, not a dwarf).

Persistant Dead:
Tier 1: Undead you bestow with this augmentation heal 1 hit point every 24 hours spent resting. Furthermore, they can stand up from the prone postion as a free action that doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity.
Tier 2: Whenever an undead you bestow with this augmentation is damaged, it gains DR 1/-. Every time it is injured, the value of this damage reduction is increased by 1. At the end of one minute, however, this damage reduction is lost,
Tier 3: Whenever an undead you bestow with this augmentation is slain, it is revived 24 hours later with 1 hit point unless you wish otherwise. The undead gains only a single opportunity to revive each time they are slain.

Toughened Dead:
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this augmentation are granted cold resistance 5 and fire resistance 5, if they do not already possess better values (or immunity) against these elements.
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain supernatural toughness. They gain a number of extra hit points equal to their Charisma modifier X their HD.
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain damage reduction 5/good.

Eldritch Dead:
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain a +4 bonus on knowledge (arcane) checks and can make such checks untrained.
In addition, the undead can make a ranged touch attack that deals 1d6 damage. This attack is treated as a spell-like ability that is usable at will, and is therefore subject to spell-resistance. This ability cannot deliver a critical hit.
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain a +4 bonus on concentration checks and spellcraft checks, which they may make untrained. In addition, they may counter an opponent’s spell with pure force of will. If they succeed on the spellcraft check made to identify a spell as it is being cast, they may make a concentration check against a DC of 10 + opponent’s spell level + opponent’s caster level. An undead can only counter spells with a spell level equal to or less than 1/2 of their hit dice.
In addition, the ranged touch attack of the undead now deals 2d6 damage.
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain a +4 bonus on use magic device checks, can make such checks untrained, and may take 10 on such checks, even when rushed or under pressure.
In addition, the undead gains access to a single least invocation, chosen from the warlock list (not the dragonfire adept list).
Lastly, the ranged touch attack of the undead now deals 3d6 damage.

Honor Guard:
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this augmentation automatically grant you cover so long as they are within 5 feet from yourself.
Tier 2: whenever an undead you bestow with this augmentation hits an opponent with a natural attack, you may channel points from your channel undeath ability to damage or heal your foe by an equal amount, as the channel undeath ability.
Tier 3: As long a an undead you bestow with this augmentation is within 30 feet of you when you take damage, you may redirect half of the damage to the undead. This takes no action but you can’t share damage with more than one undead.

Increased Perceptions:
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this augmentation can see invisible creatures
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation see through the effects of all figments and glamors. The undead may still be the target of such effects, however.
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this augmentation can see ethereal creatures.

Increased Speed:
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this augmentation have their speed increased by 10 feet and gain a +1 bonus on Reflex saves.
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation have their speed increased by 20 feet and gain a +2 bonus on Reflex saves.
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this augmentation have their speed increased by 30 feet and gain a +3 bonus on Reflex saves.

Increased Priority
Tier 1: A damaged undead you bestow with this augmentation transmits its wounds to all other undead creatures without this ability within a 10-foot radius at a rate of one hit point per round per eligible “donor”.
Tier 2: Undead you bestow with this augmentation cannot be turned or rebuked as long as another undead with fewer HD within a 30-foot radius of it has not been turned or rebuked and has a line of effect with the turner.
Tier 3: As a full-round action, an undead you bestow with this augmentation can destroy any other undead you have created to heal hit points equal to the number of hit dice of the destroyed creature.

Rotting Dead
Tier 1: Undead you bestow with this augmentation learn how to supplement their decomposing form with the flesh of their foes. Whenever an undead delivers a successful coup de grace or delivers a critcal hit, they may take a swift action to remove a chunk of flesh from their target and add it to themselves, healing 1d6 damage.
Tier 2: Undead you bestow with this augmentation are surrounded by a terrible stench. Creatures within a 10-foot radius must make a fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 undead’s HD + your charisma modifier) or become sickened for as long as they remain in range and 1 round afterwards. A target who successfully saves on this saving throw is immune to that undead’s stench for 24 hours. You are immune to the stench of undead to which you grant this augmentation
Tier 3: Undead you bestow with this augmentation are not particularly stable. Whenever such an undead takes damage greater than twice their hit dice from one attack, their form seems to rot further in a rather disturbing manner. Skin may slough off of a zombie, for instance, or ribs may fall off of a skeleton to dangle in the ribcage. Whenever this occurs, all who can see the undead must make a successful fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 undead’s HD + your charisma modifier) or become nauseated for 1 round. You are immune to this effect from undead which you have granted this augmentation.

Desecrated Dead
Tier 1: All holy water to pass within 10 feet of an undead you bestow with this augmentation loses its holy properties, becoming mundane water (no saving throw).
Tier 2: Whenever a turn attempt is made against an undead you bestow with this augmentation, the turner’s holy symbol (if they possess one) is reduced to ashes (or slag) after the attempt, regardless of whether it succeeds or not. The holy symbol may make a fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 undead's HD + your charisma modifier) to only take a single point of damage (ignoring whatever hardness it may possess).
Tier 3: Whenever an undead you bestow with this ability makes a critical hit, all damage that they deal is treated as vile damage.

Fearsome Dead
Tier 1: Undead you create gain a +4 bonus on intimidate checks and may attempt to demoralize a foe as a swift action.
Tier 2: Undead you bestow with this augmentation emanate an aura of unease around them. Animals will not willingly go within 100 feet of them and becoming frightened for as long as they are forces within such proximity. Other creatures feel unease within a 30-foot radius of the undead, taking a –2 penalty to their Dexterity score (to a minimum of 1) for as long as they remain so close by. Creatures immune to fear effects are immune to this penalty. Multiple undead do not result in a stacking penalty.
Tier 3: Once per encounter, an undead you bestow with this augmentation can instill great fear in all targets within a 30-foot radius. All targets must make a will save (DC 10 + 1/2 undead’s HD + your charisma modifier) or become frightened for 1 round. Targets adjacent to the undead instead cower in fear for 1 round if they fail their saving throw.

Resilient Dead:
Tier 1: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain fast healing 1 and a +1 bonus on Fortitude saves.
Tier 2: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain fast healing 2 and a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves.
Tier 3: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain fast healing 3 and a +3 bonus on Fortitude saves.

Herald:
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this augmentation can imitate your voice to a great degree. All listening to their voice must make a DC 20 listen check to differentiate it from your own. If you bestow this augmentation upon an undead creature that is unintelligent or that cannot otherwise speak, you may grant one or more preset messages, so long as they add up to no more than 2 words/level. These messages are either called upon when needed (in the case of intelligent undead) or are released in response to certain stimuli (in the case of unintelligent undead), chosen when the messages are set. Messages are set when the undead is bestowed with this augmentation and can be changed with 1 hour of work (spent with the undead).
Tier 2: As a swift action, you can destroy an Undead you bestow with this augmentation to deal 1d6 negative energy damage/2 HD to all living creatures within a 30-foot radius. Creatures under your control do not receive a saving throw to resist this ability but undead not under you control may make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + Charisma modifier) to resist. Creatures caught in the area of the blast may make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 undead’s HD + your charisma modifier) to take half damage. As with all negative energy effects, undead within radius are healed instead of harmed.
Tier 3: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain the ability to control undead you create as if they were you. An undead with this augmentation can control a number of HD of undead up to its HD + its Charisma modifier (if positive). Undead controlled by undead with this augmentation do not count towards your limit of undead controlled.

Loyal Dead:
Tier 1: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain turn resistance +2 and a +1 bonus on will saves.
Tier 2: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain turn resistance +4 and a +2 bonus on will saves.
Tier 3: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain turn resistance +6 and a +3 bonus on will saves.

Infiltrator
Tier 1: Undead you bestow with this augmentation do not appear to be undead. The undead is not detected by the detect undead spell and is detected as living or inanimate (undead’s choice) by a deathwatch spell.
Tier 2: As an immediate action, undead you bestow with this augmentation can assume the disguise of deanimation, becoming a mere pile of parts on the floor. It takes a DC 20 spot check to recognize something strange about the arrangement of the undead’s parts. If this ability is used in response to taking damage, a DC 20 sense motive check allows someone to realize that the undead was not truly destroyed. Pulling itself back together is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity.
Tier 3: Undead you bestow with this augmentation can assume the perfect disguise of life. As a swift action, they can grant themselves immunity to holy water, turning and rebuking. Furthermore, while in this state, the undead is healed by positive energy and is harmed by negative energy, just like a living creature. Finally, the undead gains a +10 bonus on disguise checks. This state can be maintained indefinitely and requires a swift action to end.

Shadow:
Tier 1: attacks made against undead you bestow with this augmentation have a 20% miss chance unless they are made in an area of bright light.
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation deal 1d4 strength or dexterity damage (chosen at the time of augmentation) with each natural attack.
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this augmentation exude an area of utter desecration. The area within 20-foot radius of themselves functions as a desecration spell.

Warrior:
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain proficiency with martial weapons, light and medium armor, and shields (but not tower shields). Even unintelligent undead can gain these proficiencies.
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain a bonus fighter feat of your choice. The undead possesses no effective fighter level for the purposes of feats such as weapon specialization.
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain an insight bonus to attack rolls equal to 1/4 of the undead’s hit dice.

Savage:
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain two claw attacks and a bite attack if they do not already possess them, dealing damage appropriate for their size. If they already possess either of these attacks, it now deals damage as if it was one size category larger.
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain the scent ability and a +2 bonus to their natural armor.
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this ability can fly into a unique rage once per encounter. In the rage, the undead gains a +4 bonus to their Strength and Dexterity scores, a +2 bonus on damage rolls, a +4 bonus on strength-based skill checks and ability checks, and a –2 penalty to AC. As this “rage” is an exhilaration of body and not the mind, no restrictions on spellcasting or skills is placed. The rage can be started as a free action and lasts 3 rounds.

Madness:
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain the ability to sow madness among their foes. Once per encounter, the undead can cause everyone to make a will save (DC 10 + 1/2 undead’s HD + your charisma modifier) or become confused for 1 round, as the lesser confusion spell.
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation deal an extra 1d4 Wisdom damage with each of their natural attacks.
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this augmentation constantly mutter to themselves, creating a hypnotic effect. Anyone within 30 feet of them must make a will save (DC 10 + 1/2 undead’s HD + your charisma modifier) or become dazed for 1d4 rounds by the hypnotic muttering. A creature who successfully save against the muttering is immune to that undead’s mutturing for 24 hours.

Hexer:
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this augmentation can curse those who hit them. Whenever a creature hits such an undead with a natural or melee attack, they must make a will save (DC 10 + 1/2 undead’s HD + your charisma modifier) or take a –2 penalty to their AC for the remainder of the encounter. Whether they succeed or fail their saving throw, the target is immune to the curse from that undead for 24 hours.
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation can curse those nearby with misfortune. All living creatures within a 10-foot radius of the undead take a penalty on their saving throws equal to your charisma modifier. The effects of multiple undead do not stack.
Tier 3: undead you bestow possess the ability to bestow a dying curse. When such an undead is slain, one adjacent living creature other than you is chosen for the curse. If the undead’s killer is adjacent to it, the killer is the target. Otherwise, the target is chosen randomly from all potential targets. The target must make a will save (DC 10 + 1/2 undead’s HD + your charisma modifier) or be cursed as the bestow curse spell (the exact effects of the curse are chosen at the time of augmentation. No creature may obtain more than one dying curse in this way. If they receive a second, the first is negated.

Specter:
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this augmentation are immune to the effects of difficult terrain and can’t be the target of attacks of opportunity.
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation can become invisible to for one round as a standard action. Unintelligent undead can only use this ability if ordered to do so (although they can be ordered to use it every round until intruders arrive).
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this augmentation can become incorporeal for 1 minute as a swift action, gaining all benefits and drawbacks of the subtype. While incorporeal, they gain a touch attack that deals damage equal to their most damaging natural attack. This ability may be used no more than once every 5 minutes.

Nature’s Necromancy
Tier 1: animals, magical beasts, and fey all start out friendly towards undead you bestow with this augmentation. This includes familiars, animal companions, and special mounts. In addition, they gain a +2 bonus on saving throws made to resist the magic of druids.
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation can alter themselves into plants as swift actions. With this change, their type changes from undead to plant, although all other augmentations on them remain active and you still maintain any control you had over them. In addition, while in this form, the undead heals 1 hit point every minute that they spend exposed to the sun.
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this augmentation are infested with small animals. Once per encounter, the undead can spew forth a swarm with a CR no higher than 1/2 of the undead’s CR. into any two adjacent squares within a 30-foot radius of itself as a full-round action. If an undead takes 20 or more damage from a single attack, if this use for the encounter is not used, the undead may use it as an immediate action.

Infector:
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this augmentation pass on a single mundane disease with their natural weapons. They may transmute any disease allowed via the contagion spell, chosen when the augmentation is added, although it is delivered by the undead creature’s natural attack.
In addition, all inanimate plants that come into contact with the undead are instantly slain and all plant creatures take an extra 1d6 damage from the undead’s natural attacks.
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation infect their surroundings. Any potable liquid or edible substance that passes within 30 feet of the undead are instantly rendered poisoned and inedible to all but you. Magical foods (such as those conjured by heroes feast) and potions receive saving throws to resist this effect (DC 10 + 1/2 undead’s HD + your charisma modifier). Any such food or drink consumed requires its owner to succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 15 + your charisma modifier) or take 1d4 Constitution damage. One minute later, if they failed their original Fortitude save, they must make another at the same DC or take another 1d4 Constitution damage.
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this augmentation spread the curse of undeath far and wide. Any creature to be slain by the undead or by their disease or poison is reanimated a zombie (or skeleton) 1d4 days later unless a bless spell is cast upon the corpse. This reanimation occurs even if the undead you bestowed with this augmentation is slain. These zombies and skeletons are under your control but count towards your limit of controlled undead.

Necromancer:
Tier 1: You can scribe spells upon undead that you bestow with this augmentation, turning them into miniature spellbooks. Any undead creature can only possess a number of spell levels of spells equal to 1/2 their HD (minimum 1 spell level). In addition, the undead can only cast the spells by themselves if they possess a charisma score of at least 10 + spell’s spell level. The spell’s DC is determined by your charisma score. The undead gains two 0 level spell slots and one 1st level spell slot, gaining bonus spell slots for having a high charisma score. Only sorcerer/wizard spells from the necromancy school can be learned in this way. As long as the undead is within 30 feet of you, you can force a spell to be cast, even if the undead’s charisma score isn’t high enough to cast the spell, so long as your charisma score is. Casting a spell with a casting time of 1 standard action or less in this way takes 1 full-round action and all other spells have their casting time doubled.
Undead given spells in this way do not need to prepare spells, casting spontaneously as a sorcerer or bard. In addition, the undead don’t need to rest to regain their spell slots. Instead, so long as you gain 8 hours of rest each night and then reflect on the nature of death for one hour, all undead bearing this augmentation have their spell slots refreshed. Undead may use metamagic feats to alter spells learned in this way, although they must be taken as usual.
Tier 2: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain an extra 0-level, 1st-level, and 2nd level spell slot.
Tier 3: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain an extra 0-level, 1st-level, 2nd-level, and 3rd-level spell slot. In addition, the undead gains 0 4th-level spell slots, allowing them to cast 4th level spells if their charisma score is high enough.
NOTE: This augmentation can be applied to an undead creature more than once, granting them more spell slots each time.

Shadow Magic:
Tier 1: You grant an undead that you bestow with this augmentation the ability to cast mysteries. The undead can only cast the mysteries by themselves if they possess an intelligence score of at least 10 + spell level. The spell’s DC is determined by your charisma score. The undead learns 2 fundamentals, each of which it can use 3 times per day as a supernatural ability. In addition, they learn one 1st-level apprentice mystery, which they can cast 1/day as a arcane spell. A long a the undead is within 30 feet of you, you can force a mystery to be cast, even if the undead’s intelligence score isn’t high enough to cat the mystery, so long as your intelligence score it. Casting a mystery in this way takes 1 full-round action.
Undead do not need to rest to regain their daily uses of mysteries and fundamentals. Instead, so long as you get 8 hours of rest and then spend 30 minutes in quiet meditation, all undead bearing this augmentation have their daily use refrehed. Undead may use metashadow feats to alter mysteries learned in this way, although they must be taken as usual.
Tier 2: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain the 2nd-level apprentice mystery of the path that the 1st-level mystery originated from, usable once per day as an arcane spell.
Tier 3: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain the 3rd-level apprentice mystery of the path that the 1st- and 2nd-level mysteries originated from. In addition, all mysteries from that path may now be cast twice per day as spell-like abilities.
NOTE: This augmentation can be applied to an undead creature more than once, granting them new fundamentals and mysteries each time. A single path may not be learned twice.

Incarnum:
Tier 1: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain a limited ability to shape soulmelds. They may form up to 2 soulmelds at any given time, selected from the incarnate soulmeld list. The DC of a saving throws against a soulmeld is 10 + number of points of essential invested in soulmeld + undead’s wisdom modifier. Their meldshaper level is equal to their hit dice. The maximum number of soulmelds that the undead can have shaped simultaneously is equal to their wisdom score –10, or two, whichever is less. In addition, the undead gains a number of points of essential equal to your Wisdom modifier. As a swift action, they may allocate their essential investments in their soulmelds each round. If an undead’s wisdom score is to low for them to form any of their soulmelds, you may spend one hour working with them to force a single soulmeld into existence, so long as your wisdom score is at least 11.
Undead do not study or prepare their soulmelds in advance. Instead, you must get 8 hours of sleep and spend 1 hour focusing on your undead, which allows all undead you have betowed with this augmentation to shape their soulmelds for the day.
The undead may not shape soulmelds with the good descriptor.
Tier 2: Undead you bestow with this augmentation can form up to 3 soulmelds, gain an additional point of essentia, and can bind soulmelds to their crown chakra.
Tier 3: Undead you bestow with this augmentation can form up to 4 soulmelds, gain another additional point of essential (making two extra), and can bind soulmelds to their feet and hand chakras.

Martial:
Tier 1: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain a limited ability to unleash martial maneuvers. The disciplines available to them are shadow hand, setting sun, tiger claw, and white raven. They start with knowledge of 2 martial maneuvers, which are extraordinary abilities unless otherwise noted in their description. In addition, all maneuver that they know are readied at the beginning of each encounter.
The undead begin an encounter with all of their maneuvers unexpended. When they initiate a maneuver, they expend it for the current encounter, of each is used once per encounter. The undead’s initiator level is equal to their hit dice but they may not obtain any maneuver or stance of 5th level or higher.
The undead can recover an expended maneuver by ripping at their physical form as a full-round action, dealing them 5 damage. When this occurs, they choose one expended maneuver to refresh. Unintelligent undead are granted the knowledge of how to do this.
Tier 2: Undead you bestow with this augmentation now gain 3 martial maneuvers.
Tier 3: Undead you bestow with this augmentation now gain 4 martial maneuvers and one stance.

Binding:
Tier 1: You can bind a single vestige to all undead you bestow with this augmentation. You must select a 1st-level vestige. To do so, you must first draw its unique symbol upon a surface, making the image at least 5 feet across. This takes 1 minute of concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity. The seal must be used within one minute of its completion and you must meet all of the vestige’s special requirements (if any) to summon it.
Afterwards, you must call out the vestige’s name and title as you touch the seal. This is a full-round action. Unless some effect prevents you from being heard, a manifestation of the vestige appears in the seal. This manifestation is merely a figment that is recognizable as such by any who interact or study it. If you fail to address the manifestation within 1 round, it disappears. The vestige speaks in whatever language you called it in.
To make a pact with it, you must make a binding check (1d20 + your charisma modifier). The process takes 1 minute. You cannot make a rushed binding check.
Whether you succeed or fail, all undead you bestow with this augmentation are granted the powers granted by the vestige for 24 hours. During that time, the vestige cannot be expelled from any of them. If you fail the binding check, the vestige exerts its influence over all intelligent creature you have bestowed with this augmentation and yourself.
As long as they are bound, each undead you have bestowed with this augmentation shows the vestige’s sign. If you have failed the binding check, you also show the sign.
Vestiges cannot be targeted or expelled through any means although they are suppressed within the area of an Antimagic Field.
The Save DC for any supernatural power granted by a vestige is 10+ 1/2 the undead’s HD + your charisma modifier. In addition, each bestowed creature’s effective binder level is either 1/2 the undead’s HD or the minimum level needed to bind to that vestige, whichever is greater.
Tier 2: You can bind vestiges up to 2nd level to all undead you bestow with this augmentation and get a +2 bonus on binding checks. In addition, if you succeed on a binding check, you may suppress the sign of the vestige. Once suppressed, it cannot be displayed by any means.
Tier 3: You can bind vestiges up to 3rd level to all undead you bestow with this augmentation and get a +4 bonus on binding checks. In addition, you may bind to 2 vestiges.

True speech
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain the ability to change the world around them through utterances, powerful combinations of truenames. They know one 1st –level utterance from the Lexicon of the Evolving Mind. This utterance is treated as a supernatural ability. Its save DC is 10 + 1/2 undead’s HD + your charisma modifier. In addition, any undead you bestow with this augmentation gains a number of ranks in truespeech equal to half of their hit dice. If they already possess skill points in this skill, their ranks are increased to half of their hit dice or are unaffected if they already possess more. In order for an unintelligent undead to use utterances, they must be within 30 feet of you and you must spiritually force it out of them, a process that takes a full-round action..
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain an extra 1st-level utterance and a bonus 2nd-level utterance from the Lexicon of the Evolving Mind
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain an extra 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-level utterances from the Lexicon of the Evolving Mind.

Psionics:
Tier 1: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain the ability to manipulate their surroundings with their mind through psionics. The undead gains two 1st-level psionic powers from the psion/wilder list and 5 power points. The undead’s effective manifester level is 1/2 their hit dice (minimum 1). The save DC against psionic powers is 10 + power’s level + your intelligence modifier. Unintelligent undead you bestow with augmentation can only use psionic powers if they are within 30 feet of you and you must spiritually force it out of them, a process that takes a full-round action.
Undead you bestow with this augmentation do not need to renew their own power points. Instead, so long as you get 8 hours of rest and spend one hour engaged in mental exercise each day, all undead you have bestowed with this augmentation have their power points renewed.
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation receive 15 power points and gain access to an additional 1st- and 2nd-level power.
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this augmentation receive 25 power points and gain access to an additional 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-level power.

Vessels of Blaspheme:
Tier 1: undead you bestow with this ability gain the ability to cast a small amount of divine magic. The undead gains 2 0-level spells slots and 1 1st-level spell slot, gaining bonus spell slots for having a high wisdom score. The undead can only cast the spells by themselves if they possess a wisdom score of at least 10 + spell’s spell level. The spell’s DC is determined by your wisdom score. Only cleric spells of the necromancy school or possessing the evil descriptor can be prepared.
Undead you have bestowed with this augmentation do not need to rest or pray. Instead, you must rest for at least 8 hours and spend 10 minutes of prayer for each undead to have their spells for the day refreshed. This time must be spent in the presence of the undead you have bestowed this augmentation. At the end of this time, the spells for the day have been prepared (according to the undead’s whims if they possess an intelligence score and according to yours if they do not). As long as the undead is within 30 feet of you, you can force a spell to be cast, even if the undead’s wisdom score isn’t high enough to cast the spell, so long a your wisdom score is. Casting a spell with a casting time of 1 standard action or less in this way takes 1-full-round action and all other spells have their cating time doubled. Undead may use metamagic feats to alter spells learned in this way, although they must be taken as usual.
Tier 2: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain a bonus 0-, 1st-. and 2nd-level spell slot.
Tier 3: undead you bestow with this augmentation gain a bonus 0-, 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-level spell slot. In addition, the undead gains 0 4th-level spell slots, allowing them to cast 4th level spells if their wisdom score is high enough.
NOTE: This augmentation can be applied to an undead creature more than once, granting them more spell slots each time.

Increased Control
Tier 1: You can command undead you have given this augmentation even if it is not normally under your control. Priority of orders are given to its creator, but if he or she does not countermand your commands the Undead will follow your orders instead. So long as the controller of the undead in question is alive, it still counts as under their control, however if the controller is slain or otherwise rendered incapable of controlling undead they come under your control, and count against the maximum number of undead you can control normally.
Tier 2: You can command an unintelligent undead you have given this augmentation to perform actions they would not normally be capable of, as if they were intelligent.
Tier 3: Undead you have given this augmentation will consider your orders as being of a higher priority than the orders of their creator, or any other similar figure . As such, they will follow your commands even if countermanded by such people.
created by Imrix

[Realms of Chaos]

Ashen Necromancer Feats:

Soul Gem Mastery
You are more adept at utilizing soul gems
Prerequisites: Soul Gem class feature
Benefits: As a full-round action, you may utilize two soul gems instead of merely one.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple times. Each time, you may use one additional soul gem in a round.

Greater Augmentations
You may an undead an additional augmentation.
Prerequisites: Undead Augmentation class feature
Benefits: You may bestow an additional augmentation upon any given undead.

Reserve Augmentation
You can grant an undead a last-ditch augmentation for dire straights.
Prerequisites: Greater Augmentations, Undead Augmentation class feature.
Benefits: You may craft another additional augmentation into an undead. However, this augmentation is not always active. If the undead is unintelligent, either you or its creator may activate this augmentation. If the undead is intelligent, only it may choose to activate it. Either way, activation is a swift action.
The power of the reserve augmentation is harmful to the undead as they channel more energy than it was created to accept. Every round, a creature with an active reserve augmentation takes 3 damage/tier of the augmentation. An intelligent undead may make a fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + tier of augmentation) each round to negate the damage. Once an intelligent undead has succeeded on three consecutive saving throws, they may deactivate their reserve augmentation. Unintelligent undead may not make saving throws to resist damage and may not deactivate their reserve augmentations, instead becoming doomed from the moment their reserve augmentation is activated.

Flesh of the Dead
You are better at resisting attacks against your vitals.
Prerequisites: Channel Undead class feature
Benefits: While you have at least one point remaining in your pool, you may add your constitution modifier as a bonus to your AC against critical conformation rolls and subtract your constitution modifier from any nonlethal damage taken (to a minimum of 0 damage).

Animation Mastery
You can create and control abominations of the grave.
Prerequisites: Craft Dead class creature.
Benefits: If no undead created by your Craft Dead class feature possess a CR greater than 1/4 of your character level, the DC to craft undead is reduced to 10 + [HD+Turn Resistance].
Special: This feat may be used to craft undead with a CR higher than 1/4 of your character level but if you do so, the benefit of this feat is lost upon other undead you create as long as you control that creature.

Ephemeral Guardian
You can craft an incorporeal undead to guard you.
Prerequisites: Craft Dead class feature
Benefits: You may create a single incorporeal creature to act as your guardian. The creation process functions as normal for Craft Dead with the following exceptions. First of all, the process requires only one body, regardless of the desired creature's size. Next, the process takes exactly one week, during which you must work 8 hours every day and otherwise engage in only light activity. Furthermore, the cost in materials is doubled. Lastly, the HD of the incorporeal guardian may be up to your class level - 4.
Furthermore, the incorporeal guardian functions differently from your other undead. First of all, it does not count towards your limit of undead controlled. Next, it cannot be turned or rebuked. Furthermore, you may not bestow any augmentations upon it, either during creation or afterward. Lastly, if destroyed, it does not drain XP from you and rejuvenates 1d4+1 weeks later if you are still alive and have not crafted a new ephemeral guardian.
Lastly, while your incorporeal guardian is within 30 feet of you, you gain a +2 bonus to your AC

Guardian Sage
Your ephemeral guardian is especially wise and intelligent.
Prerequisites: Ephemeral Guardian
Benefits: Your ephemeral guardian gains a +4 bonus to their intelligence and wisdom scores and may make knowledge checks untrained. Furthermore, they may communicate with you telepathically at a range of up to 100 feet, even if they do not possess a language.

Watchful Guardian
Your ephemeral guardian watches to make sure you are not caught off guard.
Prerequisites: Ephemeral Guardian
Benefits: While within 30 feet of your ephemeral guardian, you gain a +4 bonus on initiatvie rolls and cannot be caught flanked. Lastly, once per day, as an immediate action, an ephemeral guardian can warn you of an attack, causing an attack that would otherwise hit you to miss, so long as you are within 30 feet of it.

Dark Crafter Feats:
The feats below allow you to create undead by applying templates to preexisting corporeal creatures. When doing so, the creature's effective hit dice are treated as if being higher than they really are for all purposes other than turning and rebuking, as noted in each feat.

The Life After [Dark Crafter]
You can revive creatures into a state of undeath.
Prerequisites: Craft Dead class feature
Benefits: you can craft an undead with the necropolitan template from any corporeal humanoid or monstrous humanoid. When crafting such an undead, their effective hit dice is increased by one.

Wrapped Horror [Dark Crafter]
You can mummify nearly any creature.
Prerequisites: Craft Dead class feature
Benefits: You can craft an undead with the mummified template from any corporeal giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid. When crafting such an undead, its effective hit dice are increased by four.

Gourmand of Flesh [Dark Crafter]
You can craft ghouls from other creatures.
Prerequisites: Craft Dead class feature
Benefits: You can craft a gravetouched ghoul from any corporeal aberration, fey, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid. When crafting such an undead, its effective hit dice are increased by two.

Crafter of Malevolence [Dark Crafter]
You can create wights by flooding others with vast quantities of negative energy.
Prerequisites: Craft Dead class feature
Benefits: You can craft a wight from any corporeal humanoid. When crafting such an undead, its effective hit dice are increased by four.

Bloodthirst Weaver [Dark Crafter]
You have uncovered the dark art of creating vampires from scratch.
Prerequisites: Craft Dead class feature
Benefits: you can craft a vampire from any corporeal humanoid or monstrous humanoid. When crafting such an undead, its effective hit dice are increased by eight.

Ageless Intellect [Dark Crafter]
You can give arcane practitioners the gift of unlife.
Prerequisites: Craft Dead class feature, Craft Wondrous Item
Benefits: you can craft a lich from any corporeal humanoid. Doing so takes one week, during which time you transform its heart into its phylactery. When crafting such an undead, its effective hit dice are increased by four.
Special: although the lich's phylactery is located within their body, the preparation of the lich for ascenscion into undeath protects the heart from any misplaced blows. The lich is not slain unless their bodies are destroyed or other extraordinary precautions are taken. Furthermore, the lich does not gain any special vulnerability to critical hits or sneak attacks.

[Realms of Chaos]

Responses to comments (both actual and anticipated):

Q: Didn't I see something like this before?
A: There is a chance that you might've. I was inspired to make this necromancer by Katarl's Ultimate Corpsecrafter thread. I simply elaborated upon the mechanics, upped the number of enhancements from 18 to 30, and gave each ability 3 steps instead of 2.

Q: Isn't the Dread Necromancer already a really good, well made, balanced necromancer class with great flavor? Is this really needed when a class that's so good already exists and does the same thing?
A: Yes, I do believe this is needed, filling in a niche that the dread necromancer fails to fit.

Although the dread necromancer indeed fits the traditional roles of ascenscion to undeath and can bring about armies relatively well, their ability to control undead is delayed. Furthermore, they possess a wider focus than simply bring back the dead and control them.

On the other hand, my class is made to do 2 things, and do them well: craft undead and enhance them. Even at low levels, when the dread necromancer would be able to do no more than rebuke a single skeleton and summon a few (for 1 round) via summon undead I, this guy can have ten or more soul gems on their person. Furthermore, the class' mechanics allows for personalization of undead to create almost limitless possibilities for enemies and PC ashen necromancers, giving a break from the traditional zombies and skeletons. Although Katarl made feats to allow similar additions to undead, those take up a feat slot and this does not. Lastly, this guy is unique in that it is not restricted to simply rebuking weak creatures and those other mindless dead. With this guy, you can actually custom craft the undead you desire, making it a more entertaining play experience and also providing a perfectly logical explaination to why your necromancer may have a bodak ally when they're not nearly strong enough to rebuke it.

The Dread Necromancer works fine for the evil wizard on the tip of the tower. This guy is the general of the undead horde that is bowling over cities. In fact, these guys work excellently together, with the Dread Necromancer acting as the mastermind and the Ashen Necromancer taking to the battlefield (or visa-versa). Remember, after all, that an Ashen Necromancer can add augmentations to undead that they don't personally control without it counting towards their limit of 4 tiers/level.

Q: Don't you think that most players will choose power A over power B?
A: Of course. No matter how I try to balance things, there are always going to be better and worse augmentations. However, some players may choose the less optimal ones because it suits their character. Of course, as this was made for villains, you could always have them choose one of the more off-the-wall augmentations to wow, confuse, or terrify your players with.

Q: Aren't the augmentations a bit strong?
A: Before you acuse me of overpowering my augmentations, keep in mind that you gain access to 2nd tier abilities at 3rd level but to 3rd tier abilities at 7th level. I do admit to having given some abilities a bit in access of what a 7th level character should have (such as 4th level spells). At the same time, I don't think that a player using this will truly be stealing the spotlight away from the party any more than a Artificer would. Much like the artificer, you have to invest lots of time, money, and (if your creations are killed) xp. Your better than a character with the leadership feat, mind you, but things should never get too far out of hand.

Q: If I give a zombie the eldritch dead augmentation, can it blast foes or use magic items even though it's unintelligent?
A: This is a tough question that actually extends beyond this augmentation. The real question here is an unintelligent undead granted a new ability will be able to use that new ability. To round it off simply, an undead is capable of performing any action granted to it by an augmentation but can perform no action independently. As such, a zombie ordered to fight intruders will use any new attack forms granted to it to aid its task but will not use magic items (even ones that happen to hurt foes) as that is a separate action that the undead was never ordered to perform.

Q: you say craft dead counts against your control pool. Which one? Your animate dead pool?
A: Yes, generally speaking, whenever any source says that it counts towards your limit of controlled undead, it refers to the 4/level, unless it is in the context of rebuke undead.

Q: Isn't it odd that a necromancer lacks rebuke undead?
A: Note that the specialist wizard also lacks rebuke undead. Seriously, though, rebuke undead is not what this guy does. This guy makes new undead from scratch. He does not, however, take control of existing undead. This is an unusual distinction from most necromancers, I know (even wizards get control undead and command undead) but it makes complete sense to the flavor of the class and does not seem to hinder the Ashen necromancer in any noticeable way. Unless you are fighting another necromancer, that is (in which case your augmentations should make your undead better than their undead).

[katarl]

Would you like to post this class on the complete necromancer project?

[Paragon Badger]

Awesome.

Awesome.

Awesome.

Fits the fluff perfectly. A squishy weakling at the head of an army that kicks ass in his place.

However, I don't quite get the Bone Armor. How does it work, fluff-wise? Why does it spontaneously combust when you lose contact with the ground? Why does it grant you [insert special ability]?

Also, you'd probably need more than one skelaton to encase yourself in an armor of bone. It's like wearing multiple layers- sure.. the skelaton fits fine where it is, but when you try to put it ontop all that muscle and flesh, you'll have lots of empty space.

In that vein, you might want to allow other creatures to be able to contribute to the bone armor. Afterwall, who wouldn't want to have a frost giant's skull as their helmet, and a dragon's smallest tail-bones as their bracers? :smalltongue:

[Realms of Chaos]

Oh, I got responses and didn't even notice.

Katarl: I'm going to assume that you don't wish me to use the next 3-4 replies on your thread to post this up. That said, I would be happy to provide a link, if I new how to code one. If you wish to post a link, either as a reply to your own thread, in the opening post that contains so many other useful links, or both, you have my express permission to do so.

Paragon Badger: thank you very much for your praise. The fluff of bone armor, I suppose, is a bit of a hangover kept from the original draft of this class (although I think I'll keep it). The flavor is quite simple. You are leeching necromantic forces directly from the ground (think graveyard), using the skeletal armor as a catalyst. As such, it grants you the qualities of undead, plus some nice armor, for so long as you maintain your length to the ground below. Although a strict interpretation of this flavor would prevent you from climbing stairs or entering buildings, I'm being a bit leniant.

[JoshuaZ]

I like this a lot. It would work very well with allied necromancers to take over some undead that way many undead could be augmented. I could see someone selling augments to lichs and powerful undead in exchange for other things. Or selling augments to other necromancers. A low level Ashen Necromancer in the right areas of Ravenloft could have a very interesting time. Alternatively, I could see a powerful necromancer taking leadership and having an Ashen Necromancer around to augment their stuff and have a slightly smaller undead horde. I could also see a group of Ashen Necromancers all with different augment capabilities working together to make an incredibly versatile and dangerous undead army.

Now the substantial comments:



Necromancer:
Tier 1: You can scribe spells upon undead that you bestow with this augmentation, turning them into miniature spellbooks. Any undead creature can only possess a number of spell levels of spells equal to 1/2 their HD (minimum 1 spell level). In addition, the undead can only cast the spells by themselves if they possess a charisma score of at least 10 + spell’s spell level. The spell’s DC is determined by your charisma score. The undead gains two 0 level spell slots and one 1st level spell slot, gaining bonus spell slots for having a high charisma score. Only sorcerer/wizard spells from the necromancy school can be learned in this way. As long as the undead is within 30 feet of you, you can force a spell to be cast, even if the undead’s charisma score isn’t high enough to cast the spell, so long as your charisma score is. Casting a spell with a casting time of 1 standard action or less in this way takes 1 full-round action and all other spells have their casting time doubled.
Undead given spells in this way do not need to prepare spells, casting spontaneously as a sorcerer or bard. In addition, the undead don’t need to rest to regain their spell slots. Instead, so long as you gain 8 hours of rest each night and then reflect on the nature of death for one hour, all undead bearing this augmentation have their spell slots refreshed. Undead may use metamagic feats to alter spells learned in this way, although they must be taken as usual.
Tier 2: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain an extra 0-level, 1st-level, and 2nd level spell slot.
Tier 3: Undead you bestow with this augmentation gain an extra 0-level, 1st-level, 2nd-level, and 3rd-level spell slot. In addition, the undead gains 0 4th-level spell slots, allowing them to cast 4th level spells if their charisma score is high enough.
NOTE: This augmentation can be applied to an undead creature more than once, granting them more spell slots each time.


Two issues; You write "Any undead creature can only possess a number of spell levels of spells equal to 1/2 their HD (minimum 1 spell level)" but you don't specify where these spells come from. Does the necromancer need access to a spell book to give an undead these spells or can the necromancer do this with any spells? I see potential cheese here if the second interpretation is correct; a necromancer could use this augment to repeatedly quickly research low level spells if it had undead that had the scribe scroll feat: First, give the undead this augment. Then, have the undead scribe a scroll with that spell. Now any wizard can copy that scroll into a spell book. There's a similar problem with the psionic augment but it isn't as bad a situation (and doesn't exist unless you use some non-core material like erudites). (This isn't really so bad since one would need to make many undead with the scribe scroll feat which isn't easy).



Increased Priority
Tier 1: A damaged undead you bestow with this augmentation transmits its wounds to all other undead creatures without this ability within a 10-foot radius that do not possess this ability at a rate of one hit point per round per eligible “donor”.
Tier 2: Undead you bestow with this augmentation cannot be turned or rebuked as long as another undead within a 30-foot radius of it has not been turned or rebuked.
Tier 3: As a full-round action, an undead you bestow with this augmentation can destroy any other undead you have created to heal hit points equal to the number of hit dice of the destroyed creature.



I see cheese with Tier 2. I make an undead and it keeps a tiny undead in its mouth. The larger undead has become essentially unrebukable. There are likely a fair number of other ways to do this with some more cheesy than others (just having a fair number of little undead around would do it also). I'd suggest changing tier 2 into a fixed but large bonus to turning. Alternatively, make it only work if there is another undead within 30 feet with at least as many hit die as it that has not been turned.


Two other minor issues that I'm concerned with: for the different undead augmentations you need to do different things to replenish their magic. For example, you need to "reflect on the nature of death for one hour" but for the psionic augmentation need to "spend one hour engaged in mental exercise." I don't know if this is deliberate but it makes using multiple forms of some undead augmentations much less practical. For example, you might be stuck to replenish your army spending an hour in prayer, an hour in mental exercises and an hour contemplating death. Not very efficient and not very good if you have an army in the middle of a war. One trick to avoid this is if you use naturally psionic undead RAW I think they'll replenish their power points themselves including the additional power points given by the augments.




Greater Augmentations
You may an undead an additional augmentation.
Prerequisites: Undead Augmentation class feature
Benefits: You may bestow an additional augmentation upon any given undead, as if it possessed two more hit dice than it actually possesses.

Minor nitpick you mean "You may give an undead an additional augmentation"

I'd also suggest the following additional feat:
Additional Augmentations
You learn a new undead augmentation
Prerequisites: Undead Augmentation class feature
Benefits: You learn an additional undead augmentation. The normal rules for learning augmentations by tier still apply.
You can take this feat multiple times. Each time you learn an additional augmentation.

It might make sense to add feats that you improve how effective your different augmentations are (simulating putting in a lot of effort into those feats). A possible example:
[B]Improved Psionic Augmentations
Your psionic augmentations are more powerful.
Prerequisites: Tier 3 Undead Augmentation class feature, 3 ranks psicraft, 3 ranks knowledge(psionics)
Benefits: When you give an undead the Tier 1 Psionic Augmentation it gains 6 rather than 5 power points. When you give an undead the Tier 2 Psionic Augmentation it gains 17 rather than 15 power points and gains an additional level 1 power. When you give an undead the Tier 3 Psionic Augmentation it gains 1 rank of psicraft, 30 power points rather than 25, and 2 additional level 1 psionic powers rather than 1.

One could make similar feats for each of the other augments. The general requirement would be Tier 3 in that type and some additional skills or feats. The feat would give small improvements to each of the three tiers.


I'd be inclined to maybe give the class the tiniest level of spellcasting (maybe a very small spell known list with spontaneous casting and slots like a ranger? Using charisma as the modifier). They should after all have some tiny amount of knowledge of direct necromancy. One could connect this to their ability to channel death magic.

Off the top of my head I'd suggest the following which just adds a tiny bit of flavor but doesn't really make the class substantially more powerful:

As described above adding spell slots like a ranger. But also get cantrip slots. These slots are identical to the slot rules for level 1 spells for a ranger but you get them one level earlier.
pont casting charisma based with set identical to the ranger but with cantrips identical to the first level set and moved up one levels (so nothing at 1 and 2, then 0 cantrip slots at 3 and 4, 1 cantrip slot from 5 through 12 etc.). Bonus spell slot per charisma.

For spells known list:

Disrupt Undead, Detect Magic, Arcane Mark, Read Magic, Detect Undead, Deathwatch, Gentle Repose, Command Undead, Halt Undead, Animate Dead(which note you don't get until level 14).

Also maybe consider adding a variant Speak with Dead which is the normal speak with dead except for the following changes: Is arcane rather than divine. Has casting time 1 hour and a range touch. Has an additional component of 50 xp. However, this spell works on undead that you created if they are unintelligent and under your control.

(With the exception of the last line this spell is identical to the actual version of Speak with Dead I favor for both divine and arcane casting because otherwise the spell easily ruins a lot of mysteries. An xp cost helps explain why it wouldn't be used by society on a highly routine basis).

Then for a bit of additional customization:
At level 4 and every even level after that you may add 1 necromancy spell of up to the highest level you can cast to your spells known list. This necromancy spell must be on the sorc/wiz list. Or you can add 1 spell from another school that spell has level strictly lower than your highest level spell known.

Your caster level is treated as half your Ashen Necromancer level for non-necromantic spells and is treated as your AN level for necromantic spells.

This way they have a tiny bit of spell-casting but nothing compared to that from a dedicated caster like a wizard, sorcerer or a dread necromancer.
(One would of course need to also remove the statement that they cast no spells and would instead say that although they cast almost no spells).

But this is very much a flavor matter and it is your class so obviously it is your choice. Overall I like this class a lot.

[Imrix.]

I never was much up on the rules (more of a backstory person), but I like this so I'll chip in. First, it might be worth looking over the questions you've been asked and see if you can include something in the actual rules of the class to head off such questions in future, and to make the whole thing airtight.

Also, you seem to bounce back and forth between the rules starting a capitol letter after a : and not. Might want to look the document over for that.

Looking over the Eldritch Dead augmentation, if it's a ranged attack shouldn't it have a crit rating?

Increased Priority states
A damaged undead you bestow with this augmentation transmits its wounds to all other undead creatures without this ability within a 10-foot radius that do not possess this ability at a rate of one hit point per round per eligible “donor”.

Just pointing out a grammer mistake, specifically some redundancy. I'd also like to back JoshuaZ on the point that Tier 2 of Increased Priority could get a little iffy.

Rotting Undead strikes me as a little off- from my understanding a coup de grace isn't something which turns up too often, might be worth making it a little more widely usable?

"Fearful Dead" is also kinda odd- that would imply that the dead themselves are afraid. Maybe "Fearsome" instead of "Fearful"? It also strikes me that -4 Dex to anything within thirty feet is pretty major... Especially if it stacks. Does it? Nutted if I know, but personally I'd consider dropping the range, severity and specifying what kind of penalty it is (morale?) to ensure it doesn't stack... That might be too much, mind.

Hexer strikes me as similarly iffy. Very short-ranged, but an Ashen Necromancer seems pretty Cha-based, so hammering somebody who closes with such a possibly large penalty... I don't know, I'm nto enough of an expert to judge.


Shadow Magic:
Tier 1: You grant an undead that you bestow with this augmentation the ability to cat mysteries. Just a typo, nothing to see here. Oh, and chakra is misspelt as "charka" later on... Thought you might like to know.

I like this, though. I always preferred Necromancers as generals more than wizards... Nevermind personal power, just give me an army!

Speaking of which... Given that the class is designed to command an army, maybe raise the amount of HD of Undead it can control? Or am I just being silly now?

EDIT: Thought of another Augmentation, just for giggles... I figure people are suggesting feats, so why not?


Increased Control
Tier 1: You can command undead you have given this augmentation even if it is not normally under your control. Priority of orders are given to its creator, but if he or she does not countermand your commands the Undead will follow your orders instead. So long as the controller of the undead in question is alive, it still counts as under their control, however if the controller is slain or otherwise rendered incapable of controlling undead they come under your control, and count against the maximum number of undead you can control normally.
Tier 2: You can command an unintelligent undead you have given this augmentation to perform actions they would not normally be capable of, as if they were intelligent.
Tier 3: Undead you have given this augmentation will consider your orders as being of a higher priority than the orders of their creator, or any other similar figure . As such, they will follow your commands even if countermanded by such people.

[Elurindel]

I like the idea of the Increased Control put forward by Imrix, turning even other undead against their own masters. Just wondering, what would happen if you already had undead under your control?

[Elurindel]

I like the idea of the Increased Control put forward by Imrix, turning even other undead against their own masters. Just wondering, what would happen if you already had undead under your control?

[Imrix.]

Good point... Probably doesn't count as still under their control so long as their alive (to serve as infiltrators), but if the creator gets offed it counts as under your control.

Edited.

[Realms of Chaos]

First of all, unless a spellbook is specifically states that it is required, it is generally not required. I don't see much point in specifically pointing out what you don't need to do in the text, however.

As far as increased priority, tier 2, I will change it so that undead cannot be rebuked or turned so long as there is an undead with fewer HD within 30 feet.

Multiple forms of magic are recovered through different methods. This is completely and entirely intentional. If you want undead with psionics, divine magic, arcane magic, and shadow magic, your going to spend a whole lot of time getting them all back each day. It serves as encouragement to specialize with one or two forms of "magic" and stop there.

As for Greater Augmentations, yup. It grants one more augmentation. However, it was by no means meant to be taken multiple times (even though it certainly wouldn't be overpowered if such was the case).

As for more specialized feat trees, that certainly gives me something to think about.

Your last comment about granting spells independantly doesn't really seem necessary. Note that if you grant spells to an undead through the necromancer augmentation, you can cast spells through them as a full-round action. This is how the ashen necromancer gains access to spells, simultaneously giving ashen necromancers the option to simply not gain access to spells if they don't want it. Also, it is a bit strange that you claim I'm granting undead too many spells known while you also claim that I should grant the ashen necromancer extra spells to make it versatile :smallwink: (big difference, I know).

as for the : problem, I don't mean to sound callous or lazy but that really isn't much of a priority right there. It's a grammer mistake, and an area of grammer that not many people notice (even fewer when you notice that the mistake is in simple inconsistency). Unless someone is going to refuse to allow/use it because of a few lower-case letters (:smallconfused: ), I don't really see what the fuss is. Even so, it is nice to know that this error exists.

I might expand rotting dead so that it also works when it scores a critical hit.

fearful dead is going to turn to fearsome dead and the penalty will be reduce to a -2 penalty that doesn't stack (same range, though)

Hexer does seem a bit powerful, I'll admit, but I don't think that its quite overpowered. I will specifically state that the abilities don't stack (other than the tier one ability, which I think makes for an awesome "undead wearing down defenses" mechanic).

I will correct the typos. :smallbiggrin:

As far as increasing HD of undead controlled, depending on what you guys think, I may grant an additional 4 HD of undead whenever you gain the horde specialization ability (not as many extra undead as you gain with dread necromancer but still more than the average necromancer or cleric).

As for your augmentation, I don't know how many people would take it (as you already gain some influence over undead you add augmentations to and it in most cases would imply taking an enemy undead and holding it down for a very long time). However, it makes a great mechanic for ashen necromancers bestowing the creations of others and makes for the ultimate betrayal mechanic against a dread necromancer. On the other hand, there would need to be some way to prevent you from having an army of unlimited size (apart from money constraints) as early as 7th level. If you can find some way to build that in, the augmentation is going straight into the second post.

[Imrix.]

No real problem on the grammer stuff- I'm just a pedant about that.

The extra HD seems like a good idea to me, it just struck me that a class based around gathering effectively an army of Undead should have some automatic method of having more undead than other people. Let's see, your method would cap out at an extra 16 HD, I believe? Seems good to me.

Maybe you could raise it higher, but make it another choice- so you either make a Champion, or give the Undead you have more health, or get more undead?

As for the augmentation I made... I would've thought that the fact that, if you want to get an Undead and not have to control it out of your own HD, you have to make sure the original controller is still alive would be enough, really. Their probably not gonna be too happy about you "stealing" their undead, and you can't do it an unlimited number of times- eventually you'll run out of augs.

So, as far as I can see the method to stop you acquiring an army of unlimited size is already built in. I suppose technically you could say, capture the controllers and lock them up in a dungeon for all time or something, but by the time you can do that you have so many options for getting other people to raise your Undead for you that it's no big deal (diplomacy, spells, money, etc...) Plus, such a method is vulnerable to other people attacking them.

[Realms of Chaos]

Oops Misread that part of the augmentation. Now that I see that the owner has to be alive, it seems much more plausible.

[JoshuaZ]

As far as increased priority, tier 2, I will change it so that undead cannot be rebuked or turned so long as there is an undead with fewer HD within 30 feet.


Er that doesn't work. All the bad cheese with this would involve using smaller undead that have fewer HD (like the tiny undead in the mouth). The restriction needs to be for undead with more HD or something similar to that.



Multiple forms of magic are recovered through different methods. This is completely and entirely intentional. If you want undead with psionics, divine magic, arcane magic, and shadow magic, your going to spend a whole lot of time getting them all back each day. It serves as encouragement to specialize with one or two forms of "magic" and stop there.

This seems reasonable.




Your last comment about granting spells independantly doesn't really seem necessary. Note that if you grant spells to an undead through the necromancer augmentation, you can cast spells through them as a full-round action. This is how the ashen necromancer gains access to spells, simultaneously giving ashen necromancers the option to simply not gain access to spells if they don't want it. Also, it is a bit strange that you claim I'm granting undead too many spells known while you also claim that I should grant the ashen necromancer extra spells to make it versatile :smallwink: (big difference, I know).


Er right, the problem is that giving the ability to give pretty much any spells leads to too much versatility- you can use it to get access to all low-level necromancy spells. With a cooperating wizard the wizard can research low-level necromancy spells in a tiny fraction of the normal time and with no xp cost. That's not good. Similarly, the psionic ability as currently written allows an erudite to pull a similar stunt. Heck, if I were playing an ashen necromancer I'd be tempted to take one level of erudite and then use the psionic ability to get cheap access to all psion/wilder powers. If I do that along with practiced spellcaster or practiced manifester I'm going to be in an interesting position. Note that this distinct from giving the class a very tiny list of spells to work with since then a given AN chooses its spell list and that's it.

[Realms of Chaos]

The part that I don't understand is why having all necromancy spells of 4th level or lower is a bad thing. They aren't recorded into a spellbook or scroll so you can't just have other wizards copy them (unless the undead creates such an item themself, which I find to be completely reasonable as the undead would still have to expend money and XP as normal, which would be on top of the price for bestowing the augmentation in the first place). You can't create new spells as they have to already belong to the wizard/sorcerer list. Other people can't cast through them as only mentions giving you that power.
I mean, any given 7th level cleric has access to every single 4th level and lower spell on their spell list, regardless of school. While wizards and sorcerers don't normally gain this ability, I don't think that it is overpowered to grant this power, in respect to a single school of magic, to a class that will never get access to even a 5th level spell, so long as they are willing to spend substantial time and money (remember, to get a scroll of chill touch costs very little while teaching chill touch to an undead through augmentation costs at least 500 gp) placing all of those augmentations in place, risking their loss if the undead is simply destroyed.

As far as increased priority, I'll change it so that all weaker creatures with a line of effect to the turner have to be turned first.

[JoshuaZ]

The part that I don't understand is why having all necromancy spells of 4th level or lower is a bad thing. They aren't recorded into a spellbook or scroll so you can't just have other wizards copy them (unless the undead creates such an item themself, which I find to be completely reasonable as the undead would still have to expend money and XP as normal, which would be on top of the price for bestowing the augmentation in the first place). You can't create new spells as they have to already belong to the wizard/sorcerer list. Other people can't cast through them as only mentions giving you that power.
I mean, any given 7th level cleric has access to every single 4th level and lower spell on their spell list, regardless of school. While wizards and sorcerers don't normally gain this ability, I don't think that it is overpowered to grant this power, in respect to a single school of magic, to a class that will never get access to even a 5th level spell, so long as they are willing to spend substantial time and money (remember, to get a scroll of chill touch costs very little while teaching chill touch to an undead through augmentation costs at least 500 gp) placing all of those augmentations in place, risking their loss if the undead is simply destroyed.


Yeah your right. Thinking about this more, this isn't really that much of an issue.



As far as increased priority, I'll change it so that all weaker creatures with a line of effect to the turner have to be turned first.
That solves some but not all of the cheese with this. It does deal with the most blatant cheese. That's probably enough.

[munchlord]

The knowledge check DC for craft undead will skyrocket, meaning that you'll probably have some difficulties as a level 20 character of actually animating any undeads at your maximal capability (The DC for a mohrg (CR 8) will be 43.) since the Fort save DC is the same that is going to be even more ridiculous/insane.

A cool mechanic, but I think you need to lower the DC a bit or something.

[Realms of Chaos]

In my opinion, its not too big of a problem that its a bit limited. If it was too easy to craft undead, we'd have people crafting nightshades.
Also, unlike the identical mechanics of truespeech, craft is a well-established skill and there are probably more ways to twink out your craft skill than there are for your truespeech skill.

All the same, I will take out a bit of the pain from the abiilty by lowering the DC to 10 + 2 x HD (lowering the DC by 5). In addition, I'll lower the DC by an additional 5 when making unintelligent undead. Keep in mind, afterall, that the ability should be used to make rank and file (if unorthodox) soldiers like necrocarnixes or mummies (or typical skeletons or zombies), not powerful engines of mass destruction like necronauts and charnel hounds.

...

I'll tell you what. For those ashen necromancers who want a single huge undead to rely on, I'll make a feat that makes getting such a pet viable while weakening the rest of your army.

Sound fair?

Edit: I also placed text keeping you from losing experience when a simple skeleton or zombie is destroyed. Also, coincidentally, the feat I created also makes it easier to create armies of lesser undead.

[munchlord]

With those changes it should be better. When mindless undead doesn't require a save then it doesn't matter that you'll lose a chunk of XP every time one of your high rank creatures dies.

The DC changes makes animating a bossie guy possible, and decently likely to happen in first try, while rank and file troops will be animatable on something akin to auto success, which I believe is the better (or you'd end up wasting far too much money).

Also I'm thinking: what about the guy who focus on a small elite force of customized (read augmented) undeads, like a vampire sneakiness thing, a mohrg as a tank, and a devourer for spellcaster, finished with a (greater) shadow for incorporeal nastiness or something akin to that... also: can you make template undeads with craft undead, and if so how?
I mean other than the zombie skeleton thing which is more a "guidebook to creating zombies and skeletons of various sizes, shapes and HD, as well as how your [insert creature] will look when undead" than an actual template.

[Realms of Chaos]

As far as specialization, simply choose the undead champion horde specialization multiple times and give each of those undead different augmentations to suits its "area of expertise"

As written now, it is not possible to make a templated undead via the Craft Dead ability (even skeletons or zombies, for which your soul gem ability exists). Furthermore, those are the only forms of undead that I flatly refuse to let this class create.

why, you ask?

If this thing could make templated undead, THIS THING WOULD OUTCHEESE THE ARTIFICER, CLERIC, AND DRUID!!!!! As soon as the party would reach 4th level, everyone would jump off cliffs and be rebuilt as a vampire or lich. I am aware that the party would need to pay off that level adjustment for awhile but in the mean time, the power jump seems just too extreme.
Also, if you could rebuild party members, you could grant them augmentations, which would make everything even CHEESIER. No. I should not, could not, and will not grant the ability to make templated undead.

As this may not have been clear, I will add text to specifically designate it as so. I will also add text allowing zombies and skeletons from soul gems to be kept indefinitely by having them count towards your limit of undead controlled.

[munchlord]

I just noticed that knowledge (religion) isn't listed among the listed class skills for Ashen necromancer. I think this might be a mistake since:
A: One of their major class abilities (craft dead) is based on that skill.
B: Knowledge (religion) is the skill that you use to check what you know about undead creatures which is what this class spends all it's time working with.

[Realms of Chaos]

It has been added. Thank you for pointing it out. Not having that skill would be like having a truenamer without truespeech (except a little less useless).

[munchlord]

BTW, you may be interested in knowing that I'm going to play an Ashen Necromancer in a game soon...

Oh and by the way (just bouncing a thought here) couldn't templated undead and the like work if you based religion check DCs ect. on CR rather than HD (is more balanced anyway IMHO, since you have a harder time making a big bone/flesh wall undead this way than a special ability user), and you actually have a mechanic that prevents you from making templated undeads out of your teammates: the fact that all undeads that you create can be of no higher CR than half your class level.

[Realms of Chaos]

I'm going with HD rather than CR because that is the normal limitation. As you can only make incorporeal undead, you are requesting permission to make the following: Tainted Minion, Huecuva, Sepulchre Thief, Lich, Vampire, Wight, Mummified creature, Web mummy, necropolitan, hooded pupil, half vampire, and gravetouched ghoul (might be missing a couple but I think the list is pretty comprehensive).

I suggest a compromise. I'll make a series of feats that allow the ashen necromancer to create some templated creatures.

In fact, I'll be nice and create another feat allowing you to control a single incorporeal undead as a guardian (with a feat tree perhaps that increases its defensive abilities).

[munchlord]

I want a dread wraith for a mount! Ghost touch saddle and it's doable!
But yeah I think they should somehow be able to create incorporeal and templated undeads, seeing their flavor (as I perceive it)

[Realms of Chaos]

I think that for the most part, incorporeal undead are beyond their ability.

The ashen necromancer can sew together a mass of bodies and flush them with negative energy to make a corporeal undead. The ashen necromancer's craft is, quite literally, a craft. It is hard to sew together what you can't even touch.

I did make a couple of dark crafter feats that allow you to apply certain templates (keep in mnd that other templates, such as tainted minion or web mummy, make no sense for you to be able to apply).

Also, I allowed for you to make what is essentially an incorporeal cohort through another feat that I made.

Do you think that's not enough?

I mean, right now you can have one beefy monster from animation mastery, an incorporeal cohort from ephemeral guardian, and four undead champions from your horde specialization ability. that sounds like enough of an honor guard to me.

Right now, for instance, a 20th level Ashen Necromancer with the right feats can have a level 8 Cleric Vampire (Big guy), A bodak (undead champion), a mohrg (undead champion), a visage (undead champion), a skull lord (undead champion), and a dread wraith (ephemeral guardian) and still have left over HD of control to use on other undead. Even without the undead augmentations you'd add to everyone but the dread wraith, this sounds good the way it is.

[munchlord]

sorry, I didn't see the new feats untill you just mentioned them, totally cool work there dude ;)

May I though point out that wights are not templated undeads (although I do think that there is some wighted creature template out there... with another name yes.)

[Realms of Chaos]

Wights, believe it or not, actually are a template (albiet a rarely used one) that you can find in Savage Species. Its not a monster class. Its a template.

[Deathtouched]

Whoa... :smalleek:

I'm sorry but this is colossal, amazing, stupendous, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.... awesomely necromantic

This is one of the coolest necromancer ideas ive seen, and i really like the Horde Specialization

Again, whoa...

[Realms of Chaos]

Um... Thanks. :smallbiggrin:

I always wanted to make a necromancer without spellcasting. By giving tons of options for customization, I believe I have done so quite effectively. :smallbiggrin:

[munchlord]

I am sorry, but according to MM and the SRD, wights are cratures with specific stats. My proof is right here: proof (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/wight.htm)

[Realms of Chaos]

And according to pages 136-137 of Savage Species, it is also a template.

Think of it like the mummified template or gravetouched ghoul template, except that they couldn't decide how to change the name so they left it as is.

[Imrix.]

I think this is just me, but it does strike me as odd that this class, which is designed to do nothing more than command and improve undead, still controls less undead than the Dread Necromancer.

I understand it's probably a matter of balance, but it does strike me as odd. True, the problem can be mitigated by Undead Heralds, but you have to do that several times until you're matching the capabilities of a Dread Necromancer, given the Undead Mastery ability.

It's something to think about, at most.

Oh! You might want to specify that for the purposes of the Corpsecrafter feats, Craft Dead and Soul Gems are counted as necromancy spells, because otherwise that could be a bit odd seeing as the feats do specify they affect Undead made by necromancy spells

In any case, I'm going to be playing one of these things, and shall probably enjoy it immensely. Kudos to you for making it!

[Realms of Chaos]

Soul Gems and Craft Dead now count as necromancy spells for the purposes of feat.

Also, although I'm worried that my wording may be a bit crude, I have changed the mechanics of Horde Specializaiton so that by 20th level, you control HD of undead equal to 8xlevel.

Yes, this is less than a dread necromancer. However, even if the dread necromancer has twice as many undead, your undead are still going to kick their butt through a combination of superior undead rather than mere zombies and skeletons, the ability to replenish your army at a moment's notice through soul gems, and your augmentations.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Hmm... Interesting...

I like it, as one of the aspects of the necromancer. I will probably homebrew an alternative path for the Ultimate Necromancer, based on this.

[Imrix.]

You might want to specify in Craft Dead whether you can give the crafted undead class levels. On the other hand, that might just be me being stupid, and it's spelled out somewhere else...

I dunno, but how they actually make their dead strikes me that it could maybe use some clarification, but then I come from Warhammer which is a permissive ruleset, so the makers have to spell out practically everything.

[Stormthorn]

Desecrated Dead
Tier 1: All holy water to pass within 10 feet of an undead you bestow with this augmentation is instantly transmuted into unholy water (no saving throw).
Tier 2: Whenever a turn attempt is made against an undead you bestow with this augmentation, the turner’s holy symbol (if they possess one) is reduced to ashes (or slag) after the attempt, regardless of whether it succeeds or not.
Tier 3: Whenever an undead you bestow with this ability makes a critical hit, all damage that they deal is treated as vile damage.

This seems overpowered. Specificly the first two tiers. One makes you undead immune to holy water attacks and and the other prevents the cleric from getting more than one tirn attempt when fighting your undead. I think they should both have saves allowed. Or perhaps have the first tier drop the water one level on the chain. Holy to Plain Water. Plain to Unholy.

[Realms of Chaos]

I'll take your advice, changing it so that holy water goes to plain water and giving the holy symbol a chance with a saving throw.

[munchlord]

bump (because I can)