Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kyn 01-18-07, 05:40 PM	This is a class I've designed on my own. I'm hoping for assistance in balancing out this character class, and would appreciate any comments etc. Then I can have a "Balanced Necromancer" ;) Balance Necromancer Class Description: Necromancy is an age old school of magic that toys with the borders between life and death. Many different kinds of necromancers have arisen, harnessing this power in many different ways, from true necromancers, to balance necromancers, to pale masters, to evil clerics, to good old fashion liches. Generally the practice of necromancy is assumed to be an evil act, and the practitioners are unequivocally malign. The balance necromancer is, of course, another kind of death manipulating spell-caster. Unlike its predecessors, however, the Balance necromancer does not consider its art to be evil. The balance necromancer is a special breed of sorcerer that has been occurring more and more frequently in lands that struggle against undead. It is believed by some that the unholy taint of the undead warriors and the unclean spirits of ghosts and other malign creatures have been infusing young children with some of their essence. Whether this is true or not, the supposed resulting progeny have a special affinity for the borders between life and death. In practice, the balance necromancer is generally neutral, and occasionally even good. Rather then dabbling generally in all of the necromantic arts, the balance necromancer only deals with magic specifically designed around life and the absence thereof. Therefore, they have a very small amount of known spells, but they are able to put them to the greatest use doing the thing they do best- summoning hordes upon hordes of undead. Game Rule Information: Abilities: Charisma is the most important ability for the necromancer. A high Constitution score is also very helpful for a class that has very few hitpoints, and Dexterity and Strength are likewise important. Alignment: Any, normally neutral. Hit Die: d6 Class Skills: Bluff(Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft(sculpting)(Int), Craft(alchemy)(Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge(arcane)(Int), Knowledge(nature)(Int), Knowledge(history)(Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft(Int). Skill Points at 1st level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4 Skill Points at each additional level: 2+ Int modifier Class Features: Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Balance necromancers are proficient in light armor. They are proficient in a very small selection of weapons. As with everything the Balance necromancer does, it narrows its choices in order to cause the maximum effect. A balance necromancer is proficient with Daggers, Light Crossbows, Scythes, Sickles, Guisarme, Glaives, and Halberds. Natural Affinity: The balance necromancer can replace any Knowledge (religion) check with a Knowledge (nature) check. Stitched Flesh Familiar: Balance necromancers can obtain a stitched-flesh familiar (See Feat page 30 of Libris Mortis). Doing so takes 24 hours, and uses up magical materials that cost 100 gp. A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. Stitched Flesh Familiars differ from normally familiars in that they are made out of parts from various different individuals from the animal species they resemble, and they are to the practiced eye quite undead. The creature serves as a companion and servant. The balance necromancer chooses the kind of familiar he gets. If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the balance necromancer, the Necromancer must make a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means he loses 200 experience points per balance necromancer level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. A balance necromancer’s experience point total can never go below 0 as the result of a familiar’s demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and a day. A Slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or Constitution point when this occurs. A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may only have one familiar at a time. Stitched Flesh Familiars are chosen the same way as normal familiars (See page 52 of the Player’s Handbook 3.5) However, they differ in several ways. A stitched flesh familiar uses the basic statistics for a creature of its kind, as given in the Monster Manual, except as noted below. Hit Dice: A stitched flesh familiar has a d12 Hit Die and gains no bonus hit points from Constitution (since it is an undead creature). For effects that depend upon Hit Dice, use the master’s character level or the familiar’s normal Hit Dice total, whichever is higher. Hit Points: Use 1/2 the master’s total or the familiar’s normal total, whichever is higher. Attacks: Use the master’s base attack bonus or the familiar’s, whichever is higher. Saving Throws: For each saving throw, use either the familiar’s base save bonus or the master’s (as calculated from his character level), whichever is higher. Familiar Special Abilities: Use the second table in the Familiars sidebar on page 53 of the Player’s Handbook to determine additional abilities, just as you would for a normal familiar. Stitched flesh familiars do not grant their masters any of the benefits that appear on the first table in that sidebar. Instead of the noted special ability, a stitched flesh familiar grants its master the ability to control 4 more Hit Dice of undead than he is normally capable of controlling (both through the rebuke undead ability and through spells such as animate dead). Necromantic Engineering: The necromancer receives a very select variety of feats or abilities as he progresses in level. At Level 1, the balance necromancer must select a Discipline (see below). From then on, every time he receives Necromantic Engineering, he must receive an ability only from that discipline. Bolstering Discipline (As Feat)(Select One; Must meet prerequisites) Empathy(Su): See prowess Discipline Commanding (Dragon312 p51) Persuasive Fell Animate (LM) Fell Energy Spell (DR312 p37) Transdimensional Spell (CDiv, CArc) Improved Familiar (CWar) Greater Spell Focus Corpsecrafter (LM) Bolster Resistance (LM) Deadly Chill (LM) Destruction Retribution (LM) Hardened Flesh (LM) Nimble Bones (LM) Profane Vigor (LM) Necromantic Presence (LM) Necromantic Might (LM) Augment Summoning Craft Construct (MM) Craft Wonderous Item Brew Potion Rebuking Discipline (As Feats)(Select One; Must meet prerequisites) Turn Undead(Sp): See prowess Discipline Improved Turning Extra Turning Quicken Turning (LM) Undead Leadership Divine Accuracy (LM) Spell Penetration Extend Spell Greater Spell Penetration Aura of Life Energy (Dragon334 p86) Corona (Dragon334 p86) Divine Might (CWar) Divine Resistance (CWar) (Undead Only) Divine Spell Power (CDiv) Empower Turning (CDiv) Glorious Weapons (CDiv) (Undead Only) Haunting Weapons (CDiv) (Undead Only) Heighten Turning (LM) Profane Vigor (LM) Sacred Vitality (LM) Prowess Discipline (Select One; Must meet level prerequisite) Necromantic Prowess (Ex): Beginning at the 2nd level, a balance necromancer can choose to learn to channel negative energies more effectively. When he or she rebukes undead, casts a necromancy spell, or uses a spell-like ability that mimics a necromancy spell, her effective caster level increases. The bonus is +1 at 2nd level, +2 at 6th level, +3 at 9th level, and +4 at 12th level and higher. Turn Undead(Su): Beginning at the 2nd level, a balance necromancer can choose to learn to turn undead as well as rebuke them. The balance necromancer does not gain separate amounts of turns and rebukes per day- turns and rebukes both deplete the balance necromancer’s turns per day. This ability is exceedingly useful if a necromancer is already controlling his maximum allotment of undead. Negative Energy Affinity:: Beginning at 5th level, a balance necromancer can choose this ability to add all of the Inflict spells to or her class spell list. The balance necromancer does not automatically know these spells, and must learn them like any other spell. A Balance necromancer can only cast a single Inflict spell of each level per day. Energy Beacon: Beggining at the 5th level, a balance necromancer can choose this ability in order to gain an additional spellslot at each spell level (except for cantrips). Positive Energy Affinity: Beginning at 5th level, a balance necromancer can choose this ability to add all of the Cure spells to or her class spell list. The balance necromancer does not automatically know these spells, and must learn them like any other spell. A Balance necromancer can only cast a single Cure spell of each level per day. Negative Energy Burst (Su) : Beginning at 8th level, a balance necromancer can gain the ability to emit a burst of negative energy from her body, harming living creatures within 5 feet of her. This burst deals 1d4 points of damage per class level. A successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 her class level + Cha modifier) reduces damage by half. Undead creatures within this burst are healed the same amount of hit points as the damage she deals to living creatures. A balance necromancer can use this ability once per day at 8th level, and one additional time per day for every five levels she attains beyond 8th (2/day at 13th level, 3/day at 18th level) Positive Energy Burst (Su) : Beginning at 8th level balance necromancer can gain the following ability: As a full-round action, a 8th level balance necromancer can choose to spend two turning attempts to create a positive energy burst. This energy deals 5d6 points of damage to all undead creatures within a 30-foot-radius burst centered on the balance necromancer. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + (½balance necromancer’s class level) + balance necromancer’s Cha modifier) halves this damage. Brilliance: Beginning at 8th level, a balance necromancer can choose this ability in order to cast the following spells once per day: 1 light, 3 daylight, 4 searing light, 7 sunbeam, 8 sunburst. Each of these spells use up a spell per day for their appropriate level (or a higher level), and a balance necromancer cannot cast these spells if he has used up all of his spells per day. Emptiness: Beginning at 8th level, a balance necromancer can choose this ability in order to cast the following spells once per day: 1 darkness, 3 deeper darkness, 4 armor of darkness(FR), 7 power word: blind, 8 utterdark (BVD, but instead of evil creatures being able to see through it, only undead and the caster can see through it.) Each of these spells use up a spell per day for their appropriate level (or a higher level), and a balance necromancer cannot cast these spells if he has used up all of his spells per day. Indiscriminate: A balance necromancer does not regard his or her ability to raise dead to be good or evil, and thus he is able to create both good and evil effects in relation to undead without ever having to be good or evil himself. Beginning at level 11, he or she can gain the ability to cast the following spells once per day: Bless Water or Curse Water, Consecrate or Desecrate, Magic Circle against Evil or Magic Circle Against Good, Hallow or Unhallow, Blasphemy or Holy Word, Holy Aura or Unholy Aura. Each of these spells use up a spell per day for their appropriate level (or a higher level), and a balance necromancer cannot cast these spells if he has used up all of his spells per day. Empathy(Su): At level 14, a balance necromancer can choose to take this ability. If he does so, he is no longer perceived as living by undead, and is instead as being undead himself. No other creatures perceive the balance necromancer to be undead. He or she is not effected by spells that affect undead, but this does not dispel the fact that undead regard him or her as undead. Necromantic Construction: The Necromancer, like all spell casters, is capable of making constructs. However, the Necromancer specializes particularly well with the following constructs: Grave Dirt Golem (LM) Tombstone Golem (LM) Dragonflesh Golem Flesh Golem Gloom Golem Cadaver golem (HH) When creating these golems, a Necromancer expends only 2/3 of the listed experience, and gains a +2 bonus to all necessary checks. The Necromancer can also make golems such as the Gloom Golem without meeting the prerequisite of being evil. Rebuke Undead (Su): A balance necromancer can rebuke(and command, bolster, etc) undead as an evil cleric. The Balance necromancer does not gain any other clerical abilities such as spontaneous cure or pain spells. A Balance necromancer may attempt to turn undead a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. A Balance necromancer with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (nature) gains a +2 on turning checks against undead (instead of the typical Knowledge(religion) giving a +2 bonus to turning checks) Spells: A balance necromancer casts divine spells, even though his or her power comes from no specific god. The Necromancer channels negative and positive energy to form his or her spells, much like evil and good clerics channel negative and positive energy in order to turn or rebuke undead. The Balance necromancer has a very limited selection of spells but he or she is able to cast these spells without preparing them before hand. To learn or cast a spell, a Necromancer must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a sorcerer’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the sorcerer’s Charisma modifier. A balance necromancer can relearn spells like a sorcerer. The spells per day table lists only the base number of spells that a balance necromancer gets per day. In addition to this, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score (see page 8 of the PHB 3.5) Spell List: 0 Level Spells Read Magic Resistance Detect Magic Detect Poison Disrupt Undead Dancing Lights 1st Level Spells Detect Undead Disguise Self Protection from Evil Hide from Undead Summon Undead I 2nd Level Spells Shroud of Undeath (SC) Spawn Screen (SC) Ghost Touch Armor (SC) Gentle Repose Command Undead Restoration, Lesser Summon Undead II Stone Bones (SC) 3rd Level Spells Disrupt Undead, Greater (SC) Speak with Dead Incorporeal Enhancement (SC) Skull Watch (SC) Undead Lieutenant (SC) Undead Torch (SC) Rejuvinative Corpse (SC) Spark of Life (SC) Protection from Negative Energy Animate Dead Rigor Mortis Enhance Familiar (CA) Corpse Candle (CA) Ghost Touch Weapon (SC) Summon Undead III 4th Level Spells Iron Bones (SC) Negative Energy Aura (SC) Positive Energy Aura (SC) Restoration Fortify Familiar(CA) Repair Critical Damage (CA) Halt Undead Undead Bane Weapon (SC) Summon Undead IV 5th Level Spells Raise Dead Life’s Grace (SC) Death Throes (SC) Gray mantle (SC) Slay Living Incorporeal Nova (SC) Revivify (SC) Disrupting Weapon Revive Undead Summon Undead V 6th Level Spells Ghost Trap (LM) Ghoul Gauntlet (SC) Undeath to Death Awaken Undead Create Undead Summon Undead VI 7th Level Spells Awaken Undead (SC) Restoration, Greater Resurrection Destruction Finger of Death Regenerate Spark of Life Control Undead Summon Undead VII 8th Level Spells General of Undeath (SC) Restoration, Mass Veil of Undeath Create Greater Undead Ghost Form Skeletal Guard (SC) Summon Undead VIII 9th Level Spells True Resurrection Wail of the Banshee Plague of Undeath Summon Undead IX Undeath’s Eternal Foe (SC) Channel Energy (Sp): A balance necromancer can channel positive and negative energy to greater effects then just simple spells and cantrips. Beginning at level 1 and every 2 levels thereafter, the necromancer can choose one of the Channels below to memorize. A necromancer can never have 2 more positive energy channels than negative energy channels, or vice versa. These channels only effect minions directly under the balance necromancer’s control, and immediately fade when the minion is no longer under the necromancer’s control. Although abjuration channels are composed of positive energy, they deal no damage to the undead they are used on. Similarly, the necromantic channels do not heal the undead they are used on. Channels take a standard action to activate, during which the Necromancer wills energy through himself/herself. Once the channel is open, it does not require concentration to maintain. An antimagic field will repress the channel, and the channel will close if the Necromancer is knocked unconcious or killed. Positive Energy: Channel Hide Abjuration: Gives a natural armor bonus to all undead minions. Channel Vigor Abjuration: Gives a bonus to all saves. Channel Holy Abjuration: Gives damage reduction against light, holy water, and other attacks that specifically damage undead. Channel Good Abjuration: Gives damage reduction against attacks that specifically target evil creatures. Channel Agile Abjuration: Bonus on Hide and Move Silently. Channel Muscular Abjuration: Bonus on Strength checks and Strength-based skill checks. Negative Energy: Channel Necromantic Life: Heals damage per round. Channel Necromantic Resilience: Give bonus to resist turning/rebuking. Channel Necromantic Cunning: Bonus on Disguise, Bluff and Intimidate checks. Channel Necromantic Fury: Bonus to damage rolls when charging. Channel Necromantic Speed: bonus (x 5 feet) to charging speed (not base speed) Channel Necromantic Spite: bonus to damage rolls when flanking. The necromancer can begin any channel that he or she has memorized by sacrificing a spell per day. The bonus mentioned given to the Channel is the level of the sacrificed spell, and the duration of the channel is for a number of rounds equal to the necromancer’s charisma modifier. All undead minions under current control of the necromancer gain these abilities. Level Monsters 1 Skeleton, Medium; Zombie, Small 2 Skeleton, Large; Zombie, Medium 3 Ghoul; Skeleton, Huge; Zombie, Large 4 Allip; Ghast; Zombie, Huge 5 Mummy; Shadow; Vampire spawn; Revived Fossil, Medium(LM) 6 Entomber(LM); Spectre; Revived Fossil, Large(LM) 7 Mohrg; Skirr (LM); Revived Fossil, Huge(LM) 8 Hulking Corpse(LM); Slaughter Wight(LM); Visage(LM) 9 Charnel Hound(MM3); Deathshrieker(MM3) Summon Undead works just like Summon Monster, only you summon from the list above. Summoned undead do not count toward the total HD of undead that you can control with animate dead or the other command undead abilities. Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Stitched Flesh Familiar 2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Necromantic Engineering, Channel Energy 3 +2 +1 +1 +3 4 +3 +1 +1 +4 Channel Energy 5 +3 +1 +1 +4 Necromantic Engineering 6 +4 +2 +2 +5 Channel Energy 7 +5 +2 +2 +5 8 +6/+1 +2 +2 +6 Necromantic Engineering, Channel Energy 9 +6/+1 +3 +3 +6 10 +7/+2 +3 +3 +7 Channel Energy 11 +8/+3 +3 +3 +7 Necromantic Engineering 12 +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 Channel Energy 13 +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 14 +10/+5 +4 +4 +9 Necromantic Engineering, Channel Energy 15 +11/+6/+1 +5 +5 +9 16 +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 Channel Energy 17 +12/+7+2 +5 +5 +10 Necromantic Engineering 18 +13/+8/+3 +6 +6 +11 Channel Energy 19 +14/+9/+4 +6 +6 +11 20 +15/+10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Necromantic Engineering Spells Known: Level Can. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1 3 1 - - - - - - - - 2 4 2 - - - - - - - - 3 4 2 1 - - - - - - - 4 5 3 2 - - - - - - - 5 5 3 2 1 - - - - - - 6 5 3 3 2 - - - - - - 7 6 4 3 2 1 - - - - - 8 6 4 3 3 2 - - - - - 9 6 4 4 3 2 1 - - - - 10 6 4 4 3 3 2 - - - - 11 6 5 4 4 3 2 1 - - - 12 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 - - - 13 6 5 5 4 4 3 2 1 - - 14 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 - - 15 6 5 5 5 4 4 3 2 1 - 16 6 5 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 - 17 6 5 5 5 5 4 4 3 2 1 18 6 5 5 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 19 6 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 3 3 20 6 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 Spells Per Day: Level Can. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1 5 0 - - - - - - - - 2 6 3 - - - - - - - - 3 6 4 0 - - - - - - - 4 6 5 3 - - - - - - - 5 6 6 4 0 - - - - - - 6 6 6 5 3 - - - - - - 7 6 6 6 4 0 - - - - - 8 6 6 6 5 3 - - - - - 9 6 6 6 6 4 0 - - - - 10 6 6 6 6 5 3 - - - - 11 6 6 6 6 6 4 0 - - - 12 6 6 6 6 6 5 3 - - - 13 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 0 - - 14 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 3 - - 15 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 0 - 16 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 3 - 17 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 0 18 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 3 19 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 20 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
Kyn 01-18-07, 07:16 PM	Awkward... Silence....
Kyn 01-20-07, 10:43 AM	Amazing! It's the first uncritiqued class in history! o.O!
cthascott 01-20-07, 12:12 PM	Game Rule Information: Abilities: Charisma and Intelligence are the most important abilities for the necromancer. A high Constitution score is also very helpful for a class that has very few hitpoints. Alignment: Any, normally neutral. Hit Die: d4 Why is Intelligence important to this class? Positive Energy Burst (Su) : Beginning at 8th level balance necromancer can gain the following ability: As a full-round action, a 8th level balance necromancer can choose to spend two turning attempts to create a positive energy burst. This energy deals 5d6 points of damage to all undead creatures within a 30-foot-radius burst centered on the balance necromancer. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + (½balance necromancer’s class level) + balance necromancer’s Cha modifier) halves this damage. The above needs a stated uses/day entry to go along with it. I like the abilities of this class, however, a decent amount of it relies on you having to burn spell slots for certain effects and with the small amount of spells that you have, this is a negative towards the class. Perhaps a uses/day equaling the Balance Necromancer's Cha modifier? That's what I would do. Or you might even base it on a scaling class progression. In any case I really like the class as it represents a fair number of necromancers who are in fact dispassionate about life and death and just care to wield power. Good Work Kyn. Peace. CthaS
Kyn 01-20-07, 07:19 PM	Removing the part where it mentions that Intelligance is important, and adding some more about "Consitution", "Dexterity" and perhaps even "Strength". Anyone think I should boost this fellow's hit die up to d6? Or would that cause him to steal glory from the cleric? I know what you're saying about the "Use per day" thing, expecially if you're specializing in the prowess discipline and gaining acess to all different kinds of spells. But I'm kinda stuck liking the systems that are already in place and how they work. Granted if you have an 18 intelligance, and you are level 5 (when you can start getting inflict and cure spells , you have 6 cantrips and 7 level 1st spells, 5 2nd level spells and 1 3rd level spell and you're a spontaneous caster, so you can call out whatever spells or channels you need in a situation. I see the Prowess Discipline as simply adding a few spells to your spell list- gaining a bit of variety. I think it'll work, although playtesting will truly tell. I made it a standard action to activate a channel- that'll make it a bit like a bolstering spell.
cthascott 01-21-07, 01:43 AM	Strength won't be important because you have a d4 for HD. But I give you my vote for a d6 instead. And I also wouldn't give them that many weapon proficiencies as most of them aren't warranted. I agree that when I create a class or an ability, I want the ability I come up to be something that people like and enjoy. I can see your reasons for liking it, certainly, it's mechanics are balanced and the Balance Necromancer is merely getting more options for their resources. Well, you've gotten my two cents on the class. I hope it works out well. Peace. CthaS
KirkBb 01-21-07, 01:57 AM	Hmmm, what you pretty much have hear is an attempt to create a dread necro that can choose between the light and dark side. I don't really see this as spectacularly needed, it fills a very small nich if you already have dread necro available, and even then, thats only with a bunch of the positive energy abilities. If you mix them up to much you either have a crappier version of the cleric or the dread necro. If your campaign is filled with acres upon acres of the walking dead, this class might get some solid use though.
Kyn 01-21-07, 12:42 PM	I dislike the Dread Necromancer, which focuses far too much on fear, but i agree that the poor Balance Necromancer might have gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to comparing him to the cleric. Hmm. His spontaneous casting isn't as powerful when he has such a measly selection of spells. I've upped him to d6 and I"m considering a second up to d8. I also gave him this ability under the Prowess discipline: Energy Beacon: Beggining at the 5th level, a balance necromancer can choose this ability in order to gain an additional spellslot at each spell level he or she has access to (except for cantrips thought that might help with the fact that the necromancer to a bunch of new spells if he goes into that discipline. I'm also updating his spell list and such in order to give him a tiny bit more variety. Should I remove the restrains on how many inflict/cure/light/darkness spells he can use per day if he specializes in prowess? Or should I give him another class feature that just helps with his mission of raising dead? It just seems like he's missing something that will truly seperate him from the other casters. He needs that extra bit of flavor that just says "I'm the guy who borrows bones to get the job done" I actually based him on the Diablo II necromancer (specialized for horde mastery). His selection of weapons follows that trend (scythes, daggers, and polearms). In addition, should I give him proficiency with medium or heavy armor? Decisions, decisions... How about I give him a +2 bonus to all his spells character level wise? that's what a wizard specialized in necromancy gets, right? Oh, and they get an extra spellslot too, don't they?