Beguilers and Dread Necromancers...... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Beguilers and Dread Necromancers...... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Magicianguy131
12-30-06, 10:59 PM Through the past years we have many new spec. arcane classes. Warmages go through magical boot camp and get their spells engraved in their heads, but what about Dread Necromancers (DN) and Beguilers (B)?

I know this is one of those "What ever you want it to be" questions but wizards get it through years of study and sorcerers through their magical bloodline. I would just assume that DN and B get their magic must like sorcerers but then I saw that beguilers get their spells through INT!

I think, because of their INT, beguilers get their magic kinda like warmages. Their spells are "tools of the trade" that they learn through schools. DN get their spells like sorcerers only through undead bloodlines.

So after all my ranting my main question is "How do you think B and DN get their spells from?"

Thanks!!
~Magicianguy131
General_Ridley
12-30-06, 11:11 PM Dread Necromancer simply have an innate connection to undeath. As they grow in power, they become more like the undead they seek power over. Their specialized casting is reflective of this, as is their casting stat.
Magicianguy131
12-30-06, 11:15 PM Dread Necromancer simply have an innate connection to undeath. As they grow in power, they become more like the undead they seek power over. Their specialized casting is reflective of this, as is their casting stat.

So, basically, like sorcerers only with a connection to undead?
Otto the Bugbear
12-31-06, 12:05 AM So after all my ranting my main question is "How do you think B and DN get their spells from?"

Bugbears grant them.

How dare you question this!
Tempest Stormwind
12-31-06, 01:22 AM I've not seen the DN in play, though it really wouldn't be difficult to flavor that "connection" appropriately. Yes, it's 'like a sorcerer' in that it's an innate connection, but the similarities need not continue past that.

For instance, you could have been stillborn, but 'miraculously' returned to life (no divine magic was present; it must have been some other force, possibly even Fate -- you're a PC, go on and be SPECIAL!)... leaving part of your soul in the netherworld. Or you could have been the survivor of an undead attack which sapped your soul at a formative age. In both cases, you carry the scar of that event today, and channel the essence of death in magic. (In the former, you'd channel the energies of the afterlife, where part of your soul still resides... and in the latter you'd draw upon the negative energies that animate undead and focus them through your metaphysical scars.)

Hell, if you wanted, you could have started off as a regular ol' necromancer-in-training who managed to tap into one of the MANY sources of horror in that book, and summoned some dark entity (such as Orcus) in some goetic ritual, entering a pact with him, promising him your soul and that you bring glory and terror to the material plane in exchange for power over undeath, which he granted. There's a connection to the undead, historical 'magic', and the whole sinister feel. (This is less fit for the Neutral DN, though; those work better as above. This is a great example for an evil DN.)

In the case of the beguiler, I imagine that as being far more guild-based. Possibly a thieves' guild -- the beguiler struck me in many ways as what a rogue would look like if he focused on magic that aided his cause rather than so heavily into all of his myriad skills. Thus, it's taught, in much the same way an assassin is taught his spells (and yet is spontaneous).
King_of_Succubi
12-31-06, 01:29 AM I always pictured Beguilers as Wizards who got kicked out of Wizardry college for being troublemakers. That, or Proto-Rogues who stole the spells they would actually want from said College.
Votan
12-31-06, 01:42 AM I know this is one of those "What ever you want it to be" questions but wizards get it through years of study and sorcerers through their magical bloodline. I would just assume that DN and B get their magic must like sorcerers but then I saw that beguilers get their spells through INT!

This one is hard. Warmages get their spells through study and cast off of Charisma. Duskblades get their spells from Intelligence and seem to be much closer to a spontaneous caster (sorcerer or Fey).

This tells us that the casting stat is not a fool-proof guide to the mechanism by which the character learns spells. I tend to see Dread necromancers as being innate types who learn by instinct and Beguilers as being carefully self trained (the high skill points seems to partner with an aptitude for careful teaching of spells to oneself).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Magicianguy131 12-30-06, 10:59 PM	Through the past years we have many new spec. arcane classes. Warmages go through magical boot camp and get their spells engraved in their heads, but what about Dread Necromancers (DN) and Beguilers (B)? I know this is one of those "What ever you want it to be" questions but wizards get it through years of study and sorcerers through their magical bloodline. I would just assume that DN and B get their magic must like sorcerers but then I saw that beguilers get their spells through INT! I think, because of their INT, beguilers get their magic kinda like warmages. Their spells are "tools of the trade" that they learn through schools. DN get their spells like sorcerers only through undead bloodlines. So after all my ranting my main question is "How do you think B and DN get their spells from?" Thanks!! ~Magicianguy131
General_Ridley 12-30-06, 11:11 PM	Dread Necromancer simply have an innate connection to undeath. As they grow in power, they become more like the undead they seek power over. Their specialized casting is reflective of this, as is their casting stat.
Magicianguy131 12-30-06, 11:15 PM	Dread Necromancer simply have an innate connection to undeath. As they grow in power, they become more like the undead they seek power over. Their specialized casting is reflective of this, as is their casting stat. So, basically, like sorcerers only with a connection to undead?
Otto the Bugbear 12-31-06, 12:05 AM	So after all my ranting my main question is "How do you think B and DN get their spells from?" Bugbears grant them. How dare you question this!
Tempest Stormwind 12-31-06, 01:22 AM	I've not seen the DN in play, though it really wouldn't be difficult to flavor that "connection" appropriately. Yes, it's 'like a sorcerer' in that it's an innate connection, but the similarities need not continue past that. For instance, you could have been stillborn, but 'miraculously' returned to life (no divine magic was present; it must have been some other force, possibly even Fate -- you're a PC, go on and be SPECIAL!)... leaving part of your soul in the netherworld. Or you could have been the survivor of an undead attack which sapped your soul at a formative age. In both cases, you carry the scar of that event today, and channel the essence of death in magic. (In the former, you'd channel the energies of the afterlife, where part of your soul still resides... and in the latter you'd draw upon the negative energies that animate undead and focus them through your metaphysical scars.) Hell, if you wanted, you could have started off as a regular ol' necromancer-in-training who managed to tap into one of the MANY sources of horror in that book, and summoned some dark entity (such as Orcus) in some goetic ritual, entering a pact with him, promising him your soul and that you bring glory and terror to the material plane in exchange for power over undeath, which he granted. There's a connection to the undead, historical 'magic', and the whole sinister feel. (This is less fit for the Neutral DN, though; those work better as above. This is a great example for an evil DN.) In the case of the beguiler, I imagine that as being far more guild-based. Possibly a thieves' guild -- the beguiler struck me in many ways as what a rogue would look like if he focused on magic that aided his cause rather than so heavily into all of his myriad skills. Thus, it's taught, in much the same way an assassin is taught his spells (and yet is spontaneous).
King_of_Succubi 12-31-06, 01:29 AM	I always pictured Beguilers as Wizards who got kicked out of Wizardry college for being troublemakers. That, or Proto-Rogues who stole the spells they would actually want from said College.
Votan 12-31-06, 01:42 AM	I know this is one of those "What ever you want it to be" questions but wizards get it through years of study and sorcerers through their magical bloodline. I would just assume that DN and B get their magic must like sorcerers but then I saw that beguilers get their spells through INT! This one is hard. Warmages get their spells through study and cast off of Charisma. Duskblades get their spells from Intelligence and seem to be much closer to a spontaneous caster (sorcerer or Fey). This tells us that the casting stat is not a fool-proof guide to the mechanism by which the character learns spells. I tend to see Dread necromancers as being innate types who learn by instinct and Beguilers as being carefully self trained (the high skill points seems to partner with an aptitude for careful teaching of spells to oneself).