Post/Author/DateTime	Post
zioth 05-31-04, 11:07 AM	I know that similar topics have come up numerous times, but somehow, I couldn't find them when I searched... Well, hopefully, this good necromancer is a bit different. Summary: This necromancer (or cleric, or mystic theurge) specializes in animating his enemies. His philosophy is that he can save the souls of evil people by animating their corpses and having them die again for the cause of good. By forcing their bodies do some good in the world, he is redeeming their souls. My one problem here is that, according to the PHB, animating the dead is an inherrently evil act, and I think that many DMs would insist on this being an evil character, even though he only animates evil people, and is in all other ways a good and heroic person. Unfortunately, I haven't really fleshed out this character yet, but I figured I'd throw out the idea and see what people thought.
Elzaban the Ethereal 05-31-04, 03:57 PM	Then get a bit creative. Make all the undead you raise be the same as normal, only any evil abilities are changed to their corresponding good abilities, they have good or neutral alignments, and they have the Deathless type from the Book of Exalted Deeds (basicly the same as Undead, except with positive energy and the turning roles are flipped around). Make your spells correspond to the evil ones but make them create these Deathless critters, and change the descriptor to good. It might work, but relies heavily on your DM's approval.
Trydan 05-31-04, 06:55 PM	Just because the PHB says that animating the dead is evil, doesn't mean that your character has read the PHB!!! He may be extremely well intentioned, but be inadventantly committing these acts of evil (in the eyes of the gods). A lot of good intentions end up going hideously wrong, because the perpertrators (sp?) don't see the bigger picture, but focus on a very specific aim. Try using that. It could make for some good role-playing.
Mordmorgan the Mad 06-01-04, 02:05 AM	If your looking for a slightly different version, there's a prestige class for a good necromancer in a Ravenloft product: Heroes of Light called the White Arcanist. Give it a look.
Valence de Meluvet 06-01-04, 02:23 AM	You can make him more of a "Van Helsing" type character. (Lame, I know.).. Everyone will think he is evil , but he does what he knows is right even so. His alignment would have to be neutral or chaotic good, but its not a bad concept.
Vaettyr 06-02-04, 11:11 AM	Or maybe he's just taking a calculated risk. Maybe he knows full well that necromancy is evil, but thinks it's less evil than his other alternatives, such as permitting villains to operate unopposed. If he's part of an established church he'd be like a rogue faction. He doesn't operate along orthodox methods, but he gets the job done, and to him in the end, that's what's more important.
Suliman 06-02-04, 05:45 PM	You could make your character based on real life personages, who at one time in history may have looked like a necromancer. Many important people from early East Indians to Greeks worked on dead bodies to understand the living. Even DaVinci and Michealangelo used human cadavers to understand the mechanics of the body. perhaps your character is more a doctor type rather than the creepy evil scientist who created frankenstein. remember that every coin has two sides. Not all necromancy has to be about stealing life energy, for instance, hold person could be explained as a complete paralysis of the central nervous system. Necromancy is also about life energy! healing, transformation spells such as alter self (think cosmetic surgery) and even magic missile could be explained away as positive energy missile attacks (with different effects against undead). Don't be limited by the description in the PHB. Also think about concentrating on Knowledge (anatomy), (herbalism), etc. to round out your character. good luck!:angel: