The Penultimate Guide to Being a Necromancer [Archive] - Wizards Community

The Penultimate Guide to Being a Necromancer [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ShoshuroKaigen
07-04-03, 01:35 AM I am thinking about finally playing a necromancer. Then I have got an idea.

Here I wish all to post their necromantic characters, arcane, divine, or otherwise. Here is many suggestions and a guide to being a master of the dead.

I have been always fascinated by the necromancer, but never had the chance to truly create and play one. Mostly because there aren't too many evil campaigns and I have yet to find a suitable build and backstory.

To start this, I want suggestions for an arcane necromancer who blends his animation abilities with power of death itself. The fact of being able to point with his withered finger and say "Die", and watch his unlucky opponent shrivels up and blow away in the wind as dust is intoxicating. However, I wish to stay away from extraplanar mentorship. Mostly because fiends are always going to corrupt your soul and immortallity is non-existant.

I will be LE, so that might get part of his personality out. However he is not exactly going to be Leap's version of Lawful Evil, though I believe there are LE persons like that. This person will have a simple veiw on life: There is death. And he fears death, so subtly, he does not show it but it terrifies him. He is very self-serving in the end, but comes off trust worthy and honorable to a degree. He studies necromancy because his life is so fragile, and he longs for immortality.

I would like suggestions on how he first learned of necromancy, how he was tutored, personality, and most likely goals, though I have sorted most of those out. If you can tell me where I can get stats for a greater mummy, online or book. I would like suggestions for a type of undead that is unique, I know there is the lich but I am considering other possibilities. Also I am wondering on which race I should be, but a short lived race to fit his phobia of death. I also want him to have a biting insanity that chews at him from the inside, I think maybe paranoia, or manic depression, or even delusion of granduer. All suggestions are welcomed.

Also post your suggestions, tips, and other ideas for just being an all-around necromancer. Post your necromancer's history, background, and personality. This is the Penultimate Guide to Being a Necromancer. Have fun, and remember, while destroying vile creations made from corpses is fun, creating them is even more fun. (I know, its a stupid motto, so sue me).

Thanks for reading. Ciao.
Arilou_skiff
07-05-03, 08:24 AM I'm currently playing an LN necromancer in an FR game.

He's an escpaed Thayan apprentice who got fed-up with his master,s tole some magical items and ran, he's cynical and nasty, but not evil per-se. He's somewhat interested in power but mostly in survival, he's a necromancer by trade and has few compunctions about using any trick up his sleeve, he considers necromancy his trade and no different than any other form of magic, it is a tool and an interesting subject for study.
ShoshuroKaigen
07-05-03, 02:47 PM Sound like most of my characters :P

I have taken the liberty and started work on my newest necromancer, but suggestions are welcomed. Thayan? I don't play FR but I was tempted to become a red wizard. Part rp wise and part game mechanics wise. But actually I am going a different route.

My character, who has yet to be named because I suck at names, is going to be a performer as well as a necromancer. He uses a variant of the Virtuoso prestige class. He will have to take cosmopolitan (perform) but if he combines the enhancing powers of the undead Unharmonist and the Lord of the Dead prestige class his companions will be enhanced beyond belief.

But I know how his personality is. He doesn't see necromancy as a trade, more over as a precious art that keeps him alive. As said before he is terrified of dying, and he is quite paranoid. I am developing a reason and way he learned necromancy but his goals are set out. You want to know them? Bah! You'll ruin my plan to become immortal, take over a nation, then the world! Er...

On a more serious side, I only have a few things to make for him

-His familiar, I am thinking either the wiggling maggot (+2 turn resistance, can change into a giant fly as a standard action permantly), the tiny monstrous centipede (poisonous bite), or the giant fly (+2 reflex saves, my worst save).
-The way he became a necromancer, and more indepth reason
-A good name

Thanks for reading, Ciao.
Rysellan
07-05-03, 06:50 PM This is one of the character's I've constructed; he's not a necro, but he easily could be.

(In FR) A human, Neutral Wiz/Shadow Adept, named Alistair
Marsden.

Son of a successful town figure, whose reputation was destroyed in a scandal. His father was left a broken man, and the son he was unable to care for was left in the care of a moderate Sharran cleric. The son believed that what happened to his father was a great injustice, and while he isn't evil, he harbors a bit of a grudge against zealous authorities and groups of "good" people who take things too far and hurt regular citizens with their high-minded actions. He might become a lich, and he's involved with the Shadow Weave and Shar because she understands his loss and desire for vengeance.

This character would not have a familiar, because of the liabilities and his sense of independance.

When naming characters, I try to use normal given names from history or fiction, and then make up a surname that fits them. For example, I have a blackguard named Hector, taken from the Illiad. Strong fighter, but not exactly on the side of good. Never use names like "Deathblade" or something like that; it rings a little false. It's better if they have a name that could be real, but can sound sinister or dark. Of course, that's just for humans; I try to make the name fit the race.
Tenerus
07-07-03, 11:13 AM I have played two Necromancers, one a wizard and the other a cleric.

The wizard was back in 2E, he was a Deathslayer (a kit from the Complete Necromancer's Guide) with the stereotypical "undead ruined my life background." Basically, while he was still an apprentice wizard (to a no-specialist who knew a good deal of necromancy) a powerful something animated a horde of barbarians that nearly overran the city years before. They were supported this time by Drow, giants, and other undead. My character made off with a few spellbooks, and his life. Knowing enough to realize that necromancy also gives the power to destroy the undead, he studied it intensly. (and due to his obsession, also learned a great deal of Divination to help with the research) He later formed a party to help with his quest for vengeance. (Clerics devoted to destroying undead, people he had rescued, ect.) He still floats around in NPC form today (if a little more mellow)

The current one is a low level Cleric of Velsharoon. (Chosen at first for the min/max potential of the magic domain, the party started of with her as the only spellcaster) She has just aquired a sailing ship (with a "skeleton crew") and is on her way to becoming a thorn is the side of heroes for some time to come. She sees necromancy as a path to power and immortality. Plus, it helps to create totally loyal servants. (she has a taste for the finer things in life) The most recent thing she has done was when the party discovered they had been betrayed by a fellow PC. They were about to dismember him painfully when she issued a simpe command. "Do what you want with the flesh, but leave the skeleton intact." He is much more loyal now......
Theocracity
07-07-03, 12:13 PM Why is Hannibal Lecter such a great villain? Because he's classy at the same time as he's a monster.

Necromancers are people too. They can enjoy the finer aspects of life as well as the finer aspects of death. Having a Necromancer that loves classical music, has a love of painting or sculpture, or enjoys fine food and culture is a great way to add a very creepy character depth to your villain (or character). Of course, everything he does in this field has some aspect of creepiness...death fugues, grotesque paintings, "interesting" food...but have him pretty well accepted by high society. Always dressed classily, smooth talker, high-class accent, and sensible...especially when he's summoning a horde of skeletons and such, animating his grotesque sculptures, or summoning ghosts drawn from his nightmarish paintings.
ShoshuroKaigen
07-07-03, 09:36 PM Thanks for you inspiration.

Thats how I plan on playing my necromancer. He loves poetry and finer drama, and he has fashionable attire usually. He is boh professional and artistic in his necromantic art. He also is a gnome. But he has a level of mystery, and he doesn't say outright he is a necromancer or anything. He keeps it mostly secret. He keeps in touch with high soceity and comes off as a sophisticated wizard, but he has a darker side. He has a secret fear of death, which has lead to his dabbling in the necromantic arts. And what started as harmless dabbling became an obsession. He is on the path to undeath. His necromantic magics are corrupting him, but he tries to remain refined and polite to those who know him. The reason for him adventuring now is to gather items to acheive immortality, and to learn more about the necromantic arts.
Lord of the Ninth
07-08-03, 02:26 AM You should check out the RR books, especially Relics and Rituals two. There are some necromancy spells in there that prolong life, I believe there is one 5th level spell that halves aging, and two higher level spells, one that stops aging for 1d10 years, and another that stops it forever, but everyonce and a while you become slowed with no save. I believe these are all necromancy, also Ecyclopaedia Arcane: Chronomancy has some cool necromancy spells that deal with aging (like one that ages the target until they become dust). Also just great books, both have other necromacny spells as well.

You seem to have done fairly well with the background and personality, as for names I would recomend either this site (http://www.kabalarians.com/html/surf-by.htm) (which has some real world baby names, sorted by catagory so you can choose to have your name be Shakespearian, French or even Basque). Also good is This site (http://spitfire.ausys.se/johan/names/) (which is a random name generator, designed to make fantasy names, I think they even have gnome names).

As for necromancers I've played there has only been one, he was a TN dwarf you believed that undead were misunderstood, he was gunning for the pale master PrC, but the campagin ended at level 2.

I have, however, played a neutral evil gnome wizard, his name was Krinzl and he always had a plan. It wasn't always the sort of plan he told the party about, because it often took into account their imminent deaths, and was always to his advantage. He was probably the sickest of all my PCs, he owned a dryad skin cloak (which he made himself in our first adventure), he didn't do necromancy, he left this upto our priest. However I do remember him hiding inside an animated hydra (had some fortitude saves to resist nausea), and using it for cover when casting spells. I sorta wish my DM was here, he was always the one who played necromancers, made it to lichdom once through the Crypt Lord PrC (RR1).

Well I hope the sites help you with a name. Have fun http://216.40.249.192/s/contrib/ruinkai/FIREdevil.gif
ShoshuroKaigen
07-08-03, 05:03 AM Well, decided on a name. Zephaniah (shakespearian) Laegwyn, Zeph for short, Mr. Laegwyn in formal occasions. I need to finish his build. Thanks alot for your help, I better finish his character sheet and find a campaign for him. If you know any online campaigns that would accept one such as him tell me.
BetterButterBuddha
07-08-03, 10:38 PM 1) Why is this the penultimate guide to necromancy? Does this imply that the next one will be the last guide to necromancy EVER? Cause, if it does... I got dibs.

2) Just to stay pertinent to the topic at hand, here's a question for y'all. Can necromancy ever be used for the purposes of good? Even temporarily?
Lord of the Ninth
07-09-03, 02:42 PM Any spell that isn't inherently evil (like a spell that steals the souls of the innocent for example), can be used for good. If your DM over rules the "Animate dead is evil" deal then you can animate some skeletons and tell them to go work in a coal mine and then give the profit to charity. Or you can fight evil with the power of necromancy, and if you tend towards spells that control or destroy undead you could go the route of the Abhorsen (Like Garth Nix's Sabriel, awsome book), and make it your mission to combat the undead of the world (works better mechanically if you're a cleric, but Sabriel was arcane).
Crinos
07-30-03, 12:45 PM Her name is Nima Galzona.

She was the youngest daughter of a misoginyst necromancer and had 7 brothers, as a result she was force to dress and act like a man, and she was routinly raped and tortured by her peers.

Currently she is trying to locate a demon summoning sword made by her ancestor. (who was a powerful lich.)
Veii
07-31-03, 02:19 PM You wanted it, you got it:

His Grace, Duke Rulakir Veii.
He is/was an aristocrat/cleric/wiz/true necromancer (I know, it sounds munchkinny, but its really not. Many min maxers would say its a very weak build)

Anyway, he was a powerful merchant lord from Sembia (forgotten realms). He was also blind from birth. He sought numerous means to heal himself eventually turning to Orcus. In a vision Orcus promised him sight if he would find the Crown of Horns (major artifact) and bring it to him. So began Rulakir's quest. When he got higher up, his signature spell was Destruction. Great spell for necromancers. Nothing like seeing an enemy burst into purple flames and drop dead, nothing more than a torched husk that you now raise. He finally did get the Crown but was taken over by its personality. He ended up killing the entire merchant council of Sembia and raising an undead army in an attempt to sack the capital. He failed miserably when the other characters in the group turned on him. He was murdered in his sleep. Great fun with this guy.

The coolest spell I think for making a really intimidating necromancer is Flensing. Its in the FR and essentially strips the flesh from the targets bones. Great spell for scaring the heck out of people.

As for good necromancy. It used to be in 2ed that all spells that dealt with life energy were from the necromancy school. So, all cure spells, neutralize poison, heal, raise dead, etc were all Necromancy. This is what some people on the boards call "white necromancy". I think its a shame they changed this in 3rd edition.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ShoshuroKaigen 07-04-03, 01:35 AM	I am thinking about finally playing a necromancer. Then I have got an idea. Here I wish all to post their necromantic characters, arcane, divine, or otherwise. Here is many suggestions and a guide to being a master of the dead. I have been always fascinated by the necromancer, but never had the chance to truly create and play one. Mostly because there aren't too many evil campaigns and I have yet to find a suitable build and backstory. To start this, I want suggestions for an arcane necromancer who blends his animation abilities with power of death itself. The fact of being able to point with his withered finger and say "Die", and watch his unlucky opponent shrivels up and blow away in the wind as dust is intoxicating. However, I wish to stay away from extraplanar mentorship. Mostly because fiends are always going to corrupt your soul and immortallity is non-existant. I will be LE, so that might get part of his personality out. However he is not exactly going to be Leap's version of Lawful Evil, though I believe there are LE persons like that. This person will have a simple veiw on life: There is death. And he fears death, so subtly, he does not show it but it terrifies him. He is very self-serving in the end, but comes off trust worthy and honorable to a degree. He studies necromancy because his life is so fragile, and he longs for immortality. I would like suggestions on how he first learned of necromancy, how he was tutored, personality, and most likely goals, though I have sorted most of those out. If you can tell me where I can get stats for a greater mummy, online or book. I would like suggestions for a type of undead that is unique, I know there is the lich but I am considering other possibilities. Also I am wondering on which race I should be, but a short lived race to fit his phobia of death. I also want him to have a biting insanity that chews at him from the inside, I think maybe paranoia, or manic depression, or even delusion of granduer. All suggestions are welcomed. Also post your suggestions, tips, and other ideas for just being an all-around necromancer. Post your necromancer's history, background, and personality. This is the Penultimate Guide to Being a Necromancer. Have fun, and remember, while destroying vile creations made from corpses is fun, creating them is even more fun. (I know, its a stupid motto, so sue me). Thanks for reading. Ciao.
Arilou_skiff 07-05-03, 08:24 AM	I'm currently playing an LN necromancer in an FR game. He's an escpaed Thayan apprentice who got fed-up with his master,s tole some magical items and ran, he's cynical and nasty, but not evil per-se. He's somewhat interested in power but mostly in survival, he's a necromancer by trade and has few compunctions about using any trick up his sleeve, he considers necromancy his trade and no different than any other form of magic, it is a tool and an interesting subject for study.
ShoshuroKaigen 07-05-03, 02:47 PM	Sound like most of my characters :P I have taken the liberty and started work on my newest necromancer, but suggestions are welcomed. Thayan? I don't play FR but I was tempted to become a red wizard. Part rp wise and part game mechanics wise. But actually I am going a different route. My character, who has yet to be named because I suck at names, is going to be a performer as well as a necromancer. He uses a variant of the Virtuoso prestige class. He will have to take cosmopolitan (perform) but if he combines the enhancing powers of the undead Unharmonist and the Lord of the Dead prestige class his companions will be enhanced beyond belief. But I know how his personality is. He doesn't see necromancy as a trade, more over as a precious art that keeps him alive. As said before he is terrified of dying, and he is quite paranoid. I am developing a reason and way he learned necromancy but his goals are set out. You want to know them? Bah! You'll ruin my plan to become immortal, take over a nation, then the world! Er... On a more serious side, I only have a few things to make for him -His familiar, I am thinking either the wiggling maggot (+2 turn resistance, can change into a giant fly as a standard action permantly), the tiny monstrous centipede (poisonous bite), or the giant fly (+2 reflex saves, my worst save). -The way he became a necromancer, and more indepth reason -A good name Thanks for reading, Ciao.
Rysellan 07-05-03, 06:50 PM	This is one of the character's I've constructed; he's not a necro, but he easily could be. (In FR) A human, Neutral Wiz/Shadow Adept, named Alistair Marsden. Son of a successful town figure, whose reputation was destroyed in a scandal. His father was left a broken man, and the son he was unable to care for was left in the care of a moderate Sharran cleric. The son believed that what happened to his father was a great injustice, and while he isn't evil, he harbors a bit of a grudge against zealous authorities and groups of "good" people who take things too far and hurt regular citizens with their high-minded actions. He might become a lich, and he's involved with the Shadow Weave and Shar because she understands his loss and desire for vengeance. This character would not have a familiar, because of the liabilities and his sense of independance. When naming characters, I try to use normal given names from history or fiction, and then make up a surname that fits them. For example, I have a blackguard named Hector, taken from the Illiad. Strong fighter, but not exactly on the side of good. Never use names like "Deathblade" or something like that; it rings a little false. It's better if they have a name that could be real, but can sound sinister or dark. Of course, that's just for humans; I try to make the name fit the race.
Tenerus 07-07-03, 11:13 AM	I have played two Necromancers, one a wizard and the other a cleric. The wizard was back in 2E, he was a Deathslayer (a kit from the Complete Necromancer's Guide) with the stereotypical "undead ruined my life background." Basically, while he was still an apprentice wizard (to a no-specialist who knew a good deal of necromancy) a powerful something animated a horde of barbarians that nearly overran the city years before. They were supported this time by Drow, giants, and other undead. My character made off with a few spellbooks, and his life. Knowing enough to realize that necromancy also gives the power to destroy the undead, he studied it intensly. (and due to his obsession, also learned a great deal of Divination to help with the research) He later formed a party to help with his quest for vengeance. (Clerics devoted to destroying undead, people he had rescued, ect.) He still floats around in NPC form today (if a little more mellow) The current one is a low level Cleric of Velsharoon. (Chosen at first for the min/max potential of the magic domain, the party started of with her as the only spellcaster) She has just aquired a sailing ship (with a "skeleton crew") and is on her way to becoming a thorn is the side of heroes for some time to come. She sees necromancy as a path to power and immortality. Plus, it helps to create totally loyal servants. (she has a taste for the finer things in life) The most recent thing she has done was when the party discovered they had been betrayed by a fellow PC. They were about to dismember him painfully when she issued a simpe command. "Do what you want with the flesh, but leave the skeleton intact." He is much more loyal now......
Theocracity 07-07-03, 12:13 PM	Why is Hannibal Lecter such a great villain? Because he's classy at the same time as he's a monster. Necromancers are people too. They can enjoy the finer aspects of life as well as the finer aspects of death. Having a Necromancer that loves classical music, has a love of painting or sculpture, or enjoys fine food and culture is a great way to add a very creepy character depth to your villain (or character). Of course, everything he does in this field has some aspect of creepiness...death fugues, grotesque paintings, "interesting" food...but have him pretty well accepted by high society. Always dressed classily, smooth talker, high-class accent, and sensible...especially when he's summoning a horde of skeletons and such, animating his grotesque sculptures, or summoning ghosts drawn from his nightmarish paintings.
ShoshuroKaigen 07-07-03, 09:36 PM	Thanks for you inspiration. Thats how I plan on playing my necromancer. He loves poetry and finer drama, and he has fashionable attire usually. He is boh professional and artistic in his necromantic art. He also is a gnome. But he has a level of mystery, and he doesn't say outright he is a necromancer or anything. He keeps it mostly secret. He keeps in touch with high soceity and comes off as a sophisticated wizard, but he has a darker side. He has a secret fear of death, which has lead to his dabbling in the necromantic arts. And what started as harmless dabbling became an obsession. He is on the path to undeath. His necromantic magics are corrupting him, but he tries to remain refined and polite to those who know him. The reason for him adventuring now is to gather items to acheive immortality, and to learn more about the necromantic arts.
Lord of the Ninth 07-08-03, 02:26 AM	You should check out the RR books, especially Relics and Rituals two. There are some necromancy spells in there that prolong life, I believe there is one 5th level spell that halves aging, and two higher level spells, one that stops aging for 1d10 years, and another that stops it forever, but everyonce and a while you become slowed with no save. I believe these are all necromancy, also Ecyclopaedia Arcane: Chronomancy has some cool necromancy spells that deal with aging (like one that ages the target until they become dust). Also just great books, both have other necromacny spells as well. You seem to have done fairly well with the background and personality, as for names I would recomend either this site (http://www.kabalarians.com/html/surf-by.htm) (which has some real world baby names, sorted by catagory so you can choose to have your name be Shakespearian, French or even Basque). Also good is This site (http://spitfire.ausys.se/johan/names/) (which is a random name generator, designed to make fantasy names, I think they even have gnome names). As for necromancers I've played there has only been one, he was a TN dwarf you believed that undead were misunderstood, he was gunning for the pale master PrC, but the campagin ended at level 2. I have, however, played a neutral evil gnome wizard, his name was Krinzl and he always had a plan. It wasn't always the sort of plan he told the party about, because it often took into account their imminent deaths, and was always to his advantage. He was probably the sickest of all my PCs, he owned a dryad skin cloak (which he made himself in our first adventure), he didn't do necromancy, he left this upto our priest. However I do remember him hiding inside an animated hydra (had some fortitude saves to resist nausea), and using it for cover when casting spells. I sorta wish my DM was here, he was always the one who played necromancers, made it to lichdom once through the Crypt Lord PrC (RR1). Well I hope the sites help you with a name. Have fun http://216.40.249.192/s/contrib/ruinkai/FIREdevil.gif
ShoshuroKaigen 07-08-03, 05:03 AM	Well, decided on a name. Zephaniah (shakespearian) Laegwyn, Zeph for short, Mr. Laegwyn in formal occasions. I need to finish his build. Thanks alot for your help, I better finish his character sheet and find a campaign for him. If you know any online campaigns that would accept one such as him tell me.
BetterButterBuddha 07-08-03, 10:38 PM	1) Why is this the penultimate guide to necromancy? Does this imply that the next one will be the last guide to necromancy EVER? Cause, if it does... I got dibs. 2) Just to stay pertinent to the topic at hand, here's a question for y'all. Can necromancy ever be used for the purposes of good? Even temporarily?
Lord of the Ninth 07-09-03, 02:42 PM	Any spell that isn't inherently evil (like a spell that steals the souls of the innocent for example), can be used for good. If your DM over rules the "Animate dead is evil" deal then you can animate some skeletons and tell them to go work in a coal mine and then give the profit to charity. Or you can fight evil with the power of necromancy, and if you tend towards spells that control or destroy undead you could go the route of the Abhorsen (Like Garth Nix's Sabriel, awsome book), and make it your mission to combat the undead of the world (works better mechanically if you're a cleric, but Sabriel was arcane).
Crinos 07-30-03, 12:45 PM	Her name is Nima Galzona. She was the youngest daughter of a misoginyst necromancer and had 7 brothers, as a result she was force to dress and act like a man, and she was routinly raped and tortured by her peers. Currently she is trying to locate a demon summoning sword made by her ancestor. (who was a powerful lich.)
Veii 07-31-03, 02:19 PM	You wanted it, you got it: His Grace, Duke Rulakir Veii. He is/was an aristocrat/cleric/wiz/true necromancer (I know, it sounds munchkinny, but its really not. Many min maxers would say its a very weak build) Anyway, he was a powerful merchant lord from Sembia (forgotten realms). He was also blind from birth. He sought numerous means to heal himself eventually turning to Orcus. In a vision Orcus promised him sight if he would find the Crown of Horns (major artifact) and bring it to him. So began Rulakir's quest. When he got higher up, his signature spell was Destruction. Great spell for necromancers. Nothing like seeing an enemy burst into purple flames and drop dead, nothing more than a torched husk that you now raise. He finally did get the Crown but was taken over by its personality. He ended up killing the entire merchant council of Sembia and raising an undead army in an attempt to sack the capital. He failed miserably when the other characters in the group turned on him. He was murdered in his sleep. Great fun with this guy. The coolest spell I think for making a really intimidating necromancer is Flensing. Its in the FR and essentially strips the flesh from the targets bones. Great spell for scaring the heck out of people. As for good necromancy. It used to be in 2ed that all spells that dealt with life energy were from the necromancy school. So, all cure spells, neutralize poison, heal, raise dead, etc were all Necromancy. This is what some people on the boards call "white necromancy". I think its a shame they changed this in 3rd edition.