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dread necromancer drow

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
midnitepoison
Mar 12, 2008 12:55:31 im a dread necromancer, and i need some skill point suggestions. i would like to work towards being a blade singer or cloaked dancer. also, is craft: weapon a good skill? or is it too expensive? (as in costs for materials)
#2
robbypants
Mar 12, 2008 13:15:57 I've never really gotten into weapon crafting. In a game with a lot of down time, it could be a nice money saver, but you need to have skill points to blow (something that most Cha-based casters don't have). The skills I'd be most likely to want to focus on would be:
Intimidate - the Dread Necromancer gets some interesting uses here. You can stack the DN fear ability with Intimidate's demoralize ability to frighten opponents, and then get an AoO as they run away.
Concentration - a must for any caster.
Spellcraft
Knowledge (Arcana)
Knowledge (Religion)
#3
mplindustries
Mar 12, 2008 13:19:26
im a dread necromancer, and i need some skill point suggestions. i would like to work towards being a blade singer or cloaked dancer. also, is craft: weapon a good skill? or is it too expensive? (as in costs for materials)

Both of those prestige classes are terrible, so please don't take them. Additionally, no craft skill is worth taking unless you actually use the things you make or need the ranks for a prestige class.

Skillwise, Dread Necromancers almost need Intimidate, because Demoralize + Fear Aura = frightened enemy. All spellcasters need Concentration, you probably want Bluff to avoid problems with normal people who don't like corpses, and Disguise might be useful if your DM lets you make your undead horde look like not an undead horde with it. Oh yeah, Knowledge (Religion) at least to 5 ranks so you get +2 to rebuke.
#4
midnitepoison
Mar 19, 2008 21:54:07 thanks! are they really that bad though? what would be a good prestige class for my character?
#5
mplindustries
Mar 19, 2008 22:04:34
thanks! are they really that bad though? what would be a good prestige class for my character?

Any prestige class that gives you a full caster progression. You don't want to lose any more than 3 caster levels at most, and you more than likely don't want to lose those either.

Anyway, here's the guide you should have found already: New Dread Necromancer Handbook
#6
ppaladin123
Mar 19, 2008 22:08:03
thanks! are they really that bad though? what would be a good prestige class for my character?

http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=759515

There is a whole handbook about dread necromancers that you should check out.

I suggest you become undead via the necropolitan ceremony in Libris Mortis and then take the prestige class "Lord of the Dead" http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/dx20021031x

Make sure to spend at least 8 levels in dread necromancer to get all the goodies though.
#7
trickydevl666
Mar 19, 2008 23:43:40 And since your a drow, unless you are using the LA buy off, that cost you those 2 levels to get you 9th level spells... so look at full casting progression classes. The handbook they directed you to has a list of them which a DrN can qualify for pretty easily.
But don't prestige out until 8th. Undead Mastery is an awesome ability.
#8
jaronk
Mar 20, 2008 3:33:58 I'd say the best PrC for Dread Necromancers is more Dread Necromancer. They've got plenty of class abilities and their 8th level ability is based on your DN class level, as is their fear aura. That fear aura is not to be underestimated... my DN has been destroying whole encounters without casting a spell by combining Intimidate and Fear Aura (remember the way fear stacks... it lasts as long as the longest effect).

Imperious Command and Sickening Grasp are great feats for DNs. You literally walk up and everyone gets panicked and runs (and you tag them with a Charnel Touch to leave them sickened on the way out). Hit them with your Ghostly Visage's gaze while their saves have been knocked down, and they're down for the count.

So definitely pump Intimidate. Also, Disguise is great... it'll let you pretend your humanoid undead are in fact alive (though usually wearing lots of armour). Knowledge Religeon to identify undead critters is always handy too.

As a rule, I'd be human if at all possible. You don't want the LA, and that bonus feat is oh so nice (I'd set my feats up as Tomb Tainted Soul, Corpse Crafter, Imperious Command, Sickening Grasp, and Fell Animate as my feats through level 9, unless you can get a Runestaff of the Undying for free undead creation).

JaronK
#9
paradox-of-life
Mar 20, 2008 4:00:53
scary advice

+1

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 midnitepoison Mar 12, 2008 12:55:31	im a dread necromancer, and i need some skill point suggestions. i would like to work towards being a blade singer or cloaked dancer. also, is craft: weapon a good skill? or is it too expensive? (as in costs for materials)
#2 robbypants Mar 12, 2008 13:15:57	I've never really gotten into weapon crafting. In a game with a lot of down time, it could be a nice money saver, but you need to have skill points to blow (something that most Cha-based casters don't have). The skills I'd be most likely to want to focus on would be: Intimidate - the Dread Necromancer gets some interesting uses here. You can stack the DN fear ability with Intimidate's demoralize ability to frighten opponents, and then get an AoO as they run away. Concentration - a must for any caster. Spellcraft Knowledge (Arcana) Knowledge (Religion)
#3 mplindustries Mar 12, 2008 13:19:26	im a dread necromancer, and i need some skill point suggestions. i would like to work towards being a blade singer or cloaked dancer. also, is craft: weapon a good skill? or is it too expensive? (as in costs for materials) Both of those prestige classes are terrible, so please don't take them. Additionally, no craft skill is worth taking unless you actually use the things you make or need the ranks for a prestige class. Skillwise, Dread Necromancers almost need Intimidate, because Demoralize + Fear Aura = frightened enemy. All spellcasters need Concentration, you probably want Bluff to avoid problems with normal people who don't like corpses, and Disguise might be useful if your DM lets you make your undead horde look like not an undead horde with it. Oh yeah, Knowledge (Religion) at least to 5 ranks so you get +2 to rebuke.
#4 midnitepoison Mar 19, 2008 21:54:07	thanks! are they really that bad though? what would be a good prestige class for my character?
#5 mplindustries Mar 19, 2008 22:04:34	thanks! are they really that bad though? what would be a good prestige class for my character? Any prestige class that gives you a full caster progression. You don't want to lose any more than 3 caster levels at most, and you more than likely don't want to lose those either. Anyway, here's the guide you should have found already: New Dread Necromancer Handbook
#6 ppaladin123 Mar 19, 2008 22:08:03	thanks! are they really that bad though? what would be a good prestige class for my character? http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=759515 There is a whole handbook about dread necromancers that you should check out. I suggest you become undead via the necropolitan ceremony in Libris Mortis and then take the prestige class "Lord of the Dead" http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/dx20021031x Make sure to spend at least 8 levels in dread necromancer to get all the goodies though.
#7 trickydevl666 Mar 19, 2008 23:43:40	And since your a drow, unless you are using the LA buy off, that cost you those 2 levels to get you 9th level spells... so look at full casting progression classes. The handbook they directed you to has a list of them which a DrN can qualify for pretty easily. But don't prestige out until 8th. Undead Mastery is an awesome ability.
#8 jaronk Mar 20, 2008 3:33:58	I'd say the best PrC for Dread Necromancers is more Dread Necromancer. They've got plenty of class abilities and their 8th level ability is based on your DN class level, as is their fear aura. That fear aura is not to be underestimated... my DN has been destroying whole encounters without casting a spell by combining Intimidate and Fear Aura (remember the way fear stacks... it lasts as long as the longest effect). Imperious Command and Sickening Grasp are great feats for DNs. You literally walk up and everyone gets panicked and runs (and you tag them with a Charnel Touch to leave them sickened on the way out). Hit them with your Ghostly Visage's gaze while their saves have been knocked down, and they're down for the count. So definitely pump Intimidate. Also, Disguise is great... it'll let you pretend your humanoid undead are in fact alive (though usually wearing lots of armour). Knowledge Religeon to identify undead critters is always handy too. As a rule, I'd be human if at all possible. You don't want the LA, and that bonus feat is oh so nice (I'd set my feats up as Tomb Tainted Soul, Corpse Crafter, Imperious Command, Sickening Grasp, and Fell Animate as my feats through level 9, unless you can get a Runestaff of the Undying for free undead creation). JaronK
#9 paradox-of-life Mar 20, 2008 4:00:53	scary advice +1