With the launch of Open Grave, Wizards of the Coast have begun to release powers and rituals geared towards Necromancers. They have also announced that the Arcane Powers source book will have a Necromancer Paragon Path. While I’m glad that this is upcoming, I still believe they provided a disservice by not having any specialists in the first PHB.
Building on the Necromancer: Heroic Tier we published a few weeks ago, we now present the Necromancer: Paragon Path, an option for you to play until the official version is released. If you are interested in the Necromancer at the Epic Tier, visit our article about that.
We see the Necromancer as an individual who fights for good but is often mistaken as evil. Just like the early practitioners of medicine in our own world, who dug up graves to study anatomy. A practice that was deemed unethical and morally wrong at the time. The Necromancer is an individual who walks the dividing line of ethical behaviour.
The Necromancer Paragon Path
Life is fickle, a simple disease or a sword through the chest and it’s over, finished before it has truly started. You walk the line between life and death. Dabbling in the dark arts you seek the mysteries of life. Not for malevolent purpose, but for the greater good. To propel society forward through gains in the healing arts. To push back the tide of darkness that is the walking dead. You seek to destroy this evil by studying its source.
Some would disagree with your methods as they are in contravention to the norms of the day. Digging up the recently dead you dissect the corpses looking for some clue towards the greater mysteries of life. Society considers you morally repugnant, a blight on all that is good. You know the truth of things; you know what wonders your work will eventually bring.
Necromancer Paragon Path Features
Upon selecting the Necromancer Paragon Path the character is required to make a choice between a Necrotic or Radiant power source. On all attacks the Necromancer has the option to apply this damage source in addition to any other damage type listed.
Undead Mastery (11th level): Whenever you attack any undead add your Intelligence modifier as extra damage.
Cheat Death (11th level): Your mastery over life and death manifests itself, whenever you are required to make a death saving throw you gain a bonus on the roll equal to your Constitution modifier.
Reconstituted Fortitude (16th level): Whenever an enemy attacks your Fortitude defense that enemy takes ongoing radiant damage equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1).
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Life Burst
Necromancer Attack 11
You draw deep upon your own life reserve and blast it outwards dazing your opponents.
Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Radiant
Standard Action Close burst 2
Target: Each enemy in burst Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + Intellignece modifier radiant damage and you daze the target (save ends).
Miss: Half damage and the target is not dazed.
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Life Infusion
Necromancer Utility 12
Purple tendrils of power flicker from your finger tips as you draw your opponents life force into yourself.
Daily * Arcane, Necrotic
Immediate Reaction Personal
Trigger: When you kill a creature with an attack. Effect: You gain 12 + your Intelligence modifier temporary hit points and +1 to all your defenses until the temporary hit points
are expended. |
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Skeletal Guardian
Necromancer Attack 20
As your enemies attack, a skeletal guardian appears and shields you. It then explodes sending bone fragments at your opponents.
Daily * Arcane, Implement, Necrotic
Immediate Reaction Close burst 3
Requirement: When an enemy attacks you a Skeletal Guardian appears and absorbs the damage. It then explodes causing damage to enemies around you.
Trigger: When you are attacked.
Attack: Intelligence vs. AC
Hit: 3d6 + Intelligence modifier necrotic damage and the target takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends).
Miss: Half damage and no ongoing damage.
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If you are looking for more on the Necromancer visit the following articles:
Revised Articles
Original Articles
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9 replies on “Necromancer Paragon Path”
Pretty cool. I have had a long love/hate relationship with Necromancy. I love the concept, themes, and stories fueled by it but as a player I ever hate the execution of it (never had fun playing a necromancer).
While I am not a big fan of 4e, I think it has definitely started making people think of ways to bring a fresh perspective to old themes. This Necromancer path (and the heroic tier) are fine examples of breathing new life into old bones.
@Mad Brew
Thanks for visiting Dungeon’s Master.
In the coming weeks we will offer more of our unique ideas on how to make the traditional classes more interesting and fun to play. If you liked what you’ve read so far on the Necromancer, please come back and visit us in March when we post our version of the Necromancer: Epic Tier.
@ Mad Brew, thanks for stopping by. I’ve had a fascination with Necromancers for some time. Which is odd as I have never played one. I feel they are an interesting class whose benifit and use is more subtle than traditional damamge dealing classes.
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Constructive Criticism:
Nearly all paragon paths have an action point feature at level 11. It’d be nice if this one did too.
Features are all okay.
Level 11: No save ends daze on encounter powers! That’s too powerful even for a close burst 2. If you make it until the end of your next turn, up the burst maybe to Close Burst 3, and remove the Miss, it balances out.
Level 12: Seems a wee bit weak, I don’t know. Maybe it’s okay.
Level 20: Requirement clauses are not used for that kind of thing. You would put that in a Special clause if you have to mention it at all. Or even as an un-clause statement.
.-= Wyatt´s last blog ..Combat Styles Part 3: Stylish Range =-.
Life Infusion: I recommend switching this to a free action, otherwise you wouldn’t get to use it very often (since you can’t use immediate actions on your turn).
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