Necromancer, Another Variant (5e Class)
The Necromancer
Hordes of the undead swarm a castle’s walls, lead by an ebony-clad human. He seeks to end the tyranny of the king who terrorized his people, using the corpses of the king’s victims to strike fear into the heart of his men.
A group of ill-prepared adventurers delve into dungeon’s deep and are swarmed by goblins. Moments later all torchlight is extinguished and for what feels like minutes only the sound of incoherent groaning, swords meeting flesh, and goblins screaming in terror can be heard. Almost as soon as it started it ended, and there in the newfound torchlight a half-giant surrounded by scores of undead seeming to wait for his command stands in the aftermath.
Necromancers, unlike those in the School of Necromancy, study nothing other than the facts of death and the machinations for which the umbral energy of the realm can be used to their advantage. Where those within the School simply dabble, Necromancers thrive on and, in some cases, choose to succumb to the powers of necrotic energies wholly.
Mastery Over Life and Death
Scrutinized, sequestered, and most of all vilified, necromancers are vastly misunderstood spellcasters due to their association with beings such as liches and gods of undeath. While many are drawn to this class by the allure of immortality and other such self-serving means, many others are persuaded by the prospects of helping the dead find peace through retribution of wrongdoings or helping a loved one move on. Though the casting of a typical spell requires merely the utterance of a few strange words, fleeting gestures, and sometimes a pinch or clump of exotic materials, these surface components barely hint at the expertise attained after years of apprenticeship and countless hours of study.
Necromancers, like other casters of their caste, live and die by their spells (in this case literally). Everything else is secondary. They learn new spells as they experiment and grow in experience. They can also learn them from other necromancers, from ancient tomes or inscriptions, and from ancient creatures (such as vampires) that are steeped in magic.
The Lure of the Macabre
Necromancers’ lives are generally a bleak, lonesome existence. Necromancers often face seclusion or rejection from society, given they bring decay and death to those around them. They are usually alone, and convening with a necromancer is often seen as shady business. Many people are under the delusion that necromancers can simply bring back the dead, and others say they’re simply a scam. Necromancers do not delve into these forbidden arts simply on a whim, but because they seek power, extended life, or the ability to preserve the lives of the ones they love even at the cost of their own.
Even so, the call of power and knowledge coaxes even the most separated of necromancers out of the safety of their cemeteries and laboratories and into crumbling ruins, lost cities, and decaying woodlands. Most necromancers seek the knowledge of long forgotten civilizations, seeking the possibility of learning old practices of ghastly magics that have been lost to the ages. Discovering those secrets could unlock a font of power greater than any dark arcanes available in the present age. Though more often than not in the case of necromancers, ancient findings lead to the repetition of ancient disasters.
Creating a Necromancer
- Quick Build
You can make a Necromancer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose either the Inheritor or Charlatan background as featured in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Third, choose the component pouch and the light crossbow.
Class Features
As a Necromancer you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Necromancer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Necromancer level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: Disguise Kit
Saving Throws: Charisma & Constitution
Skills: Choose Two From Arcana, Deception, Medicine, Perception, Religion, Survival, and Stealth
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) Component Pouch or (b) Arcane Focus
- Spellbook
- (a) Light Crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
- Leather Armor, any simple weapon, and two daggers
- (a) Explorer's Pack or (b) Scholar's Pack
- If you are using starting wealth, you have 2d4x10 gp in funds.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | ||||
| 1st | +2 | Necromantic Sects, Spellcasting, Necrotic Recovery | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Leeching Affliction, Undead Affinity | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Sect Training | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Seize Undeath, Leeching Affliction Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Necromantic Sects Feature | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Retrieve the Lost | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Necromantic Sects Feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Liturgy of the Dead, Leeching Affliction Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | Seize Undeath Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | +5 | Necromantic Sects Feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | +5 | — | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17th | +6 | Necrotic Engulfment, Leeching Affliction Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | — | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | +6 | Invincible Resurrectionist | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Spellcasting
As a student of arcane magic, you have a spellbook containing spells that show the first glimmerings of your true power.
- Cantrips
At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn additional necromancer cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Necromancer table.
- Spellbook
At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing six 1st-level wizard spells of your choice.
- Preparing and Casting Spells
The Necromancer table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of necromancer spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of necromancer spells from your spellbook equal to your Charisma modifier + your necromancer level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you're a 3rd-level necromancer, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Charisma of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination, chosen from your spellbook. Ifyou prepare the 1st-level spell magic missile, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting that spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of necromancer spells requires time spent studying your spellbook and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
- Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your necromancer spells. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a necromancer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
- Ritual Casting
You can cast a necromancer spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your list of spells for the day. You don’t need to have the spell prepared.
- Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your necromancer spells.
- Expanded Spell List
Each subclass comes with a predetermined set of spells, this is your expanded spell list. Even if the spells in your expanded spell list are not necromancer spells according to the original spell list, they are for you.
- Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher
Each time you gain a necromancer level, you can add two necromancer spells of your choice to your spellbook. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the Necromancer table. On your adventures, you might find other spells that you can add to your spellbook.
Necrotic Recovery
You have learned to regain some of your magical energy by studying your spellbook. Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half your necromancer level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher.
For example, if you’re a 4th-level necromancer, you can recover up to two levels worth of spell slots. You can recover either a 2nd-level spell slot or two 1st-level spell slots.
Necromantic Sect
Starting at 1st level, you choose a sect. Choose between the War Liege, the Death Magnate, the Ghoulish Beckoner, or the Soul Lord. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th level, 10th level, and 14th level
Leeching Affliction
At 2nd level, your touch can transfer the essence of others to strengthen your own. As an action, you can make a melee spell attack against a living creature, dealing necrotic damage equal to 1d8 + your Charisma modifier on a hit. If this feature kills the creature, you gain twice as many temporary hit points from using this feature. The damage die increases by an additional 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), 17th level (4d8). You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1), and you regain all uses of this feature at the end of a long rest.
Undead Affinity
At 2nd level, undead see you as one of their own, and will not attack you unless you’ve attacked them first. You gain vulnerability to radiant and fire damage, resistance to necrotic and cold damage, darkvision up to 60ft or if you already possess darkvision, it increases by 30ft, and do not need to eat or sleep. However, you can still be put to sleep by magic (unless stated otherwise by racial feats), and gain the benefits of a long rest after 4 hours of uninterrupted inactivity instead of 8 hours once per day. Additionally, any radiant damage you deal instead becomes necrotic damage and any fire damage you deal instead becomes cold.
Sect Training
At 3rd Level, your research in necromancy bestows a new knowledge upon you based on your sect of interest. You gain one of the following features of your choice based on the sect you chose at level 1.
- War Liege
You acquire the training necessary to effectively arm yourself for battle. You gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.
The influence of your sect also allows you to mystically channel your will through a particular weapon. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest.
- Death Magnate
You learn the Sanctuary spell and can cast it without its component requirement. The spell doesn’t count against your number of spells known. Once a day, you may cast this spell without expending a spell slot. You regain use of this effect after a long rest.
- Ghoulish Beckoner
When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to deal cold damage to the target, in addition to the weapon's damage. The extra damage is 1d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each Spell Level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8. Additionally, if the target is a creature other than an elf or undead, it must succeed on a DC Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is a Celestial. You can use this feature a number of times a day equal to your Charisma modifier. You regain use of this feature after a long rest.
- Soul Lord
Be it the soul of a long lost relative, that of a powerful necromancer, or a fallen deity, your grimoire is gifted further knowledge by the spirit of the deceased in the form of the Tome of Pneuma. When you gain this feature, choose three cantrips from any class’s spell list (the three needn’t be from the same list). While the book is on your person, you can cast those cantrips at will. They don’t count against your number of cantrips known. If they don’t appear on the necromancer spell list, they are nonetheless necromancer spells for you.
If you lose your Tome of Pneuma, you can perform a 1-hour ceremony to receive a replacement from whatever soul blessed you. This ceremony can be performed during a short or long rest, and it destroys the previous book. The book turns to ash when you die.
Ability Score Increase
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Seize Undeath
Starting at 5th level, you can use magic to bring undead under your control, even those created by other necromancers and wizards. As an action, you can choose one undead that you can see within 60 feet of you. That creature must make a Charisma saving throw against your necromancer spell save DC. If it succeeds, you can't use this feature on it again. If it fails, it becomes friendly to you and obeys your commands until you use this feature again.
Intelligent undead are harder to control in this way. If the target has an Intelligence of 8 or higher, it has advantage on the saving throw. If it fails the saving throw and has an Intelligence of 12 or higher, it can repeat the saving throw at the end of every hour until it succeeds and breaks free. At level 13, you can target an additional undead.
Retrieve the Lost
You understand that the dead are everywhere, not just in graveyards or the corpses strewn across a battlefield. Whether it be below city streets or the umbral depths of a dungeon, you find the dead where no other can. At 7th level, you add the Animate Dead spell to your spellbook if it is not there already. Animate Dead no longer requires a corpse or pile of bones to raise the dead; the skeleton or zombie will claw its way to the surface in an unoccupied space and act on your next turn. In addition, this spell no longer counts against your number of spells known but still requires a spell slot to cast.
Liturgy of the Dead
At 11th level, animate dead can be cast as a ritual. In addition, at 11th level, you add the Create Undead spell to your spellbook if it is not there already. Create Undead no longer requires a corpse or pile of bones to raise the dead; the undead will claw its way to the surface in an unoccupied space and act on your next turn. In addition, this spell no longer counts against your number of spells known but still requires a spell slot to cast.
Necrotic Engulfment
At 17th level, the death you surround yourself with has become part of you. Your flesh has become pale and your eyes have taken on a ghostly tint. The overexposure to death has earned a new affinity with the undead. Whenever you interact with undead, you have advantage on all Charisma checks and your Seize Undeath feature grows stronger. Creatures of Intelligence 8 or higher no longer have advantage on their saving throws against you and undead of Intelligence 12 or higher can only repeat their saving throws every four hours when you use your Seize Undeath feature. In addition, while you may look sick and exhausted from the constant dealings with death, you do not age and you are immune to poison damage, diseases, exhuastion, as well as the frightened and poisoned conditions.
Perfected Resurrectionist
You’ve become a master in your craft, creating scores of undead with a morale to your leadership that matches that of loyal guardsmen. When you reach 20th level, undead under your power are no longer affected by sunlight sensitivity if they have it. Nor are they vulnerable to fire damage, psychic damage, or radiant damage and gain immunity to any outside sources of mind altering effects such as the School of Necromancy’s Command Undead feature while under your control. Their minimum AC is now 16.
Necromantic Sects
War Liege
There’s strength in numbers. There’s strength in skill as well. War Lieges want both.
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | Armor of Agathys, Bane |
| 2nd | Find Steed, Crown of Madness |
| 3rd | Lightning Bolt, Thunder Step |
| 4th | Find Greater Steed, Staggering Smite |
| 5th | Circle of Power, Contagion |
- Necrotic Reinforcement
To be on the frontlines of battle you must be of strong fortitude, as such you use the necrotic energies you manipulate to reinforce your body. At 1st level, your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to twice your Necromancer level. Whenever you gain a level in necromancer thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an additional 2 hit points.
- Amass the Legion
At 6th level, when you use a spell or feature, such as animate dead to reanimate the dead, you may resurrect an additional undead. In addition, any Medium humanoid or smaller that is not an undead that you reduce to 0 hit points with necrotic damage must succeed on a DC Constitution saving throw, becoming a zombie on a failed save. You must use your Seize Undeath feature to control the resulting zombie.
- Accord of the Crypt
At 10th level, zombies or skeletons you reanimate or use your Seize Undeath feature on gain the following features:
- Multiattack. The undead makes two melee attacks or two ranged attacks.
- The creature's hit point maximum is increased by an amount equal to your proficiency modifier plus your Necromancer level.
Undead lose these benefits if they are no longer under your control.
- Undead Militia
After an immense amount of training and experimenting your mastery of resurrecting the undead is almost unparalleled. At 14th level, Animate Dead no longer requires components to cast. In addition, you impart your own knowledge unto the undead under your control. Undead you reanimate or use your Seize Undeath feature on gain the following features:
- Improved Critical. Undead under your control score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
- You provide zombies and skeletons you reanimate with a one-handed weapon and shield, they gain the fighting style Protection, and proficiency in one armor type and one weapon type of your choice.
- Undead under your control share one of your ability scores and your proficiency modifier (their cr is adjusted accordingly).
Undead lose these benefits if they are no longer under your control.
Death Magnate
A Death Magnate seeks to balance their usage of life and death, choosing to be the jack-of-all-trades Necromancer.
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | Cure Wounds, Healing Word |
| 2nd | Aid, Lesser Restoration |
| 3rd | Aura of Vitality, Mass Healing Word |
| 4th | Aura of Life, Death Ward |
| 5th | Raise Dead, Greater Restoration |
- Scholar of Death
Starting at 1st level, the necrotic damage you deal to others can heal you. When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher that deals necrotic damage to a creature other than you, you regain hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + the spell’s level.
- Life Goes On
When you reach 6th level, you can use your dark power to heal the badly injured. As an action, for an amount of times equal to your Charisma modifier a day, you evoke necrotic energy that can restore a number of hit points equal to your proficiency bonus times your necromancer level. Choose any creatures within 30 feet of you, and divide those hit points among them. This feature can restore a creature to no more than half of its hit point maximum, the pool of hit points used and expended uses for this feature replenishes after a long rest. You can’t use this feature on an Undead or a construct.
- Potent Healing
At 10th level, when you would normally roll one or more dice to restore hit points with a spell, you instead use the highest number possible for each die. For example, instead of restoring 2d6 hit points to a creature, you restore 12.
- Death's Advocate
Your mastery over life and death becomes unparalleled by any mortals, and you've peaked the interest of death itself. When you reach 14th level, you may expend a 7th level spell slot, and for the duration of 1 minute you can see how close to death everyone around you is. After the minute ends, you may target one creature within 60 feet of you that you can see that is below half of their maximum hit points and send Death itself to end their life. A creature killed this way cannot be revived except by the wish spell.
Ghoulish Beckoner
If all else fails and you can’t beat them; join them.
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | Snare, Detect Poison and Disease |
| 2nd | Find Traps, Spike Growth |
| 3rd | Feign Death, Hunger of Hadar |
| 4th | Freedom of Movement, Shadow of Moil |
| 5th | Dispel Evil and GoodEnervation |
- Nostalgic Scent
At 1st level your nose becomes attuned to the disgusting smells of ghouls and ghasts and as such their stench effect no longer affects you.
- Howl of the Damned
When you reach 6th level, any creature you kill with necrotic energy becomes a ghoul, unless the creature you kill is of CR 3 or higher at which point it becomes a ghast. You must use your Seize Undeath feature if you wish to command the resulting ghoul or ghast.
- Ghastly Likeness
At 10th level, you and your servants move faster than before as you grow ever more akin to your creations. The movement speed for you, the ghouls, and the ghasts you control is increased by 10ft. Your skin becomes a little more pale, you become thinner and lankier, and you gain advantage on dexterity based checks and saves.
- Master's Calling
At 14th level, once a day you may resurrect 8 ghouls and 2 ghasts within unoccupied spaces in a 60 foot circle around you. The summoned creatures share your initiative and they follow your commands for up to 5 minutes. After 5 minutes you must use your Seize Undeath or any other feature or spell that allows you to control the undead if you wish to continue controlling the undead created by this feature at which point they count normally for those features. You regain use of this feature after a long rest.
Soul Lord
When you want to avoid conflict entirely you take disassociation a bit too seriously.
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | Dissonant Whispers, Faerie Fire |
| 2nd | Silence, Enthrall |
| 3rd | Spirit Guardians, Spirit Shroud |
| 4th | Sickening Radiance, Elemental Bane |
| 5th | Reincarnate, Far Step |
- Incorporeal Supremacy
Beginning at 1st level, you can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside an object. An incorporeal creature cannot pass through you and you recieve advantage on attack rolls against undead spirits, the damage you deal to such creatures overrides resistances. Additionally, you can see undead spirits that can't normally be seen by the naked eye. If an undead spirit would be invisible you can still see it unless it hides.
- Forceful Manifestation
When you reach 6th level, any creature you kill with necrotic energy becomes an undead spirit of the DM’s choice (ie a wraith, poltergeist, or a banshee). You must use your Seize Undeath feature if you wish to command the resulting undead spirit.
- Soul Food
At 10th level, you've discovered that the essence of a creature holds some of their knowledge from prior to death and extra vitality. Once per hour, you may use an action to consume the soul of a creature that has died within 1 minute that is 5 feet from you. Upon consumption of a creature's soul you regain a number of hit points equal to three times the number of Hit Dice the target creature had and gain proficiency in Perception and Insight checks for 1 hour. If you already have proficiency in those skills you instead gain double proficiency.
- Unquieted Spirit
When you reach 14th level, you've learned how to leave your flesh behind for a period of time. For a number of times a day equal to your Charisma modifier you may use an action, and for a minute at a time you can project your soul, which for all intents and purposes has the stat block of a wraith, and leave your body behind. Your body is treated as a corpse and the hit points of a normal wraith are added to your hit point total as temporary hit points. You return to your body after the minute ends, after you dispel this feature, or after the temporary hit points are depleted. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your charisma modifier. After using this feature once, your physiology will begin to match that of the souls you command, you gain resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Multiclassing
You must have a Charisma score of 13 or higher in order to multiclass in or out of this class.