Thursday, March 26, 2015

5e Necromancer

This character is mostly based off a character I made in the mid-90s for 2nd edition that I never got to play much. My suspicion is that she later found herself as the model for the Divine Blood variation of Hel.  They have much in common, both are crippled, both hate the undead (though Hel is actually afraid of ghosts in a setting where most ghosts are harmless), and both have necromantic characters. The original character's name was Yeighdra Blackthorn and she was a daughter of Cormyrian nobility whose uncle usurped her parent's title and tried to kill her. She was a young girl at the time and barely escaped with the help of some loyal servants. The use of undead in the incident caused her to obsess over them and become a necromancer herself, though very much a heroic one. In this case, I'll diverge from the model of either Hel or Yeighdra and create a heroic necromancer willing to use undead in order to combat the undead. 


As with the other builds here, I'm using a higher stat array: 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10. Also, I can't predict the spells that would be found during a campaign, so I'm going with +1 scribed spell per level. Most likely, actual progression in a campaign would end up with a wizard scribing more than 20 spells above their level gains over the course of a career, but it's hard to predict when.

I'm using the Human Variant that provides a feat and skill training.

 1st Level Statistics


Human Wizard 1st
Str:10
Dex: 11
Con: 14
Int: 16
Wis: 14
Cha: 12

HP: 8
AC: 11

Proficiency Bonus: +2


Human Skills
Human Feat

Feat: Skilled

Armor Proficiencies:None
Weapons: Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaff, Light Crossbows
Tools: Three-Dragon Ante (Noble), Herbalism Kit (Feat)
Saving Throws:Intelligence, Wisdom
Languages: Common

Proficient Skills
Arcana (Wizard) +5
History (Noble) +5
Investigation (Human) +5
Insight (Feat) +4
Medicine (Feat) +4
Persuasion (Noble) +3
Religion (Wizard) +5

Background: Noble

Spellcasting
Ritual Caster
Arcane Recovery

Quarterstaff
Amulet Arcane Focus
Scholar's Pack
Spellbook
Fine Clothes
Signet Ring
Scroll of Pedigree
25 GP


Cantrips: Blade Ward, Chill Touch, Message
1st Level: Alarm, False Life, Find Familiar, Mage Armor, Protection from Evil and Good, Ray of Sickness

2nd to 5th Level

 

2nd Level - Arcane Tradition: Necromancer, Necromantic Savant, Grim Harvest, +6 HP
Level Spells: Chromatic Orb, Identify
Scribed Spell: Fog Cloud

3rd Level - +6 HP
Level Spells: Ray of Enfeeblement, See Invisibility
Scribed Spell: Gentle Repose

4th Level: Ability Score Improvement, Intelligence +2, +6 HP
Cantrip: Dancing Lights
Level Spells: Web, Misty Step
Scribed Spell: Flaming Sphere

5th Level: Proficiency Bonus +3, +6 HP
Level Spells: Magic Circle, Vampiric Touch
Scribed Spell: Clairvoyance

Reasoning: Since part of the idea is using undead to fight the undead, I'm mostly avoiding the mind affecting stuff. If this character picked that up then they'd likely use it against servants of the undead and such, but their primary arsenal would be for facing the undead.


5th Level Statistics

 

Human Necromancer 5th
Str:10
Dex: 11
Con: 14
Int: 18
Wis: 14
Cha: 12

HP: 32
AC: 11

Proficiency Bonus: +3

Human Skills
Human Feat

Feat: Skilled

Armor Proficiencies:None
Weapons: Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaff, Light Crossbows
Tools: Three-Dragon Ante (Noble), Herbalism Kit (Feat)
Saving Throws:Intelligence, Wisdom
Languages: Common

Proficient Skills
Arcana (Wizard) +7
History (Noble) +7
Investigation (Human) +7
Insight (Feat) +5
Medicine (Feat) +5
Persuasion (Noble) +4
Religion (Wizard) +7

Background: Noble

Spellcasting
Ritual Caster
Arcane Recovery
Necromantic Savant
Grim Harvest

Quarterstaff
Amulet Arcane Focus
Scholar's Pack
Spellbook
Fine Clothes
Signet Ring
Scroll of Pedigree
25 GP
Cantrips: Blade Ward, Chill Touch, Dancing Lights, Message
1st Level: Alarm, Chromatic Orb, False Life, Find Familiar, Fog Cloud, Identify, Mage Armor, Protection from Evil and Good, Ray of Sickness
2nd Level: Flaming Sphere, Gentle Repose, Misty Step, Ray of Enfeeblement, See Invisibility, Web
3rd Level: Clairvoyance, Magic Circle, Vampiric Touch


6th to 10th Level


6th Level - Undead Thralls, +6 HP
Bonus Spell: Animate Dead
Level Spells: Feign Death, Gaseous Form
Scribed Spell: Counterspell

7th Level - +6 HP
Level Spells: Blight, Fire Shield
Scribed Spell: Evard's Black Tentacles

8th Level - Ability Score Improvement: Feat, Magic Initiate: Cleric, +6 HP
Cleric Cantrips: Spare the Dying, Sacred Flame
Cleric Spell: Cure Wounds
Level Spells: Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility
Scribed Spell: Banishment

9th Level - Proficiency Bonus +4, +6 HP
Level Spells: Wall of Force, Bigby's Hand
Scribed Spell: Dispel Magic

10th Level - Inured to Undeath, +6 HP
Cantrip: Mage Hand
Level Spells:  Telekinesis, Fireball
Scribed Spell: Glyph of Warding

Reasoning: I took the Cleric Initiate on the idea that the character has simulated the Cure and other spells via research into Necromancy. Everything else is still being picked with the idea of fighting, finding, resisting and escaping the undead.

 

6th Level Statistics

 

Human Necromancer 10th
Str:10
Dex: 11
Con: 14
Int: 18
Wis: 14
Cha: 12

HP: 62
AC: 11

Proficiency Bonus: +4

Human Skills
Human Feat

Feat: Skilled, Magic Initiate: Cleric

Armor Proficiencies:None
Weapons: Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaff, Light Crossbows
Tools: Three-Dragon Ante (Noble), Herbalism Kit (Feat)
Saving Throws:Intelligence, Wisdom
Languages: Common

Proficient Skills
Arcana (Wizard) +8
History (Noble) +8
Investigation (Human) +8
Insight (Feat) +6
Medicine (Feat) +6
Persuasion (Noble) +5
Religion (Wizard) +8

Background: Noble

Spellcasting
Ritual Caster
Arcane Recovery
Necromantic Savant
Grim Harvest
Inured to Undeath

Quarterstaff
Amulet Arcane Focus
Scholar's Pack
Spellbook
Fine Clothes
Signet Ring
Scroll of Pedigree
25 GP
Cantrips: Blade Ward, Chill Touch, Dancing Lights, Mage Hand, Message
Cleric Cantrips: Sacred Flame, Spare the Dying
1st Level: Alarm, Chromatic Orb, False Life, Find Familiar, Fog Cloud, Identify, Mage Armor, Protection from Evil and Good, Ray of Sickness
Cleric 1st Level Spell: Cure Wounds
2nd Level: Flaming Sphere, Gentle Repose, Misty Step, Ray of Enfeeblement, See Invisibility, Web
3rd Level: Animate Dead, Clairvoyance, Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Feign Death, Fireball, Gaseous Form, Glyph of Warding, Magic Circle, Vampiric Touch
4th Level: Banishment, Blight, Dimension Door, Evard's Black Tentacles, Fire Shield, Greater Invisibility
5th Level: Bigby's Hand, Telekinesis, Wall of Force

11th to 15th Level


11th Level - +6 HP
Level Spells: Guards and Wards, Circle of Death
Scribed Spell: True Seeing

12th Level - Ability Score Improvement, Int +2, +6 HP
Level Spells: Create Undead, Contingency
Scribed Spell: Eyebite

13th Level - Proficiency Bonus +5, +6 HP
Level Spells: Finger of Death, Sequester
Scribed Spell: Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion

14th Level - Command Undead, +6 HP
Level Spells: Nondetection, Invisibility
Scribed Spell: Etherealness

15th Level - +6 HP
Level Spells: Clone, Sunburst
Scribed Spell: Mind Blank



Reasoning: As before, this is primarily pointing toward dealing with undead in one way or another.

15th Level Statistics


Human Necromancer 15th
Str:10
Dex: 11
Con: 14
Int: 20
Wis: 14
Cha: 12

HP: 92
AC: 11

Proficiency Bonus: +5

Human Skills
Human Feat

Feat: Skilled, Magic Initiate: Cleric

Armor Proficiencies:None
Weapons: Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaff, Light Crossbows
Tools: Three-Dragon Ante (Noble), Herbalism Kit (Feat)
Saving Throws:Intelligence, Wisdom
Languages: Common

Proficient Skills
Arcana (Wizard) +10
History (Noble) +10
Investigation (Human) +10
Insight (Feat) +7
Medicine (Feat) +7
Persuasion (Noble) +6
Religion (Wizard) +10

Background: Noble

Spellcasting
Ritual Caster
Arcane Recovery
Necromantic Savant
Grim Harvest
Inured to Undeath
Command Undead

Quarterstaff
Amulet Arcane Focus
Scholar's Pack
Spellbook
Fine Clothes
Signet Ring
Scroll of Pedigree
25 GP
Cantrips: Blade Ward, Chill Touch, Dancing Lights, Mage Hand, Message
Cleric Cantrips: Sacred Flame, Spare the Dying
1st Level: Alarm, Chromatic Orb, False Life, Find Familiar, Fog Cloud, Identify, Mage Armor, Protection from Evil and Good, Ray of Sickness
Cleric 1st Level Spell: Cure Wounds
2nd Level: Flaming Sphere, Gentle Repose, Invisibility, Misty Step, Ray of Enfeeblement, See Invisibility, Web
3rd Level: Animate Dead, Clairvoyance, Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Feign Death, Fireball, Gaseous Form, Glyph of Warding, Magic Circle, Nondetection, Vampiric Touch
4th Level: Banishment, Blight, Dimension Door, Evard's Black Tentacles, Fire Shield, Greater Invisibility
5th Level: Bigby's Hand, Telekinesis, Wall of Force
6th Level: Circle of Death, Contingency, Create Undead, Eyebite, Guards and Wards, True Seeing
7th Level: Etherealness, Finger of Death, Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion, Sequester
8th Level: Clone, Mind Blank, Sunburst

16th to 20th Level 

 

16th Level - Ability Score Improvement, Wis: +2, +6 HP
Level Spells: Demiplane, Incendiary Cloud
Scribed Spells: Symbol

17th Level - Proficiency Bonus +6, +6 HP
Level Spells: Imprisonment, Foresight
Scribed Spells: Power Word Kill

18th Level - Spell Mastery, +6 HP
Level Spells: Shapechange, Polymorph
Scribed Spells: Astral Projection

19th Level - Ability Score Improvement, Con +2, +24 HP
Level Spells: Meteor Swarm, Conjure Elemental
Scribed Spells: Wish

20th Level - Signature Spell: Animate Dead, Vampiric Touch, +7 HP
Level Spells: Prismatic Wall, Time Stop
Scribed Spell: Otiluke's Resilient Sphere

Reasoning: There is a limited amount of versatility at the higher levels due to the currently small list of spells. That will change over time. In addition there are only a limited number of necromancy spells and those that exist have a limited theme. Still, I was continuing toward the concept of stalking and resisting the undead. I chose to up Con for the hit points.

20th Level Statistics


Human Necromancer 20th
Str:10
Dex: 11
Con: 16
Int: 20
Wis: 16
Cha: 12

HP:141
AC: 11

Proficiency Bonus: +6

Human Skills
Human Feat

Feat: Skilled, Magic Initiate: Cleric

Armor Proficiencies:None
Weapons: Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaff, Light Crossbows
Tools: Three-Dragon Ante (Noble), Herbalism Kit (Feat)
Saving Throws:Intelligence, Wisdom
Languages: Common

Proficient Skills
Arcana (Wizard) +11
History (Noble) +11
Investigation (Human) +11
Insight (Feat) +9
Medicine (Feat) +9
Persuasion (Noble) +7
Religion (Wizard) +11

Background: Noble

Spellcasting
Ritual Caster
Arcane Recovery
Necromantic Savant
Grim Harvest
Inured to Undeath
Command Undead
Spell Mastery: Currently 1st Level: Mage Armor, 2nd Level: Misty Step
Signature Spell: Animate Dead, Vampiric Touch

Quarterstaff
Amulet Arcane Focus
Scholar's Pack
Spellbook
Fine Clothes
Signet Ring
Scroll of Pedigree
25 GP
Cantrips: Blade Ward, Chill Touch, Dancing Lights, Mage Hand, Message
Cleric Cantrips: Sacred Flame, Spare the Dying
1st Level: Alarm, Chromatic Orb, False Life, Find Familiar, Fog Cloud, Identify, Mage Armor, Protection from Evil and Good, Ray of Sickness
Cleric 1st Level Spell: Cure Wounds
2nd Level: Flaming Sphere, Gentle Repose, Invisibility, Misty Step, Ray of Enfeeblement, See Invisibility, Web
3rd Level: Animate Dead, Clairvoyance, Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Feign Death, Fireball, Gaseous Form, Glyph of Warding, Magic Circle, Nondetection, Vampiric Touch
4th Level: Banishment, Blight, Dimension Door, Evard's Black Tentacles, Fire Shield, Greater Invisibility, Otiluke's Resilient Sphere
5th Level: Bigby's Hand, Conjure Elemental, Telekinesis, Wall of Force
6th Level: Circle of Death, Contingency, Create Undead, Eyebite, Guards and Wards, True Seeing
7th Level: Etherealness, Finger of Death, Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion, Sequester, Symbol
8th Level: Clone, Demiplane, Incendiary Cloud, Mind Blank, Sunburst
9th Level: Astral Projection, Foresight, Imprisonment, Meteor Swarm, Power Word Kill, Prismatic Wall, Shapechange, Time Stop, Wish

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