Necromancer

Necromancy is an art considered taboo even among the gods, however, there are several users of magic who enjoy this type of forbidden knowledge. Necromancers seek to control life and death in all their forms, they have a natural talent for manipulating the life essences that flow in living beings.

Necromancers are supreme users of black magic, their main characteristic is the ability to manipulate death, either by creating zombies to fight in their place or by invoking spirits to do their dirty work.

Forbidden Knowledge

For many ages the art of necromancy was hidden from mortals, the gods knew that this power could be very destructive if it fell into the wrong hands. Until one day, several scholars versed in magic, began to notice that there was magic from an unnatural source and dedicated themselves to learning more about it.

Currently, there are several users of magic who use necromantic resources, but not all go much further than simple spells, many are afraid of being cursed by the gods for overusing this art.

Quick Build

You can make a necromancer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Far Traveler background. Third, choose the Necrotic Blade cantrip if you are doing a melee build or Chill Touch cantrip if you are doing a ranged build and Spare the Dying cantrip for a little help to your group, along with the 1st-level spells Cause Fear and Ray of Sickness.

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 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per necromancer level after 1st.

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Sickle, Short Sword.
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation and Perception.

Image Used:
Original Art by Polina Kirillova
Altered by u/Helodinn

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a Shortsword or (b) a Sickle;
(a) a Component pouch or (b) a Arcane focus;
(a) a Dungeoneer's Pack or (b) a Explorer's Pack;

Alternatively, you can choose to start with 4d4 x 10 gp and opt to spend some or all of that money on starting equipment.

Spellcasting

As a student of arcane magic, you have a spellbook containing spells that show the first glimmerings of your true power. See the Spell Rules section of the Player’s Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and the spells listing for the necromancer spell list.

Cantrips

At 1st level, you learn three cantrips of your choice from the necromancer spell list. You learn additional wizard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the necromancer table.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the necromancer spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Necromancer table shows when you learn more necromancer spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the necromancer spells you know and replace it with another spell from the necromancer spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your necromancer spells, since you learn your spells through dedicated study and memorization. You use your intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your intelligence modifier when determining 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 Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence 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 spellbook. You don’t need to have the spell prepared.

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus (see the Adventuring Gear section) as a spellcasting focus for your necromancer spells.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know four 1st-level spells of your choice from the bard spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Bard table shows when you learn more bard spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the table. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the bard spells you know and replace it with another spell from the bard spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Negative Energy

At 1st level, you tap into a deep wellspring of negative energy within yourself. This wellspring is represented by necrotic points, which allow you to use the necromancer abilities.

Necrotic Points

You have 1 necrotic point at 1st level, and you gain one in each necromancer level until 10th level, after this level, you gain 2 necrotic points per level. You regain all spent necrotic points when you finish a long rest.

Necromancy Tricks

You can use your necrotic points to gain additional spell slots, or sacrifice spell slots to gain additional necrotic points and you can summon undead with your necromancy points at higher levels.

Creating Spell Slots

You can transform unexpended necrotic points and give a little of vital energy into one spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell slot of a given level. You can create spell slots no higher in level than 5th. Any spell slot you create with this feature vanishes when you finish a long rest.

Spell Slot Level	Necrotic Point Cost	Life Cost
1st	2	1d8
2nd	3	2d8
3rd	5	3d8
4th	6	4d8
5th	7	5d8

Converting a Spell Slot to Necrotic Points

As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend one spell slot and sacrifice some vital energy to gain a number of necrotic points equal to the slot’s level.

Spell Slot Level	Converted Necrotic Point	Life Cost
1st	1	1d4
2nd	2	2d4
3rd	3	3d4
4th	4	4d4
5th	5	5d4
6th	6	6d4
7th	7	7d4
8th	8	8d4
9th	9	9d4

Image Used:
"Necromancer" by Karichristensen

Life Syphon

Starting at 1st level, your touch can siphon the life force of others to bolster your own. When you make a melee attack or spell ranged attack against a living creature, if you hit, as a bonus action you can spend a necrotic point to deal necrotic damage equal to 1d6 + your Intelligence modifier on a hit. You gain temporary hit points equal to the amount of necrotic damage dealt. If this feature kills the creature, you gain twice as many temporary hit points from using this feature. The damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6). You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum one) and you regain all uses of this feature at the end of a long rest.

Undead Servant

Beginning at 3rd level, you gain the ability of summoning an undead servant to you command, as an action, you can spend necrotic points and vital energy according to the size and the CR of the undead creature. You can control only 1 undead creature at time.

This table shows the necrotic points you have to spend according to the size of the creature:

This table shows the CR of the monster you can summon:

Unholy Resistance

Beginning at 5th level, the time you've spent using negative energy has begun to affect your soul. Your age only increases by 1 year for every 10 years that pass. You have resistance to necrotic damage and your hit point maximum cannot be reduced (such as by a Wight's "Life Drain" ability). At 10th level, this feature extends to any undead under your control.

Death Denial

Beginning at 17th level, you can decide to ignore death if it's too inconvenient. If a creature within 10 feet drops to 0 hit point, cause that creature to drop to 1 hit point instead. You must finish a short or long rest before you can use this feature again.

Grim Harvest

Whenever a creature dies within 60 feet of you, you may use your reaction to create an explosion of necrotic energy from its body in a 20 foot radius. Each creature of your choice within the explosion must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 8d8 necrotic damage of a failure or half as much on a success. If the explosion damage kills any creatures, you may target one of them as part of the same reaction, causing a secondary explosion in a 20 foot radius. Each creature within the secondary explosion must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 4d8 necrotic damage on a failure, or half as much on a success. In a similar manner, you can create a tertiary explosion which deals 2d8 necrotic damage on a failure or half as much on a success.

The necrotic explosions affect undead under your control differently than other creatures. Your undead minions do not make a saving throw, and take no damage from this feature. Instead, they regain hit points equal to half of all damage dealt by this feature.

This feature can only be used once, and you regain use of it after you complete a long rest.

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"Resurrection" by Anna Krasova

Deadly Path

When you reach 2nd level, you choose a Deadly Path, shaping your practice of necromancy through one of the following paths: Path of the Fallen One, Path of the Man Eater and Path of the Whisperer.

Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, 14th and 18th level.

Deadly Path of the Fallen One

Raising corpses is a natural ability for the necromancers, however, some of them end up focusing in this forbidden art, being able to summon stronger creatures and control more than 1 creature at time (a maximum of 4 creatures).

Undead Servant - Deadly Path Variant

The rites of your path grants you the ability to summon more dangerous undead creatures. Starting at 2nd level, you can summon an undead minion with a challenge rating as high as 1.

Starting at 6th level, you can summon an undead minion with a challenge rating as high as your necromancer level divided by 3, rounded down.

Starting at 10rd level, you gain the ability to summon on your turn as a bonus action, rather than as an action. This table shows the necrotic points and vital energy you have to spend according to the size of the creature:

This table shows the CR of the monster you can summon and and how many you can control at same time:

Dominate Undead

When you reach the 6th level, you gain the ability to take control over the undead you find. As an action, you can spend necrotic points and vital energy according to the size and the CR of the undead creature as seen in the Dominate Undead Cost table below. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Inteligence saving throw. On a failure, it becomes under your control.

This table shows the CR of the monster you can summon:

At 10th level, you gain the ability to take over control of undead creatures on your turn as a bonus action, rather than as an action.

Undead Army

Starting at 10th level, you learn the ability to control more than one undead creature at same time, but they have disvantage on attack rolls, because you divide your focus among these creatures.

At level 15th undead creatures you control can attack normally, without disvantage.

Lord of the Undead

Beginning at 14th level, you've reached the epitome of raising undead. Your undead creatures no longer have a damage vulnerability and gain additional hit points equal to your necromancer level.

Spontaneous Unburial

Beginning at 18th level, the negative energy that runs in you starts to overflow and will sometimes spontaneously raise a zombie (MM p. 316). This occurs whenever you spend 1 or more necrotic points. You have absolute control over zombies raised in this manner.

Image Used:
"Hannibal" by Helga Sable - Artstation

Deadly Path of the Man Eater

Necromancers who let negative forces possess their mind will inevitably begin to decline in sanity. They can function like psychopaths in the world, but they start to lose control of their emotions when their magical energy is low. Unstoppable hunger erupts from within their body, clamming for raw, rotten, or even dead meat from other creatures.

Unnatural Stomach

Starting when you choose this path at 2nd level, your digestive system evolved to digest raw, dead or rotten meat from other creatures.

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Unnatural Armor

Also at 2nd level, you learn how to absorb energy from the things you can eat with your Unnatural Stomach ability. You can use an Action to bite and rip off the skin, flesh When you do so, the target must succed a Constitution Saving Throw. On a failure, your AC becomes the same as the target for the next 10 minutes.

Fake Youth

When you follow this Deadly Path, you suffer the consequences of using dark magic. If you have not eaten raw, rotten, or dead flesh within the last 24 hours, your skin will begin to slough off. After going an entire 24 hours straight without eating, this your skin will resemble that of a zombie. While you are in this state, you have disadvantage on all Charisma Checks and Saving Throws.

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Deadly Recovery

At the 6th level, your meals become stronger and you can absorb magical energy from things you digest with your Unnatural Stomach during short rests. When you do so, you can regain a number of Hit Points equal to your Intelligence modifier and and you can recover spells slots. The combined level of the spell slots you recover must be less than or equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Example of Recovering Spell Slots

If your Intelligence Modifier equals 5, then you can recover 1 spell of 3rd level and 1 spell of 2th level (3 + 2 = 5) or 3 spells of 1st level and 1 spell of 2nd level (1 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 5).

Throwback Gluttony

When you reach level 10, you can regurgitate gastric acid over one object or creature within 5 feet of you as an action. This deals acid damage equal to 2d6 + your Intelligence modifier. Alternatively, this can be used to coat your weapons with acid, causing them to deal an additional 2d6 acid damage for the next 10 minutes. This feature can be used once, and regains its use after completing a long rest.

Taste of Memories

Memories and feelings are connected with mind and body. At 14th level, if you eat some part of a living creature or object, you can track back their memories, feelings, locations or another information in the last 24 hours. Talk with your GM to know what information you can have to maintain the session (or not).

Superior Fake Youth

Your stomach has gone through a lot" to "At 18th level, your body has become more used to the consequences of using dark magic. You now only need to eat raw, rotten, or dead flesh once per week to maintain your normal appearance.

Image Used:
"Obzedat, Ghost Council" by Svetlin Velinov

Deadly Path of the Whisperer

The energy of negativse planes affect necromacers in many ways, some became adept in raising corpses, others learn the forbidden art of canibalism and some necromancers have strong conection with spirits. These necromancers can see, speak and interact with spiritual creatures.

Spiritual Companions

Starting at 2nd level, you can create a bond with any spirit on the material plane. The spirit you bind with will follow you anywhere. The spirit is invisible, have darkvision and can walk only 100 feet radius centered at you.

Madness of the Whisperer

Practicers of this necromancy art usually tend to have episodes of insanity, every 24h you roll a D100 and receive an effect from the indefinite madness table, the only difference is that the effect changes every day.

D100	Flaws
1-15	“Being drunk keeps me sane.”
16-25	"I keep whatever I find."
26-30	“I try to become more like someone else I know adopting his or her style of dress, mannerisms, and name.”
31-35	“I must bend the truth, exaggerate, or outright lie to be interesting to other people.”
36-45	“Achieving my goal is the only thing of interest to me, and I’ll ignore everything else to pursue it.”
46-50	“I find it hard to care about anything that goes on around me.”
51-55	“I don’t like the way people judge me all the time.”
56-70	“I am the smartest, wisest, strongest, fastest, and most beautiful person I know.”
71-80	“I am convinced that powerful enemies are hunting me, and their agents are everywhere I go. I am sure they’re watching me all the time.”
81-85	“There’s only one person I can trust. And only I can see this Special friend.”
86-95	“I can’t take anything seriously. The more serious the situation, the funnier I find it.”
96-100	“I’ve discovered that I really like killing people.”

Necrotic Spellcasting

Starting at 2nd level, a cloud of stench accompanies the spells that you cast, eating away at the flesh and bone of your victim and distracting them. Any necromancy spells that you cast deal an additional 1d4 necrotic damage. In addition, undead have disadvantage on saving throws against your spells.

Additional damage according your level

Level	Challenge Rating
2nd	1d4
5th	1d6
8th	1d8
11th	1d10
14th	1d12

Spiritual Possesion

When you reach the 6th level, you learn how to manipulate the spirit companion and make him posses the target creature. As an action, you can spend necrotic points according to the size and the CR of the creature. The creature must suceed an wisdow saving throw DC 15, if creatures fail, your spiritual companion control it.

This table shows the necrotic points you have to spend according to the size of the creature:

Size	Necrotic Point Cost
small	1
medium	2
large	3
huge	4

This table shows the CR of the creature you spirit can take control:

Death Walk

Beginning at 10th level, you can now phase partially into the realm of the dead, becoming like a ghost. As a bonus action, you assume a spectral form. While in this form, you have a flying speed of 10 feet, you can hover, and attack rolls have disadvantage against you. You can also move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain, but you take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside a creature or an object. You stay in this form for 10 minutes or until you end it as a bonus action. To use this feature again, you must finish a short or long rest or destroy one of your zombies as part of the bonus action you use to activate Death Walk.

Aura of Death

Starting at 14th level, you are able to project the fearsome aura, resembling death itself.

As an action, you can project a fearsome aura around you. Creatures within 30 feet radius must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Necromancer spell save DC or become frightened for 1 minute. The frightened target can repeat its saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a success the target suffers no effects and is immune to this feature for the next 24 hours.

Vengeful Spirit Possession

When you reach 18th level, your bound with the spirits became more stronger, now you can be possesed by a Vengeful Spirit (pg. 9) to assist in you battles, during the possession, you can only make actions of the spirit and if Hit Points drops to 0, you fell unconsious for 3 turns. You can use this feature one time until you finish a long rest.

Homebrew Spells

Netrotic Blade

necromancy cantrip

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• Casting Time: Cantrip
• Range: 1 feet
• Components: V, M (A weapon)
• Duration: 1 round
• Classes: Sorcerer, Wizard, Necromancer

As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell's range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack's normal effects, and it becomes sheathed in necrotic energy until the start of your next turn. If the target willingly moves before then, it immediately takes 1d8 necrotic damage, and the spell ends.

This spell's damage increases when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the melee attack deals an extra 1d8 necrotic damage to the target, and the damage the target takes for moving increases to 2d8. Both damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level and 17th level.

Damnation of Tharizdun

4th-level necromancy

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• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 100 feet
• Components: S, V (speak abysal)
• Duration: 5 rounds
• Classes: Necromancer, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You begin to chant ancient words in abyssal, suddenly small explosions begin to occur on the battlefield, igniting flames from the abyss in the target creatures. Chose up to 4 creatures in the range, they must make a Dexterity saving throw. A target takes 2d8 necrotic damageand 2d8 flame damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a

successful one. The affected creatures take 1d8 flame and 1d8 necrotic at the end of each turn until spells end, and if the target don't take any damage this effect does nothing. The flames cannot be extinguished or removed by magic.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each tipe of damage slot level above 4th.

Ballad of the Dead

5th-level necromancy

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• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 120 feet
• Components: V, M (a tiny vial of blood, bone dust)
• Duration: Until dispelled
• Classes: Bard, Necromancer

When singing this song, the frequency of his voice reaches the negative plane, causing rotten hands to leave the ground and spirits begin to appear with the funereal melody. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a Dexterity saving throw. A target takes 4d8 necrotic damage and 4d8 psichic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Creatures must suceed a Wisdow test DC15, otherwise, they became frightened and can't attack you until these effect ends.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each tipe of damage slot level above 5rd.

Necrotic Blade, Damnation of Tharizdun & Ballad of the Dead by u/Helodinn

Wall of Flesh

6th-level necromancy

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• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 120 feet
• Components: V, M (a small piece of flayed flesh from a humanoid)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
• Classes: Cleric, Warlock, Wizard

You create a vile wall composed of flesh, eyes and mouths. wichh radiates a toxic aura. The Wall appears on a solid surface within range. The wall can be up to 60 feet long, 10 feet high and 5 feet thick. The wall blocks line of sight, creatures can't pass through it, it can't be destroyed by nonmagical means and it lasts for the duration. When the wall appears, each creature within 10 feet of it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until the end of their next turn and take 3d12 acid damage as the mouths and gashes emit a noxious venom and spew out acidic dodily fluids. On a succesful save, the target isn't poisoned and takes half as much damage. The wall deals 3d12 acid damage to any creature who ends its turns within 10 feet of it. That creature must also succeed on a Constituition saving throw or become poisoned until the end of its next turn. When you cast the spell, to can select a number of creatures equal to your spellcasting ability modifier to be immune to its effects. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or Higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for each slot sevel above 6th.

Wall of Flesh by u/WhiteShadowTaiChi

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Vengeful Spirit

Medium, Chaotic Neutral

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• Armor Class 18
• Hit Points 169(18d10+40)
• Speed 45ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	20 (+5)	18 (+4)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	16 (+3)

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• Skills Athletics +9, Perception +8, Intimidation +7
• Damage Resistance Cold, Necrotic
• Damage Immunities Fire
• Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion
• Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 18
• Languages Abyssal, Infernal and Common

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Fire Incarnate. The Vengeful Spirit's body is encased in violent hellfire. While this fire rages, all attacks made by this creature deal an additional 2d6 fire.This hellfire damage bypassses resistaces a creature may have to nonmagical, or, fire damage.

Innate Spellcasting. the spirit's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15 +7 to hit with spell attacks). The spirit can innately cast the followinf spells, requiring no material componets:

At will: Firebolt

3/day each Scorching Ray, Fire Shield

2/day each Fireball, Wall of Fire

1/day each Ballad of the Dead, Damnation of Tharizdun, Phantasmal Killer

Actions

Multiattack. The Vengeful Spirit makes three melee attacks: two with its claws or hellfire scythe and one with the other. It can cast firebolt in place of any melee attack.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 11 (2d6 + 5) plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.

Hellfire Scythe. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 9 (2d4 + 5) + 7 (2d6) fire damage.

Hell Breath (Recharge 5-6). The Vengeful Spirit exhales fire in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 42 (8d8) fire damage on failed save, or half as much damage on successful one. This hellfire damage bypassses resistaces a creature may have to nonmagical, or, fire damage

Image Used:
"Until i say..." by Ryan Lee