Tome of Necromancy (3.5e Sourcebook)/Necromancy with Style
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Necromantic Creation Feats
Any feat with the [Necromatic] tag is a necromantic creation feat. This means that it is merely one part of the dark tradition of necromancy; other means such as necromancy spells or other effects can create these undead, but this an easy path for the serious Necromancer. One trait shared by these feats is that each feat has a separate control pool for the undead it creates. For example, if a necromancer has the Path of Blood feat and the A Feast Unknown feat, he may control up to his unmodified charisma modifier in vampires or vampire spawn in addition to controlling up to his unmodified charisma modifier in ghouls. If the Necromancer's level is higher than his charisma modifier he may control at least one undead per feat equal to 2 CR lower than his level. It is a move action to give commands any one undead creature. Any undead controlled by this feat cannot create undead or use the Spawn Undead ability. The rituals are inexpensive, but require the flesh and blood of intelligent creatures as well as living creatures or fresh corpses as subjects. Any additional costs or conditions are listed in the individual feat. These rites take 1 hour per CR of the creature created, and can only be performed at night or in a location that is not touched by the sun (such as a deep cave). The maximum CR of an undead creature created with these rites is two less than the creator’s character level. Materials to create any undead always cost at least 25 gp per hit die. Creating undead by these method generally requires at least an hour.
Undead Feats
The powers of the undead are legendary, in part because they are so varied. A feat with the [Undead] tag can only be selected or used by a character who is undead.
Feats
A Feast Unknown [Necromantic]
You have partaken of the feast most foul and count yourself a king among the ghouls.
Prerequisite: You must have consumed the rapidly cooling flesh of an intelligent mortal creature. Must be evil.
Benefit: You can create Ghouls or Ghasts from any dying person (at -1- to –9 hps). Any undead you create have the Scent special quality. In addition, any time you consume the flesh of a sentient creature, you regain 5 hps per HD. You automatically control up to your Charisma modifier in undead created by this feat, but no undead can have a CR greater than your character level. Special: A first or second level character can create undead equal to their own CR, but each undead creature counts as two for control purposes.
The Path of Blood [Necromantic]
You have learned the dark and selfish rites that create vampires, the legendary immortal blood drinkers of the night.
Prerequisite: character level 5
Benefit: You can create Vampires and Vampire Spawn. Your unintelligent undead heal fully at the next sunset following them killing a living creature with a piercing or slashing attack. A spellcaster with this feat has access to any spell with a [blood] component. You automatically control up to your Charisma modifier in undead created by this feat, but no undead can have a CR greater than your character level.
Body Assemblage [Necromantic]
The discarded husks of life are nothing more than a building material to you.
Prerequisite: Caster Level 1, ability to cast 1st level spells of the Necromancy school.
Benefit: You may create skeletons and zombies that serve you alone. You automatically control up to your unmodified Charisma modifier in undead created by this feat, but no undead can have a CR greater than two less than your character level. Special: A first or second level character can create undead equal to their own CR, but each undead creature counts as two for control purposes.
Feed the Dark Gods [Necromantic]
You have attracted the attention of dark gods and demon lords, and they are willing to grant dark life to your creations in exchange for pain and power.
Prerequisite: Any two necromantic feats, character level 7, 10 ranks in Knowledge(Religion)
Benefit: You may create any undead creature through the art of sacrifice. You must sacrifice sentient souls (Int of 5 or better) of equal HD to the creature. For example, if you wish to create a CR 8 Slaughterwight, you must sacrifice one CR 8 or two CR 4 souls. You cannot create any undead with a CR greater than two less than your character level. You automatically control up to your unmodified Charisma modifier in undead created by this feat, but no undead can have a CR greater than two less than your character level.
Wrappings of the Ages [Necromantic]
The ancient secrets by which unlife can be sustained in mummification have been unearthed.
Prerequisite: character level 8
Benefit: You can create mummies. In addition, any undead you create have their natural armor increased by +3. Also, any time your undead rest (take no actions) in an enclosed space that has never been touched by the sun, the location counts as a Tomb for them as long as they inhabit it (see New Rules). In all other ways, the area is not a Tomb. You automatically control up to your Charisma modifier in undead created by this feat, but no undead can have a CR greater than two less than your character level.
Whispers of the Otherworld [Necromantic]
You have learned the tricks of binding a soul past the veil of life, and into the shadow of death.
Prerequisite: character level 4
Benefit: You may create incorporeal undead, any undead you create have a +2 to Initiative, +4 to Move Silently checks, and Lifesight as a Special Quality. In addition you may speak with the spirits of the departed as easily as you speak to the living. You automatically control up to your Charisma modifier in undead created by this feat, but no undead can have a CR greater than two less than your character level.
Fairy Eater
By consuming the flesh of fairies, you have absorbed a fraction of their magic.
Prerequisite: A Feast Unknown, must have eaten the flesh of a creature with the Fey type.
Benefit: All figments and glamers you cast have their duration extended by two rounds. In addition, all spells from the Trickery Domain are considered spells known for you, you gain a +4 to Disguise checks, and you can choose to count as a Fey for the effects of spells, magic items, or prerequisites for feats or prestige classes.
Heavenly Desserts
By gorging on the sweet flesh of angels, you have digested a portion of their divine essence.
Prerequisite: A Feast Unknown, character level 10, must have eaten the flesh of an Angel, Archon, Eladrin, or Deva.
Benefit: You gain the ability to cast one spell from the Half-Celestial template per day as a spell-like ability (limited by your HD on the Half-Celestial chart). In addition, all spells from the Gluttony Domain are considered spells known for you, you gain a +2 to Diplomacy checks, and you can choose to count as Good for the effects of spells or magic items.
Devil Preparation
By learning dark culinary techniques, you have learned to consume the flesh of devils, demons, and other infernals, absorbing their taint and some of their power.
Prerequisite: A Feast Unknown, character level 10, must have eaten the flesh of a Devil or Demon.
Benefit: You gain the ability to cast one spell from the Half-Fiend template per day as a spell-like ability (limited by your HD on the Half-fiend chart). In addition, all spells with the Evil Descriptor are considered spells known for you, you gain a +2 to Intimidate checks, and you can choose to count as a Tanari or Baazetu for the effects of spells, magic items, or prerequisites for feats or prestige classes.
Child Necromancer
An obsession with death and experimentation with necromancy early in your childhood perverted your body and blossoming magical talent. As a result, your body never aged past childhood, and you are an adult in a child’s body, magically powerful but physically weak.
Prerequisite: Caster level 1, must know at least one necromancy spell of each spell level you can cast.
Benefit: All Necromancy spells you cast are at +4 caster level, and you gain the effects of Weapon Finesse for all Necromancy touch attack spells you use (if you desire). You have –4 Strength, and appear to be a child despite your actual age category (this does not prevent penalties or bonuses from advancing in age categories, or stop the aging process). You are one size category smaller than normal for your race (do not further adjust ability modifiers). If you are a spontaneous caster, you may permanently exchange any spell known for any Necromancy spell you possess in written or scroll form. If you are a preparation caster, you may learn any Necromancy spell you possess in written or scroll form from any list, and you may not select Necromancy as a restricted school. These Necromancy spells may be from any list, can be exchanged at any time, and once gained are cast as spells of your spellcasting class. These spells remain as spells known even if you later lose this feat.
Special: This feat can only be taken at 1st level. If circumstances ever cause a character to no longer meet the prerequisites of this feat, they may choose any metamagic feat they qualify for to permanently replace this feat.
Blood Painter
By painting magical diagrams out of your own blood, you can spontaneously cast spells using only your own life energy. This is especially useful to casters who prepare spells, or to casters who have run out of spells.
Prerequisite: Path of Blood, Caster level 5, Spellcraft 4 ranks
Benefit: At any time, a caster with this feat can cast any spell he knows by painting a magical diagram on a flat 10" by 10" surface. This takes one minute per spell level, and deals 1 point of temporary con damage for every 3 levels of the spell.(or loses a like amount of Blood Pool if he has one). If the caster's current constitution or Blood Pool is less than double the spell's level, the spell cannot be cast. Any spells cast with this feat are Supernatural effects.
Sleep of the Ages
Your mastery of ancient mummification techniques has revealed a secret technique for sleeping away the ages.
Prerequisite: character level 8, Wrappings of the Ages, you must remove all of your internal organs and place them within canoptic jars during a magic ritual
Benefit: By arranging focuses worth 1,000 gp in a ritual manner and wrapping yourself in the funeral arrangements of a mummy, you can initiate the Sleep of the Ages. Until your focuses are disturbed, you will stay in suspended animation. In this state, you do not age, breathe, need to eat, and are immune to any effect requiring a Fort Save. As a side effect of learning this technique, you remove all of your internal organs and place them within canoptic jars during a magical ritual. This process does not harm you, and from this point onward you are no longer subject to critical hits or sneak attacks. Having your organs in canoptic jars has no other game effect, but if they are destroyed you no longer gain the effects of this feat (your organs magically return to your body and you must remove them again to regain the use of this feat.)
Boneblade Master
You have mastered the alchemic processes needed to create boneblades, as well as their use in combat.
Prerequisite: Craft(alchemy) 4, Craft 4 (scrimshaw)
Benefit: You are considered to be proficient in the use of any weapon made from the special material Boneblade, and you may craft weapons out of Boneblade. In addition, you are considered to have the Improved Critical feat for any boneblade weapons you use in melee combat.
Ghost Cut Technique
Study of the ephemeral essence of incorporeal undead has taught you combat techniques that transcend the limitations of the flesh.
Prerequisite: Whispers of the Otherworld
Benefit: Each day, you can use the spell wraithstrike as swift action spell-like ability a number of time equal to half your character level. You also gain a +2 to initiative checks, a +4 to Move Silently checks, and Lifesight as a Special Quality.
Enervating Touch [Undead]
Your undead nature allows you to drain the life out of living victims.
Benefit: Your unarmed attacks and natural weapons inflict one negative level. The DC to remove that negative level is Charisma based. You gain 5 temporary hit points every time you inflict a negative level on an intelligent creature in this way.
Control Spawn [Undead]
Your victims serve you eternally in death.
Prerequisite: Enervating Touch
Benefit: when a creature dies from the negative levels you inflict and rises as a Wight, it comes under your control. At any one time, you may control a number of Wights in this manner equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). If you create additional Wights, you choose which spawn you lose control over.
Paralyzing Touch [Undead]
The touch of your clawed hand freezes the lifeblood of the hardiest of mortals.
Prerequisite: Ghoul
Benefit: Your unarmed strikes and natural attacks cause paralysis for one minute unless your victim makes a Fortitude save. This save is Charisma based.
Soul Burn [Necromantic]
You have learned the evil rites necessary to consume souls as power.
Prerequisite: You must have used magic to take the soul of an intelligent creature as it lay dying.
Benefit: You can sacrifice the souls of the departed to cast a spell. You can cast any spell you have prepared, spell scroll or spell you know if you are a spontaneous caster by destroying a soul. You must sacrifice sentient souls (Int of 5 or better) of CR equal to the spells level. If you use a higher CR soul you may cast spells in any combination for spell slots to equal its CR. You may also cast spells by destroying one of your incorporeal undead of sufficient CR.
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