Necromancer, Warlock (4e Class Variant)
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Creating a Necromancer[edit]
“ | A ranged Arcane Striker, with secondary controller abilities, who's attack often weaken or hamper the target in some way, and that can summon minions to aid them. | ” |
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Image by JoseArias |
Class Traits |
Role: Striker. A ranged Arcane Striker, with secondary controller abilities, who's attack often weaker or hamper the target in some way, that can summon minions to aid them |
Power Source: Arcane. You gain your magical power from a pact you forge with a powerful, supernatural force or an unnamed entity. |
Key Abilities: Charisma, Constitution, Dexterity |
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, Leather |
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged |
Implements: Rods, Wands, Daggers |
Bonus to Defense: +1 Reflex, +1 Will |
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution score |
Hit Points per Level Gained: 5 |
Healing Surges per Day: 6 + Constitution modifier |
Trained Skills: None. From the class skills list below, choose 4 more trained skills at 1st level. Class Skills: Arcana (Int), Bluff (Cha), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Religion (Int), Streetwise (Cha), Thievery (Dex) |
Build Options: Pestilence Pact, Summoner Pact |
Class Features: Eldritch Pact, Summon Minion, Shadow Walk, Pack Leader, Pact Blade, The Plague (Pact Boon) |
Creating a Necromancer[edit]
Necromancers attack primarily either using their minions, from the Necromancer Minions (4e Creature) list, using attacks which cause additional secondary effects, or with a pact sword. Unlike ordinary warlocks, you deal damage in characteristically different ways. You sacrifice Warlock’s Curse (the extra damage die, or D6) and the other Warlock class features, for new one's which allow you to deal damage with a pact blade and cause harmful effects to the target, or control a summoned pet to attack for you. You have an option for two new pacts and character builds, The Summoning Pact and Pestilence pact. Each give pact gives you special abilities, which will influence and change the way you ordinarily do damage. Both subclass types lose the curse class feature, and instead gain the Summon minion class feature.
Necromancer's gain access to regular warlock powers, as well as dailies and utilities from the Binder subclass of the warlock. You can pick any of the at-wills from PHB1 or Arcane Power, including Eldritch strike, as well as powers from either the Pestilence or Summoner pact, without having to be that pact. However, your choice in pact still determines one of your at-wills, Minion Attack or Havoc, respectively. With both new pacts, you use your minions to deal extra damage, either as a replacement to your warlock's curse, or by attacking with the minions as your sole attack. Some minions are intended as secondary minions to boost your power, while others are intended as a direct replacement for your attacks.
Ability Scores
Charisma or Constitution should be your primary ability. As almost all of your powers utilize either Charisma or Constitution for the attack and damage roll, and so one or the other is your most important ability depending on your build. Your second most important ability is your dexterity, which boosts your special abilities and provides bonuses to reflex and AC with light armor. For a Pestilence based warlock, it will also determine extra damage for many of your attacks, making it essential for your damage. You can choose to go with Both Charisma and Constitution, with a recommended 18/18 with this build type. However, you will lose defenses and power for the added versatility.
Feats
As a striker, your primary emphasis is on damage. Getting superior implement expertise, dual implement spellcaster, and other damage based feats are essential for your class; dual implement spellcaster is a priority for the build. With your relativity low defenses as a warlock, good defense related feats are a second option, which will allow you to survive attacks, especially at close range where you may try to attack with your pact blade or minion. Two-weapon defense is a viable option, as are various armor feats (such as hide armor or studded chainmail). A parrying dagger that is enchanted is a good way to boost your defenses and provides an additional +1 bonus to AC. Feats which boost necrotic or fire damage are highly recommended, as they are your primary power sources.
Equipment
A good implement is a must, especially as a warlock. Although you can use the Pact Blade as an implement, you can use any dagger as an implement, and a secondary weapon or rod or wand is ideal for extra damage when using the dual implement spellcaster. A superior implement can help you to do more damage, and your attack rolls are only contingent with one of the items. Due to your low defenses you may think of getting a parrying dagger and a rhythm blade magical item, however this will likely consume your superior implement slot. With your pact blade, you already start the game with a magically enchanted implement and a weapon, however as dual implement spellcaster helps boost your damage with attacks, it is recommended that you eventually used another.
Class Features: Eldritch Pact[edit]
You have forged a pact with mysterious, dark entities that grant you your arcane powers. You can choose between two Eldritch Options, either the Summoner Pact or Pestilence Pact. You can pick a warlock at-will from any pact or Eldritch Blast, and gain one extra at-will power based on your character's Eldritich Pact.
Choose one of the following pacts: Summoner Pact or Pestilence Pact. The pact you choose determines the following warlock abilities:
At-Will Spells: Your pact determines one of the at-will spells you know. This is Minion Attack with the Summoner Pact, and Havoc with the Pestilence Pact.
Pact Boon: Each pact includes a pact boon. The Pact Boon determines how your Plague ability will function in the game and extra abilities associated with certain powers.
Class Feature: Eldritch Power[edit]
Your choice between the "Summoner Pact" and "Pestilence Pact" decides characteristically which type of Necromancer you will be. The Pestilence pact allows access to new powers and abilities which deal damage traditionally and weakens the target in some way, and the Summoner pact which allows you to summon creatures to do attacks for you. The Summoner Pact favors Constitution, where as the Pestilence Pact favors Charisma, both of which can use dexterity as their secondary ability.
You can still take encounter and daily powers from the Warlock class and powers from other pacts, however your at-will and other abilities are determined by your Eldritich Pact choice. The At-will power provided by the Pestilence Pact is "Havoc", while the the At-will power provided by the Summoner Pact is "Minion Attack". Based on the choice you took, you gain this extra at-will power, however you may still take the other pact's power as a part of extra at-will powers that you may choose, so a player could have both "Minion Attack" and "Havoc". Further, you gain one extra class feature depending on the choice you make of either the Pestilence or Summoner Pact. This is the "Contagion" power for the Pestilence Pact, and the "Scourge" power for the Summoner Pact.
Contagion (Pestilence Pact):Any target subject to an ongoing condition caused by one of your powers takes a -2 penalty to saving throw rolls. Further, ongoing damage caused by you is added together, even if that damage is of the same type.
Scourge (Summoner Pact): If your player character is unable to take attack actions, such as if you are stunned, unconscious, or dead, your minion may attack on it's own accord, adding your constitution modifier, implement and other bonuses to the attack and damage rolls of the attacks it makes. When choosing the Zombie Minion option, you can summon a zombie and two extra ghouls with your "Summon Minion" Warlock Class feature. However, you can still only use the At-will "Minion Attack" once per turn, with one minion. Furthermore, unless you have used the At-will "Minion attack" during your turn, the other ghouls summoned by your Scourge (Summonor Pact) ability cannot make extra attacks. So, if you were to use another warlock power instead of "Minion attack", only one minion could attack per turn.
Class Feature: Shadow Walk[edit]
On your turn, if you move at least 3 squares away from where you started your turn, you gain concealment until the end of your next turn.
Class Feature: Pack Leader[edit]
You gain the choice between the "Prime Shot" class feature and "Pack Leader". With Pack Leader, your minions gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls against targets that you are closer than them to or that you are adjacent to.
The Plague (Pact Boon)[edit]
Both pacts gain a different Pact Boon, which can allow for extra benefits when using certain powers. However, both Pacts gain "The Plague" special ability.
The Plague: When a creature you have attacked within the last turn dies, it spreads the plague, which does ongoing damage equal to your dexterity modifier to each adjacent enemy, which a save ends. Furthermore, any enemy which walks in that dead creature's space for the rest of the encounter also contracts the plague, and takes the same ongoing damage. "The Plague" and it's ongoing damage is spread to any creature you choose which is adjacent to another creature with the plague and does not have it already. So, if a creature that has contracted the plague is adjacent to another creature, you can choose for that creature to gain the plague. A creature who has gained the plague cannot spread it in the same turn it has contracted it. If a creature dies while it has the ongoing plague effect, a ghoul minion is summoned in it's place that is under your control until the end of the encounter.
Class Feature: Pact Blade[edit]
By choosing the Necromancer you gain access to a "Pact Blade". You can use a minor action to manifest your pact weapon. The pact weapon you manifest is the "Necromancer's Blade". The weapon persists until you no longer hold either it or until you dismiss it as a free action. You can make weapon attacks with your pact weapon, using its proficiency bonus and the appropriate damage die. The weapon cannot be enchanted, however it's enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls is equal to an implement of your choice you are wielding. You can use the Pact Blade as an implement, and you add it's enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls.
The Pact Blade qualifies as a light blade, has a proficiency bonus of +3, and has a damage of 2d4. On a crit, the weapon does 2d4 extra damage. The weapon is weightless and ephemeral, meaning that it offers no resistance or presents no fatigue when being carried. The weapon can be stored in the twisting nether, an alternate dimension, where it can be retrieved with a minor action. The weapon qualifies as a melee weapon and can be used with melee basic attacks. Any power which possesses the weapon keyword can use the Pact Blade. When you make an implement attack and are wielding the pact blade, you can instead choose to make the attack a melee attack. If you do, you can add the Pact Weapon's proficiency bonus to the attack roll. Further, the attack gains the "weapon" keyword. The attack does the same amount of damage and loses the ranged property, however it adds the weapon's proficiency and enhancement bonus to the attack roll.
When you use a power associated with your pact weapon and the power has both the weapon and the implement keyword, you are considered to be wielding both your pact weapon and your implement for the purpose of feats and other game elements.
Class Feature: Summon Minion[edit]
You can summon a minion under your control to provide extra damage, a number of times per day equal to your Minion Threshold. The minion lasts until the end of the day or until it is killed, and if it is killed can be resummoned only after an extended rest. The minion can make move and minor actions separately from you, but you must take standard actions for the minion; the minion has the same limitations on actions as a player character. Minion attacks are most often done through other Necromancer powers, such as "Minion Attack". The exception to the rule is the Zombie and Imp minion, which allow you to boost your damage in addition to your warlock attacks by attacking seperately. As it is a minion of yours, it cannot speak to most creatures and does not have the common language, although it can speak to other undead and Necromancers. You can communicate with your minion Telepathically out to a range of 20 squares. The minion's attributes, capabilities, and damage are all determined by the minion of your choice. When minions die, they disappear for the rest of the day, but can be re-summoned the next day. Minions never truly die, as they simply return to the netherworld to heal, or can be reanimated. You gain a minion threshold, which limits how many minions you can summon or resummon per day, which at heroic tier is 2 minions per day. At level 11, you can summon a minion 3 times per day, and at level 21, you can summon a minion 4 times per day. You still cannot have more than one minion summoned at a time, unless a power otherwise specifies. Certain powers (especially daily powers), allow you to summon additional minions. However, you can only summon these additional minions a number of times equal to your daily value. So, for instance, if you summoned a Zombie minion one time in a day at the heroic leve, you could only summon one daily minion for that day (although you could still use that daily power, just not summon the minion). Summoning daily minions often dismiss your primary minion, but this minion can be resummoned without counting towards your daily value (unless otherwise stated).
A list of Necromancer minions can be found in the Necromancer Minions (4e Creature) page. Necromancer minions are an important part of the Necromancer's damage, just like the Ranger's Quarry or Warlock's curse. For all intents and purposes, they count as another creature, and thus provide flanking benefits for combat advantage. They are capable of opportunity attacks. In addition to this, they provide extra damage when prompted to attack. Some minions are designed to be incredibly powerful and do damage in place of the warlocks's attacks, while others are designed to boost the damage of the Necromancer, more or less replicating abilities like Hunter's Quarry or Warlock's Curse of similar striker classes. They also allow multiple targets to be targeted, giving them the ability to pick off multiple enemies at once. Necromancer minions are an extension of the Necromancer themselves; any creature they kill or do damage to count as the Necromancer, and their attributes are based on the Necromancer's own. Further, they use the Necromancer's abilities to determine their own attack and damage rolls, as well use a fraction of the Necromancer's health. Their defenses and skill bonuses also improve by the Necromancers, or 1/2 the Necromancer's level. Any armor enhancement bonuses you receive from your equipment are also added to the minion's defense bonuses. Minions gain your implement enhancement bonus to attack rolls; as your weapon can serve as an implement, this bonus can be the equivalent of your weapon. They do not however gain any special effects from your weapon or implement when attacking, just the enhancement bonus to attack rolls.
Level 1: At-Will Powers[edit]
Benefit: You gain one of the following powers, based on your Pact Choice. With the "Summoner's Pact" you gain the "Minion Attack" at-will power, and with the Pestilence Pact you gain the "Havoc" at-will power. After your pact has determined one of your at-will powers, you can choice from these or other warlock at-will powers.
Note: Your minion's attack is treated as an implement attack by you. So for instance if a feat were to provide a bonus to the attack roll, such as "implement expertise", you would add the bonus to the attack roll of the minion. The minion still uses it's damage, targets the defense specified with it's attack, possesses the same range, and does the same damage as it would otherwise.
Level 1:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 2: Utility Power[edit]
Benefit: You gain one of the following powers.
Level 3:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 4: Ability Score Increase[edit]
Your constant training hones your body and mind.
Benefit: You increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.
Level 4:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 5:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 6: Utility Power[edit]
Benefit: You gain one of the following powers.
Level 7:[edit]
Benefit: You choose one of the following powers.
Level 8: Ability Score Increase[edit]
You reap the reward of constant challenge by increasing your physical and mental well-being.
Benefit: You increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.
Level 8:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 9:[edit]
Level 10: Utility Power[edit]
Paragon Necromancer[edit]
Level 11: Ability Score Increase[edit]
Your improved physical and mental prowess highlights your entrance into the paragon tier.
Benefit: Each of your ability scores increases by 1.
Level 11: Paragon Path Features[edit]
Benefit: You and your minion gain the level 11 features of your chosen paragon path. The suggested Paragon Path is the "Undead Lich", path.
(Level 11): You and your minion gain a +1 bonus to all attack rolls.
(Level 11):. As a further progression of your power over the undead, you are now immortal, and you never have to eat, drink, sleep or breathe. You never have to make an endurance check to resist the effects of suffocation, starvation, or disease, and are immune to many effects that generally effect the living.
(Level 11):. When you spend an action point to make a roll for an action, you can roll twice and choose the higher of either result.
(Level 16): When you or your minion are flanking a target, you or your minion can deal extra fire damage equal to your Dexterity modifier to a damage roll of a target you are flanking once per round.
Level 11: Paragon Path Power[edit]
Benefit: You gain the level 11 power of your chosen paragon path.
Level 11:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 12:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 12: Paragon Path Power[edit]
Benefit: You gain the level 12 power of your chosen paragon path.
Death's Defiance | Necromancer Utility 12 |
Your very essence defies the presence of death, resisting it at every turn. | |
Daily | |
Free Action | Personal |
Trigger: You drop at or below zero hitpoints. | |
Target: Yourself. | |
Effect: You are no longer dying and can spend two healing surges to regain hitpoints equal to your bloodied value. |
Level 13:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 14: Ability Score Increase[edit]
Each new challenge only makes you stronger in body and mind.
Benefit: You increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.
Level 14:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 15:[edit]
Level 16:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 17:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 18: Ability Score Increase[edit]
You are a true paragon of physical and mental perfection.
Benefit: You increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.
Level 18:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 19:[edit]
Level 20: Paragon Path Power[edit]
Benefit: You gain the level 20 power of your chosen paragon path.
Epic Necromancer[edit]
Level 21: Ability Score Increase[edit]
You are an epic hero now, and your physical and mental acuity exceed all mortal limits.
Benefit: Each of your ability scores increases by 1.
Level 21: Epic Destiny Feature[edit]
Benefit: You gain the level 21 feature of your chosen epic destiny.
Level 21:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 22:[edit]
Level 23:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 24: Ability Score Increase[edit]
The threats of the epic challenges you face are countered by the perfection of your body and mind.
Benefit: You increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.
Level 24: Epic Destiny Feature[edit]
Benefit: You gain the level 24 feature of your chosen epic destiny.
Level 24:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 25:[edit]
Level 26: Epic Destiny Power[edit]
Benefit: You gain the level 26 power of your chosen epic destiny.
Level 26:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 27:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 28: Ability Score Increase[edit]
Training, practice, and experience have molded your abilities. Even as you near your final destiny, you continue to hone your talents for the tests you will soon face.
Benefit: You increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.
Level 28:[edit]
Benefit:
Level 29:[edit]
Level 30: Epic Destiny Feature[edit]
Benefit: You gain the level 30 feature of your chosen epic destiny.
Level 30:[edit]
Benefit:
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