Necromancer

Necromancers are commanders of the boundary between life and death. They do not merely animate corpses; they bind, organize, empower, and deploy entire hosts of the dead. A Necromancer fights through summoned servants, reshaping fallen enemies into reinforcements while using death magic to control the battlefield.

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Hit Die

1d8 per Necromancer level; 8 + Constitution modifier at 1st level, increasing by 1d8 or 5 + Constitution modifier per Necromancer level thereafter.

Full Class

Necromancer

Command death. Outnumber the living.

SystemD&D 5E (2014)

RoleSummoner and battlefield commander

Hit Die1d8 per Necromancer level; 8 + Constitution modifier at 1st level, increasing by 1d8 or 5 + Constitution modifier per Necromancer level thereafter.

ResourceGrave Sparks, undead servants, and spell slots

Primary AbilitiesIntelligence & Constitution

SavesIntelligence and Constitution saving throw proficiency.

SystemD&D 5E (2014)

The Necromancer

Spellcasting & Powers

Full spellcasting progression using Intelligence. Necromancers specialize in necromancy, summoning, curses, life-draining magic, corpse preservation, and defensive death magic. Their class spell list should prioritize spells that create, control, empower, or protect undead.

Curated Spell List

1st-Level Spells

Animate Dead The essential spell for raising and maintaining skeletal or zombie servants.
Cause Fear Terrifies a creature with the presence of death.
False Life Creates a buffer of stolen vitality.
Ray of Sickness Projects debilitating necrotic corruption.

2nd-Level Spells

Blindness/Deafness Cripples enemies without requiring concentration.
Gentle Repose Preserves corpses for later use and prevents decay.
Ray of Enfeeblement Weakens a living foe's physical power.
Summon Undead Calls forth a powerful temporary undead ally.

3rd-Level Spells

Animate Dead Increases the size and reliability of your growing host.
Bestow Curse Places a lingering deathly curse on an enemy.
Feign Death Allows an ally or servant to appear dead and resist harm.
Vampiric Touch Drains life to sustain the caster in close combat.

4th-Level Spells

Blight Withers a living creature through concentrated necrotic force.
Danse Macabre Raises a temporary battlefield horde of corpses.
Summon Greater Demon Provides a dangerous supernatural combatant when undead are unavailable.
Death Ward Prevents an ally from being instantly killed.

5th-Level and Higher Spells

Create Undead Raises stronger undead servants for long-term command.
Finger of Death Kills a creature and can raise it as a permanent zombie.
Negative Energy Flood Damages the living or empowers an undead ally.
Raise Dead Restores a fallen ally, preserving the Necromancer's connection to mortality.

Multiclassing

Prerequisite: Intelligence 13. When multiclassing into Necromancer, you gain light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons. For spell slots, combine Necromancer levels with other full spellcasting classes using the multiclass spellcaster rules. Your Grave Host capacity is based only on Necromancer levels.

Proficiencies

Light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons, and either an herbalism kit or calligrapher's supplies. Necromancers are trained in anatomy, funerary rites, magical command, corpse preservation, and battlefield logistics.

Skill Options

Arcana
History
Insight
Investigation
Medicine
Religion

Training & Initiation

A prospective Necromancer studies anatomy, funerary traditions, spiritual boundaries, and the language of command. Initiation usually requires raising a single corpse and convincing it to obey through a binding oath, a ritual of remembrance, or sheer force of will.

Societal Perception

Most ordinary people fear Necromancers, assuming every one is a tyrant or grave robber. Communities that have survived war, plague, or monster attacks may regard them as grim but practical protectors, while temples and rulers often demand strict laws governing corpses and undead servants.

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