Animate Dead

[Valo56]

Having played a necromancy focused wizard just now, I'd like to suggest that Animate Dead be added as a level 4 spell for necromancy-focused wizards. Perhaps an alternate version of the spell only accessible by specialized necromancers, if this is at all possible (maybe with an override?). Without this they are pretty ridiculously weak.

[xXCrystal_Rose]

Don't forget the other spectacular necromancy spells! Necromancy wizards have a very potent and flexible arsenal. Of course people say good animator wizards will get raise dead loot, but a player shouldn't have to rely on DM loot, and some manner of earlier raise dead would be cool. Perhaps requiring you to take the spell school specialization in necromancy and GSF feats would be a good way to do it indeed! The other necromancy spells are extremely useful of course but level 9 is a spectacular feat and a long time to wait (and temporary position) for an animator wizard to actually begin their craft.

[Pandip]

Agreed with Rose here. Necromancy is so much more than a single spell, especially conceptually. There's a lot of one-use resources available that achieve similar effects, too, and if you're a prominent necromancer I have to imagine that you're going to have a DM watching you at some point.

[core]

Without this they are pretty ridiculously weak.

Definitely not.

[Dillusionist]

There is a lot more to necromancy than Animation. And there're several interesting approaches you might take. But if you're intent on playing an Animating Wizard... you are out of luck until 9th level - if you discount summoning themes, which while not necromancy, provide you with a nice cache of minions.

Perhaps greater necromancy focus could grant, to necromancers or pure wizards, an Animated Dead (5) 1/day trinket, like the H'balan Sorcerer perk?

[Valo56]

I guess I just suck, having been unable to do anything clear up to level 8 without some fighter along to help me. I even got off every one of my spells in the final PvP before I died and they did absolutely nothing to my enemies.

Consider what spells a necromancer has other than animation. Certainly strong spells, like heart clutch and fear, but they lack the ability to actually finish anyone, as their higher level spells deal little to no damage and their lower level spells are easily blocked. Making Nathan a necromancer was the worst mistake I made.

The summon monster spirits are also bugged and can be destroyed and dominated by a level 2 cleric, so they are worthless in PvP (but definitely not in quests and randoms) given how many clerics are around these days.

A necromancer is someone who needs to either not be a wizard or have backup.. or be level 9 so they can actually put the main focus of necromancy to use. Whatever you say, animation is what the majority of the school revolves around, and not having it until level 9 is just silly when clerics get it at 5.

[lovethesuit]

Necromancers have access to every spell school except Divination. It's possible that you lost PvP because the other guys were better or you had a failure of imagination, but not because the class is too weak. Anyway, I'm sorry about your untimely death.

[putrid_plum]

Necromancery isn't weak but it sure isn't anything powerful for sure without animations.  The sorcerer with the perks make FAR better necromancers in every aspect.  I think allowing for a lower level access to animate dead is nothing that silly at all.

[SkillFocuspwn]

I've always felt the animation branch of Necromancy is meant to be specialised in by Clerics, and those few arcanists who follow the path of the pale Master. Arcane necromancers have a massive bunch of other cool necromancy spells they can specialize in and it feels more fitting for necromancers to want to go that extra mile or be especially powerful to move away from ghosts and negative energy.

[HerDarkMajesties]

I wouldn't mind for an addition to the spell override to grant the spell Animate Dead at level 4 for all wizards. Firstly -

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/animateDead.htm

It's listed as a level 3 spell for clerics and level 4 for wizards as standard. I'm not sure why NWN decided to up it again for wizards all the way to level 5.

Secondly, having to achieve level 9 before a true necromancer wizard (and level 10 for sorcerers!) can begin to engage in the usual undead army building shenanigans is way too late in the character cycle. By level 9/10 you should already have a reputation one way or the other - either as a villainous badass or a champion of the people. By providing access to the main tool of their trade at level 7/8 it gives arcane necromancers ample time to establish just such a reputation and to be an effective / overt antagonist to goodly PCs sooner.

I know DM's often hand out Animate Dead x / day loot to cool necromancers, as well as having made some quests which heavily drop single use animation items, but I've always thought it a fairly ineffective way to allow them to go about their trade. This is because charged and per day items are only ever able to control a single undead at a time, owing to a limitation in the summoning system. I think it also interferes with other, regular summons which further inhibits the usefulness of Animate Dead charged / per day items.

So yeah, why not just bump the spell down to level 4 through the spell override? Clerics maintain their dominion, but arcane necromancers can finally have access to the tools of their trade at a more reasonable and achievable level.

[Jasede]

Take my limited mechanical experience as you will but I always considered GSF: Necromancy characters a terrifying foe to PVP. It might be because I ran into Orgeribbit, though.

[Dr Dragon]

Having played a necromancy focused wizard just now, I'd like to suggest that Animate Dead be added as a level 4 spell for necromancy-focused wizards. Perhaps an alternate version of the spell only accessible by specialized necromancers, if this is at all possible (maybe with an override?). Without this they are pretty ridiculously weak.

I agree in PNP animate dead is a fourth level spell for wizards. Honestly GFS necromancy should get you a once per day animate dead token. I've played a necromancer wizad, and have wrecked people with animations.

[chrijone]

If you feel you're weak. Try out the spells Enervation and Fear, these spells can be pretty deadly in combination with other certain spells. You just have to experiment! :)

[AllMYBudgies]

A 1/day animation token doesn't seem too far a leap for a GSF:necromancer, especially with the introduction of the Sorcerer perk that now allows even Sorcerers to essentially be better at animating than wizards, putting Wizards easily at the bottom of the animation pile.

While I maintain however, at least in my own Necromantic characters, that multiclassing is not a bad thing and Cleric/Wizards are often conceptually viable, and mechanically wonderful and break down many of the barriers presented from an animation p.o.v