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Necromancers gain a +2 class bonus to Intelligence or Charisma, as long as it isn't the same ability you increase with your +2 species bonus.
Necromancers get 2 skill points in any Intelligence or Charisma skill like Arcana, Intimidate, and Mechanics.
At 1st level, a necromancer starts with various dark robes or traveling clothes, a dagger, a staff, a few treasured bones or funerary urns, and other miscellaneous items suggested by their background.
Necromancers start with 25gp.
| Armor Type | Base AC | Atk Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| None | 10 | — |
| Light | 10 | — |
| Heavy | 11 | -2 |
| Shield | +1 | -2 |
| Weapon Type | One-Handed | Two-Handed |
|---|---|---|
| Small | LEVELd4 dagger | LEVELd6 club, staff |
| Light or Simple | LEVELd6 (-2 atk) mace, shortsword | LEVELd8 (-4 atk) spear |
| Heavy or Martial | LEVELd8 (-5 atk) longsword, warhammer | LEVELd10 (-6 atk) greatsword |
| Weapon Type | Thrown | Crossbow | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | LEVELd4 dagger, star | LEVELd4 hand crossbow | — |
| Light or Simple | LEVELd6 (-2 atk) javelin | LEVELd6 (-1 atk) light crossbow | LEVELd6 (-2 atk) shortbow |
| Heavy or Martial | — | LEVELd8 (-4 atk) heavy crossbow | LEVELd8 (-5 atk) longbow |
| Necromancer | Total Hit Points | Total Feats | 1st level (H) | 3rd level (H) | 5th level (H) | 7th level (H) | 9th level (H) | Level-up Ability Bonuses | Damage Bonus From Ability Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Hybrid | (Avg. of both classes) x 3 | As 1st level PC | 3 | — | — | — | — | Not affected | ability modifier |
| Level 1 | (6 + CON mod*) x 3 | 1 adv | 4 | — | — | — | — | ability modifier | |
| Level 2 | (6 + CON mod) x 4 | 2 adv | 5 | — | — | — | — | ability modifier | |
| Level 3 | (6 + CON mod) x 5 | 3 adv | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | ability modifier | |
| Level 4 | (6 + CON mod) x 6 | 4 adv | — | 6 | — | — | — | +1 to 3 abilities | ability modifier |
| Level 5 | (6 + CON mod) x 8 | 4 adv; 1 champ | — | 3 | 4 | — | — | 2 x ability modifier | |
| Level 6 | (6 + CON mod) x 10 | 4 adv; 2 champ | — | — | 7 | — | — | 2 x ability modifier | |
| Level 7 | (6 + CON mod) x 12 | 4 adv; 3 champ | — | — | 3 | 5 | — | +1 to 3 abilities | 2 x ability modifier |
| Level 8 | (6 + CON mod) x 16 | 4 adv; 3 champ; 1 epic | — | — | — | 8 | — | 4 x ability modifier | |
| Level 9 | (6 + CON mod) x 20 | 4 adv; 3 champ; 2 epic | — | — | — | 3 | 6 | 4 x ability modifier | |
| Level 10 | (6 + CON mod) x 24 | 4 adv; 3 champ; 3 epic | — | — | — | — | 9 | +1 to 3 abilities | 4 x ability modifier |
Although not listed on the table, this class gets three talents. It does not get more at higher levels.
(H): Indicates columns in which hybrid characters lag one level behind.
*You don't subtract the modifier from your base hp value if you have a negative Constitution modifier.
| Ability Bonus | +2 Intelligence or Charisma (different from species bonus) |
| Initiative | Dex mod + Level |
| Armor Class (light armor) | 10 + middle mod of Con/Dex/Wis + Level |
| Physical Defense | 10 + middle mod of Str/Con/Dex + Level |
| Mental Defense | 11 + middle mod of Int/Wis/Cha + Level |
| Hit Points | (6 + Con mod) x Level modifier |
| Recoveries | 8 |
| Recovery Dice | (1d4 x Level) + Con mod |
| Skills | 2, max 5 in any one skill |
| Relationships | 3 points |
| Talents | 3 |
| Feats | 1 per Level |
At-Will
Target: One enemy
Attack: Strength + Level vs. AC
Hit: WEAPON + Strength damage
Miss: —
At-Will
Target: One enemy
Attack: Dexterity + Level vs. AC
Hit: WEAPON + Dexterity damage
Miss: —
As a character casting arcane magic, your best options for improving your spellcasting are wands and staffs.
All necromancers must spend at least one relationship point with any necromantic relationship. (This may be conflicted or negative.) If your one unique thing somehow suggests that you might be free of this requirement, make a case to your GM that this is a way in which you are unique.
Necromancers can cast arcane rituals.
Like other standard spellcasters, you choose the spells you will be able to cast after each full heal-up.
Your summoning spells use the standard summoning rules. The following feats enable you to improve your summoning powers.
Your summoned creatures can add the escalation die to their attacks.
When you summon mooks, increase the number of mooks you summon by 1.
The first time one of your non-mook summoned creatures is dropped each battle, roll a normal save. If you succeed, the summoned creature is not slain but instead remains in the battle with 10 hp.
Necromancers are frail, gaunt, parched, skinny, sickly, wasted, cadaverous, dependent on unearthly substances, or partially dead. This isn't just an aesthetic note—as a necromancer, you must subtract your Constitution modifier from all your necromancer spell attacks if your modifier is positive. In addition, you don't die until you fail five death saves. Similarly, you don't succumb to last gasp save effects until you fail the fifth save.
If your Constitution modifier is negative, add +1 to your necromancer spell attacks.
You don't die from damage until your negative hit points equal your maximum hit points, instead of half your maximum.
One battle per full recovery, you can choose to succeed with death saves on an 11+ instead of a 16+.
You have advantage (roll twice and take the better result) on skill checks regarding occult lore, death, and necromancy. This includes skill checks you make to cast necromantic rituals.
Once per full recovery, when you cast a necromancer spell, narrate how you studied the spell in a flashback. You have advantage on the first attack roll with the spell.
If you invest a feat into a necromancer spell, you also gain the benefits of any other feat of that spell, up to your current tier.
Once per full recovery, you can cast an arcane ritual by sacrificing a living creature in place of a focus. The ritual still requires components.
You have advantage on skill checks to sense the heartbeat of nearby living creatures.
Once per battle, you can drink a cup of blood as a standard action to fuel your magic, similar to a sorcerer gathering power. Heal hit points equal to your Charisma modifier, twice at champion tier and thrice at epic tier, + level. The next spell you cast this battle deals double damage. If that spell is a summoning spell, the creature you summon has advantage on its first attack, and that attack deals double damage.
When you cast an empowered necromancer spell, the target is vulnerable to it (+2 to your critical threat range).
When you gather power, you can also save against a “save ends” effect.
You now heal your Charisma modifier thrice + twice your level.
If you spend your move action, your quick action, and your standard action casting a full recovery spell that ordinarily only requires a standard action—while screaming grandiloquently, cackling maniacally, or megalomaniacally describing the grandeur of your plans and the futility of your enemies' resistance—the full recovery spell is recharge 18+ after battle instead of full recovery, and you can invent a slight improvement to the spell, especially if it's partly story-oriented, that provides an extra benefit determined by the GM or by you (with GM approval).
You gain temporary hit points equal to 1d6 + your level + Charisma modifier when you use Cackling Soliloquist, double your Charisma modifier at champion tier, and triple it at epic tier.
Your soliloquized spell is now a recharge 16+ after battle instead of 18+.
Once per full recovery, you can hog the spotlight when using Cackling Soliloquist. When you do, you heal using a free recovery and steal the escalation die, keeping it all to yourself. Until the end of your next turn, you are the only creature—PC, NPC, or monster—that can use the escalation die, and you treat the escalation die as if it were an 8. At the end of your next turn, return the escalation die to the table, one point higher than it was when you seized it.
You gain the Cantrips class feature from the wizard class. The talent functions like the wizard's class feature with the following exceptions:
- You can't cast mending.
- Your light cantrip has a sickly flicker or a dark edge. Feel free to call it darklight.
You can take a wizard spell in place of one of your necromancer spells of the same level. You can change this spell for a new one you know whenever you take a full heal-up.
You gain a bonus wizard spell that is at least two levels below your level, in addition to the spells you can cast as a necromancer. You can change this spell for a new one you know whenever you take a full heal-up.
You gain a second bonus wizard spell, but this one can be of your level or lower. You can change this spell for a new one you know whenever you take a full heal-up.
When you have relationship advantages you're waiting to use during a session, you can interpret them as interactions/public discussions with the spirits of the recent or ancient dead in the area, providing information you require (and possibly, when there's a complication, also providing that information to your enemies or otherwise getting you into some type of trouble).
Séance: Similarly, once per full recovery while you're not in battle, you can perform a short rite (1–2 minutes) to call upon a spirit of the dead that's related to a random relationship other than a necromantic relationship. The spirit will speak to you, relaying information helpfully, or under protest if it's related to a relationship that considers you an enemy or with which you have a negative relationship.
You can't always rely on the dead to speak the truth, or to know what they are talking about. Whenever you use the séance power above, the GM secretly rolls a d20 before the discussion. On a 3+, the spirit knows what it is talking about. On a 1–2, the information is outdated, sabotaged, or just erroneous.
Note that this roll is only used for séances, not for spirits you talk to thanks to relationship advantages mentioned above.
At champion tier you can use séance two times per full recovery. At epic tier you can use it three times per full recovery.
Whenever you take a full heal-up, you can choose whether you'd like to move a single point in a relationship with a positively or negatively aligned relationship to one of the other relationships. Tell a story of what has taken place to cause the shift, unless it's already obvious from the events of the campaign. When you shift this relationship, the new point must match any current relationships, but it can be positive or negative if it's currently the only point you have with that relationship.
You gain a bonus cleric spell that is at least two levels below your level, in addition to the spells you can cast as a necromancer. You can change this spell for a new one you know whenever you take a full heal-up. You can also substitute references to Wisdom with references to Intelligence in the spell.
You gain the lowest-tier feat, if any, associated with your bonus cleric spell.
As a quick action, you can drop a nearby enemy that has 5 hp or fewer down to 0 hp. When you drop an enemy using Deathknell, you heal 1d6 hit points.
You can use Deathknell to drop a mook, but only if it's the last mook in its mob and the mob has 5 hp or fewer left.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Drop an enemy with 10 hp or fewer. Heal 1d10 hit points. |
| 5th | Drop an enemy with 15 hp or fewer. Heal 2d8 hit points. |
| 7th | Drop an enemy with 20 hp or fewer. Heal 4d6 hit points. |
| 9th | Drop an enemy with 25 hp or fewer. Heal 4d8 hit points. |
When you use Deathknell, one of your nearby conscious allies can gain the healing instead of you.
Double the healing gained from Deathknell when you drop an enemy.
You can increase the escalation die by 1 instead of healing when you kill a non-mook enemy with Deathknell.
Special: You cannot choose both this talent and the Redeemer talent.
Undead you summon deal extra damage equal to your level on a hit.
However, if an undead you summoned rolls a natural 1 on an attack, your control slips and it is free to act as it pleases (under GM control). Brainless undead like skeletons and zombies just shuffle off or attack the nearest living creature until destroyed, whereas intelligent undead like wraiths will try to get back at their tormentor. You cannot dismiss undead who have slipped from your control. As a standard action, you can attempt to regain control of your summoned undead with an Intelligence + Level vs. MD attack.
On a critical hit, your summoned undead deal 1d6 extra damage, 2d6 at champion tier, and 3d6 at epic tier.
When you spend a quick action to allow a summoned undead to benefit from the escalation die (as per the Summoning rules), it gains a +2 bonus to its critical threat range that round.
Your non-mook summoned undead deal 3d6 extra damage on normal hits too.
Whenever you spend a recovery to heal, one nearby undead you summoned, or your skeletal minion, heals half of the amount.
You can choose to grant the full amount to the undead and heal half the amount yourself.
When you heal your summoned undead with this talent, the target also gains a +2 bonus to attacks and defenses until the end of your next turn.
All other undead under your control, except the primary target, heal a quarter of the amount.
You gain one negative relationship point.
You gain an extra necromancer spell at the highest spell level you can normally cast (as shown under spells known on the necromancer level progression chart). For example, you would gain an extra 3rd level spell if you're 4th level, or an extra 5th level spell if you're 5th level.
You gain an additional negative relationship point in the relationship established with It's Complicated. You gain another extra necromancer spell, but it must be at least two levels lower than your level.
Undead you summon release radiant energy bursts as they drop to 0 hp, dealing a small amount of damage to each enemy engaged with them.
Mooks you summon deal radiant damage equal to your Charisma modifier, double your Charisma modifier at champion tier, and triple it at epic tier.
Non-mooks you summon deal radiant damage equal to your Charisma modifier x 1d4, 1d8 at champion tier, and 2d6 at epic tier.
In story terms, you're not likely to have a positive relationship with any necromantic deities if you take the Redeemer talent.
The first time each battle an undead creature you have summoned attacks, it gains an attack bonus equal to your Charisma modifier.
When one of your summoned undead creatures drops to 0 hp, instead of having it deal radiant damage to engaged enemies, you can heal hit points equal to that damage instead.
You can memorize a single spell that summons undead twice.
You have a skeleton minion the same level as you that acts as a servant, fights alongside you in battle, and is replaced by a new skeletal minion when it inevitably collapses or is destroyed. It is not a summoned create; summoning rules don't apply.
Your minion acts on your initiative, taking a standard action, a move action, and (if applicable) a quick action. You decide whether it takes its turn before or after you.
The listed attack and damage values are for melee attacks. Your skeletal minion can't heal. When it drops to 0 hp, it's destroyed for that battle. When you take a quick rest, a new (or patched up) skeletal minion will take its place.
| Normal 1st level | Attack +6 vs. AC--1d6 damage | AC PD | 17 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | MD HP | 11 14 |
| Normal 2nd level | Attack +7 vs. AC--1d8 damage | AC PD | 18 16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | MD HP | 12 18 |
| Normal 3th level | Attack +9 vs. AC--1d12 damage | AC PD | 19 17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | MD HP | 13 22 |
| Normal 4th level | Attack +10 vs. AC--2d6 damage | AC PD | 21 19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | MD HP | 15 27 |
| Normal 5th level | Attack +11 vs. AC--2d8 damage | AC PD | 22 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | MD HP | 16 36 |
| Normal 6th level | Attack +13 vs. AC--3d6 damage | AC PD | 23 21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | MD HP | 17 45 |
| Normal 7th level | Attack +14 vs. AC--3d8 damage | AC PD | 25 23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | MD HP | 19 54 |
| Normal 8th level | Attack +15 vs. AC--4d6 damage | AC PD | 26 24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | MD HP | 20 72 |
| Normal 9th level | Attack +17 vs. AC--4d8 damage | AC PD | 27 25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | MD HP | 21 90 |
| Normal 10th level | Attack +18 vs. AC--5d6 damage | AC PD | 28 26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | MD HP | 22 108 |
Like animal companion feats, skeletal minion feats don't build on each other. You don't have to take them in a particular order, as long as you qualify for the tier.
Your skeletal minion now adds the escalation die to its attack rolls.
When an enemy attempts to disengage from the skeletal minion, it takes a penalty to the check equal to the escalation die.
As a quick action, you can set your skeletal minion ablaze, or extinguish the blaze. While it's flaming, your skeleton minion's damage dice increase by one size, and it deals fire damage with its melee attacks, but it takes damage equal to your level each time its natural attack roll is odd.
Add a damage die of the same size to your skeletal minion's damage rolls (for example, 3d6 becomes 4d6).
Add double your Charisma modifier to your skeletal minion's hit points. At epic tier, add triple it.
Add a damage die of the same size to your skeletal minion's damage rolls (for example, 4d6 becomes 5d6, and this is cumulative with the champion feat).
Your skeletal minion gains a +2 bonus to all defenses.
The first time an enemy rolls a save against an effect from your necromancer spells, increase the save DC by your Charisma modifier. This includes saves against ongoing damage. Note that a natural roll of 18+ always saves.
When an enemy fails a save against one of your spells, heal hit points equal to the spell level.
Once per scene, you gain advantage on a Charisma-based skill check, as you enthrall the target with your otherworldly presence.
Against mooks and normal-strength enemies, you always increase the save DC, not just the first.
In some ways, you're dead already. You don't need to eat or sleep or breathe. You can't drown in normal water/liquid, though magical gas will still affect you.
When a spell or effect targets or applies to undead, you can decide whether you want to count as undead for that specific effect. (For example, you could count as undead to take advantage of a target's vulnerability created by the ripping claws attack of a starving ghoul mook you summoned via summon undead.)
The first time you die each level, roll a normal save, adding your Charisma modifier. If you succeed, you heal using a free recovery instead of dying. If you were dying because of last gasp saves, consider yourself saved from the last gasp problem also.
You gain resist poison 16+ and resist necrotic 16+.
The spells zombie form, ghoul form, ghost form, and vampiric form all function as recharge 16+ after battle spells for you, though you still memorize them as full recovery spells.
No undead creature that is not under the direct command of a necromantic relationship can attack you unless you attack it or cast a spell against it first.
You can wield one-handed martial melee weapons and wear shields and heavy armor without an attack penalty. Increase your base AC in heavy armor to 13.
You gain a 3-point skill put toward knightly virtues, such as heraldry, falconry, jousting, or courtly love.
Special: If you are a hybrid necromancer, you now count as a “skillful warrior” and no longer reduce your WEAPON die from the necromancer side. However, you lose one necromancer spell slot of the highest level you can cast.
When wielding a shield, you can cast ranged necromancer spells without provoking opportunity attacks.
If you hit with your next melee attack after you cast a necromancer spell, you deal additional necrotic damage equal to the spell level. Only count the highest level spell, multiple spells do not stack.
You gain a +1 bonus to hit with necromancer spells against enemies you are engaged with.
Increase your base PD to 11 and your base hit points to 7 + Con.
Once per full recovery per Dexterity modifier (minimum 1), you can perform a bizarre freak show stunt with your body. Bend it in unnatural ways, pierce it, cough up bugs, maybe even detach and reattach a limb. If you stare into the disgusted faces of your fellow players, you are doing it right. This does not require a skill check, unless the GM decides to require one, such as for a particularly artistic execution.
While staggered, increase your recovery dice to d8s.
You can expend one use of your stunt as an interrupt action to reduce the damage you take from a physical attack to half.
Gain three extra full recovery uses of your stunt.
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: You transform into a small, winged, bat-like creature with glowing red eyes. In bat form, you can fly, locate objects via echolocation, hunt insects, and sleep upside down, but you can’t really fight. Your small size and erratic movement makes you harder to hit (+2 AC), but if you take any damage, you revert back to your normal form. Otherwise, you can stay in bat form for up to a full full recovery, or change back as a standard action any time. You cannot cast spells in bat form.
You can transform one ally per spell level into a bat.
Ranged Spell
Once per battle
Attack Target: One random nearby creature other than the healing target
Healing Target: One nearby ally
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. MD (make one attack only against the attack target)
Hit vs. an enemy: 2d6 + Intelligence necrotic damage, and the healing target can heal using a recovery.
Hit vs. an ally: 5 necrotic damage, and the healing target can heal using a recovery.
Miss: The spell is not expended.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 3rd | 5d6 damage vs. enemy, 10 damage vs. ally. |
| 5th | 5d10 damage vs. enemy, 15 damage vs. ally. |
| 7th | 7d10 damage vs. enemy, 20 damage vs. ally. |
| 9th | 10d12 damage vs. enemy, 30 damage vs. ally. |
You can now cast this spell twice per battle.
Staggered allies can no longer be an attack target of the spell.
On a miss, the spell now deals half damage to the target, but there is still no effect on the healing target.
Ranged Spell
At-Will
Target: The nearby enemy with the fewest hit points (you choose if there's a tie; you also don't have to be able to see that enemy)
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. MD
Hit: 1d10 + Intelligence necrotic damage.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 3rd | 4d6 damage. |
| 5th | 6d6 damage. |
| 7th | 6d10 damage. |
| 9th | 8d10 damage. |
You can now choose whether or not you want to ignore mooks as targets when you cast the spell.
Misses now deal damage equal to your level.
While the escalation die is 4+,you can now target two nearby enemies with the fewest hit points with this spell.
Close-quarters Spell
At-will
Target: One enemy you are engaged with
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 1d8 + Intelligence cold damage, and the target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
Miss: Damage equal to your level
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 3rd | 3d8 damage |
| 5th | 5d8 damage |
| 7th | 7d8 damage |
| 9th | 10d8 damage |
On a natural even hit, the target is dazed instead (-4 to attack) taking a -2 penalty.
Deal 15 damage to all other enemies you are engaged with.
Ranged Spell
Once per battle
Target: One nearby undead creature with 64 hp or fewer
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. MD
Hit: The target is confused (hard save ends, 16+).
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Target with 96 hp or fewer. |
| 5th | Target with 160 hp or fewer. |
| 7th | Target with 266 hp or fewer. |
| 9th | Target with 460 hp or fewer. |
A miss doesn't expend the spell.
If you wish, the target doesn't make any attacks while confused. Instead it becomes compliant, answers short questions if possible, and follows other suggestions that don't lead directly to damaging itself or other creatures. Basically, while confused it becomes a slightly puzzled friend, which may wonder why your other friends are hurting it while it's trying to be helpful.
Epic Feat
The target now adds the escalation die to its attacks while confused by this spell.
Ranged Spell
At-Will
Target: One nearby creature
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 1d4 + Intelligence modifier ongoing necrotic damage.
Special: Instead of taking the ongoing damage at the end of its turn, the target can use its standard action to strike out at the skeletal limbs or spectral arms that are flailing at it. When it does, the ongoing damage ends and you can't use death's gauntlet again until the end of your next turn.
Miss: Damage equal to your level.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 3rd | 2d8 damage. |
| 5th | 4d6 damage. |
| 7th | 6d6 damage. |
| 9th | 7d10 damage. |
When a target uses a standard action to end death's gauntlet ongoing damage, it takes necrotic damage equal to your level.
When you roll a natural even hit against a target with this spell, the ongoing necrotic damage has a hard save (16+).
The spell can also target MD instead of PD.
Close-quarters Spell
Recharge 17+
Effect: Touch a corpse of a creature to receive a vision of how it died. You can use this spell on other objects, too, to receive a vision of its connection to death, if any, for example a murder weapon.
The spell is now Recharge 13+.
Ranged Spell
Anti-Cyclic (cast once per battle OR at-will when the escalation die is odd)
Target: One nearby creature
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 1d4 + Intelligence necrotic damage, and you heal hit points equal to half the damage dealt.
Miss: Deal damage and heal hit points equal to your level.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 3rd | 3d4 damage |
| 5th | 5d4 damage |
| 7th | 7d4 damage |
| 9th | 9d4 damage |
You can grant any healing that would go above your maximum hit points to a nearby ally instead.
Increase the damage dice to d6s.
Increase the damage dice to d8s.
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: For the next 1d6 hours, you have a heightened awareness of the presence of death around you. You have advantage on skill checks to sense the presence of undead creatures and lingering spirits of the deceased. You also sense nearby dangers that have killed someone in the past, such as the deadly traps that protect an ancient tomb.
You can cast the spell on a nearby ally.
Close-quarters Spell
Recharge 11+
Quick Action
Effect: Create a floating hand of spectral matter that lasts until the end of the battle. The hand can engage a nearby enemy when you create it, and you can move it to a different enemy as a quick action. Through the hand, you can target this enemy with any of your spells, regardless of the spell’s normal range. The spell does not provoke opportunity attacks. The hand has your defenses, and hit points equal to twice the spell level. It ignores any damage except force and radiant damage.
The hand can now engage far away enemies.
Spells cast through the hand deal extra damage equal to the Spectral Hand’s spell level.
You can move the hand as a free action on your turn.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: You summon a mob of 1d3 + 1 crumbling skeleton mooks or 1d3 + 1 bone archers, as per the summoning rules. These skeletons fight for you until the end of the battle or until they drop to 0 hp, whichever comes first.
As you cast the spell at higher levels, the mooks you summon vary, as shown below. The stats for each mob of mooks you can summon are also shown below.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 3rd | 1d3 + 1 putrid zombie mooks or 1d3 + 1 zombombies |
| 5th | 1d3 + 1 starving ghoul mooks or 1d3 + 1 skeletal mages |
| 7th | 1d3 + 1 masterless vampire spawn mooks or 1d3 + 1 giant skeletons |
| 9th | 1d3 + 1 Blackamber skeletal warrior mooks or 1d3 + 1 minor liches |
You now summon 1d4 + 1 mooks when you cast this spell instead of 1d3 + 1.
If one or more mooks summoned by the spell survive the battle, you can keep one mook with you until the next battle. Or until someone in the party or the world gets sick of it and slays the thing.
| Normal 1st level | Initiative: +6; Vulnerability: radiant; Sword +6 vs. AC — 3 damage | AC PD | 16 14 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Resist weapons 16+: When a weapon attack targets this creature, the attacker must roll a natural 16+ on the attack roll or it only deals half damage. | MD HP | 10 6 |
| Normal 1st level | Initiative: +6; Vulnerability: radiant; (Ranged) Skeletal Bow +6 vs. AC — 3 damage | AC PD | 13 14 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Resist weapons 15+: When a weapon attack targets this creature, the attacker must roll a natural 15+ on the attack roll or it only deals half damage. | MD HP | 10 5 |
For each additional level tier, add this bonus to the stats found in the table below.
| Level | Attack | Damage | AC | PD | MD | HP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +3 |
| 5th | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +4 |
| 7th | +2 | +7 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +6 |
| 9th | +3 | +8 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +9 |
| Normal 3rd level | Initiative: +2; Vulnerability: radiant; Rotting fist +7 vs. AC— 5 damage | AC PD | 18 16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Natural 16+: Both the zombie and its target take 1d6 damage! | MD HP | 12 16 |
| Headshot: A critical hit against a putrid zombie deals triple damage instead of the normal double damage for a crit. |
| Normal 3rd level | Initiative: +2; Vulnerability: radiant; Putrid Claw +7 vs. PD— (When the zombombie is killed, against all enemies engaged with it) 2d10 poison damage | AC PD | 13 14 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Miss: Half damage; Always: 1d10 poison damage to each ally engaged with at least one target | MD HP | 10 12 |
| Headshot: A critical hit against a putrid zombie deals triple damage instead of the normal double damage for a crit. |
For each additional level tier, add this bonus to the stats found in the table below. For Explosion damage, replace with the values given.
| Level | Attack | Damage | Explosion Damage | AC | PD | MD | HP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | +3 | +3 | 3d10/2d6 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +4 |
| 7th | +2 | +6 | 4d10/2d10 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +6 |
| 9th | +3 | +7 | 6d10/3d10 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +8 |
| Normal 5th level | Initiative: +8; Vulnerability: radiant; Ripping claws +10 vs. AC — 7 damage | AC PD | 20 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Natural 16+ The target is vulnerable (attacks vs. it have crit range expanded by 2) to attacks by undead until the end of the ghoul's next turn. | MD HP | 14 18 |
| Pound of flesh: The starving ghoul's ripping claws attack deals +5 damage against vulnerable targets. |
When you summon a skeletal mage, roll on the table below:
| d4 | Element |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fire |
| 2 | Cold |
| 3 | Lightning |
| 4 | Poison |
| Normal 5th level | Initiative: +9; Vulnerability: radiant; (Ranged) Bone Magic +9 vs. PD — 10 (random element) damage, +3 for each other nearby skeletal mage | AC PD | 17 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Resist (random element) 13+: When a (random element) attack targets this creature, the attacker must roll a natural 13+ on the attack roll or it only deals half damage. | MD HP | 19 20 |
For each additional level tier, add this bonus to the stats found in the table below.
| Level | Attack | Damage | AC | PD | MD | HP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7th | +2 | +5 and +2/mage | +2 | +2 | +2 | +12 |
| 9th | +3 | +7 and +3/mage | +3 | +3 | +3 | +18 |
| Normal 7th level | Initiative: +11; Vulnerability: radiant; Claw +11 vs. AC— 14 damage | AC PD | 22 19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Natural even hit: The vampire spawn can make a fangs attack against the target as a free action. | MD HP | 17 24 |
| [Special trigger] Fangs +15 vs. AC— 7 damage, and a humanoid target is weakened (–4 attack and defenses) until the end of the masterless vampire spawn's next turn |
| Normal 7th level | Initiative: +10; Vulnerability: radiant; Giant Femur Club +9 vs. AC— 25 damage | AC PD | 21 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Resist 15+: When a weapon attack targets this creature, the attacker must roll a natural 15+ on the attack roll or it only deals half damage. | MD HP | 16 33 |
| Level | Attack | Damage | AC | PD | MD | HP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9th | +3 | +15 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +22 |
| Normal 9th level | Initiative: +15; Vulnerability: radiant; Shortsword +15 vs. AC **—**28 damage | AC PD | 26 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Natural 16+: Each Blackamber skeletal warrior in the battle moves up 1d4 points in initiative order. | MD HP | 22 25 |
| Natural even miss: 10 damage. R: Javelin +13 vs. AC — 24 damage | |||
| Press advantage: The warrior deals +1d10 damage with its attacks against enemies that have a lower initiative than it. | |||
| Resist weapons 16+: When a weapon attack targets this creature, the attacker must roll a natural 16+ on the attack roll or it only deals half damage. |
| Normal 9th level | Initiative: +15; Vulnerability: radiant; (Ranged) finger of Death +15 vs. PD **—**30 necrotic damage. If the target has 30 or less hit points after the hit, it dies. | AC PD | 22 17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Resist necrotic 15+: When a necrotic attack targets this creature, the attacker must roll a natural 16+ on the attack roll or it only deals half damage. | MD HP | 21 30 |
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: One nearby creature with 50 hp or fewer
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. MD
Hit: The target uses all its actions during its turn to move away from the battle, disengaging from enemies to do so (hard save ends, 16+). If it fails to disengage with all of its actions, it won't take opportunity attacks by moving. The effect also ends when you or one of your allies attacks the target.
Miss: 1d10 + Intelligence psychic damage.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Target with 70 hp or fewer, 4d6 damage on a miss. |
| 5th | Target with 100 hp or fewer, 6d6 damage on a miss. |
| 7th | Target with 180 hp or fewer, 6d10 damage on a miss. |
| 9th | Target with 300 hp or fewer, 8d10 damage on a miss. |
When you miss with this spell, you regain it after the battle.
Increase the hit point threshold of targets by 50 hp.
The target also takes the miss damage each time it fails a save against the effect.
Close-quarters Spell
At-will
Target: Two nearby melee weapons
Effect: The next time the wielder of the weapon hits with an attack, they can choose to pay 2 hit points. If they do, the attack deals 2d6 extra damage.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 3rd | 3 hit points; 2d10 extra damage |
| 5th | 5 hit points; 3d10 extra damage |
| 7th | 8 hit points; 4d12 extra damage |
| 9th | 13 hit points; 1d8 x 10 extra damage |
The wielder of the weapon can choose to pay the hit points before making the attack. If they do, they gain a +1 bonus to the attack.
Melee attack
At-will
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC
Hit: WEAPON + Strength + Intelligence poison damage
Natural 17+: 3 ongoing poison damage
Miss: Your level in damage
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 3rd | 5 ongoing poison damage |
| 5th | 10 ongoing poison damage |
| 7th | 15 ongoing poison damage |
| 9th | 25 ongoing poison damage |
Deal extra damage equal to your Intelligence modifier on a miss.
Deal ongoing damage on a natural 15+.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: One nearby enemy
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 4d6 + Intelligence necrotic damage.
First Miss: Half damage, and make the attack again against an enemy you haven't already targeted with unholy blast this turn.
Second Miss: Half damage, or full damage if the escalation die is 1+ and you choose to decrease it by 1.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 3rd | 4d10 damage. |
| 5th | 7d10 damage. |
| 7th | 10d10 damage. |
| 9th | 2d8 x 10 damage. |
The spell can now target far away enemies.
The spell's damage dice increase to d12s.
The spell now targets two nearby enemies, but you can't attack the same target twice as you work through the misses and hits.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Special: You can only cast this spell outside of battle; it requires 2d4 rounds to cast.
Target: You or one willing nearby ally
Effect: The target gains 30 temporary hit points that last until the end of the next battle. Until the end of the next battle, the target takes a –5 penalty to Charisma and Dexterity skill checks (no penalty to attacks), to disengage checks, and to initiative rolls.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 3rd | 50 temporary hit points. |
| 5th | 80 temporary hit points. |
| 7th | 130 temporary hit points. |
| 9th | 210 temporary hit points. |
Melee attack
At-will
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC
Hit: WEAPON + Intelligence necrotic damage. Until the start of your next turn, the target takes 1d8 extra damage from your allies’ attacks.
Miss: Your level in damage
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | 2d8 extra damage |
| 7th | 3d8 extra damage |
| 9th | 4d8 extra damage |
Increase the extra damage to d10s.
Close-quarters Spell
Once per battle
Quick Action
Effect: One nearby willing ally can spend a recovery and make a recovery roll, except you gain the healing. If no nearby ally is willing, deal 1 point of damage to all nearby creatures and you heal hit points equal to your level.
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: Until the end of the battle, you gain a +1 bonus to AC. Once per round, when you reduce a non-mook enemy below zero hit points, or the last of a group of mooks, increase the armor bonus by +1. The maximum bonus from this spell is +4.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 7th | The maximum bonus is now +5. |
You can increase the armor bonus when an ally reduces a non-mook enemy below zero hit points, but still only once per round.
Also gain the bonus to PD.
Close-quarters Spell
Once per battle
Chain Spell
Target: One nearby creature
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 3d8 + Intelligence necrotic damage
Miss: Necrotic damage equal to your level
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | 5d8 damage |
| 7th | 7d8 damage |
| 9th | 10d8 damage |
Chain spell: Each time your natural attack roll is even, you can attack a different target with the spell.
If you are engaged with the first target of the spell, gain a +2 bonus to the attack roll against it.
Deal 1d8 extra damage on the first attack (8th level: 2d8).
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Quick Action
Target: One nearby enemy
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: Melee attacks against the target deal 1d12 extra damage, and the target cannot resist damage from melee attacks (hard save 16+ ends).
Miss: The next melee attack against the target before the end of your next turn deals 1d12 extra damage.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | 2d12 extra damage |
| 7th | 3d12 extra damage |
| 9th | 4d12 extra damage |
The spell is now Recharge 17+ after battle.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Special: You can't cast this spell unless the escalation die is 3+.
Target: Each nearby creature (allies and enemies)
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit vs. an enemy: 5d12 + Intelligence necrotic damage.
Hit vs. an ally: 1d6 necrotic damage.
Miss vs. an enemy: Half damage.
Miss vs. an ally: You take half the damage the ally would have taken on a hit.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | 8d12 damage to an enemy, 2d6 damage to an ally. |
| 7th | 2d8 x 10 damage to an enemy, 3d8 damage to an ally. |
| 9th | 4d6 x 10 damage to an enemy, 3d10 damage to an ally. |
Close-quarters Spell
Once per battle
Interrupt Action
Trigger: You are reduced below zero hit points by an attack.
Target: Your attacker
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. MD
Hit: Psychic damage equal to the damage of the attack that brought you below zero hit points, or 5 times the spell level (whichever is higher).
Natural even hit: The target is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Natural odd hit: Deal half damage to 1d3 nearby enemies.
Miss: Half damage
On an even hit, the target is weakened instead. On an odd hit, target 1d4 nearby enemies.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: You or one willing nearby ally
Effect: Until the end of the battle, the target gains a +4 melee attack bonus. In addition, enemies engaged with the target are vulnerable to its melee attacks.
The target also only gains half the normal amount from healing effects, no matter the source.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | The target now also gains a +4 bonus to initiative, Dexterity checks, and disengage checks. |
| 7th | Enemies engaged with the target are now vulnerable to all attacks. |
| 9th | The target also gains an advantage from a necromantic relationship. |
Close-quarters Spell
Once per battle
Target: One enemy you are engaged with
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 3d12 + Intelligence necrotic damage.
Natural 19+: The target is stunned until the end of its next turn.
Miss: Half damage
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | 5d12 damage, stun on natural 17+ |
| 7th | 7d12 damage, stun on natural 15+ |
| 9th | 10d12 damage, stun on natural 13+ |
After the stun ends, the target is hampered until the end of its next turn.
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Target: You
Effect: Until the end of the battle, when an enemy engaged with you attacks you with a natural odd attack roll, it takes 6d6 + Intelligence necrotic damage.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | 6d10 damage. |
| 7th | 10d10 damage. |
| 9th | 2d8 x 10 damage. |
Ranged Spell
At-will
Target: One nearby enemy
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 3d8 + Intelligence necrotic damage. If one nearby ally is willing to sacrifice 1d8 hit points, deal extra damage equal to that amount.
Miss: Damage equal to your level
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | 5d8 damage; sacrifice 2d8 |
| 7th | 7d8 damage; sacrifice 3d8 |
| 9th | 10d8 damage; sacrifice 4d8 |
Deal extra damage equal to twice the amount of sacrificed hit points.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: One nearby enemy with 96 hp or fewer
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 4d12 + Intelligence necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends)
Miss: Half damage.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | 7d12 damage. |
| 7th | 2d6 x 10 damage. |
| 9th | 2d10 x 10 damage. |
The spell can now target an enemy with any number of hit points while the escalation die is 3+.
The save against weakened is now a hard save (16+).
On a miss, the target is also dazed (save ends).
Ranged attack
Once per battle
Target: One nearby enemy
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: Starting with you, you and each nearby ally can choose to pay any number of hit points into the spell. For every 5 hit points paid in total, deal 1d20 damage to the enemy target, up to a maximum of 4d20.
Miss: As a hit, but deal 1d8 damage for each hit point paid (up to 4d8).
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | Up to 6d20 / 6d8 damage |
| 7th | Up to 9d20 / 9d8 damage |
| 9th | Up to 15d20 / 15d8 damage |
You can cast this spell as an interrupt when an enemy is making an attack against you. It resolves before the attack.
Ranged Spell
Variable
Special: You can use this spell 1d3 times each full recovery (roll during a full heal-up when you take it). Each time you use the spell, you must wait 1d6 hours before casting it again.
Target: One corpse you are touching that has been dead less than a full recovery.
Note that creatures that were undead for a longer period before they were killed are not legal targets.
Effect: You can ask the corpse a number of yes/no questions that the leftover fragments of personality/spirit within the corpse will attempt to answer truthfully using the information it had when it died. The magic uses the caster's knowledge of language so no translation is needed. The first question is free. The second question requires a DC 15 necromancy skill check using Intelligence if the corpse is "friendly," and Charisma if the corpse is not. Increase the DC by +5 for each subsequent question after the second. If you're using this spell during battle, each question and answer requires a round.
Note: Just as with the séance ability of the Death Priest talent, there's always a 10% chance that the spirit summoned is going to lie to you for reasons best known to it and to the GM. The GM rolls a d20 secretly before the corpse provides any answers; a 3+ means the spirit will speak truly, but a 1 or a 2 means it will lie while appearing to be aiming for the truth.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | You can now cast this spell 1d4 times per full recovery, targeting corpses or even just heads that have been dead up to a week. |
| 7th | Questions can now be phrased to receive three-word answers, targeting corpses/heads that have been dead up to a month. |
| 9th | Questions can now be phrased to receive one to two sentence answers, targeting corpses/heads or skeletal remains of almost any age. |
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: You summon one flesh golem, as per the summoning rules. The golem fights for you until the end of the battle, or until it drops to 0 hp, whichever comes first. As you cast the spell at higher levels, you can summon higher level versions.
| Normal 3rd level | Initiative +0; Vulnerability: radiant; Meaty Hook +9 vs. AC — 10 damage. If the golem is staggered, it heals 1d10 hp. | AC PD | 18 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Troop Undead | Energy magnet: When a ranged or close-quarter attack that causes cold, fire, force, lightning, or necrotic damage targets you or a nearby ally, the flesh golem has a 50% chance of becoming the main target instead. | MD HP | 14 28 |
Whenever the golem redirects an energy attack to itself, it deals half of the redirected attack’s damage to all enemies it is engaged with.
For each additional level tier, add this bonus to the stats found in the table below.
| Level | Attack | Damage | Healing | AC | PD | MD | HP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | +3 | +5 | +1d10 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +16 |
| 7th | +2 | +10 | +1d10 | +3 | +3 | +2 | +28 |
| 9th | +3 | +20 | +1d10 | +2 | +2 | +3 | +36 |
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: You summon a ghoul, as per the summoning rules. The summoned ghoul fights for you until the end of the battle or until it drops to 0 hp, whichever comes first.
As you cast the spell at higher levels, the creature you summon varies, as shown below. The stats for each creature are shown below.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | You can now summon a wight. |
| 7th | You can now summon a barrow wight. |
| 9th | You can now summon a greater wight. |
| Normal 3rd level | Initiative: +8; Vulnerability: radiant; Claws and bite +8 vs. AC — 8 damage | AC PD | 18 16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spoiler Undead | Natural even hit: The target is vulnerable (attacks vs. it have crit range expanded by 2) to attacks by undead until the end of the ghoul's next turn. | MD HP | 12 20 |
| Pound of flesh: The ghoul's claws and bite attack deals +4 damage against vulnerable targets. | |||
| Infected bite: Any creature that is slain by a ghoul and not consumed will rise as a ghoul the next night. |
| Normal 5th level | Initiative: +8; Vulnerability: radiant; Sword +10 vs. AC— 14 damage | AC PD | 22 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spoiler Undead | Natural even hit or miss: Unless the wight is staggered, the attack also deals 8 ongoing necrotic damage. | MD HP | 14 32 |
| Normal 7th level | Initiative: +10; Vulnerability: radiant; Sword +12 vs. AC— 21 damage | AC PD | 24 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spoiler Undead | Natural even hit or miss: Unless the barrow wight is staggered, the attack also deals 13 ongoing necrotic damage. | MD HP | 16 52 |
| Normal 9th level | Initiative: +12; Vulnerability: radiant; Attack +14 vs AC— 40 damage | AC PD | 26 22 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spoiler Undead | Natural even hit or miss: Unless the greater wight is staggered, the attack also deals 20 ongoing necrotic damage. | MD HP | 18 90 |
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: One nearby mook (and hence, its mob)
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 4d12 + Intelligence necrotic damage, and each mook in the mob that drops becomes a skeleton mook under your control until the end of the battle.
Miss: Half damage, and each mook in the mob that drops becomes a skeleton mook under your control until the end of the battle.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | 7d12 damage. |
| 7th | 2d6 x 10 damage. |
| 9th | 2d10 x 10 damage. |
Special: The stats for the mooks created by each level of the bones beneath appear below. The level or physical nature of the mooks is irrelevant; the magic of the spell turns whatever creatures it's forced to work with into skeletal mook allies with the stats below.
The new mooks take their turn immediately after your turn.
This isn't a summoning spell, so the mooks created by this spell don't count as summoned mooks.
| Normal 3rd level | Initiative: +8; Vulnerability: radiant; Sword or axe or whatever +8 vs. AC — 5 damage | AC PD | 18 16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Resist weapons 16+: When a weapon attack targets this creature, the attacker must roll a natural 16+ on the attack roll or it only deals half damage. | MD HP | 12 11 |
| Normal 5th level | Initiative: +10; Vulnerability: radiant; Sword or axe or whatever +10 vs. AC — 8 damage | AC PD | 20 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Resist weapons 16+: When a weapon attack targets this creature, the attacker must roll a natural 16+ on the attack roll or it only deals half damage. | MD HP | 14 18 |
| Normal 7th level | Initiative: +12; Vulnerability: radiant; Sword or axe or whatever +12 vs. AC — 16 damage | AC PD | 22 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Resist weapons 16+: When a weapon attack targets this creature, the attacker must roll a natural 16+ on the attack roll or it only deals half damage. | MD HP | 16 27 |
| Normal 9th level | Initiative: +14; Vulnerability: radiant; Sword or axe or whatever +14 vs. AC — 28 damage | AC PD | 24 22 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mook Undead | Resist weapons 16+: When a weapon attack targets this creature, the attacker must roll a natural 16+ on the attack roll or it only deals half damage. | MD HP | 18 44 |
Close-quarters Spell
Recharge 13+ after the scene
Target: A nearby person
Effect: You receive a short vision of the strongest feelings that the target has towards a deceased person. The emotions can range the whole gamut from regret, to anger, to longing and love.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: Choose a nearby enemy. It takes 2d6 necrotic damage for each point on the escalation die. (For example, if the escalation die is 2 when you cast the spell, you'll deal 4d6 necrotic damage to the target.)
Until the end of the battle, as a free action at the start of each of your turns, repeat the effect above, choosing a target and dealing damage based on the escalation die value.
The effect ends at the end of the battle, when you drop to 0 hp, or when your wave of decay damage drops an enemy to 0 hit points!
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5th | 2d12 damage. |
| 7th | 3d12 damage. |
| 9th | 5d12 damage. |
The spell no longer ends when you drop to 0 hit points or below; instead it ends when you fail a death save.
The spell no longer ends when you use it to drop an enemy to 0 hit points; it now ends when it drops a second enemy to 0 hit points.
Close-quarters Spell
Recharge 17+ after battle
Quick Action
Effect: Until the end of your next turn, enemies must succeed at a hard save (16+) to engage or attack you. If they fail, they take psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier, twice at champion tier, and thrice at epic tier, they are struck by fear (-4 to attack, can’t use the escalation die) and can’t engage you until the end of your next turn. Enemies who successfully saved against the effect are immune to the spell until the end of the battle.
After the end of your next turn, the spell effect continues, but the save is now a normal save (11+). The following turn, it is an easy save (6+), after which the spell ends.
The spell is now Recharge 13+.
You can cast this spell as a free action when you roll initiative.
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: You create a barrier of piled-up bones across the battlefield that lasts until the end of the battle. The barrier is tall enough to reach a 10-foot-high ceiling and block a 20-foot-wide corridor. It takes a move action and a normal difficulty skill check to climb to the top of the barrier. It is possible to shoot through the barrier with disadvantage on the attack roll.
Enemies can deal 10 times the spell level in damage to the barrier to create a hole that is big enough for a normal-sized creature to squeeze through.
You can use your own spells through the barrier without disadvantage.
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery; Interrupt action
Trigger: A nearby non-mook creature, or the last of a group of mooks, dies
Target: The 1d3 enemies closest to the killed creature. You can cast this spell recklessly to target 1d6 enemies instead.
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 3d6 fire damage, multiplied by the level of the killed creature
Miss: Half damage
Reckless miss: Your allies engaged with the missed target take 1d6 fire damage per level of the killed creature.
When casting this spell recklessly, target a number of creatures equal to the d6 roll or the escalation die, whichever is higher.
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Quick Action
Target: A nearby ally
Effect: Until the end of the battle, the target deals 2d6 extra necrotic damage on a hit with a melee attack. Both you and the target heal hit points equal to half the extra damage.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 7th | 2d10 extra damage |
| 9th | 4d8 extra damage |
The spell is now Recharge 17+ after battle.
Melee attack
Once per battle
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. AC
Hit: WEAPON + Strength + Intelligence necrotic damage. Your attack rolls against the target have advantage (save ends).
Miss: Your level in damage
On a miss, the spell is not expended.
The target is also vulnerable to your attacks (save ends both).
Ranged Spell
Once per battle
Quick Action to cast
Effect: Choose a creature you can see in the battle. If that creature is the next creature to drop to 0 hp, you heal using a recovery.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 7th | When the creature drops, one of your nearby allies can heal using a recovery instead of you. |
| 9th | If the chosen creature is not the next creature in the battle to drop to 0 hp, you still gain 30 temporary hit points. |
The recovery is now free.
If your choice was wrong, you don't expend the spell and can cast it later this battle. A second failed choice expends the spell.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: One nearby enemy
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 30 ongoing necrotic damage (hard save ends, 16+), and each time the target fails the save, the ongoing necrotic damage increases by 15
Miss: 15 ongoing necrotic damage (hard save ends, 16+).
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 7th | 50 ongoing damage on a hit, with fail increments/miss damage of 25. |
| 9th | 80 ongoing damage on a hit, with fail increments/miss damage of 40. |
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Quick Action
Target: You or a nearby ally
Effect: The target spends a recovery and gains temporary hit points equal to the recovery roll. Until the end of the battle, whenever the target is hit by an attack, protective spirits deal necrotic damage equal to the spell level to the attacker.
The target makes a save (11+). On a success, the recovery is free.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: You summon a wraith, as per the summoning rules. This wraith fights for you until the end of the battle or until it drops to 0 hp, whichever comes first.
As you cast the spell at higher levels, you summon multiple wraiths. Stats for the two versions of the wraith summoned by the spell are listed below.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 7th | You can now summon two wraiths. |
| 9th | You can now summon two greater wraiths. |
When you cast summon wraith while the escalation die is 3+, you summon three wraiths or greater wraiths instead of two.
| Normal 5th level | Initiative: +10; Vulnerability: radiant; Ice-cold ghost blade +10 vs. PD— 14 necrotic damage | AC PD | 19 14 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spoiler Undead | C: Spiraling assault +10 vs. PD (1d3 nearby enemies)— 10 necrotic damage, and after the attack the wraith teleports to and engages with one target it hit | MD HP | 17 33 |
| Natural 16+: The target is also weakened until the end of its next turn. | |||
| Limited use: The wraith can use spiraling assault only when the escalation die is even. | |||
| Flight: The wraith hovers and zooms about. | |||
| Ghostly: This creature has resist damage 16+ to all damage (yes, even radiant damage) except force damage, which damages it normally. A wraith can move through solid objects, but it can't end its movement inside them. |
| Normal 7th level | Initiative: +12; Vulnerability: radiant; Ice-cold ghost blade +12 vs. PD— 20 necrotic damage | AC PD | 21 16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spoiler Undead | C: Spiraling assault +10 vs. PD (1d3 nearby enemies)— 15 necrotic damage, and after the attack the wraith teleports to and engages with one target it hit | MD HP | 19 47 |
| Natural 16+: The target is also weakened until the end of its next turn. | |||
| Limited use: The wraith can use spiraling assault only when the escalation die is even. | |||
| Flight: The wraith hovers and zooms about. | |||
| Ghostly: This creature has resist damage 16+ to all damage (yes, even radiant damage) except force damage, which damages it normally. A wraith can move through solid objects, but it can't end its movement inside them. |
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Target: One enemy you are engaged with
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: Heal using a free recovery, and deal damage to the target equal to the hit points healed.
Miss: Necrotic damage and healing equal to your level
Gain a +2 bonus to the attack roll if the target is staggered.
Increase your recovery dice to d12s for this spell.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: One or more nearby enemies with 90 hp or fewer, up to a maximum number of targets equal to the escalation die
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. MD
Hit: The target is confused (save ends). Instead of attacking an ally, the target attacks itself.
Miss: Necrotic damage equal to your level.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 7th | Targets with 160 hp or fewer. |
| 9th | Targets with 260 hp or fewer. |
The crit range for attacks a confused target makes against itself expands by 4.
Increase the hit point threshold of targets by 40 hp.
Close-quarters Spell
Once per battle
Target: One nearby enemy
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 6d6 + Intelligence necrotic damage, and you heal hit points equal to half the amount of damage dealt. If the target has 100 hp or less after taking damage, you control the target on its next turn. If you give the target a suicidal command, it can immediately save against the effect.
Miss: Necrotic damage equal to your level
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 9th | 10d8; 150 hp or less |
Gain a +2 bonus to the attack roll if the target is staggered.
Increase your recovery dice to d12s for this spell.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: One enemy
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: Whenever the target takes ongoing damage from any source, you heal hit points equal to the ongoing damage dealt (save ends).
Miss: You regain the spell at the end of the battle.
At the end of its turn, the target has to decide whether it wants to save against ongoing damage effects or this spell. It can’t do both.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: One nearby enemy
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: The target is caught in a bone prison. It cannot engage enemies outside of the prison, but ranged and close-quarters attacks are still possible. The prison is destroyed if 20 times the spell’s level in damage is dealt to it.
Miss: You create the prison but fail to catch the enemy with it.
You can target 1d3 enemies in a group with this spell, but that also targets all creatures engaged to them, and the targets can’t be large or bigger.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: 1d3 nearby enemies in a group, and any of your allies engaged with those enemies
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 10d10 + Intelligence necrotic damage.
Natural even hit: As a hit, plus the target is hampered (save ends).
Miss: Half damage.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 9th | 2d8 x 10 damage. |
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Special: When you cast this spell, add one failed death save to the number you failed this battle. For each ally willing to do the same, increase the number of targets by one.
Target: One nearby or far away enemy
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD. For each ally who is currently unconscious and gave up a death save, you gain advantage on one attack roll.
Hit: Necrotic damage equal to half the target’s total hit points (up to 444 damage).
Miss: Necrotic damage equal to a quarter of the target’s total hit points (up to 222 damage).
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 9th | Up to 666 / 333 damage. |
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Quick Action to cast
Effect: You lose 10d8 hit points that can't be prevented in any way. At the start of your next turn, you heal using 3 free recoveries. If you are at 0 hp or below, or even dead, you return to life at 0 hp before healing.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 9th | You lose 10d12 hit points. |
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: You
Effect: Until the end of the battle, the target gains flight and resist damage 16+ against all damage except force damage.
The target also only gains half the normal amount from healing effects, no matter the source.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 9th | While in ghost form, you can move through solid objects, but you can't end your movement inside them. |
You can now target a nearby willing ally with the spell instead of yourself.
You can now target up to two nearby willing allies (including you).
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Target: 1d3 nearby enemies in a group
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. MD
Hit: 8d8 + Intelligence psychic damage. If the target has 200 hp or less after taking damage, it is also confused (save ends).
Miss: Half damage, and no confusion
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 9th | 8d12 damage; confused up to 400 hp |
Deal 3d8 psychic damage to 1d3 other nearby enemies.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: You, any undead you have summoned, and up to 4 nearby allies teleport to a crypt or graveyard that you have visited before. Any living creatures traveling with you must succeed at a save or lose a recovery (if they have any). You can teleport up to one mile per point of Intelligence modifier.
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 9th | You can teleport up to 100 miles per point of Intelligence modifier. |
You can teleport twice as many creatures OR you can teleport living beings without causing them to lose a recovery.
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Target: A random nearby enemy
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD. Gain advantage on the attack roll against staggered enemies.
Hit: 2d8 x 10 necrotic damage
Miss: Half damage
| Higher Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 9th | 3d8 x 10 damage |
If the escalation die is 3+, you can cast this spell as a free action, even when it is not your turn.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: A dead ally
Effect: You or a living, willing ally binds some of their own life force into the body of the deceased target to bring them back to life. This is a strenuous experience that puts a heavy toll on both the giver and the recipient. Both permanently lose a recovery, they roll one less die for recoveries.
The resurrected target randomly chooses an ability score and reduces it by 2, and gains the necromancer Sorta Dead talent as a bonus talent. In their zombie-like state, they retain their own consciousness and free will, but their life is now forever linked to the giver. Whenever the giver takes damage and the resurrected ally is nearby, they can force their ally to take half of that damage.
If the resurrected ally is killed again, they can only be brought back as a mindless zombie.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: You summon one blood golem, as per the summoning rules. The golem fights for you until the end of the battle, or until it drops to 0 hp, whichever comes first. As you cast the spell at higher levels, you can summon higher level versions.
| Normal 7th level | Initiative: +0; Vulnerability: radiant; Scabbed Claws +14 vs. AC— 6d6 damage. Your golem heals hit points equal to the sum of all damage dice that come up even, and you heal hit points equal to the sum of all damage dice that come up odd. | AC PD | 24 24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Troop Undead | Blood-activated: When you summon a blood golem, spend a recovery without healing. | MD HP | 20 70 |
| Golem immunity: The golem can’t be dazed, weakened, confused, made vulnerable, or touched by ongoing damage. |
| Level | Attack | Damage | AC | PD | MD | HP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9th | +3 | +3d6 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +45 |
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Quick Action
Effect: You grow black raven wings that allow you to fly until the end of the battle. The first time you hit an enemy with an attack each turn, that enemy also takes 25 ongoing necrotic damage.
If the enemy is staggered, deal 40 ongoing damage instead and the save is a hard save (16+).
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Special: If you have 50 hit points or less, you can cast Blood Vortex at-will.
Target: One nearby enemy per point of Charisma modifier
Attack: Intelligence + level vs. PD
Hit: 2d8 x 10 + Intelligence necrotic damage
Miss: Half damage
Close-quarters Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: Until the end of the battle, poisonous fumes from the deepest recesses of the Underworld pour onto the battlefield. At the start of their turn, each enemy on the battlefield takes 30 poison damage (save for half). Allies must succeed at an easy save (6+) or take 10 poison damage.
Any creature that is reduced to 0 hp or below by the poison remains conscious, but they are confused (attacking their own allies). If a confused creature takes damage, or if they are healed above zero hit points, the confusion effect ends. Confused creatures take no damage from the poison.
Increase the damage against enemies who fail their save by 5 times the escalation die.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: One nearby enemy with 240 hp or fewer
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. MD
Hit: The target drops to 0 hp and dies.
Miss: You take 4d10 damage and regain finger of death after the battle.
You can now target an enemy with 320 hp or fewer.
Close-quarters Spell
Recharge 17+
No action
Trigger: You succeed at a death save (you can cast this spell while unconscious)
Effect: Immediately spend a recovery to heal. The first necromancer spell you cast after the start of your next turn deals double damage OR summons twice as many creatures.
Heal twice the amount of hit points on a save.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: Ask one nearby ally per point of escalation die if they are willing to support your casting of the spell. For each willing ally, you gain an extra standard action this turn, and you can use one of their spells or powers. If that power is not at-will, it is expended. You can replace any ability score in the power’s description with Intelligence. You only gain the spell or power itself, no other abilities or bonuses that are not part of the description, unless they are required for it to work.
After casting this spell, you take a -1 penalty to all attacks and defenses for each extra action you took (save ends).
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: You summon a dracolich, as per the summoning rules. The creature fights for you until the end of the battle or until it drops to 0 hp, whichever comes first.
| Normal 9th level | Initiative: +14; Vulnerability: radiant; Flight; Bone Claws +14 vs. AC—, 2 attacks— 20 damage damage. | AC PD | 25 22 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caster Undead, Dragon | Natural 5 or less: The Dracolich can use its Blight Breath attack on its next turn. | MD HP | 22 130 |
| Special: Blight Breath +13 vs. PD (1d3 nearby enemies)— 20 necrotic damage, and the target is blighted. Blighted enemies take half of the damage they deal with their next attack. |
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Target: One or more nearby enemies, up to a maximum number of targets equal to the escalation die
Special: After you cast this spell, you drop to 0 hit points and can't use the escalation die any longer this battle. Nothing can prevent this change in hit points.
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. MD
Hit: 3d6 x 10 necrotic damage.
Miss: Half damage.
Ranged Spell
Full Recovery
Effect: Until the end of the battle, or until you drop to –40 hit points, you heal 6d10 + triple your Charisma modifier hit points at the start of each of your turns. In addition, as long as this spell is in effect, you can make the following attack as a free action against each nearby enemy that misses you with an attack with a natural roll of 1–5.
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. MD
Natural Even Hit: The target is confused until the end of its next turn.
Natural Odd Hit: The target is weakened until the end of its next turn.