Dread Necromancer PrC suggestions?

[LordBlades]

I'm about to stat a tier 3 (or less) campaign in which I'm gonna be playing a necropoiltan Dread Necromancer (mainly focused on creating/controlling undead) in all undead party (Dragonfire Adept, Warblade and Beguiler going for Chameleon)

Starting level will be 4, and the campaign is expected to carry on in the low teens or higher and enemies will mainly be Undead, Demons and Dragons.
I'm not sure what exactly to go for PrC-wise after level 8.

Any suggestions?

[InnaBinder]

I always like DN 8/Crusader 2/Jade Phoenix Mage 10, or (with Southern Magician) Ruby Knight Vindicator 10.

[LordBlades]

I always like DN 8/Crusader 2/Jade Phoenix Mage 10, or (with Southern Magician) Ruby Knight Vindicator 10.

Interesting idea, but I was hoping to focus more on the casting aspect, since I'm the only full caster the party will have

[sirpercival]

Random question... what's the DFA doing about not having a Con score?  Seems weird...

[JohnnyMayHymn]

What about binder 1, anima mageX - might be a little late to start binder though

[linklord231]

Dread Necro 8/Dread Witch 5/Tainted Scholar the rest. Fear stack until it gets boring, then shoot out Save or Dies with arbitrarily high DCs until that gets boring.

[LordBlades]

Random question... what's the DFA doing about not having a Con score?  Seems weird...

He uses Cha to determine breath weapon DC. According to MM pag 300 Cha is used for the DC of special attacks based on an ability score a  creature does not have. It's a bit less durable than a standard DFA, but completely Cha focused.

I'm more worried about the Warblade tbh, since he will be very squishy.

Re Tainted Scholar, taint rules aren't used for these game. And even if I could talk the DM into it, I'm afraid it's a bit too strong compared to what the others were doing (I was thinking about it at some point, but it got tossed out alongside Mage of the Arcane Order for being too powerful). I am consdiering Dread Witch though.


Re: Anima Mage, I'm considering that although I wanted to qualify via Imp. Bind Vestige.

[Scrollreader]

Even with the feat, you need one level in Binder for Anima Mage.  Totally worth it, though.

[phaedrusxy]

Hmm... for an odd direction, is there a way to add the elemental and planar domains that grant the ability to turn elementals/outsiders, and have it stack with Dread Necro for rebuking? Maybe a level or two of Contemplative? And/Or the Planar Touchstone feat? Then it might be possible to rebuke and/or command many of the enemies you face...

[linklord231]

I think most of the domain granting Prcs require divine spellcasting.  On the other hand, a single Cloistered Cleric dip qualifies you for Contemplative, and would let you grab all of the alternative Turnings.  On a related note, what happens if you get Turn Undead from multiple sources?  Do they stack with each other, or grant multiple turning pools? 

[RobbyPants]

I had good luck with Divine Oracle, but you have to set at least one feat on fire for it.

[sirpercival]

Frog God's Fane can give you Sk Foc Reg.

[snakeman830]

I think most of the domain granting Prcs require divine spellcasting.  On the other hand, a single Cloistered Cleric dip qualifies you for Contemplative, and would let you grab all of the alternative Turnings.  On a related note, what happens if you get Turn Undead from multiple sources?  Do they stack with each other, or grant multiple turning pools?

Multiple Turn Undead sources stack for strength.  You only get multiple pools if you get, say Rebuke Undead from Dread Necro, and Turn Undead from Cleric (possible with N Clerics).

[Tenebrous Apostle]

+1 for anima mage combo. Allthough I advocate for taking him up to lvl 8 before multiclassing. Undead mastery is too good to pass. Also instead of taking a lvl of binder grab 2 flaws and take Vestige binding and iproved vestige binding so you can fill the prereqs for the anima mage. also maybe a Naen-hoon illumian might be a good choice of race stacked with a fell drain metamagic feat. It worked like a charm for me.

[LordBlades]

Would a dread necromancer with southern magician count as 'a divine spellcasting class' for advancing into contemplative?

Also, Naenhoon Illumnian looks quite a bit better than Spellscale.

[imoenofcandlekeep]

If you go Anima Mage, Acerzak as a live creature means you heal from both positive and negative energy.

But since you're necropolitan (I hope you had the sense to be crafted by a fellow DN with corpsecrafter in an desecrated zone), that wont work.

I actually like Dread Witch as a PrC.  Imperious Glare can be such fun with Aura of Terror up... better yet, take Dreadful Wrath.

+1 on Naenhoon Illumian.

EDIT: no, you're still a Arcane spellcasting class.  Just dip Divine Oracle (get the feat req from Fane of the Frog God), and get a Minor Schema of Exchange Domains... or whatever the spell was that lets you swap out a domain...  Much less hassle than Contemplative, and lower level access too....

[RobbyPants]

Frog God's Fane can give you Sk Foc Reg.

Oh nice. Where's that from?

EDIT: no, you're still a Arcane spellcasting class.  Just dip Divine Oracle (get the feat req from Fane of the Frog God), and get a Minor Schema of Exchange Domains... or whatever the spell was that lets you swap out a domain...  Much less hassle than Contemplative, and lower level access too....

I think I took four levels, but that was mostly because I didn't plan my skill points out well enough in advance and I had to wait that long to PrC out a second time. IIRC, level 1, 2, and 4 are break points, but I don't remember 4 being that good.

Level 10 is kind if neat, but there are a minimum of five levels of next to nothing between a late break point and level 10.

[snakeman830]

Frog God's Fane can give you Sk Foc Reg.

Oh nice. Where's that from?

Complete Scoundrel.

[Monotremeancer]

I like Fiend -Blooded if I feel that I can spare the feats. You're probably going to have to grab Educated to get Know (Planes).
Pros: If you have the Ghostly Visage-familiar you'll increase its Ego-Score.
Bonus Cha (and some other not as relevant stats).
More spells to your spell-list (since you'll lose Advanced Learning).
You get to play the descendant of a demon.

[linklord231]

Fiend blooded is a great way to expand your spell list and get some stat boosts. I remember thinking the last level is a trap, but I can't remember why I thought it at the time and I'm away from my books at the moment so I can't look it up.

The biggest advantage of a ghostly visage familiar (in my opinion) is the mind blank effect, which is kind of wasted on a Necropolitan. Instead I recommend an Imp. Its poison helps in the lower levels and there's the added bonus of being able to pretend to be a Ranger when it Polymorphs into a wolf.