The Necromancer OCC Note: This is far from a balanced OCC. I felt that a "balanced" OCC would run counter to the very idea of a Necromancer, since it would strip the character of the vast power that makes Necromancers such a feared force. Instead, it requires lots of GM Modification (which you probably would have done anyway), and GM attention during game play (which you should be doing anyway =). With this in mind, I didn't bother "generifying" it to make it ready to be plopped into other games. The OCC requires GM customization in order to make it balanced for his particular campaign. I ask that if you use this OCC, just include my name somewhere in the copy you use, so that I can have credit for the work I did. And any e-mailed thoughts on this character class would be greatly appreciated. This document also makes references to powers found in Heroes Unlimited (TM) and Villains Unlimited (TM). Heroes Unlimited(TM), and Villains Unlimited (TM) are trademarks owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books, Inc. This document is in no way a challenge to that status. So there. Necromancers are characters, for whatever reason, choose to follow a path of evil, and focus on magic that deals with death, and its various perversions. Necromancers are usually humans who began their training to become the more average wizard. Thus, they gain the standard wizard spells and skills. However, instead of going on to collect an assemblage of eclectic spells, the Necromancer undergoes a dramatic experience, which forever changes him. After the experience, the Necromancer is a being of evil. The life-changing experience is different for every Necromancer. One may be approached in a dream by a powerful Spirit, another may make several irrevocable, evil actions, and find himself endowed with these new powers. Either way, the Necromancer starts down a path very different from that of the average wizard. He is no longer the person he was before his transformation be, and can never, ever go back. This is why the Necromancer is a separate character class. The character is not simply a wizard with a mean streak. The Necromancer is a powerful, frightening agent of decay and the perpetuation of evil. The Necromancer class focuses heavily on interaction between the player and GM. A Necromancer character is not really suited for dungeon crawls, but is instead intended tnt is an extreme rarity. OCC Skills: Spell casting, magic combat, scroll conversion, power words (4), common knowledge spells (6)(see below), speaks two additional languages (+40%), Read/Write (+70%) Power Words: Acba, Kerin, Pein, Yin, as well as two from "Forces" Common Knowledge Spells: Decipher Magic, sense magic, cloud of slumber, sphere of light, tongues, the enchanted cauldron. Elective Skills: Choose 7 at level one, 2 at level three, 2 at level eight, and 2 at level twelve. Recognize runes Study circles Study symbols Study wards Disguise (+5%) Forgery (+5%) Hand to Hand: Non-men of Arms Horsemanship (General) Identify Plants/Fruits (+5%) Medical (+18%) Pick locks (+3%) Pick pockets (+4%) Prowl (+4%) WP Throwing Axe WP Blunt WP Knives WP Short Sword WP Staves WP Sling WP Crossbow WP Small Shield Secondary Skills: Choose 4 at level one, 3 at level four, and 3 at level ten. Demon and Devil Lore (+30%) Faerie Lore (+15%) Math (+20%) Racial Histories (+20%) Read/Write Additional Language (+30%) Recognize Poison (+5%) Religious Doctrine (+15%) Speak Additional Language (+40%) Also, due to the Necromancer's turn into the investigation of dark magics, he gains the following powers: Level Animate Dead (animals) Level 2: Sense Evil 80%, Summon/Control Spirits Level 3: Curse: Pox/Sores, gains a power from Random Ability Table. Level 4: Animate Dead (36% + 9% per each additional (after level 4) level of experience . Level 5: Sense Undead, 100%, gains a power from Random Ability Table. Level 6: Recognize enchantment, 50% Level 7: Recognize magic items, 70% Level 8: +1 vs. spell magic Level 9: 3 Spell attacks per melee Level 10: +2 spell strength etc etc etc... At every level following 5, the Necromancer will gain one power from the Random Ability Table. GM's should roll (or pick) one power. and then incorporate its gain into the story line (the Necromancer gains the power from studious research, a Twilight Creature that he overpowers etc...) Random Ability Table Healing Touch Heal Self Great Strength Impervious to Fire Impervious to Cold Adhesion Flight: Glide or Winged Alter Physical Body Memust conceal his true nature (like he now resides in a stronghold with servants to do his bidding, or rules a town by fear, and his subserviants are well aware of the dark powers he controls.) Nightstalking Bio-Ghost Extraordinary Physical Strength Bend Light HTH: Soldier/Knight, etc.. Precognition Hypnotic Suggestion Empathy Sixth Sense Familiar: Animal Familiar: Twilight Creature Command Rats Summon Insects Summon Vermin Summon Snakes Summon/Command Dogs/Wolves Summon/Control Twilight Creatures Commune with Spirits Repel Spirits Dream Travel --- A Note on Necromancers and Karma: Although Necromancers are eclectic and difficult to generalize, they all have on thing in common. They are simultaneously instruments and propagators of evil. Necromancers are propagators of evil in that almost all are driven by a lust for power, or more rarely, revenge. This would make a necromancer a good candidate to become of the Witch OCC rather than Wizard, and some scholars speculate that Necromancers are really an odd variations of witches. But this is not true--a Necromancer is not directly linked to any supernatural being. Some may feel an allegiance to a Lord of a Dream Realm, or perhaps Abu, but just as many believe that they themselves may one day become a ruler of a Dream Realm. The Necromancer is not an agent of any particular being, but, if one studies the rise andfall of various Necromancers, it appears that Necromancer is a plaything of evil itself. Particularly vicious or power-hungry Necromancers will find themselves rewarded, while Necromancers who have second thoughts quickly die (always in a rather vile manner). Tho Well, there's most of it. Good enough! =) I realize this means you'll have to edit and organize the tables, etc etc...Lo siento, but........ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ by Nathan T. Trier -IAmNate@strauss.udel.edu "At birth we woke to dream in this world between." -- Kan'ami Kiyotsugu ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~