Necromancer: which two schools to give up?

[Pseudonym]

I am in process of designing a necromancer character, but I am unsure which two schools to give up. Currently I am leaning towards illusion and evocation, but I am not 100% sure about that.

Can anyone offer their experience or advice as to which two schools a necromancer can afford to do without?

 

[Bad Paper]

I had an evoker with Spell Focus in both evocation and necromancy. His prohibited schools were enchantment and illusion. Highly enjoyable!

 

[Liquidsabre]

I'd say Enchantment and Illusion are the most likely for necromancers seeing as these spells normally don't have an effect on undead creatures adn would likely be nixed in lieu of the study of necromancy. Though if you were looking at disguising some of your undead creations or otherwise hide them, illusion would be an excellent assist to a "discrete and well traveled in civilized regions"-based necromancer.

So I'd pick Enhcantment in a heartbeat as the first but then I'd stew a bit choosing between Illusion and Evocation. Pick Illusion if you want to be able to launch those cold substituted fireballs (skeletons are immune to cold) or pick evocation if you're going the wise and relatively "social" necromancer. That way all the party asks about your undead cohort is "So your companion sure doesn't say much eh?", rather than "My gods! Destroy the foul thing!".

 

[Beholder Bob]

Well, it depends on the sort of necro you wish to be.

If you plan to have a bunch of rotting meat shields defend you, I'd keep conjuration (summon a critter to give both flanking) and illusion to supliment conjuration (with things appearing, hard to determine what is real). Necro gives you the punch when dealing with undead, conj gives you SR and save ignoring attacks & suppliments your servants, and illusion muddies the water like no one's buisness. I'd drop evocation, as conjure does it fine, and then waffle between abjure and enchantment.

If I intended to travel in cities a lot, I drop abjure so I could charm my way through life - living and dead servants.

If your plan to spend most of your time in a dungeon, drop illusion and cover your (and your undead allies) ass with abjurations. While your servants labor on your behalf, counterspell attempts to blow them or you up.

BB

 

[Infiniti2000]

If you drop Abjuration, you lose dispel magic and it makes the higher level conjuration spells exceedingly dangerous.

Can you give us more input on what kind of necromancer you would be interested in? Are you looking at any PrC's in particular?

 

[Pseudonym]

Can you give us more input on what kind of necromancer you would be interested in? Are you looking at any PrC's in particular?

The character is a LN human. I was thinking of a person who's mentor was concerned with learning the mysteries of necromancy and undeath, devoid of any moral judgement; an attitude which rubbed off on his student. Not so much the black robed, evil for the sake of being evil necromancer, perhaps more of a Dr Frankenstein academic type.

I had not planned on aiming for any PrC in particular. Aside from perhaps Loremaster there isn't any particular necromantic PrC that would fit the character theme I had in mind. That is, none that I am aware of.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The best schools for a specialist to drop are usually Necromancy and...

... oh.

-Hyp.

 

[Beholder Bob]

Which books are allowed - this helps determine how critical a school is. The more books that are open, the less critical the school choice (more sources, more overlap).

BB

 

[Felix]

Specialize in Divination, drop Illusion or Enchantment as your barred school, and just stack up on Necromancy spells in your usual spell slots.

The Diviner: The Only Way to Specialize.

This works too for your character since he's the academic type. Gotta know how to find things out, eh?

 

[Mistwell]

The Shadow Magic feat (Player's Guide to Faerun) gives +1 DC and +1 to caster level checks for all Illusions, Enchantments, and Necromancy (at some cost to evocations and non-darkness transmutations). A level of the Shadow Adept prestige class (also from Player's Guide to Faerun, which requires the Shadow Magic feat and any metamagic feat) will add three more feats which grant another +4 spell resistance penetration, and will make it very difficult to detect the auras of your spells or to dispel the effects of your spells.

I think it would be a fun and interesting Necromancer who took a level of Shadow Adept and kept Illusions or enchantments and got rid of evocations. Evocations are overrated, now that you have the orb spells from conjuations. Not to mention the various save-or-die/disable spells a necromancer (Ghoul Touch) and illusionist (Phantasmal Killer) or even enchanter (Tasha's Hideous Laughter) get. And lots of nasty necromancer offensive spells that have touch as a delivery method can instead be delivered at range with that spectral hand 2nd level necromancy spell.