Necromancy is a school of magic that focuses on using dark magic to awaken the undead. Necromancers specialize in death magic and possess a deep understanding of this art form. There are 41 necromancy spells in Dungeons and Dragons (5e) that can range from inflicting severe damage or healing allies, to hindering enemies, and raising the dead.
For players looking to heal themselves with Necromancy spells, they can use Chill Touch, Toll Dead, Ray of Sickness, False Life, Shadow of Moil, Harm, Dragon Breath, Flaming Sphere, and Cantrips. Some of the best Necromancy spells in 5e include Animate Dead, Revivify, Resurrection, Finger of Death, Enervation, Blindness/Deafness, Chill Touch, Poison Spray, Spare the Dying, Toll the Dead, and Invisibility and Misty Step.
Animate Dead is a 3rd-level Necromancy spell that can be instantaneous and instantaneous. True Resurrection is a powerful spell that brings back the dead without a body. Danse Macabre is a popular Necromancy spell in 5e.
Necromancy spells can be used to heal themselves, buff undead created by them, raise more dead with each cast of Animate Dead, and wrest direct control. Some of the best Necromancy spells include Cantrips, Chill Touch, Toll Dead, False Life, Ray of Sickness, and Speak With Dead.
📹 5 Must-Have Spells for a D&D Necromancer
5 Must-Have Spells for a D&D Necromancer Nerdarchy looks at the school of necromancy in 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons.
What do necromancers fear?
Necromancers are the most feared Free Magic sorcerers and enemies of the Abhorsen. They use necromantic bells like Abhorsen, but theirs are unrestrained by the Charter. Necromancers specialize in raising the Dead, using their power to create powerful opponents like Mordicants. However, their connection to the Charter is severed, and they cannot use Charter Magic.
Necromancers fear dying and will do anything to survive longer than their allotted time. For example, Hedge was over one hundred years old when he died, and Chlorr of the Mask was close to 650. Chlorr used the same method Kerrigor would use centuries later: anchoring her true, physical body in Life, ensuring “True Death” would be impossible if she was slain. Before Sabriel killed her, Chlorr survived by demanding new bodies every dozen years from the clans of the North, as hers wore out quickly from corrosive Free Magic. Kerrigor used Free Magic to create a body that gradually became warped and unnatural.
Which class has the most necromancy spells?
The utilization of necromancy spells, such as Animate Dead and Speak With Dead, is a pivotal aspect of the creation of skeleton and zombie armies. Additionally, Speak With Dead can be employed as an optional wizard spell.
Who is the god of Necromancy?
Velsharoon, the Archmage and god of Necromancy, is a selfish, vengeful deity who has a strong obsession with experimenting on living and dead beings. He was once a lich wizard who, with the help of deity Talos, rose to godhood. Velsharoon has a flirtatious relationship with Shar and an alliance with Talos, and he dislikes Cyric and Kelemvor for disrupting his plans. Despite his power, he continues to act like a mortal with greater power.
What spells do necromancers use?
The spell name, casting time, duration, circle of death, instant action, create undead, minute instant action, eyebite, action concentration, and harm are all instantaneous actions.
What class makes the best necromancer?
The School of Necromancy wizard is a powerful class that can effectively utilize the spell Animate Dead. As of sixth level, this wizard can target an additional corpse, increasing the number of zombies they can command. Additionally, this subclass enhances the quality of the zombies or skeletons they control. All undead raised by this wizard gain an additional max HP equal to their level and add their proficiency bonus to their weapon damage rolls, enhancing their offense and survivability.
Who is the most famous necromancer?
The living dead are often seen as a bad sign, especially when they are at the beck and call of evil wizards. Necromancers make great villains as it is easy to know whose side to be on when one party is invoking infernal beings and building an undead army. Video games feature plenty of this bad guy, providing the game with an antagonist and wave after wave of bony foes for the heroes to smite. Some of the most iconic necromancers in games include Sauron from The Lord of the Rings, Iratus from Iratus: Lord of the Dead, Heinrich Kemmler from Total War: Warhammer, Lady Comstock from Bioshock Infinite, Lyon from Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, and Sandro from Heroes of Might And Magic.
What types of magic is necromancy?
The practice of necromancy can be influenced by the application of life magic, which enables the necromancer to facilitate healing. Conversely, death magic and undeath magic are utilized to manipulate life forces.
What is the spellcasting ability of the necromancer?
The necromancer is a 12th-level spellcaster with an Intelligence ability, prepared with a variety of wizard spells. The cantrips include Chill Touch, Dancing Lights, Mage Hand, Mending, False Life, Mage Armor, Ray of Sickness, Blindness/Deafness, Ray of Enfeeblement, and Web.
What are Necromancers afraid of?
Necromancers, fearing death, will do anything to survive beyond their allotted time. Hedge and Chlorr of the Mask were both over 100 years old when they died, using the same method Kerrigor would use centuries later. Chlorr anchors her true physical body in Life, ensuring “True Death” is impossible and she always returns in Shadow form. Before Sabriel killed her, she demanded new bodies every dozen years from the North clans, as hers wore out quickly from Free Magic.
Necromancers in the North are considered shamans and are forced into choke collars of silver and iron. They are tasked with a keeper who uses a spirit-glass arrow to prevent them from gaining too much power or turning on the clan. In Goldenhand, a shaman necromancer incapacitated his keeper with the bell Ranna, killed her, and went into Death, planning to retrieve her spirit, restore her with Belgaer, and torture her for slavery.
However, he was killed by Royal Guards before his plan could be implemented. Necromancers avoid the Ninth Precinct, as the allure of the stars there strengthens the longer someone lives past their time.
Who can beat Necromancer?
The Necromancer is an Unholy/Eldritch boss that appears in the Ruins. He is a reanimated scholar who collaborated with the Ancestor and was murdered. After the Ancestor’s death, the Necromancer and his apprentices took over the Ruins, using their magic to bring corpses back to life as their servants. The Necromancer starts in position 1 and creates skeleton enemies in rank 1, pushing himself back until he is in position 4, where his attacks no longer spawn anything.
To stop the Necromancer from summoning a minion in a turn, stun him or have three existing ones. Corpses do not block this ability, as they will be replaced by newly summoned skeletons. The Necromancer has no weighted skill selection or targeting, making his series of attacks effectively random. The Crusader can use Stunning Blow to stop the Necromancer in his tracks.
Who is the strongest Necromancer?
Ainz Ooal Gown, a renowned necromancer, is a powerful character in anime series who can bring the dead back to life, including himself, making him nearly impossible to kill permanently. His main ability is to call forth an army of the dead, which can lead to unexpected plot twists. Despite the potential to diminish the audience’s attachment to a deceased character, necromancers remain popular due to their ability to create minions and command them to fight for them. They are often feared and compelling, as they dabble in magic and the supernatural.
Known characters like Sung Jin-Woo, Gecko Moria, Orochimaru, and Ainz Ooal Gown have made necromancers well-known in the anime community. Some unique characters, like Sung Jin-Woo, Gecko Moria, Orochimaru, and Ainz Ooal Gown, use their abilities to their full potential, defying the world’s natural laws. Some acquire their abilities through extensive study of dark arts, while others are simply gifted. Regardless of their method, necromancers are a force to watch out for.
📹 You Might Be a Necromancer | Wizard Subclass Guide for DND 5e
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I’ve always wanted to create a “Self-Necromancer” that creates a Clone of themselves and then when it is matured they cast Touch of Death on themselves to kill themselves bringing their now dead husk back as a soulless zombie follower permanently under your control and your actual soul waking up in the freshly grown Clone body. Repeat this several times as gold and time allow for a nice entourage of permanent self-zombie followers, the shenanigans are endless.
Ah, my favorite school of magic. I never understood why more necromancers don’t just rely on clones rather than becoming a lich. Also, in case necromancers out there weren’t aware, the best official thing in the edition you can target with Command Undead is a Nightwalker, from Tome of Foes. The next best thing, something Monster Manual specific, is a Mummy Lord, but they’re harder to catch.
Necromancy is not inherently evil. Okay okay wait before you tear me apart for suggesting this just consider, most if not all arguments for it being inherently evil are either societal or take into account only our understanding/beliefs of the afterlife so what if we lived in a world where being useful to the kingdom is a really big deal and so after you die the clerics of the kingdom make your body into a zombie/mummy so that you are useful even after death and it is considered like a huge honor. I haven’t worked out all the details but you just gotta give it a chance, give necromancy a chance.
You could take Enervation and use your Concentration and Action to do a 4d8 Damage, which is pitiful for a 5th level spell, and the spell ends if the target just moves out of range. Or, you could take Animate Objects, animate your pocket change, and use your Concentration to 10d4 + 40 damage every round as a Bonus Action. Most Necromancy spells are underpowered because WotC hates Necromancy.
With the Clone spell, the fact that a villain has a few in reserve can even be turned into an adventure unto itself. After all, if the PCs realize this villain has some extra lives stored in physical locations, they can try to track them down and destroy them (or take them hostage). Also, because the Clone spell can return the person in a younger body, it’s totally a method by which a character may have a form of immortality. The PCs might first encounter the villain after they’ve gone through multiple bodies over many centuries. Elves are even better for this, due to their already impressive lifespans. As a cherry on top, maybe have the villain NOT be, themselves, a Necromancer. They are a non-Wizard villain who long ago contracted the services of a powerful Wizard, to have many of these Clones produced. The villain is protective of the Clones he has, because that powerful Wizard was long ago, and their kind is not in the world today. Unless the old spell can be recovered/rediscovered and a new Wizard become powerful enough to cast it, the villain is limited to whatever Clones he has left. Meaning if the Clones are threatened, there’s no telling what the villain might do.
vampiric touch force you to be in melee…As a wizard…You don’t see the problem ? It is a bad spell. Enervation do pityful damage and healing for a 5th level spell, and there are much more powerful things to use your concentration on (wall of force). Worst : it use your actions each turns. You could use your actions each turns to cast cantrips it would do about as much damage and still let you concentrate on other things. If you absolutly have to concentrate on a damage dealing spell an upcasted flaming sphere or a cloud kill for the same level do better (you can even use your undead minions to grapple, throw nets or hinder your ennemies inside the poisonous cloud : they are immune, THAT is a true necromancer move). It is a bad spell.
Me having 12 sets of dice hearing there’s discounted dice**sighs “Sorry about this bank account.” But really I liked this article. I’m currently running the new Chronurgy Wizard class and I like mixing some of the necromancy spells available to Wizards. I will definitely be getting Finger of Death as it’s already available and maybe a few others maybe with the Magical Initiate or Ritual Caster feats.
Been playing Tyranny for a bit, we’re a month from the final Council Meeting. I’ve just received a letter from Rothan, and he’s calling in his favor for making a moonlight graveside misunderstanding go away.. It seems my traveling associates require death. I’ve sent a Simulacrum back home, to raise Skeletons and hand out bows and arrows. The terrain is riddled with Glyphs of Warding on tombstones to cast Danse Macabre when an adjacent Glyph of Warding goes off. This has been a downtime activity for about 6 weeks in-game (7 months IRL), setting up defense for the location of my Clone. About 10 feet into the footpath, adjacent to 2 Danse Macabre Glyphs, is a Glyph prepared with Otto’s Irresistible Dance. The Simulacrum is to Ambush us 15 minutes from my home. It should be noted that 1: The Party (with the exception of the Rouge who is nosey) believes that I am an Evoker that specializes in Magic Missile, because of precision. 2: I sold the Bard and Cleric that I was attempting to clear my name for the deeds of my twin brother. 3: They also believe I teleport home bi-weekly to look after my 3 Children. 4: I have no family. Our group has had a traitor mechanic since Session 2, because instead of Spy missions, we kicked in doors in the name of the Order of the Gauntlet. And we never vetted new recruits. Of course a spy would be planted. While Dr. Brendlschur never joined a cult, he does pay back favors that save his life. Didn’t consider pulling Harm on the party, but you’ve sold me.
A note about alignment and Necromancy; Clone isn’t evil, the ones that animate corpses as your undead slaves are… People need to keep Alignment in mind if you are playing with alignment. Almost no one who even pretends to be good would use undead rather than just destroying it. This information is obviously PERFECT for a villain however. And I’m not saying you can’t play an evil campaign. You totally can! I’m suggestions you admit to yourself and everyone else that you are playing an evil character. But indeed clone doesn’t even hurt anyone. And damaging enemies is basically the same if it’s necromancy or fire, etc. Now if the WAY undead works on the world you are playing on makes them neutral animated corpses rather than evil tortured beings THEN the argument could be made it’s a neutral thing. Okay I just had to add my opinion on this because I wasn’t even addressed or brought up in the article. Overall the article was well presented, organized and fun. The add was not annoying. And the list aspect made me want to see how and why you ranked the spells. The criteria of ‘most like a classic necromancer was also clearly stated at the beginning which was very helpful in understanding your descriptions! Great article thanks.
I’m trying out a lizardfolk Necromancer. They are wired different, so he feels like he’s using tools available. It’s about survival. He’s not evil, but he uses necromancy to help him survive. I thought it would be interesting to play a necromancer who isn’t evil. Life and death is a balance lizardfolk understand much differently. What are your thoughts?
So I realized that you can have an absurd amount of undead with 1 4th level spells and 8 sorcerer points. First take 6 levels of wizard going necromancer of course, then take at least 8 levels of sorcerer. Cast Animate dead, at 4th level giving you 3 zombie/skeletons twin cast it making it 6 then, (because your a wizard.) You get two more because you cast animate dead twice giving you 8 minions.
I’ve always wondered how Gift of the Ever-Living Ones works with spells like Vampiric Touch and Enervation, not had the opportunity for it to come up in a game that I was a player in so I’ve never been sure of how to treat the die, since the spells both deal damage but also heal the character, I know that the target of the spell wouldn’t be taking full damage but would the caster get the full healing possible from the spell rather than basing it on the damage dealt to the target?
Ironically, my campaign has an NPC with the nickname Necropaladin who technically isn’t even a necromancer – she’s a Bladesinger-Oath of the Watcher multiclass who REALLY likes necromancy spells and thus knows like, 20 of them. Despite being a Paladin, she’s unsurprisingly not the type to get bent out of shape about someone being a necromancer as long as they aren’t hurting innocent people. (She is Neutral Good in alignment, so if they’re slaughtering villagers left and right to make an army of corpses, she’s going to have a problem with them…)
I’ve been pondering the idea of how to make good necromancer characters. One idea I had was a city using regulated undead labor for manual labor and city militia reserves after securing their consent in life and both parties signing a contract, with payment to the living person in advance for later use of their body for no longer than is legally allowed. And the character would be an initiate pursuing study and certification for this before getting sent careening towards the other players and plot. And these necromancer guilds would be on the up and up with the occasional bad apple being severely punished and any rogue guilds having bounties put on them to be adventured out of action.
In my home games I offer a variant option for the Necromancer class I call “Chosen Undead” where a Necromancer can expend spell slots to be able to summon a special undead that has what I call “Soul Points” which is equal to Wizard level Halved (rounded up) + Intelligence Modifier X Proficiency bonus. They are allowed to spend “Soul Points” to sort of “craft” their undead with extra stat’s,class abilities (pertaining to that style of undead) and other such goodies. It’s not perfect yet and thankfully the player I have using this is also a DM so we have been able to parch up bugs and stuff as they come up pretty quickly but has made the Necromancer class feel a little extra special than it was feeling before for our table. Lots of fun though aha.
Finger of Death is a fine spell for sure, but my go to for a fight is Danse Macabre, especially if you carry your own corpses with you. Spend a bit over 400g and you can equip those future minions with chail mail and mauls, and since Danse boosts bith thier attack and damage by your spell cast modifer and Undead Thrall boosts HO and Damage again, you actually have competent meat shields.
D&D was built by nerds for nerds. And Wizard was the only true nerd class until Artificer came along. Wizards make great BBEG’s because they have the power to affect things on the grandest scale with the most varied tool kit, and the greatest utilization of/heaviest reliance on prep time out of any class until Artificer came along as another INT class. But if you want to prove me wrong, write up a bard BBEG manipulating a Kingdom or a Monk decapitating royal courts to cause chaos.
NGL if I Isekai’d into a fantasy universe most flavors of Necromancer wouldn’t be a bad class to get randomly assigned (about the only exceptions I can think of, outside of possible social stigma if my class became public knowledge, would be being somehow pushed into either becoming undead against my will, forced to embrace a disease specialization that forces whatever pestilence to be always surrounding me destroying any hope of pretending to be normal, or some sort of blood magic or whatever where you have to hurt yourself, like GW2 Dagger/Sword + Corruption + Harbinger builds do).
Always felt that necromancer was the ultimate minion master. Sure your no lich, but you still pack a wallop and basicaly free meat shields is always worth. Imagine cranking out skelly bois, at later levels a company them with some ghoulie boys, and cap it off with a summoned undead for your concentration and just sit in the back line with your skellys, occasionally zapping a fool as your skellys send arrow clouds, your ghouls harrie and harass, and your summoned undead slaps your foe silly. Then realise that the whole time your foe is having to make a save against paralysis on every single melee hit they receive. Wanna make it worse? Find a way to have dissonant whispers and spam that twit with it, every time they fail, they take a round of opertunity attacks from ghouls and your summon! Those legendary saving throws won’t be lasting very long. Then consider this: you also have your entire dnd party helping your ghoulish grizzly warriors beat the snot out if some poor paralyzed git whilst you put your feat up and relax in your bone throne!!!
I personally believe that the necromancer wizard really is a letdown. As a level 5 divine soul sorcerer, you can raise a shit-ton of undead but not as quick. If given time and a bloodwell vial you can have 28 zombies or skeletons (you will not have any sorcery points spells of first through third). Although they are not empowered but inspiring leader feat and at higher levels buff them with aid. Past level 11 is when wizard is greater, but a spell selection of sorcerer and cleric makes things a bit better. Because the Restless don’t need sleep, they shouldn’t take rests so the temp hp from anything you give is most likely permanent. If you want to be a necromancer, be a wizard. But to feel like a necromancer, a divine soul sorcerer gives more for less.