For those wondering what this might be, its part of an out of character/in character thing I'm doing to illustrate some different ways of playing/portraying Necromancers, the first few parts are linked below.
Right, on to part 6..... (This suits those wanting a more Lawful or Goodly Necromancer).
Necromancy Primer part 6: The Van Helsing/Undead Hunter.
The Van Helsing is an Undead Hunter that focuses mainly on tracking and facing down Vampires, they studies necromancy to understand the weakness and powers of the vampires they hunt
(ooc: and if you take the classic literary image of Van Helsing or the Hammer Horror film version then he has more in common with a student of necromancy than a beacon of faith/combat monster as he does not wear armour and is more studious and also cowardly at times).
Background wise they hail from acolyte and sage backgrounds having studied with or been brought up studying with, a particular undead hating religion or organization, as they becomes more adept (level 10) they becomes resistant to Necrotic Energy as they learns various ways to guard themselves from undead energies
Skill wise, these practioners have Perception to detect those people in a crowd that are not breathing, Investigation to detect traps in a vampires tomb and for those long nights in a library trying to find discrepancies in family genealogies or speed reading diaries and History to help with tracking down ancestral family estates, graveyards and monitoring families for reoccurrence of the taint of Vampirism and also have a smattering of information on a multitude of religions and arcane philosophies.
Spell wise, they tend to list spells that are towards investigation (such as Arcane Eye, Clairvoyance, Detect Thoughts or See Invisibility) or towards defence (such as Mage Armour, Misty Step and Protection from Evil and Good) and with damaging Spells being those which inflict fire or radiant damage. Their ability to animate undead is mainly used for a more complete understanding of how undead work and as training aids to any companions they may pick up along the way, its much easier to train some one in ways to kill undead when you have full control over the undead and know it won't fight back after all.
Advancement wise, for all their training they tend to steer clear of training as Cleric or Paladin as they try not to call up divine powers to dispatch undead unless it is absolutely needed, they prefer to use knowledge, guile and wits. That said, they have been known to occasionally receive some minor training or blessing to learn spell (Magic Initiate: Cleric Feat) and nab either Sacred Flame or Word of Radiance to get a radiant damage cantrip.
Equipment wise, they are never without a holy symbol to one or more gods (to use during any attempt to use the level 14 power to command undead) and they usually adorn themselves or their holy symbol with a crystal to use as an arcane spell focus, they also carry several vials of holy water (to use either as weapons or to fuel spells such as Dispel Evil and Good, Protection from Evil and Good or Magic Circle), they'll also be sporting several wooden stakes and likely some sort of slashing weapon to behead any vampires or intelligent undead they finds. There would also be the usual suspects of a mirror and cloves of garlic, dungeoneering packs and various notes and diaries of their exploits and weaknesses they have found for different undead.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
* Need a character idea? Search for "Rob76's Unused" in the Story and Lore section.
For those wondering what this might be, its part of an out of character/in character thing I'm doing to illustrate some different ways of playing/portraying Necromancers, the first few parts are linked below.
Pt 1: https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/class-forums/wizard/45953-a-primer-for-those-thinking-of-taking-up
pt 2: https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/class-forums/wizard/47660-necromancy-primer-pt2-introduction-to-the-curse
pt 3: https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/class-forums/wizard/48560-necromancy-primer-pt3-introduction-to-the-doctors
pt 4: https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/class-forums/wizard/48896-necromancy-primer-part-4-a-study-of-two-of-the
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/class-forums/wizard/49681-necromancy-primer-part-5-the-master-mistress-of
Right, on to part 6..... (This suits those wanting a more Lawful or Goodly Necromancer).
Necromancy Primer part 6: The Van Helsing/Undead Hunter.
The Van Helsing is an Undead Hunter that focuses mainly on tracking and facing down Vampires, they studies necromancy to understand the weakness and powers of the vampires they hunt
(ooc: and if you take the classic literary image of Van Helsing or the Hammer Horror film version then he has more in common with a student of necromancy than a beacon of faith/combat monster as he does not wear armour and is more studious and also cowardly at times).
Background wise they hail from acolyte and sage backgrounds having studied with or been brought up studying with, a particular undead hating religion or organization, as they becomes more adept (level 10) they becomes resistant to Necrotic Energy as they learns various ways to guard themselves from undead energies
Skill wise, these practioners have Perception to detect those people in a crowd that are not breathing, Investigation to detect traps in a vampires tomb and for those long nights in a library trying to find discrepancies in family genealogies or speed reading diaries and History to help with tracking down ancestral family estates, graveyards and monitoring families for reoccurrence of the taint of Vampirism and also have a smattering of information on a multitude of religions and arcane philosophies.
Spell wise, they tend to list spells that are towards investigation (such as Arcane Eye, Clairvoyance, Detect Thoughts or See Invisibility) or towards defence (such as Mage Armour, Misty Step and Protection from Evil and Good) and with damaging Spells being those which inflict fire or radiant damage. Their ability to animate undead is mainly used for a more complete understanding of how undead work and as training aids to any companions they may pick up along the way, its much easier to train some one in ways to kill undead when you have full control over the undead and know it won't fight back after all.
Advancement wise, for all their training they tend to steer clear of training as Cleric or Paladin as they try not to call up divine powers to dispatch undead unless it is absolutely needed, they prefer to use knowledge, guile and wits. That said, they have been known to occasionally receive some minor training or blessing to learn spell (Magic Initiate: Cleric Feat) and nab either Sacred Flame or Word of Radiance to get a radiant damage cantrip.
Equipment wise, they are never without a holy symbol to one or more gods (to use during any attempt to use the level 14 power to command undead) and they usually adorn themselves or their holy symbol with a crystal to use as an arcane spell focus, they also carry several vials of holy water (to use either as weapons or to fuel spells such as Dispel Evil and Good, Protection from Evil and Good or Magic Circle), they'll also be sporting several wooden stakes and likely some sort of slashing weapon to behead any vampires or intelligent undead they finds. There would also be the usual suspects of a mirror and cloves of garlic, dungeoneering packs and various notes and diaries of their exploits and weaknesses they have found for different undead.
Hey I just wanted to say thanks for creating these. I love the ideas, and I think I will try out a "van helsing" thanks again