Find Familiar Skeleton/Zombie is excellent and should remain, but please allow them to attack.
Consider going the Beast Master route that allows Necromancers to have a Summon that scales with them. (Skeleton Knight, Zombie, Ghoul, Ghost, Etc), Having many minions is fun, but it would be good for a Necromancer to have a strong Summon that acts as the Necromancers Bodyguard/Champion
I would rework the Level 10 feature as well as the Level 14 feature.
Here is what I suggest:
Level 10: Harvest Souls You have learned how to harvest energy from souls. Whenever a creature dies within 60 feet of you, you can store one charge up to number of charges equal to your proficiency bonus. By spending a charge with a Bonus Action, you may Heal yourself or another creature within 60 feet by 1d10+Intelligence Modifier. Cast a Necromancy spell by spending a number of charges equal to the spells level. Or roll a ranged spell attack at a creature within 60 feet with Necrotic energy, dealing 1d8 Necrotic damage for each charge spent.
Level 14: Death's Master You have gained mastery over Death and have become imbued with its power. Necrotic Nature. You gain Immunity to Necrotic Damage. You no longer need to Eat, Drink or Sleep. Shepard of the Dead. You no longer lose control of undead that you create. Whenever you create a permanent undead creature, that creature stays loyal to you. Bolster Undead. As a Bonus Action, choose any number of Undead you have created or summoned with a Necromancy spell that are within 60 feet of you. Those Undead each gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Wizard level. Once an Undead gains Temporary Hit Points from this feature, it can’t gain them in this way again for the next 24 hours.
Finally, I'd create a spell that allows players to become a Lich in order to fulfill the fantasy of a Necromancer. Make it a 9th level spell/ritual that permanently changes the player.
Level 14 is way to early to be thinking about being a cr21 creature. Being a Lich is end game stuff. And you never want to give a PC the ability to control an infinite hoade. It’s not good for the game. I also hope enough people realize the familiar is really bonus. It doesn’t need to attack. It’s your zombie servant, not your zombie guard. That’s the job of animate dead, and summon undead . The familiar can do a lot because it has hands and really hope people don’t vote it away because they don’t see how good it is now. Or they end up removing the other great things about Necromancer spellbook just to allow it to attack, since to allow it to attack something else has to go for balance. This UA Necromancer is close to perfect.
You are definitely correct. On second thought, I agree that the Familiar doesn't need to attack. In my minds eye, I just see a Necromancer having a Champion for their undead army that scales being very useful and fun.
I still believe the 10th and 14th level feature should change from the UA. I still stand by what I suggested. Though perhaps change Shepard of the Dead so it doesn't becoming infinitely scalable.
As for becoming a Lich? I think level 17 is a fine place to become one by using a 9th level spell.
Yes, 17th is a good time for it. It can be achieved with the wish spell, or a homebrew ritual. Mechanically it’s just making your creature type undead and giving you a phylactery which is basically acts similar to the clone spell but better. Technically you could RP this even without DM fiat at 15th level by using Nystul’s Magic aura and the clone spell. Those two mechanically make you a Lich like.
I 100% agree that the familiar is good enough. The only complaint I have is that the undead familiar can't benefit from the Undead Thralls ability. I don't need the familiar to attack, but I would like to bolster its health and give it more of a fighting chance. I'm hoping they make the very minor change to either make the version of find familiar that you get be a necromancy spell, or put language in Undead Thralls to make it affect your zombie/skeleton familiar.
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Quick summary of what I'd change;
Find Familiar Skeleton/Zombie is excellent and should remain, but please allow them to attack.
Consider going the Beast Master route that allows Necromancers to have a Summon that scales with them. (Skeleton Knight, Zombie, Ghoul, Ghost, Etc), Having many minions is fun, but it would be good for a Necromancer to have a strong Summon that acts as the Necromancers Bodyguard/Champion
I would rework the Level 10 feature as well as the Level 14 feature.
Here is what I suggest:
Level 10: Harvest Souls
You have learned how to harvest energy from souls. Whenever a creature dies within 60 feet of you, you can store one charge up to number of charges equal to your proficiency bonus.
By spending a charge with a Bonus Action, you may Heal yourself or another creature within 60 feet by 1d10+Intelligence Modifier. Cast a Necromancy spell by spending a number of charges equal to the spells level. Or roll a ranged spell attack at a creature within 60 feet with Necrotic energy, dealing 1d8 Necrotic damage for each charge spent.
Level 14: Death's Master
You have gained mastery over Death and have become imbued with its power.
Necrotic Nature. You gain Immunity to Necrotic Damage. You no longer need to Eat, Drink or Sleep.
Shepard of the Dead. You no longer lose control of undead that you create. Whenever you create a permanent undead creature, that creature stays loyal to you.
Bolster Undead. As a Bonus Action, choose any number of Undead you have created or summoned with a Necromancy spell that are within 60 feet of you. Those Undead each gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Wizard level. Once an Undead gains Temporary Hit Points from this feature, it can’t gain them in this way again for the next 24 hours.
Finally, I'd create a spell that allows players to become a Lich in order to fulfill the fantasy of a Necromancer. Make it a 9th level spell/ritual that permanently changes the player.
Level 14 is way to early to be thinking about being a cr21 creature. Being a Lich is end game stuff. And you never want to give a PC the ability to control an infinite hoade. It’s not good for the game.
I also hope enough people realize the familiar is really bonus. It doesn’t need to attack. It’s your zombie servant, not your zombie guard. That’s the job of animate dead, and summon undead . The familiar can do a lot because it has hands and really hope people don’t vote it away because they don’t see how good it is now. Or they end up removing the other great things about Necromancer spellbook just to allow it to attack, since to allow it to attack something else has to go for balance. This UA Necromancer is close to perfect.
You are definitely correct. On second thought, I agree that the Familiar doesn't need to attack. In my minds eye, I just see a Necromancer having a Champion for their undead army that scales being very useful and fun.
I still believe the 10th and 14th level feature should change from the UA. I still stand by what I suggested. Though perhaps change Shepard of the Dead so it doesn't becoming infinitely scalable.
As for becoming a Lich? I think level 17 is a fine place to become one by using a 9th level spell.
Yes, 17th is a good time for it. It can be achieved with the wish spell, or a homebrew ritual. Mechanically it’s just making your creature type undead and giving you a phylactery which is basically acts similar to the clone spell but better. Technically you could RP this even without DM fiat at 15th level by using Nystul’s Magic aura and the clone spell. Those two mechanically make you a Lich like.
Nystul’s Magic Aura is the best spell in the game. ;)
I 100% agree that the familiar is good enough. The only complaint I have is that the undead familiar can't benefit from the Undead Thralls ability. I don't need the familiar to attack, but I would like to bolster its health and give it more of a fighting chance. I'm hoping they make the very minor change to either make the version of find familiar that you get be a necromancy spell, or put language in Undead Thralls to make it affect your zombie/skeleton familiar.