With those goals, play a dread necro 20, and just never bother creating/summoning undead. I'd cross class some ranks of UMD and break out wands of invis/greater invis for some stealth help.
5e comments and thoughts all in one place. Check it out to provide feedback, mock, or steal ideas. http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/28835423/Krusks_5e_Design_Goals?sdb=1
In our group, all the books are allowed except for setting specific material, The Book of Vile Deeds, Exalted Deeds and Unearthed Arcana. Things from Dragon and Dungeon are also allowed...
I've decided to go with a Human (or human variant) with the Memelith template (Dungeon 117). Overall, I've been thinking of a character who's aspiration was something on the level of living god of death, but I've been leaning towards your RP suggestion which seems super entertaining to me...
Do you find yourself in a town with little to no corpses to animate, and little job prospects? Use the disguise skill (possibly w/ a Hat of Disguise combined w/ Magic Jar) to disguise your undead humanoids: they don't have to look perfect, just good enough to pass as living. Now, rent out your buddies as caravan guards! Give them the simple commands "follow [these people's] commands for seven days, then return to this spot regardless of what they've said". It would work better with awakened undead, but any should do. If you are in an evil aligned area, you could probably get away with turning it into a full-blown industry!
I want stealth, some measure of armor, and spontanous arcane casting. so like batman but with fireballs...
Then please start a new thread, because we've already spilled over into three pages of discussion on your character and the houserules you use instead of focusing on the use of the dread necro as a class.
Please be as specific as possible. The section above? That's not specific.
These are NOT all my creations! The lead authors are identified as follows: [TS] Tempest Stormwind, [AR] Andarious Rosethorn, [RT] Radical Taoist, [SN] Sionnis, [DH] DisposableHero_, [SH] Seishi.
[TS] The Pinball Brothers: Large And In Charge (Melee, Lockdown, Charge, Juggling) [TS] Ashardalon Reborn: I Will Swallow Your Soul (Melee, Fear, Negative Levels, AoE, Theme) [AR] "A"-Game Paladin: Play That Funky Music, Knight Boy! (Team Support, Melee, Theme, Single-Class) [RT] Uncanny Trapsmith: Get in, make it look like an accident, get out. (Skillmonkey, Stealth/Scout/Infiltration, Unorthodox Methods, Theme) [AR] Wizsassin: *Everything* is permitted. (Spellcaster, Support, Sneak Attack, Utility) [TS] Phantom Rush: General Gish Gouda. (Gish, Theme, Setting-Specific(Eberron), Early-Entry PrC) [TS] Storm Knight: Another kind of gish. (Melee/"Gish", Theme, Setting-Specific(Eberron), Unorthodox Methods) [TS] Inevitable Nightmare: The weapon you only have to fire once. (Melee, "Unorthodox" Methods (no charging), Reliability) [AR] Captain Constitution: The number one threat to America. (Melee, TOUGHTOUGHTOUGH, Defense, Theme) [AR] Nuker: I casts the spells that makes the peoples fall down! (Spellcaster, damage, blasting, damage) [TS] Dread Lord of the Dead: Let the Reaping Begin! (NPC-only, Variable (combat/casting/leadership), Iconic Villain, Theme) [AR] Heavy Crusader: No Rest. No Mercy. No Matter What. (Melee, Damage (No charging), Variable, Theme). [TS] Gun Fu: It's bullet time (Ranged, THEORETICAL, Twin weapons, Theme) [RT] Face First: We should talk. (Psionic, social, mind-control, info-management) [SN] Chaingun Porcupine: Never Enuff Dakka. (Ranged, Skirmishing, Spike Damage, Incarnum) [RT] Always On Edge: The Mortal Draw deals death. (Melee, Generalist, Dungeoneering, Stunt) [AR] Feral Druid: Real feral taste. Zero druid calories. (Melee, offense, damage, murder) [RT] Rusty!: Man's Best Friend (Sentry, Support, Backup, Rearguard) [RT] The T3 (Tashalatora Triple Threat): My Kung Fu is More Powerful (Hybrid, Flex-Function, Melee, Caster) [RT] The #1 Snoipah: Boom. 'Eadshot. (Caster, Theme, Spike, Trapscout) [AR] Dreamblade: Rest in Pieces. (Melee, Damage, Single-Class, Combo/Momentum) [AR] Evasion Tank: “When fighting angry blind men, is best to stay out of the way.” (Melee, Tank, Unorthodox Methods (attack negation), Theme) [DH] Psycarnum Warrior: ↑↑↓↓←→←→BA Start (Melee, Tank, Psionics, Incarnum, 1337 h4x) [AR] Heavy Weapons Elf: WHO TOUCHED MY BOW? (Ranged, Cohort, Damage, Unorthodox Methods (ranged ToB)) [RT] Gnowhere Gnome: A little man who wasn't there (Caster, Stealth, Single-Class, Elusive) [AR] Uberflank: I got your back. (Melee, support, stunt, teamwork) [TS] Flip the Bird: Everyday I'm shuffling (Ranged, harrier, unorthodox methods (ranged ToB / off-turn movement), support) [DH] Eat Sleep Gank: Real Ultimate Power (Stealth, Assassination, Spike, Magic Versatility) [AR] Slash and Burn: Mind, Body, Blade, Flame / Aspects of a greater whole / which delivers death. (Melee, Theme (flex-style), Damage, Stunt) [RT] Edge of the Light: Cut, Fade to Black (Melee, Defense/Offense, Momentum, Tactical) [RT] Quiet Murder: Cut throats, not corners. (Melee, Stealth, Harrier, Tactical) [TS] Wand Overdrive: Say Hello to my little friends. (Caster, support/artillery/variable, wand specialist) [RT] God Hand: What did the five fingers say to the face? (Melee/Gish, Unarmed, SAD, Theme) [AR] Zero Buff Time Gish: Try to keep up! (Gish, Speed, Movement, Opportunity) [TS] Robo Tackle: I Am Iron Man. (Melee, setting-specific (Eberron), positioning, theme, stunt)
Bhuka (Sandstorm): A very specialized DN: you are going for the Walker in the Waste PrC if you are using this race. They're small, and have the extra +2 Dex and and +1 to hit due to this. They're also more interesting than the typical Strongheart Halfling.
When I go into the book, it says they are medium creatures....
5e comments and thoughts all in one place. Check it out to provide feedback, mock, or steal ideas. http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/28835423/Krusks_5e_Design_Goals?sdb=1
hers a question that is on the point, what base classes synergyze well with the dread necro when gestalting and why?
Post here for specific help on your character, please. Gestalt is outside the bounds of most of the CO boards since it's a variant rule that isn't used all that often, which is why none of the normal handbooks discuss it.
There was an attempt to construct a (general) Gestalt Handbook on Brilliant Gameologists, but I don't have a link since they're weathering an attack right now.
These are NOT all my creations! The lead authors are identified as follows: [TS] Tempest Stormwind, [AR] Andarious Rosethorn, [RT] Radical Taoist, [SN] Sionnis, [DH] DisposableHero_, [SH] Seishi.
[TS] The Pinball Brothers: Large And In Charge (Melee, Lockdown, Charge, Juggling) [TS] Ashardalon Reborn: I Will Swallow Your Soul (Melee, Fear, Negative Levels, AoE, Theme) [AR] "A"-Game Paladin: Play That Funky Music, Knight Boy! (Team Support, Melee, Theme, Single-Class) [RT] Uncanny Trapsmith: Get in, make it look like an accident, get out. (Skillmonkey, Stealth/Scout/Infiltration, Unorthodox Methods, Theme) [AR] Wizsassin: *Everything* is permitted. (Spellcaster, Support, Sneak Attack, Utility) [TS] Phantom Rush: General Gish Gouda. (Gish, Theme, Setting-Specific(Eberron), Early-Entry PrC) [TS] Storm Knight: Another kind of gish. (Melee/"Gish", Theme, Setting-Specific(Eberron), Unorthodox Methods) [TS] Inevitable Nightmare: The weapon you only have to fire once. (Melee, "Unorthodox" Methods (no charging), Reliability) [AR] Captain Constitution: The number one threat to America. (Melee, TOUGHTOUGHTOUGH, Defense, Theme) [AR] Nuker: I casts the spells that makes the peoples fall down! (Spellcaster, damage, blasting, damage) [TS] Dread Lord of the Dead: Let the Reaping Begin! (NPC-only, Variable (combat/casting/leadership), Iconic Villain, Theme) [AR] Heavy Crusader: No Rest. No Mercy. No Matter What. (Melee, Damage (No charging), Variable, Theme). [TS] Gun Fu: It's bullet time (Ranged, THEORETICAL, Twin weapons, Theme) [RT] Face First: We should talk. (Psionic, social, mind-control, info-management) [SN] Chaingun Porcupine: Never Enuff Dakka. (Ranged, Skirmishing, Spike Damage, Incarnum) [RT] Always On Edge: The Mortal Draw deals death. (Melee, Generalist, Dungeoneering, Stunt) [AR] Feral Druid: Real feral taste. Zero druid calories. (Melee, offense, damage, murder) [RT] Rusty!: Man's Best Friend (Sentry, Support, Backup, Rearguard) [RT] The T3 (Tashalatora Triple Threat): My Kung Fu is More Powerful (Hybrid, Flex-Function, Melee, Caster) [RT] The #1 Snoipah: Boom. 'Eadshot. (Caster, Theme, Spike, Trapscout) [AR] Dreamblade: Rest in Pieces. (Melee, Damage, Single-Class, Combo/Momentum) [AR] Evasion Tank: “When fighting angry blind men, is best to stay out of the way.” (Melee, Tank, Unorthodox Methods (attack negation), Theme) [DH] Psycarnum Warrior: ↑↑↓↓←→←→BA Start (Melee, Tank, Psionics, Incarnum, 1337 h4x) [AR] Heavy Weapons Elf: WHO TOUCHED MY BOW? (Ranged, Cohort, Damage, Unorthodox Methods (ranged ToB)) [RT] Gnowhere Gnome: A little man who wasn't there (Caster, Stealth, Single-Class, Elusive) [AR] Uberflank: I got your back. (Melee, support, stunt, teamwork) [TS] Flip the Bird: Everyday I'm shuffling (Ranged, harrier, unorthodox methods (ranged ToB / off-turn movement), support) [DH] Eat Sleep Gank: Real Ultimate Power (Stealth, Assassination, Spike, Magic Versatility) [AR] Slash and Burn: Mind, Body, Blade, Flame / Aspects of a greater whole / which delivers death. (Melee, Theme (flex-style), Damage, Stunt) [RT] Edge of the Light: Cut, Fade to Black (Melee, Defense/Offense, Momentum, Tactical) [RT] Quiet Murder: Cut throats, not corners. (Melee, Stealth, Harrier, Tactical) [TS] Wand Overdrive: Say Hello to my little friends. (Caster, support/artillery/variable, wand specialist) [RT] God Hand: What did the five fingers say to the face? (Melee/Gish, Unarmed, SAD, Theme) [AR] Zero Buff Time Gish: Try to keep up! (Gish, Speed, Movement, Opportunity) [TS] Robo Tackle: I Am Iron Man. (Melee, setting-specific (Eberron), positioning, theme, stunt)
That said - you're generally looking for something to complement the abilities you already have. Dread necro's got lots of spells per day, and generally you only get to cast one per round, so I wouldn't typically recommend more spellcasting. But your bab, saves, and skills aren't so hot, so I'd look for some of that. Also, the main challenge for ghestalt characters is dealing with the action economy, and anything that can help out there is useful.
In general, I like rogue with dread necro (add sneak attack damage to your touch attacks, and a giant pile of skill points, including several good cha-based skills, especially UMD). Factotum is probably an even better choice, with versatility to supplement Dread Necro's focus, and ways to cheat the action economy. Finally, there's duskblade. Not much help on skills, but BAB is way better, and again helps you get bast action economy by channeling your sweet touch spells into badass melee hits. Sadly, melee is somewhat feat intensive, so your dread necro half might end up hurting on that front.
Obviously, someone with more optimization skills then me could do better, and could offer more detailed advice, but those are some decent choices to set as a baseline.
Okay i do not mean to waste space but i think i have found a potent combo, somewhere someone stated the dread necro is one of the best tanks because of self healing, in our game in which through union all supplements are inter-connected, this allows us to use various source material in our games and our DM can switch things up quickly. this time we got stranded in rokugan, to make things more interesting our DM stranded us there for a year. We had fought a mad samurai and long story short came across a creature known as a Akutsukai (Oriental Adventures, Pg 241). I am a level 7 dread necro right now. out of character, i found out it's a undead template which has a few neat abilities.
1. Like vampires they can still preform blood component, which when paired with the DN's negative energy burst and Charnel touch make certain pricy necromany spells free.
2. if you are a tainted scholar and become a Akutsukai you gain equal levels of Maho-Bujin and vice versa.
3. for roleplaying reasons like having a familliar disguised as a wolf and in my case wearing yobanjin-esque (basically mongol) Glass steel armor and clothing while wielding obsidian (Black jade) ninja weapons, they can hide their taint, however they are also multi-armed, winged, club tailed, monstrosities so you have to disguise yourself well, or
4. pick up It's next step, Akutenshi which allows you to detect thoughts, shapechange, fly, and become invisible at will
5. All this plus much more is available to your for a maximum of + 3 LA compaired to the vampires + 2
but the best part is this snippet
Command the Taint (Su):The akutsukai can rebuke or command any Shadowlands creature (including bakemonos, Shadowlands ogres, Shadowlands undead, and oni), much as an evil cleric rebukes or commands undead. The akutsukai rolls a turning check, using its Taint score instead of its Charisma modifier, and calculating the maximum HD affected by using its total character level. It then rolls turning damage using its total character level and its Taint score. Affected creatures cower in awe, like rebuked undead, or obey the akutsukai’s mental commands if they have half as many Hit Dice (or fewer) as the akutsukai has levels. Humans who have a Taint score are susceptible to this power as well. However, if a human’s Taint score is lower than every one of his ability modifiers, he gains +4 turn resistance (he is treated as having four more levels than he actually has for purposes of the akutsukai’s turning check). If his Taint score is lower than any one of his ability modifiers, but not every one, he gains +2 turn resistance.
so let me put it this way, if i have taint enducing weapons and use it i can turn a druid into a puppet or even the dreaded archivist, furthermore the way it reads seems to mean that you would get a second (Albeit smaller) pool for commanding undead as long as they have the shadowlands trait, and it's affected by all the things i would already use to increase my DN pool but with a much wider variety almost like a (even more) broken leadership feat.
