Draconic Necromancers

The dragon symbolizes power, magic, and destruction, so it should not difficult to imagine them gaining mastery over necromancy, given their eonic life spans. Draconic culture and religion is highly advanced, focusing primarily on greed and acquisitiveness. Dragons also embrace many of the same concepts as human society, including a fascination with death.

Certain dragons worship a unique death god called Null the Reaver, also known as the Deathwyrm or Guardian of the Lost. This deity embraces not only the destructive and evil aspect of taking life, but also the protective function of shepherding draconic spirits to their final destination in the afterlife. Thus, it might be possible for dragons to be either necromancer wizards or death priests.

Restricting our discussion to wizardry, not all dragons possess the intellect, magical ability, and self-discipline necessary to specialize in the Art. Silver and gold dragons have quite developed magical abilities, but their good nature makes them unlikely candidates for necromancy (except as Deathslayers). Blue, brown, deep, green, red, and yellow dragons possess the necessary wit and brutal nature to learn black necromancy, usually adopting the Archetype kit. Amethyst, myst, and steel dragons make excellent Philosophers. Finally, shadow dragons have the greatest inherent mastery of the Art, favoring the Undead Master kit. All of the remaining draconic races have neither the intelligence nor the slightest care to specialize in necromancy.

Dragons specializing in necromancy are entitled to the usual saving throw bonuses, additional spell per spell level, special abilities, and hindrances (including Dark Gifts and prices) of their regular human counterparts. The main difference is that the dragon’s spells are learned as inate abilities and are not memorized, like a human wizard’s or cleric’s. In addition, dragons cast their spells completely differently from humans. Draconic spells can be triggered solely by an act of will. Humans need complex and lengthy verbal, somatic, and material components.

The biggest disadvantage to specializing in necromancy (from the dragon’s perspective) involves restricted spell access. Draconic necromancers, like their human counterparts, are restricted to certain permissible schools of magic (as dictated by their specific kit). More importantly, however, these dragons lose all ability to cast priest spells. Instead, this spell potential is transferred over to additional wizard spells of the same number and level. For example, Shadowspawn—the shadow dragon mentioned earlier in Dr. Tolbert’s diary—can normally learn (Wiz 2 2 2 2 2/Pr 2); if it specializes, the dragon could only learn (Wiz 5 3 3 3 3), taking into account the bonus spell per spell level and the shift of the 1st-level priest spells to wizardry.

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