Power corrupts. Power over life and death corrupts absolutely. The power to raise an undying servant from the husk of the formerly living is darkly tempting - and certainly evil. Those who seek such unyielding obedience from the dead willingly tread the path of necromancy.
Characters who wish to become true necromancers must take levels in both arcane and divine spellcasting classes, usually cleric and wizard or cleric and sorcerer. Only then do they begin their sinister schooling, learning how to combine the foulest aspects of both disciplines into a single, necromantic whole.
NPC true necromancers are usually found singly-living in an abandoned graveyard, hidden in the depths of a centuries-old catacomb, or lurking in an unhallowed mausoleum. Occasionally, true necromancers gather into small societies or evil associations, but eventually most such groups are stamped out. At least, so hope those concerned with the triumph of good over evil in the world.

Hit Die: d6.

REQUIREMENTS

To qualify to become a true necromancer, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Alignment: Any nongood.
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks.
Feat: Spell Focus (necromancy).
Spells: Able to cast summon undead II as a divine spell and command undead as an arcane spell.
Special: Able to rebuke undead.
Special: Access to the Death domain.

CLASS SKILLS

The true necromancer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowl- edge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day/Spells Known
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Rebuke undead	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Create undead 1/day	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Necromantic prowess (+1)	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class and +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Zone of desecration	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class and +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Create undead 2/day	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class and +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Necromantic prowess (+2)	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Major desecration	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Create greater undead 1/day	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class and +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Necromantic prowess (+3)	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class and +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Horrid wilting	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class and +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Create greater undead 2/day	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class and +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
12th	+6	+4	+4	+8	Necromantic prowess (+4)	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class and +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
13th	+6	+4	+4	+8	Energy drain	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class and +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
14th	+7	+4	+4	+9	Wail of the banshee	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class and +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

CLASS FEATURES

All of the following are class features of the true necromancer prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: True necromancers gain no proficiency with any weapons, armor, or shields.
Spells per Day/Spells Known: A true necromancer gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in either an arcane spellcasting class she belonged to before adding the prestige class, a divine spellcasting class she belonged to before adding the prestige class, or both, according to the accompanying table. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (metamagic or item creation feats and so on; but see Improved Rebuking and Necromantic Prowess, below). If she had more than one arcane or divine spellcasting class before becoming a true necromancer, she must decide to which class she adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day and spells known.
Rebuke Undead (Su): True necromancer class levels stack with levels of all other classes that grant the ability to rebuke undead for the purpose of determining the character's effective cleric level for rebuking. See Turn or Rebuke Undead, page 159 of the Player's Handbook. For example, a 5th-level cleric/3rd-level sorcerer/2nd-level true necromancer rebukes undead as a 7th-level cleric. The bonus from her necromantic prowess ability, once it is gained, also applies.
Create Undead (Sp): On attaining 2nd level, a true necromancer can cast create undead once per day, as the spell of the same name. She can use this ability one additional time per day at 5th level and higher. She must still supply the requisite material components. The true necromancer's caster level equals her character level plus the bonus from her necromantic prowess ability, once it is gained.
Necromantic Prowess (Ex): At 3rd level, a true necromancer gains unsurpassed power over death. When she rebukes undead, casts a necromancy spell, or uses a spell-like ability that mimics a necromancy spell, her effective caster level increases. The bonus is +1 at 3rd level, +2 at 6th level, +3 at 9th level, and +4 at 12th level and higher.
Zone of Desecration (Su): At 4th level, a true necromancer begins to exert her authority over undead. This aura is identical to the effects of the desecrate spell (see page 218 of the Player's Handbook) except that it affects only allied undead.
Major Desecration (Su): At 7th level, a true necromancer extends her authority over undead. The supernatural aura of negative energy surrounding her (see Zone of Desecration, above) now extends to a radius of 10 feet per true necromancer class level.
Create Greater Undead (Sp): On reaching 8th level, a true necromancer can cast create greater undead (see page 215 of the Player's Handbook) once per day, as the spell. She can use this ability one additional time per day at 11th level and higher. She must still supply the requisite material component. The true necromancer's caster level equals her character level plus the bonus from her necromantic prowess ability.
Horrid Wilting (Sp): At 10th level and higher, a true necromancer can use horrid wilting once per day, with a caster level equal to her character level plus her bonus from the necromantic prowess ability.
Energy Drain (Sp): At 13th level and higher, a true necromancer can use energy drain once per day, with a caster level equal to her character level plus her bonus from the necromantic prowess ability.
Wail of the Banshee (Sp): At 14th level, a true necromancer can use wail of the banshee once per day, with a caster level equal to her character level plus her bonus from the necromantic prowess ability.

SAMPLE TRUE NECROMANCER

As a disciple of Nerull, Thredra Aranax has studied both divine and arcane magic to better perfect her mastery over undead. Thredra is a true believer in the power of death, seeing it as the source of both divine and arcane power.

Thredra Aranax the True Necromancer: Female human necromancer 3/cleric 3/true necromancer 5; CR 11; Medium humanoid; HD 3d4+3 plus 3d8+3 plus 5d6+5; hp 47; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +5; Grp +4; Atk or Full Atk +5 melee (1d4-1/19-20, masterwork dagger) or +6 ranged (1d4-1/19-20, masterwork dagger); SA necromantic prowess +1, rebuke undead 8/day (+3, 2d6+10, 9th), spells; SQ create undead 2/day, familiar, zone of desecration; AL NE; SV Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +16; Str 8, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 18, Cha 13.
Skills and Feats: Concentration +15, Heal +15, Knowledge (arcana) +17, Knowledge (religion) +17, Search +12, Spellcraft +19, Survival +1 (+3 following tracks); Extra Turning, Greater Spell Focus (necromancy), Greater Spell Penetration, Scribe ScrollB, Spell Focus (necromancy), Spell Penetration.
Create Undead (Sp): Thredra can use create undead twice per day, as the spell of the same name. Caster level 12th.
Familiar: Thredra chooses not to summon a familiar, seeing a potential familiar as more of a vulnerability than an asset.
Zone of Desecration (Su): Thedra is continuously surrounded by a 20-foot-radius aura of negative energy, identical to the desecrate spell.
Cleric Spells Prepared (caster level 7th): 0-detect magic (2), light (2), read magic (2); 1st-bless, cure light wounds (2), protection from good^DE, sanctuary, shield of faith; 2nd-bear's endurance, cure moderate wounds, death knell^DEN (DC 18), hold person (DC 16), silence (DC 16); 3rd-blindness/deafness^N (DC 19), dispel magic, invisibility purge, magic circle against good^DE; 4th-cure critical wounds, summon monster IV, unholy blight^DE (DC 18).
^D: Domain spell. Domains: Death (death touch 1/day, damage 3d6), Evil (cast evil spells [^E] at +1 caster level).
^N: Necromancy spell, +1 caster level because of necromantic prowess.
Wizard Spells Prepared (caster level 7th; prohibited schools abjuration and illusion): 0-acid splash, mage hand, open/close, touch of fatigue^N (2) (+4 melee touch; DC 15); 1st-cause fear^N (DC 16), charm person (DC 14), detect undead, magic missile, magic weapon, ray of enfeeblement^N (+5 ranged touch); 2nd-command undead^N (DC 17), darkvision, ghoul touch^N (2) (+4 melee touch; DC 17), spider climb; 3rd-fireball (DC 16), fly, ray of exhaustion^N (+5 ranged touch; DC 18), vampiric touch^N; 4th-enervation^N (2) (+5 ranged touch).
^N: Necromancy spell, +1 caster level because of necromantic prowess.
Spellbook: as above plus 0-all except abjuration and illusion; 1st-identify, magic weapon, shield; 2nd-Melf's acid arrow, see invisibility; 3rd-slow, stinking cloud; 4th-animate dead.
Possessions: amulet of natural armor +1, bracers of armor +2, ring of protection +1, periapt of Wisdom +2, headband of intellect +2, cloak of resistance +2, potion of cure serious wounds, masterwork dagger, 300 gp.