The Black Libram of Nartarus rules question.

[Sir Ironside]

On the Necromancer spell chart, under 'Charisma Penalty" it shows -1 to Charisma from 4th level through 9th level (Page 4). Are these -1's accumulative?

Also, I take it that Blessed of Natarus, Command Undead and Flesh of the Undead... are abilities that you can take once you become a Necromancer provided that you spend the associated XP cost and are not spells. Is this right?

Sorry if this has already been covered.
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[Ace of Swords]

The book mentions it someplace, But yes those penalties are cumulative.

Necromancers get unpopular fast.

Blessed of Natarus , command undead and flesh of undead... I believe you have it right.

Spend the xp get the ability.

[Relaxo]

Sir Ironside wrote:
Also, I take it that Blessed of Natarus, Command Undead and Flesh of the Undead... are abilities that you can take once you become a Necromancer provided that you spend the associated XP cost and are not spells. Is this right?

Yeah, that's how I read it too. So it's not necessarily it's own class, like a 2nd ed specialist mage/necromancer. Which I thought was pretty cool, because there are plenty of clerical necromancer types in fantasy lit.

[Sir Ironside]

So, if the -1 are cumulative, I'd imagine that the negative charisma modifiers for Blessed of Natarus, Command Undead and Flesh of the Undead are also cumulative. But do the negatives for each ability are constant or only when you use that ability?
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[Ace of Swords]

constant ongoing effect of using magic man was not ment to know.

Pretty sure the book said something to the effect of ~over time necro's become like the shriveled corpses they command~

[Sir Ironside]

Ace of Swords wrote:
constant ongoing effect of using magic man was not ment to know.

Pretty sure the book said something to the effect of ~over time necro's become like the shriveled corpses they command~

Yeah, I read that. It still isn't clear (at least to me) if those special abilities are active all the time, or can be called upon.

I personally favour the called upon method as watching a character change, before your eyes, is much more disturbing than becoming withered than the static version where your group just becomes used to it, not to mention the effect it would have on NPC'd or monsters.
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[Ace of Swords]

I have issues with it being charisma..

If charisma was just looks it wouldnt be an issue.

The loss of charisma effects how many undead the necromancer can command. This is counter productive.

A true Necromancer would never take these gifts as they reduce the ability to command the very beings the Necro set out to command.

Any Troll Lords care to comment?

[zarathustra]

Ace of Swords wrote:
I have issues with it being charisma..

If charisma was just looks it wouldnt be an issue.

The loss of charisma effects how many undead the necromancer can command. This is counter productive.

A true Necromancer would never take these gifts as they reduce the ability to command the very beings the Necro set out to command.

Any Troll Lords care to comment?

maybe that is the point, get these powers but suffer the consequences- right where it hurts most.

[Sir Ironside]

zarathustra wrote:
maybe that is the point, get these powers but suffer the consequences- right where it hurts most.

I gotta agree with Ace of Swords on this one. I guess it'd be a easy houserule, in that it doesn't apply to the undead.

Speaking of houserules, I thought that the necromancer progression could skip a level with the negative ones and like I questioned above, houserule that the abilities only apply the negative charisma when used.
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[Bowbe]

Shouldn't apply to "undead" but it is intended to apply to the reactions and interactions with the living that folks who constantly interact with the dead eventually develop. Think the smarmy bastard that works a funeral home, or the coroner/pathologist that eats a ham sandwich while he determines "cause of death". In my experience of knowing or encountering both... they have a bit of an "off putting" presence. Maybe your mileage varies. Thats "Real world".

As for applying it to your stats/saves and so on... Caveat Emptor. Deal with the undead, you gain great strength in some areas, but accrue a weakness as well. Nartarus seeks your death, just as you covet the power of the living dead. If you lose a save and die because your charisma has withered along with your rotten necrophalic heart, so much the better. You cross from a living servant to an undead minion.