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Some necromancers rely more on their bone commanders to handle combat situations, allowing them to control a few minions of their own.

The bonedancer is an archetype of the necromancer class.

Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The bonedancer mainly focuses on DEX for combat, and CHA for his class features and spells.

Archetype Feature Replacements:
3rd – Harm Touch.

Bone Minion (Su)

At 3rd level and every five levels thereafter, the necromancer can create a bone minion under the command of his bone commander. There are four types of bone minions that the necromancer can create. It takes a standard action to summon a bone minion. They last until they are destroyed or until the bone commander is destroyed. While unintelligent, the bone minions follow the bone commander’s mental commands to the best of their ability. If the bone commander were to be mentally unable to submit commands, the bone minions will stand there idle for however long the bone commander is out of commission, mentally.

Bone Archers: These bone minions uses bows to fire arrows from ranged. They begin play with Light Armor proficiency, Precise Shot, and are proficient with all bows. When the necromancer reaches 8th level, bone archers receive the Rapid Shot feat. At 13th level, bone archers receive the Manyshot feat. At 18th level, bone archers receive the Improved Precise Shot feat. These bone archers are summoned with a +1 long bow and light armor which increases to +2 at 8th level, +3 at 13th level, and +4 at 18th level. The bone archers have an unlimited supply of arrows. These items disappear when the bone archer is destroyed or removed from the bone archer’s possession.

Bone Fighters: These bone minions are front-line melee. They begin play with Light and Medium Armor proficiency, Weapon Focus (weapon chosen by necromancer), and are proficient with all simple and martial weapons. When the necromancer reaches 8th level, bone fighters receive the Power Attack feat. At 13th level, bone fighters receive the Weapon Specialization feat (weapon chosen from Weapon Focus feat). At 18th level, bone fighters receive the Greater Weapon Focus feat. These bone fighters are summoned with a +1 weapon and armor which increases to +2 at 8th level, +3 at 13th level, and +4 at 18th level. These items disappear when the bone fighter are destroyed or removed from the bone fighter’s possession.

Bone Mages: These bone minions cast dark spells. They begin play with Power Staff Proficiency, Empowered Touchdark spell, and use the necromancer’s MP pool to cast. When the necromancer reaches 8th level, bone mages can cast dark II spell and receive the Dark Focus feat. At 13th level, bone mages can cast dark III spell and receive the Improved Power Weapons feat. At 18th level, bone mages can cast dark IV spell and receive the Advanced Power Weapons feat. Bone mages use their own level as their spell-casting level, but utilizes the necromancer’s Charisma modifier as their casting attribute. These bone mages are summoned with a +1 shadow power staff which increases to +2 at 8th level, +3 at 13th level, and +4 at 18th level. This item disappears when the bone mage is destroyed or removed from the bone mage’s possession. Bone mages use their Charisma score but the bonedancer’s necromancer level – 2 for their spells and effects. In addition, when a bone mage is summoned, it spends 1 MP from the bonedancer’s MP pool to cast Bone Armor (if the bonedancer does not have any MP, it will not cast this spell) as a free action, even if the bonedancer doesn’t know the spell, it lasts for 1 hour per necromancer level.

Bone Menders: These bone minions cast cure spells. They begin play with Power Staff proficiency, Empowered Touchcure spell, and use the necromancer’s MP pool to cast. When the necromancer reaches 8th level, bone menders can cast cure II spell and receive the Empower Spell feat. At 13th level, bone menders can cast cure III spell and receive the Improved Power Weapons feat. At 18th level, bone menders can cast cure IV spell and receive the Advanced Power Weapons feat. Bone menders use their own level as their spell-casting level, but utilizes the necromancer’s Charisma modifier as their casting attribute. These bone menders are summoned with a +1 shadow power staff which increases to +2 at 8th level, +3 at 13th level, and +4 at 18th level. This item disappears when the bone mender is destroyed or removed from the bone mender’s possession. Bone mages use their Charisma score but the bonedancer’s necromancer level – 2 for their spells and effects. In addition, when a bone mender is summoned, it spends 1 MP from the bonedancer’s MP pool to cast Bone Armor (if the bonedancer does not have any MP, it will not cast this spell) as a free action, even if the bonedancer doesn’t know the spell, it lasts for 1 hour per necromancer level.

Bone Minion Basics

Use the basic statistics (see below), but with the following changes.

  • Hit Dice: For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the bone commander’s total hit dice.
  • Hit Points: The bone minion has half the bone commander’s total hit points (not including temporary hit points), rounded down.
  • Attacks: Use the bone commander’s base attack bonus. Use the bone minion’s Dexterity or Strength modifier, whichever is greater, to calculate the bone minion’s melee attack bonus with natural weapons.
  • Saving Throws: For each saving throw, the bone minion uses the bone commander’s basic saving throws. The bone minion uses its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any of the other bonuses that the bone commander might have on saves.
  • Skills: For each skill in which the bone commander has ranks, use the normal skill ranks for the bone commander’s skill ranks. In either case, the bone minion uses its own ability modifiers. Regardless of a bone minion’s total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the bone minion’s ability to use. Bone minions treat Acrobatics, Climb, Fly, Perception, Stealth, and Swim as class skills.

Bone Minion

Starting Statistics

Size: Medium; Speed: 30 ft.; AC: +1 natural armor; Attack: 2 claws (1d4); Ability Scores: Str 15, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10 (for bone fighter and bone archer); Str 10, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 15 (for bone mage and bone mender); Special Qualities: darkvision (60’), DR 5/bludgeoning.

Table: Bone Minion

Bone Commander's Hit DiceNatural Armor Adj.Special
31Undead traits, link, evasion
41Ability score increase
52
62
73
83Ability score increase
94
104Spell resistance
115
125Ability score increase
136
146
157
167Ability score increase
178
188Improved Evasion
199
209Ability score increase

Bone Commander’s Hit Dice: The bone commander’s hit dice.

Undead Traits (Ex): Bone minions have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, have immunity to poison, sleep, disable, immobilize and stunning status effects. Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). Not at risk of death from massive damage, but are immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points. Not affected by Raise spells or abilities. Absorbs any shadow damage, and takes half again as much from holy damage.

Link (Ex): A bone commander and its bone minions share a mental link allows for communication across any distance (as long as they are on the same plane). If the bone commander is destroyed, the bone minions are destroyed as well.

Ability Score Increase (Ex): The bone minion adds +1 to any one of its ability scores.

Evasion (Ex): If a bone minion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex save for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.

Spell Resistance (Ex): A bone minion gains spell resistance equal to the bone commander’s hit dice + 5. To affect the bone minion with a spell, another spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the bone minion’s spell resistance.

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a bone minion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.

This ability replaces harm touch.

Bonedancer