In a way it feels extremely powerful, You get access to one of the most versatile branches of magic, including amazing spells like anguish, haunt, martyr’s and clutch and sublimation. They’re useful even in late game making them cheap. Of course I’m not forgetting the extremely powerful effects Haunt and Infestation in late-game. It feels amazing once you’re at that point (Don’t you feel like a real master of death?)
On the other hand, being so versatile means they require much investment into several other schools of magic, since not all of them are pure necromancy, and usually one can run into trouble with demonic or powerful undeads (keep an eye for Mennas as well). Most races can’t even train to cast the really useful spells of necromancy until very late in the game. So far most of my successful runs with it have been with Deep Elves and Mummies which are very frail (I could try mountain dwarf as well).
Whenever I play as Necromancer background it feels very underwhelming in early, until I get a lucky meele weapon or any of the above useful necro spells. If unlucky in Lair you’ll easily get destroyed by a simple hoarde of Yaks if you cannot protect your zombies with Martyr. I feel like you’re really RNG dependant and not much depends on how well you play the cards you’re given. (Although we could say the same with all backgrounds)
Anyway, I wanted to ask you your experience with Necromancy thorough the game, as well as any advice for surviving early game. I remember some old post saying the best way to play Necro is to go Wizard.
I find necromancer a very underwhelming start. And with Kiku in the game, you’re basically guaranteed to find good necro spells so the background doesn’t matter much.
Thus, the best background for necromancy is alchemist! Strong early game, great potential for hybridizing (I had a merfolk run where I ended up going full melee with the starting spells for support, and got all the way to Zot), and of course poisonous AoEs.
Everything you summon with necromancy is immune to poison so you can safely use Toxic Radiance and Mephitic Cloud literally whenever you want. Even the weakest zombies will kill almost anything if it’s confused, and then you have OTR to turn the entire screen worth of enemies into your undead servants.
Sticky Flame can help you deal with strong poison-immune enemies: surround one with your allies, then go into melee, cast the spell on them and immediately hide behind your army (or keep meleeing if you are confident in your durability).
Any species with not terrible aptitudes for necro and alchemy can pull off this build.
I must admit I STILL haven’t played with Forgecraft that much beyond the starting spells so I don’t have experience with Alembic’s… but I’d assume it would work well!
Forgecraft is quite difficult to get going as well in early, the spells are powerful but require time and AC to build up enough allies. A frail race will suffer too much as well.
My recommendation it’s clearly mountain dwarf, with strong melee and heavy armour casting. It allowed to have several friends with buffs and heavy damage in late while not sacrificing AC or Shields. Platinum paragon is extremely broken as well as Diamond Sawblades if you know where to place it.