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Q: How powerful is a necromancer ?
A: In my oppinion, a very powerful one.  Necromancers don't have much in terms of direct damage as other spellcasters do and are pretty weak in a melee combat.  Nevertheless, we are the only class that can deal damage at the same time we recover life with the Drain Life (DL) group of spells.  You might not realize how powerful a necromancer is until you reach level 12 though.  It is at that level that necromancers get the first real powerful spells.  Besides Bind Affinity, which binds you to an area and thus allows you to travel freely through Norrath, we get Lifedraw (a DL spell that maxes at 45 damage), Convoke Shadow (the first pet with magical attack abilities), Spook the Dead (a spell that makes undead creatures just run run run and making you even more skilled when fighting against undeads), and two great DoT spells, Heat Blood and Engulfing Darkness.  In sum, our combination of pet spells, DL spells and DoT spells make us a very powerful class indeed.

Q: What are the disadvantages of playing a necromancer ?
A: As mentioned before, necromancers are disliked by most NPCs in Norrath, including some in your own home town.  Thus, you will not be able to walk around in towns unless you are invisible.  That makes you pretty much stuck to the areas close to your home town until you reach level 8 and can purchase the invisibility spell.  There are ways to fix that though.  You can kill creatures that will improve your faction standing with NPCs and guards from a specific region.  For example, you can go to Black Burrow and kill gnolls.   As a result, you will improve your faction standing with NPCs, merchants and guards of Qeynos.  Whenever you go back to Qeynos, consider them and pay attention to what they say.  It might take some time but at some point they will be indifferent to you and won't bother with your presence anymore.  You will even be able to purchase things from merchants.  Take a look at the Faction Standing guide for a more complete list of things you can do to improve your faction standing.

Q: Can I ever improve my faction standing ?  Or can I ever walk in towns that are not my home town without getting killed ?
A: Yes you can.  Take a look at the answer above.

Q: Any tips for a newbie necromancer ?
A: Well, the most important thing you should do when starting a new character is gathering enough money to buy cavorting bones, the first pet spell.  A necromancer is fairly weak without his or her pet.  Once you get your pet, it is important to understand how to deal with it.  The best tactic when fighting with a pet is as follow.  Cast a spell pulling the creature and send yout pet to combat.  Take a few hits and then back off, leaving your pet holding the creature while you stand behind casting Lifetap.  Once you regain some of the lost HPs step back into combat and repeat the same process until the creature is dead.  Other important things for are knowing where the guards are (you can run close to them when in danger and they will kill the creature for you), learning the location of the necro guild in your home town (you will have to buy those new spells as well as food and water), knowing which opponents to fight against (always, but always consider a creature before engaging into combat), and get to know people in your area (as a necro, you will have difficulty buying things that are not available at your local necro and a friend will help you overcome that problem as he might go and buy you things like armor to you in town).

Q: What race should I be when playing a necromancer ?
A: That is hard question as it depends on your playing preferences.  In my oppinion, Erudites and Dark Elves make up the best necromancers among all races.  Erudites are the most intelingent race in all Norrath (base of 117) and will give you plenty of mana.  Charisma is also not that bad (base of 70).  Dark Elves are also high on inteligence (base of 109), have very good agility (base of 90), and have two special powers, hiding and ultravision.  The main drawback for both races is that they are disliked throught Norrath, specially the evil Dark Elves.

Q: Where should I spend my practice points ?
A: Initially, at channeling.  It will reduce the chances of fizzling a spell.  Once you make it to level 4, spend a few points in meditate as it will speed up your mana recovery.  I would not spend points pretty much anywhere else as you will learn other skills on your own, through practice in battles.  Save those points for skills you can only use later on such as research, old erudin or any other trade skill (e.g. jewelry, tailoring, etc.).

Q: I need to buy a spell but I cannot find it in my necro guild. What should I do ?
A: For some reason, some spells are just not available in necro guilds.  Most of the spells that can be used by necromancers and other spellcaster classes you just cannot find.  In order to buy it, you will have to ask a friend of yours that is not a necro to go to a different spellcaster guild and buy it for you.  If not, just offer money to anyone that brings you the spell you are looking for.

Q: I keep on dying and loosing experience and can never make it to the next level.  Is there anything I can do ?
A: One important thing to learn when fighting in a region is how safe is the place you are.  Black Burrow for example is like train town.  There are so many trains in that place that chances are you will get hit by one.  Places like this make solo work a lot harder since you will not have any back up in case things get a little out of hand.  Thus, look for a party of characters roughly the same level you are.  Never join a party in which someone is more than 3 levels above or below yours.  You will get very little experience from that.  But do join parties since you will be safer with them.  Your experience will not go up as fast as if you were alone, but you will also not die very often and loose those precious XP.  The other thing you can do is simply look for a better place to fight in, anywhere where trains are less likely to happen.  Take a look at the Zone Analysis section for some tips on where should you be.
 

Updated on May 28, 1999