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We are starting a new D&D 2024 campaign in a few weeks, which I will be DMing, as we are just now finishing our most recent campaign, D&D 2014 with a lot of homebrew.

We're starting at Level 1. Our intent is to play pretty standard D&D 2024, without homebrew, at least for the first segment of the campaign, roughly through Level 5.

One player wants to play a necromancer. There is no necromancer in 2024. (At least that I can tell. There's a lot of material, and is pretty confusing to wade through. Also, I've looked at the upcoming November releases, and it doesn't seem that Necromancer is in the works.)

I am considering several options:

  • Allow 2014 subclasses
  • Allow UA subclasses

FWIW, the player says they don't like the 2014 Necromancer, but the UA is good. Also, FWIW, I realize we've got a couple of levels before subclasses.

My questions:

Question 1: Am I correct, that there is no official 2024 Necromancer? †

Question 2: Have you implemented a necromancer in 2024, and if so, how did you do it, and how did it work out? ‡

† Other than the 2014 subclass, I mean, which is "official" in the sense of stated backward compatibility and all that.

‡ I'm looking for good subjective here.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ So are you aware of the 2024 UA one in the "Arcane Subclasses" playtests, or not? I don't quite understand as you state "There is no necromancer in 2024" but you also talk about wanting to include UA. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Oct 3 at 18:32
  • \$\begingroup\$ Yes, I am considering the UA necromancer. An answer describing experience implementing the UA necromancer (It worked well / it didn't work well / something else) would definitely be a good answer to my question #2. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Oct 3 at 18:43
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    \$\begingroup\$ What does the character want in a necromancer character? Just a class called 'Necromancer' or are they looking for specific abilities? \$\endgroup\$ Commented Oct 8 at 16:05
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MichaelRichardson That's a very good question. They haven't been able to articulate specific abilities, but the feel is of a non-evil character that feels that necromancy gets a bad name from a few evil practitioners, and that necromancy can make the world a better place by providing a source of labor for work that people don't want to do, such as mining. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Oct 10 at 13:14

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As of October 2025, it appears that the Necromancer wizard has only appeared in playtest material for 5.5/5e 2024 edition.

The Unearthed Arcana in question, Arcane Subclasses, is available on D&D Beyond and contains (among other things) the other 4 spell-school-specialist Wizard subclasses, including Necromancer. I haven't found any new official releases with the material, though we may see a release coming up that has some or all of that content.

We have not implemented it at my main table, due to specific rules of the homebrew setting generally making necromancy not an available choice to PCs at all, so I don't have Good Subjective analysis, unfortunately.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Thank you for at least confirming my conclusion that the UA necromancer is the only 2024 implementation. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Oct 3 at 18:41
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Jack No problem! I do think it's worth checking out if you haven't already, I like the updates to it (in theory, at least) and am far more interested in trying to play one than the 2014 version. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Oct 3 at 18:43
  • \$\begingroup\$ That is exactly my player's sentiment. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Oct 3 at 20:23
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    \$\begingroup\$ Note that the Necromancer appears in both the initial Arcane Subclasses UA, as well as the Arcane Subclasses Update UA that includes (as the title suggests) updated versions of 6 of the 9 subclasses from the original one. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Oct 8 at 22:00
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Consider this 2024 Warlock build

Besides the exceptions made in the post, you're right that there is no 2024 wizard class that fulfils your player's Necromancer fantasy. However, more generally a necromancer could be any magic user that "communes with the dead" or just uses necromancy spells.

I present to you a 2024 Warlock Necromancer

Level 1:

Eldritch Invocation = Pact of the Chain, selecting the Skeleton as My familiar. I already feel like a necromancer! (yes, it can't attack unless I spend my action, but every necromancer has to start somewhere)

I also take Toll the Dead as one of my cantrips.

Level 3:

Option 1 Subclass: Fiend is good for flavor as it ties me to a devil, and the level 14 feature can literally send someone to Hell and back

Option 2 Subclass: Great old One is more mysterious, and is more ghostly. I'll get Summon Aberration at level 7 (though any warlock could just take the spell too), and I will be able to just create a thrall as my 14th level feature.

Level 5:

Notable Spell: Summon Undead, now I've got 2 undead minions (pretty good for 5th level).

Eldritch Invocation = Investment of the Chain Master, Now my skeleton familiar can attack using my bonus action. I've gotten better at controlling my minions. Also my Skeleton familiar sprouts wings and flies! Maybe my DM will let it carry me?

Level 7

Eldritch Invocation = Whispers of the Grave. I'm a necromancer right? I can certainly speak with the dead anytime I like.

Level 11

Mystic Arcanum = Create Undead, now I have 3 ghouls (zombies) added to my necromancer army.

Level 13

Mystic Arcanum = Finger of Death, Now I can make a zombie every day as long as I kill a humanoid with it every day. My horde now grows to epic proportions!

Now I realize this probably isn't the most optimal character you could build as a warlock, and that there is still room for further customization, but it certainly feels like a necromancer to me.

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