I've been working on a little project before I run "The Terror of the Lichemaster/Lichemaster" 1e (revised as Lichemaster) for my 3e group.

Here is a summary of all the necro spells and undead abilities. Let me know if I missed anything. I also included a handy chart for channel power.

I estimate that most GMs don't waste a lot of time doing hardcore tracking of power, etc. (I certainly am not going to bother with "venting power" and other such accounting nonsense).

http://rpggeek.com/thread/1088446/gms-handy-necromancy-summary-including-from-the-gr

jh

In regards to this topic, I looked at the Necromancer and did this evaluation:

The Necromancer, as most wizards, will get annihilated if the GM doesn't surround him with lots of underlings other than skeletons (as once the necro is dead, the skeletons are leaderless) and the "scariness" of a combat is lost.

Solutions (for the necro and all "bosses" and wizards) to make combat encounters diverse and not just a quick "target the leader" encounter:

• There should be something more dangerous than the leader, in the presence of the leader. For example: an "ogre" zombie or something where if the party doesn't deal with the bigger threat first or split their attacks, they'll be in danger.
• Master or "Lord" necromancer, with a few witches and necromancers beneath him. I find additional spellcasters really perk up a combat without being game-breaking. That includes things like Tzaangor, Ghoul-spellcasters, lackey's reading from scrolls (or communal casting), etc.
• Terrain: leader on a pinnacle, peak, across a chasm, flying, on a terrible mount (imagine a dracolich mount), etc.

Other thoughts?

jh

Bodyguards with low stats themselves (other than Willpower), who stay engaged with the boss and use Guarded Position plus the Assist Maneuver? Or just abstract their action into big A/C/E spends defending the boss.

Give the boss the "Half-Dead" card from the Dreadfleet POD, so he can heal a little and make another attack the turn after they kill him.

Rally steps with reinforcements.

• Round 1 & 2: Fight with lots of minions, boss is nowhere to be seen.
• Rally Step: Boss enters, with 2 buff spells (or other buffing actions) already active.
• Round 3: Fight with boss and minions.
• Second Rally step: New wave of minions enters in.
• Round 4+: Fight with boss and both waves of minions.

Ditto all the above, loved "half dead" though I used it more narratively (a loyal follower cut their own throat over the vampiress and she rose). Had PC's 2nd guessing "is that vampire really gone" for the rest of the campaign (worth it for that alone).

I also have given bosses "henchmen soak". E.G., fanatically loyal followers who "take the hit" and either absorb it or at least act as "additional soak" (e..g, a to 3 henchmen is 3 soak off that damage).

The "Guarded Position" action by a bunch of henchmen (all those white dice on it) is also not a bad use of weak underlings who would get mowed down anyway. Anything that has no real chance of bothering PC's is either used to occupy them or just to screen what has a good chance of dealing a critical or that "bit of stress necessary to risk insanity".

Terrain is a good too, atop building or behind wall with cover, in branches - there are also defensive spells. Some spells are particularly good to have a 2ndary caster use (those ones that just deal out modifiers good and bad to allies and friends seem a bit blah for the main spellcaster but are nice to have someone dish out).

I am always willing to also simply rule "that wave of henchmen is in front of the big bad and you cannot target the big bad until they are gone" (unless you have Trick Shot or similar good explanation). I learned this after Mourn in Gathering Storm got toasted before his Skeleton Bodyguard.

Structurally, have "big bad" in a 2nd or 3rd wave (rally steps). Meaningful foes in waves also makes "long recharge super action use" more of a choice - use it now for the hero wargor or save it for whatever the GM has coming in the next Act...."

For some creatures that logically work with them, swarms are nice cover - a swarm of bats or insects is a movable cloud obscuring vision making it hard to target ranged attacks.

The wave approach is prolly the best one although in my experience theret is a fine line between exciting and too-long-and-tedious combat sequences.

Having the "boss" appear in a later wave for sure softens up the PCs and makes their actions go on cool down, but this can

also backfire if the PC has "buff" actions which peak on turn 4+. Especially 2handed priests of Sigmar with Ironclad (can move freely without engagement) and pick out their desired target at will.

I like how Valvorik managed the boatfight in his TTT campaign. The handmaidens caught the arrow aimed for their master as additional wound buffer.