Dungeons & Dragonscould easily be described as a game of heroes and villains, almost every quest ends in a confrontation with some sort of monster or nefarious schemer after all. You always want these clashes and the plots surrounding them to be engaging for your players, but that requires a great villain to begin with.
Possibly no type of villain is more synonymous with high fantasy than the evil Necromancer, a wizard with the power and the will to raise the dead to do their bidding. The trope is so well known as to be a cliche, making it hard to avoid pitfalls of your Necromancer feeling like a parody. We’re here to help, with some top tips to make sure your Necromancer hits the mark.
8Make Them A Person
Not Just A Villain
If all you make is an evil Necromancer, that’s all you’ll get. A two-dimensional and forgettable villain your players won’t engage with beyond the fight against them. If you take the time to make them a complete person, however, you’ll end up with something far more satisfying.
Think about who they are and what led them down this path. Give them some character traits and consider whether they’re cold or unsettlingly friendly, arrogant or cowardly. The more you invest into making them a person and not just a villain, the more your players will be interested in them and their story.
7Think Motivation
Necromancy Isn’t For Everyone
Any villain who became an evil Necromancer just to be an evil Necromancer belongs in a cartoon. Think instead about why your Necromancer has gone down this dark path, their motivations will inform their character and help you know how they’ll react when your players inevitably do something unexpected.
Perhaps they fear their own death and are looking for a way to circumvent it, or have been devastated by the loss of a loved one and are hoping to find the power to bring them back. Their reasons might not even be related to Necromancy itself, it may just be a tool to achieve an unrelated goal.
6Establish Tone
Make Sure Your Players Are Happy
It’s easy to get excited about your latest idea for a villain, but make sure that you don’t get carried away with yourself. Always make sure to match the tone of the game your players are looking for. A Session Zero is perfect for establishing this.
Not everyone will enjoy gruesome descriptions of the rising dead just like not everyone will want their villains to be morally complex. Some players want to fight the bad guy and have a few laughs, while others want a layered villain and narration that leans hard on horror. Be sure to cater the experience to match your player’s preferences.
5Minions Are Everything
Monster Mash
Typically a Necromancer wouldn’t be caught dead, or undead for that matter, without their minions to do their bidding. D&D has a wealth ofincredible undead monstersfor you to use, so take some time to pick out the ones thatmake the most sense for your Necromancer.
Zombies and skeletons never go out of style, but if your Necromancer is more of a Dr. Frankenstein type then don’t overlook Flesh Golems. If they need to call Undead to them somewhere without bodies to use then Ghosts materializing is a great option. You’re only limited by your Necromancer’s imagination.
4Use Them Again
Never Say Die
Just because your Necromancer is defeated by your players doesn’t mean they have to be gone forever. Power over death is their specialty after all, so they could easily have contingencies in place in case they’re ever killed by a band of meddling do-gooders.
Killing them could only be temporary, life returning to their body once the party is gone. Or they might rise as an Undead themselves, brought back by their own dark magic. A recurring villain is a great way to surprise your players, they usually don’t expect it.
Especially savvy players might have the sense to destroy the body of your Necromancer, especially if killing them seems like it isn’t sticking. If they do this and you want to keep using your Necromancer then just make them a ghost, influencing events more indirectly.
3Give Them A Master
Everybody Has A Boss
Your Necromancer might be the final villain of your campaign, but if they’re not then it’s worth considering if there’s someone more powerful than them who could serve asyour next villain. This provides a clear progression from one part of your campaign to the next.
Perhaps they serve a vampire and hope to become one themselves, or are the apprentice of an ancient Lich. They might be in service to Vecna himself, or even Orcus, Demon Lord of Undeath. Whoever you decide on, think about how they might react to word of your Necromancer’s defeat.
2Use Other Tools
Necromancy Isn’t All There Is
It’s natural to want to lean hard on the theme of your villain, but remember that your Necromancer doesn’t have to use necromancy as their only solution to every problem. They will know other kinds of magic and have other resources available to them.
If you want to keep the theme strong, you’re able to flavour these to be more thematic. A fireball spell can be made of sickly green flame, an assassin can have the pallid complexion of a corpse, and the corrupt city guardsman might be able to talk to his departed love instead of getting paid in coin.
1Tempt Your Players And Their Characters
Everybody Wants Something
The combat in Dungeons & Dragons is one of its strongest points, but don’t default to it right away just because it’s fun. When confronted by the threat of your player’s characters, consider ways that your Necromancer villain might attempt to tempt them to the dark side.
They might offer powerful magical items of a dark nature, eternal life, or even the opportunity to reunite with a beloved NPC who has passed away. It doesn’t matter necessarily whether they can follow through on these promises, letting your players grapple with temptation is what matters.
