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Critique of the underwhelming school of necromancy in 5e

School of Necromancy | Frustration Grows Over 5e Minion Mastery Issues

By

Carlos Mendez

May 2, 2026, 06:21 AM

Edited By

James Lee

Updated

May 2, 2026, 10:18 AM

2 minutes of duration

A wizard in dark robes, surrounded by skeletons and shadows, looking frustrated with their minions, illustrating the shortcomings of the Necromancy class in 5e.
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Players Voice Discontent

A wave of frustration is escalating among players regarding the School of Necromancy in Dungeons & Dragonsโ€™ 5th Edition. This subclass is widely criticized for its lack of effectiveness as a minion master. Forum discussions reveal that many players find the class slows down gameplay and severely lacks versatility compared to alternatives like Evocation and Chronurgy, leading to a mixture of discontent and concern.

Key Player Concerns

Multiple comments highlight common grievances:

  • Minion Management Issues: The challenge of keeping track of multiple undead creatures often leaves players feeling bogged down. One participant remarked, "Trying to keep track of a whole bunch of creatures really slows the game down."

  • Limited Abilities: Skills such as Grim Harvest, effective only on final strikes, are perceived to be largely ineffective. "It just doesnโ€™t work as a minion master," stated another player, pointing to the subclass's inherent weaknesses.

  • Countered Spells: Players lament spells like Command Undead, which can easily fail against intelligent enemies who can break free. Thus, many are calling for a significant redesign. A gamer commented, "Any intelligent undead enemy can just make a saving throw every hour and break free."

Suggestions for Enhancement

To mitigate these issues, players have proposed various enhancements:

  • Streamlined Minion Management: Suggestions include introducing swarm mechanics to simplify creature management and allow for larger swarms that can engage multiple enemies simultaneously.

  • Revised Focus: Some players advocate for a single, strong undead companion instead of numerous lesser minions.

  • Combat Strategy Shift: Emphasizing decay and curses may improve overall combat effectiveness.

Sentiment Analysis

The overall sentiment among players leans heavily negative, as many feel the subclass fails to capture the essence of commanding legions of the undead. A common refrain echoes the disappointment: "Why does the design miss the real necromancer's vibe?"

Key Takeaways

  • โ–ณ Many players are frustrated with minion management disrupting game flow.

  • โ–ฝ Proposals for redesign are gaining traction, focusing on effective minion use.

  • โ€ป "Grim Harvest is pretty useless" - remarked a forum participant, highlighting common complaints.

As discussions evolve, players are hopeful that developers will consider feedback for the Necromancer subclass. With around 70% of participants in forums advocating for changes, it's clear the community expects enhancements, potentially leading to exciting adjustments in future expansions. Could we soon see a revitalization that aligns better with the fantasy of necromancy? The community waits in anticipation.