The Necromancer

I've been re-reading the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Players Handbook, as I've being toying with the idea of doing an old school D&D version of Star Trap. It gave me the idea for a Necromancer class using solely the PHB.

The Necromancer.

Based on the Magic User class, the Necromancer studies dark texts which lead to magical spells that work very much like clerical magic. The study is difficult and taxing, and the Necromancer is forced to forgo the study of some schools of magic.
Necromancers have ability requirements, saving throws, hit points and gain levels just as a magic user. They wield weapons in the same manner to, although through the connection leather has to the dead, a special ritual allows them to wear specially prepared necromantic leather armour.

Only humans and half orcs live lives short enough to allow them a connection the necromatic arts in such a significant manner. Half orcs may indeed be Necromancer/Assassins, but are restricted still to necromatic leather armour. Half orcs are limited to levels as Necromancers as elves are to magic users .

Necromancers are either neutral or evil in outlook. Neutral necromancers must make a percentage roll every time the gain a level to see if they are corrupted by their increasing powers. If they roll equal to or under their level, they become evil. Thus a chaotic neutral Necromancer changes to chaotic evil on a% roll of 01 or 02 when he becomes 2nd level and at 10th level a roll of 10 or less will have the effect. Evil Necromancers must also roll in the same manner but if they roll equal to or below their level they loose a point of charisma.

Necromancers may only learn necromantic, abjuration, divination, summoning/conjuration and alteration schools of magic user spells. They may cast necromantic clerical spells, but always the reversed versions, as if they were magic user spells. In addition to the necromantic clerical spells, a necromancer may learn Cause Disease, Unholy Word and Bestow Curse. When casting Monster Summoning spells, they monsters summoned are always undead.

The necromantic leather armour that Necromancers may wear is made from the skins of intelligent creatures and requires ritual that costs 50 g.p. in extra material components. Most leather workers would be horrified to create such a suit, so specialists must be sought out. Once made, the armour maybe enchanted as normal. Magical leather armour that is found is necromantic 2% of the time.