- See also Wild Talents (CPsiH).
Because of their association with forbidden and mysterious powers, it is not surprising that some necromancers might develop unusual mental abilities. After all, most necromancers, by right of their unusual mental faculties—high Intelligence and Wisdom—already have a natural aptitude for psychic disciplines. In the campaign, these skills may greatly increase a NPC's mystique and perceived level of ability. For instance, players may take alarmed note of a necromancer's 1st-level apprentice who can apparently sense their thoughts without visibly casting a single spell. With a single wild talent, an otherwise minor necromancer can appear to have strange and exotic powers without resorting to dangerous pacts with evil, lower-planar entities and the terrible consequences of such bargains.
As discussed in the Complete Psionics Handbook (CPH), the base chance for gaining a wild talent is 1%, subject to these modifiers:
| Each Int, Wis, or Con score of 18 | +3% |
| Each Int, Wis, or Con score of 17 | +2% |
| Each Int, Wis, or Con score of 16 | +1% |
| Character is 5th–8th level | +1% |
| Character is 9th level or higher | +2% |
| Character is a wizard or priest | x1.5 |
Thus a 10th-level necromancer, with a 17 Int and a 16 Wis has a (1% (base) + 2% (Int) + 1% (Wis) + 2% (>9th level) = 6%) x 1.5 (wizard) = 9% total chance.
In campaigns which heavily involve psionics, the DM may allow entitle certain necromancers (such as the Philosopher) to make a wild talent check each time they advance a level of experience. In this way, a necromancer could have a wider range of wild talents, which would add further to the character's mystique and reputation. These few additional abilities are much easier to manage than those of a dual-classed necromancer/psionicist.
Ordinarily, tampering with the forces of the mind involves grave risks. Each time the necromancer attempts to unlock his or her psychic potential, there is a flat 3% chance that something will go terribly wrong in the process, irreparably damaging the character's body or mind. The CPH (page 20) proposes a number of penalties for failing a wild talent check. The DM may care to impose a different penalty for a failed check: a necromancer may simply fall into madness (see Chapter Three). Despite these dangers, the risk of suffering some permanent disability is remarkably small, especially when compared with the certain sacrifices that result when dealing with lower-planar powers.
| Roll | Devotion | Discipline |
|---|---|---|
| 01–03 | Absorb Disease | (Psychometabolism) |
| 04 | Adrenaline Control | (Psychometabolism) |
| 05–06 | Aging | (Psychometabolism) |
| 07 | All-Around Vision | (Clairsentience) |
| 08 | Animate Object | (Psychokinetics) |
| 09–12 | Astral Projection | (Psychoportation) |
| 13 | Awe | (Telepathy) |
| 14–15 | Ballistic Attack | (Psychokinetics) |
| 16–18 | Body Control | (Psychometabolism) |
| 19 | Body Equilibrium | (Psychometabolism) |
| 20–22 | Cause Decay | (Psychometabolism) |
| 23–26 | Cell Adjustment | (Psychometabolism) |
| 27–28 | Combat Mind | (Clairsentience) |
| 29–31 | Conceal Thoughts | (Telepathy) |
| 32–33 | Control Body | (Psychokinetics) |
| 34 | Danger Sense | (Clairsentience) |
| 35 | Dimension Door | (Psychoportation) |
| 36 | Double Pain | (Psychometabolism) |
| 37–38 | Ectoplasmic Form | (Psychometabolism) |
| 39 | Empathy | (Telepathy) |
| 40 | Enhanced Strength | (Psychometabolism) |
| 41–44 | ESP | (Telepathy) |
| 45–47 | Heightened Senses | (Psychometabolism) |
| 48–50 | Inflict Pain | (Telepathy) |
| 51 | Invincible Foes | (Telepathy) |
| 52 | Know Direction | (Clairsentience) |
| 53 | Know Location | (Clairsentience) |
| 54–57 | Life Detection | (Telepathy) |
| 58–60 | Mind Bar | (Telepathy) |
| 61–62 | Mind Over Body | (Psychometabolism) |
| 63–66 | Poison Sense | (Clairsentience) |
| 67 | Repugnance | (Telepathy) |
| 68–69 | Send Thoughts | (Telepathy) |
| 70 | Sight Link | (Telepathy) |
| 71 | Sound Link | (Telepathy) |
| 72–76 | Spirit Sense | (Clairsentience) |
| 77 | Taste Link | (Telepathy) |
| 78–79 | Telempathic Projection | (Telepathy) |
| 80 | Truthear | (Telepathy) |
| 81–90 | Choose any Devotion Above | |
| 91–95 | Choose any Devotion and Roll Again | |
| 96–00 | Choose any Devotion and Roll on Table 4 | - |
| Roll | Science | Discipline |
|---|---|---|
| 01–04 | Aura Sight | (Clairsentience) |
| 05–09 | Banishment | (Psychoportation) |
| 10–13 | Clairaudience | (Clairsentience) |
| 14–18 | Clairvoyance | (Clairsentience) |
| 19–23 | Complete Healing | (Psychometabolism) |
| 24–28 | Death Field | (Psychometabolism) |
| 29–32 | Detonate | (Psychokinesis) |
| 33–36 | Disintegrate | (Psychokinesis) |
| 37–40 | Domination | (Telepathy) |
| 41–44 | Energy Containment | (Psychometabolism) |
| 45–49 | Life Draining | (Psychometabolism) |
| 50–52 | Mindlink | (Telepathy) |
| 53–55 | Mindwipe | (Telepathy) |
| 56–58 | Object Reading | (Clairsentience) |
| 59–62 | Probability Travel | (Psychoportation) |
| 63–65 | Project Force | (Psychokinesis) |
| 66–68 | Shadow-form | (Psychometabolism) |
| 69–73 | Summon Planar Creature | (Psychoportation) |
| 74–75 | Switch Personality | (Telepathy) |
| 76–77 | Telekinesis | (Psychokinesis) |
| 78–80 | Teleport | (Psychoportation) |
| 81–90 | Choose any science or devotion | |
| 91–94 | Choose any science and two devotions | |
| 95–98 | Choose any science and three devotions | |
| 99-00 | Choose two sciences and four devotions | |