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[Mr_Salty]

Somehow one of my dwarves became a necromancer and he was, subsequently, elected as Mayor.  Is there any downside to having a necromancer in your fort and how did he become one?

[DwarfComic]

He became one by learning the secrets of life and death. Could be on a tomb or book he once read. Downside? Not really... he might resurrect things during battles, but your day-to-day they're just a normal dwarf just trying to survive in this crazy world.

[Mr_Salty]

Thanks.  I've been reading different takes on this - if he raises them are his undead flagged as enemies of the fort?

[KevinM]

You'll need a tavern with drinks to force the Necromancer to drink every so often, otherwise they'll slow down. 

Read up on necromancers in the wiki.   The raised undead depend on what their status was before they died.  If they were fighting against you before they died, then they'll be fighting you when they are raised.  I keep mine away from seiges and forgotten beasts and giants.  I don't really mind raising keas since they're weak and it gives my other dwarves more practice.

If you could get them to rez your dead dwarves, then those may be neutral. Or maybe visitors who died from alcohol poisoning or drowning would be neutral / helpful against enemies.

[Mr_Salty]

Thanks for your answers.  I appreciate it.  More learning and reading to do!

[Ziusudra]

Indeed, in a recent Kruggsmash video he has valued fort member die and has a necromancer raise them so they can continue to be a valued fort member.

[Urist9876]

If you are in a freezing biome, you could create a "rebirth" chamber.

It should consist of a pit that can be flooded with water and freeze over at winter, a drain to remove water from the pit and a lockable exit from the pit. The bottom of the pit should be designated as a corpse stockpile, only enabled when a dwarf needs resurrection.

In the pit the dwarf to be resurrected will be laid down, forced to raise by the necromancer and released from the pit only if its from the intelligent type. If it is a regular zombie, fill the pit and wait for it to freeze over. After thawing, remove the water and try again.

To force the necromancer to animate dead, release a hostile creature in a room with fortifications or a a window in line of sight of the necromancer. The necromancer must be able to see the dead body from the same location.

Seeing hostile undead freaks out untrained dwarves. Skilled military would like to engage. Keep normal dwarves away from your experiments.

It is suggested that it is possible to kill and reanimate an intelligent undead to have him acquire multiple powers. I still have to hear about one of those involved in a tantrum. Must be awesome.

[Bumber]

If you are in a freezing biome, you could create a "rebirth" chamber.

Obsidianizing would probably be faster. Just be sure to pour the water before the magma.

[Urist9876]

But how to retrieve an relative intact corpse after?

[PatrikLundell]

But how to retrieve an relative intact corpse after?

Mining... Dwarves are amazingly delicate with their picks!

[GandalfTheGreyt3791]

He became one by learning the secrets of life and death. Could be on a tomb or book he once read. Downside? Not really... he might resurrect things during battles, but your day-to-day they're just a normal dwarf just trying to survive in this crazy world.

can any dwarf become a necro because I had like 5 of them at one point and the offline wiki tries to redirect me to the online one while I have internet and im looking stuff up

[PatrikLundell]

Any adult dorf can become a necro by reading the (in)appropriate books, yes (kids don't read books).

Bay12 has had issues with the site's hosting service for a fair while now, so it's not surprising if things are down again (unfortunately).

[gadestryll]

Somehow one of my dwarves became a necromancer and he was, subsequently, elected as Mayor.  Is there any downside to having a necromancer in your fort and how did he become one?

I had one immigrating in py previous fortress. I enroled and send her squad to kill a visitor that was asking for an artifact (did not want him to come back with friends but I don't know if it would have been efficient). After the target is killed, she revived him, then re-killed, re-revived etc. leading to a loyalty cascade. I had to retire the fort.
You could consider this a downside I suppose ^^