I know EFU has done all kinds of tinkering and tweaking so I thought I'd toss this up here. It seems unusual to me that Animate Dead is still a Circle V spell for wizards.
Dropping it to Circle 3 for Sorcs and Wizards (If even possible) I don't believe would be too unbalancing considering the threat of death and destruction that comes with it.
easily possible with overrides fwiw
If you want to do this while keeping it more true to the faerun setting. The 3.5 setting had Animate dead set at 4th level for wiz sorc. For it being more easily granted as a divine spell. While arcanists had to work a bit harder for it.
I am a bit disgruntled that if I want to be an Arcane Necromancer I have to resort to one of the sorcerer perks for it. Having it at least as a 4th level instead of a 5th level spell would make it a lot easier towards the way of Wizard Necromancy. Under the current impression I have of the server: most Wizards shy of level 9 require the use of not-terribly common artifacts or loot garnered by DM events/assistance, Which means less autonomy on the means of the player to progressing down a path of Necromancy.
Even if the spell level isn't changed, it would be nice to see options for Wizards who specialize in necromancy to have more easily available means of summoning the dead.
This would be a nice thing to change I think. Good idea
If we really really have to do this, I vote spell level IV and for Wizard only (if that's even possible). Sorcerers who really want to be about animating should take one of the appropriate perks (and can do just fine with those).