The Necronomicon: Guides, Builds, & Info

:skull_and_crossbones: UPDATED FOR SEASON 18 :skull_and_crossbones:

Welcome to the Necronomicon. This is a collection of builds, guides, and other resources created by the Necromancer community. Whether you’re a new player seeking advice for your first season, or a more experienced one looking for a quick reference to skill and item mechanics, you’ll find that and more in the links below.

Please help me keep this thread current and accurate by submitting more links in the comments. Thanks for your feedback and support. Serve the Cycle!

Need some help with your Season Journey? Check out Bagstone’s tracker (below) and Lord Fluffy’s list of current builds or video starter guide.

https://d3resource.com/journey/

:skull_and_crossbones: TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. BEGINNER GUIDES & SET DUNGEONS

2. NECROMANCER BUILDS

3. ITEMS, GEMS, CRAFTING & COSMETICS

4. GAME MECHANICS

5. NECROMANCER SKILL MECHANICS

6. STREAMS & GAMEPLAY VIDEOS

7. COMMUNITY RESOURCES & PATCH NOTES

A note on links: I now have the trust level to post links to certain websites like Blizzard and YouTube, but fansites like IcyVeins and Diablofans are unfortunately still blocked. I can get around that by wrapping these URLs in tick marks (`) but you won’t be able to click on them. My final goal is to make this thread a Wiki so that the community can collaborate on it, but I do not yet have trust level 3. Once I do, I will be able to create a Wiki.

6 Likes

Great, am going to drain the essence out of these guides!

:skull::bone::ghost::heavy_heart_exclamation::plate_with_cutlery: :candle::hourglass:

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Nice job! Surely i will come back to get some information when starting my necros across the seasons! :slight_smile::+1:

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1. BEGINNER GUIDES & SET DUNGEONS

Starting a new class can be overwhelming. Fortunately, there are several guides specifically created for new Necromancers. Take a look at these, and you’ll be pushing into higher Torments and mastering your set dungeons in no time. Uphold the balance, and discover your true calling as a Priest of Rathma!

:skull_and_crossbones: NEW PLAYER GUIDES

► Diablo 3 Difficulty Overview by Bagstone
https://d3resource.com/difficulties/index.php

Acronyms: The Definitive List plus Definitions

Road to Torment: A Diablo 3 Guide for New Players by Destoryar

Beginner’s Gearing Guide by Rhykker

4 Simple Options All Players Should Know About by Rhykker

From Beginner to Expert: The Ultimate Diablo 3 Reaper of Souls Guide by Rhykker

How to Farm ____! (Fill in the blank) by Storytime42

RoS Followers (Level 70) Complete Guide by AshTag / Perusoe

Fluff’s Necro Compendium by LordFluffy

Season 17 Necromancer Starter Guide by LordFluffy

Necromancer Leveling and Fresh 70 Guide by Deadset
https://www.icy-veins.com/d3/necromancer-leveling-and-fresh-70-guide-patch-2-6-season-11

Fresh 70 Starter Build T1+ (Rare Items Only) by Ninquelnos
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/92840

Necromancer Starting Build (Video Tutorial) by Puvvetwitch
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/93035

Necromancer Set Dungeon Locations by Bluddshed

Bones of Rathma Set Dungeon Mastery Guide by White Locks

Grace of Inarius Set Dungeon Mastery Guide by White Locks

Pestilence Master Set Dungeon Mastery Guide by White Locks

Trag’Oul’s Avatar Set Dungeon Mastery Guide by White Locks

Return to Table of Contents

3 Likes

Here’s my chance to learn something about the Necromancer… wait a minute, I don’t even have the Necro DLC… LOL

2. NECROMANCER BUILDS

The Necromancer has builds to fit many different playstyles. With the right combination of skills and gear, you can transform your Priest of Rathma into a commander of the undead, a visceral melee battlemage, or a ranged attacker who keeps enemies at a distance with crippling curses. New players should turn on elective mode in the options menu to freely assign any skill to any hotkey.

I have organized the builds listed here into five broad categories (Blood, Corpse, Minion, Melee and Ranged Caster) along with brief explanations for each. If you want to play a support role in groups with your Necromancer, you’ll find those builds in the Corpse section.

Are you looking for popular Necromancer builds in 2.6.5? Rathma Singularity and zDPS support Necro are a powerful team combination. Corpse Lance builds excel in both speed runs and high GRs, and are frequently used as Rift Guardian killers in groups. Necromancers can also run Thorns builds with the Trag’Oul, Inarius, or Legacy of Nightmare sets.

Ratrun Rathma Group DPS by Arkismall
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/94503

Necro Support by sVr90
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/92847

Pestilence Poison Lancer by Lord Fluffy
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/95302

Blood builds focus on spending your own health to cast empowered skills. Many of these builds use the Trag’OuL’s Avatar set, which increases the damage of all Blood skills. Trying to cast a Blood skill with insufficient life won’t kill your Necromancer; the skill simply won’t activate. Necromancers also have many ways to quickly regenerate health, such as Devour @ Cannibalize and Siphon Blood.

BLOOD-SPLOSION by J_Macc
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/92971

Blood Nova SpeedFarm by Lord Fluffy
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/92573

Curseless Blood Nova Trag’Oul by Vyntrox
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/92963

Trag’Oul Blood Lance (Solo) by Rhykker
https://www.d3planner.com/185691339

Trag’Oul Blood Lance (4-Man Group) by codax755
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/92814

Most enemies that die near the Necromancer leave a corpse behind. Corpse builds consume these remains to tear monsters apart with Corpse Lance or Corpse Explosion. These flexible skills can be used with many different sets. Some Corpse Necromancers use Land of the Dead to deal massive damage in short bursts. Others prefer skills and items that provide a more consistent supply of corpses, like Flesh Golem and Moribund Gauntlets. Necromancers can also fulfill a pure support role in groups, providing corpses and curses to benefit their allies.

CorpseMancer Speedfarm by Lord Fluffy
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/91330

Fun and Tanky Poison Build (Legacy of Nightmares) by Smaff

Legacy of Nightmares BlightMancer SpeedFarm by Lord Fluffy

Legacy of Nightmares Cold Corpse Explosion by Evil

Pestilence + Sage’s Set for Death Breath Farming by Bagstone
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/92943

Pestilence Poison Lancer by Lord Fluffy

Support Necro 3-Man by Lord Fluffy
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/94924

zNecro Support by sVr90
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/92847

Minion builds swarm enemies with undead horrors the Necromancer summons and controls. Minions include Command Skeletons, Skeletal Mages, Command Golem, and monsters raised by Revive. The Enforcer legendary gem is a great choice for any of these builds, providing a substantial boost to both damage and survival for your precious pets. Minions are also supported by the Bones of Rathma set, the Jesseth scythe and shield, and a variety of other legendary items and skills.

Blood for the Blood God Pet Build by Powerthirst

Legacy of Nightmares Bloody Nayr’s by episode63
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/93157

Ratrun Rathma Group DPS by Arkismall
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/94503

Rathma Faceroll Summoner by Melancholy
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/91398

Rathma Frozen Bones by Fullbringer

Rathma’s Requiem Singularity Mage Speed GR by Cratic
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/92664

Singularity Speed! by Lord Fluffy
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/93412

Rathma Push Tank by KevinTSmith

Thorns Pets (Inarius) by Massaker
https://www.d3planner.com/642648510

Thorns Revive (Trag’Oul) by Angry

Melee Necromancers enter close quarters to fight with skills like Grim Scythe and Death Nova. Many of these builds use the Grace of Inarius set, which surrounds the Necromancer with a storm of bones and grants a large damage bonus against enemies caught in its radius. Melee players must also balance their damage with toughness and healing to survive amidst dense groups of monsters.

Bone Storm Build by Daleme2. (Note: This build was created before the 2.6 hotfix that reduced Bone Storm’s proc rate. It can still be played, but the Mirinae gem will be less effective.)
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/90751

Death Is Blind (Legacy of Nightmares Death’s Bargain) by Hamiltonz

Group Necromancer Rift Guardian Killer by sVr90
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/92844

Inarius Convention of Elements by KevinTSmith

Inarius Bone Spear Shatter by xtapa

Inarius Cursed Bones by Fullbringer
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/91617

Inarius Lifestorm Build by Magrim

Inarius Speed Nova Necromancer by Leviathan

Lazy Necro

Melee Poison Pimple Popper (Inarius) by ThatRoomba
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/92913

Poison Scythe by Lord Fluffy

Spacebar Necromancer by Davlok

Ranged Casters unleash death from afar with projectiles like Bone Spirit and Bone Spear, the latter of which is supported by the Pestilence Master’s Shroud set. These builds are often more fragile than their melee counterparts, so stay mobile and use crowd-controlling abilities like Decrepify to keep monsters slowed and weakened.

Blight Spear SpeedFarm by Lord Fluffy
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/94596

Cold Legacy of Nightmares for the Mog by Comandalore
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/92806

May the Bones Fly! (T13 Bone Spear) by Ktosiowiak
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/91447

One Shot Spear T13 Pestilence by Lord Fluffy

Razor Teeth SpeedFarm by Lord Fluffy
http://www.diablofans.com/builds/94594

Return to Table of Contents

2 Likes

More great work! thank you :smiley:

Dead matters! :wink::skull:

Also, if you can get your hands on some HC builds for necro- would be great! :ghost:

Replying here for you too if you still need them.

Nice work!

Do you still need replies to put more up? :candle:

It’s a bit silly, hope you get that TL 3 soon :nerd_face:

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Thanks for the replies, and sorry for the delayed response. I was traveling yesterday and didn’t get a chance to edit the OP. I think I have enough replies to post the other sections now, but feel free to keep posting with any builds / resources you’d like to add! This is a place for discussion, like anywhere else on the forum.

3. ITEMS, GEMS, CRAFTING & COSMETICS

In Diablo 3, a character’s power is highly dependent on the items he or she equips. Items can boost your Necromancer’s stats, provide useful effects, and even alter the way skills work. Read these articles to discover the variety of items available to you, including crafted gear, bounty-exclusive loot, legendary gems, and cosmetics.

Legendary Drop Rates & Blood Shard Prices for 2.6.1
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cM-s4e66ql2zsrkfkfKXmvVJ4zmngzxdzVLk9gvLvT8/htmlview#

Bounty-Exclusive Legendary Items from DiabloHub
http://www.diablohub.com/database/sorting/bounty-bags

D3 Max Stats. A useful tool for looking up the possible affix rolls on any item.
http://www.d3maxstats.com

Kanai’s Cube Mechanics from the Game Guide

Kanai’s Cube Hands-On Tutorial by Flux
http://www.diabloii.net/blog/comments/kanais-cube-hands-on-tutorial

Quick Reference for Gem Crafting Costs
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AoGdj6lmBu7ndHdvVkQ1TUdNY19lZjU3aW5PWGhhUmc&single=true&gid=0&output=html

Legendary Gem Calculator by jerbookins
http://www.diablo3gemcalculator.com/

List of all Wings, Cosmetics, Pets, and Promos by MissCheetah

The Ultimate 2.4.1 and 2.4.2 Cosmetic Items Guide by Quin69

Return to Table of Contents

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Sorry for leaving this comment on this post but i gotta say something about d3 necro compared to d2 necro personally d2 necro hands down is way better then d3 and i hope the go more that rought with a d4 necro

Where in D3 Necromancer can you “not” have skeletal mages and skeletons at the same time? The Command Skeletons skill gives you 7 skeletons that you can command to a target. The Skeletal Mage skill casts a mage and you can have up to 10 active and they last for a short duration. Gear and skills can allow 2 to 4 mages per cast and some gear and skills can increase their duration. It is nothing like D2 and your army of skeletons and mages filling the screen, but there is definitely nothing preventing you from having both active.

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So, you have not played D3 necro.

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This thread is about guides and info if you do play the necro, anything else should be discussed in another thread, thank you.

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Did we ever get around to posting the skills and other useful information, things like bone armor proc rates and how attack speed interacts with it?

Look who it is =)
what’s up ma dude, been a minute word…