Diablo 4 Necromancer class guide - Best skills, minions, and builds

Basic

• Bone Splinters: Fire 3 Bone Splinters, dealing 22.5% damage each. Each subsequent
  • Enhanced Bone Splinters: Bone Splinters has a 30% chance to fire 2 additional projectiles if cast while you have 50 or more esssence.
    • Initiate's: Bone Splinters has a 20% chance per hit to make enemies Vulnerable for 2 seconds
    • Acolyte's: Hitting the same enemy at least # times with the same cast of Bone Splinters grants +# Critical Strike Rating for # seconds
• Hemorrhage: Burst an enemy's blood, dealing #% damage. Hemorrhage has a #% chance to form a Blood Orb.
  • Enhanced Hemorrhage: After picking up a Blood Orb, your next Hemorrhage also deals damage to enemies around your target and grants # additional Essence per enemy hit.
    • Initiate's: Hemorrhage grants #% Base Life (#) as Fortify each time it hits an enemy, and has a #% chance per enemy hit to Fortify you for #% Base Life (#).
    • Acolyte's: Hemorrhage gains an additional #% Attack Speed while Healthy.
• Decompose: Tear the flesh from an enemy, dealing #% damage per second and forming a usable Corpse with the flesh every # seconds.
  • Enhanced: If an enemy dies while being Decomposed, you gain # Essence.
    • Initiate's: Decompose Slows enemies by #%.
    • Acolyte's: You and your Minions deal x#% increased damage to enemies who are being Decomposed.
• Reap: Sweep an ethereal scythe in front of you, dealing #% damage. Hitting an enemy with Reap increases your Damage Reduction by #% for # seconds.
  • Enhanced: If an enemy hit by Reap dies within # seconds, you gain #% Attack Speed for # seconds.
    • Initiate's: Reap instantly executes non-Bosses below #% Life.
    • Acolyte's: Reap forms a Corpse under the first enemy hit. Can only occur every # seconds.

Core

• Blight: Unleash concentrated blight that deals #% damage and leaves behind a defiled area, dealing #% damage over # seconds.
  • Enhanced: Blight Slows enemies by #%.
    • Paranormal: Blight has a #% chance to Immobilize enemies for # seconds on impact.
    • Supernatural: You and your Minions deal x#% increased damage to enemies within Blight.
• Sever: A specter of you charges forward and attacks with its scythe for #% damage then returns to you and attacks again for #% damage.
  • Enhanced: Sever damages enemies along its path for #% of its damage.
    • Paranormal: Every 4th cast of Sever makes enemies Vulnerable for # seconds.
    • Supernatural: Sever deals x{#}% increased damage for each Minion you have upon cast.
• Blood Surge: Draw blood from enemies, dealing #% damage, and expel a blood nova, dealing #% damage. Blood Surge's nova damage is increased by x#% per enemy drained, up to x#%.
  • Enhanced: Draw blood from enemies, dealing #% damage, and expel a blood nova, dealing #% damage. Blood Surge's nova damage is increased by x#% per enemy drained, up to x#%.
    • Paranormal: If an enemy is damaged by Blood Surge's nova while you are Healthy, then gain 1 stack of Overwhelming Blood. When you have 5 stacks of Overwhelming Blood, your next Blood Surge Overpowers.
    • Supernatural: Each time an enemy is hit by Blood Surge's nova, you are Fortified for #% Base Life (#). While you are Fortified for over #% of your Maximum Life, Blood Surge deals #% increased damage.
• Blood Lance: Throw a blood lance that lingers in an enemy for # seconds, dealing #% damage to the enemy and all other lanced enemies.
  • Enhanced: Blood Lance Pierces through enemies who are currently lanced, dealing #% reduced damage to subsequent enemies after the first.
    • Paranormal: While at least # enemies or a Boss are affected by Blood Lance, you gain #% Attack Speed and Blood Lance's Essence cost is reduced by #.
    • Supernatural: After casting Blood Lance # times, your next cast of Blood Lance is guaranteed to Overpower and spawns a Blood Orb under the first enemy hit.
• Bone Spear: Conjure a bone spear from the ground, dealing #% damage and Piercing through enemies.
  • Enhanced: Bone Spear breaks into # shards when it is destroyed, dealing #% damage each.
    • Paranormal: Bone Spear has a #% increased Critical Strike Chance. If Bone Spear's primary projectile Critically Strikes, it fires # additional bone shards upon being destroyed.
    • Supernatural: Bone Spear makes the first enemy hit Vulnerable for # seconds.

Macabre

• Corpse Explosion: Detonate a Corpse, dealing #% damage to surrounding enemies.
  • Enhanced: Corpse Explosion's radius is increased by #%.
    • Abhorrent: Instead of exploding, Corpse Explosion releases a vile miasma dealing #% Shadow Damage over # seconds.
    • Horrid: Corpse Explosion deals x#% increased damage to enemies that are Slowed, Stunned or Vulnerable.
• Blood Mist: Disperse into a bloody mist, becoming Immune for # seconds. Your Movement Speed is reduced by #% and you periodically deal #% damage to enemies, healing for #% of the damage dealt.
  • Enhanced: Blood Mist's Movement Speed penalty is reduced to #%.
    • Ghastly: Blood Mist leaves behind a Corpse every # second.
    • Dreadful: Blood Mist Fortifies you for #% Base Life (#) each time it hits an enemy.
• Bone Prison: Unearth a prison of bone with # Life that surrounds the target area for # seconds.
  • Enhanced: Gain # Essence each time an enemy hits your Bone Prison.
    • Ghastly: Enemies inside of Bone Prison are Vulnerable.
    • Dreadful: Fortify for #% Base Life (#) for each enemy trapped by Bone Prison.

Corruption

• Iron Maiden: Curse the target area. Enemies afflicted by Iron Maiden take #% damage each time they deal direct damage. Lasts # seconds.
  • Enhanced: Iron Maiden no longer costs Essence. Instead, gain # Essence for each enemy Cursed. Does not work with enemies who are already cursed with Iron Maiden.
    • Horrid: When at least # enemies are afflicted by Iron Maiden, its damage is increased by x#%.
    • Abhorrent: Heal for #% of your maximum Life when an enemy dies while afflicted with Iron Maiden.
• Decrepify: Curse the target area. Enemies afflicted by Decrepify are Slowed by #% and deal #% less damage for # seconds.
  • Enhanced: Lucky Hit: Enemies hit while afflicted with Decrepify have up to a #% chance to be Stunned for # seconds.
    • Horrid: When you or your Minions hit an enemy afflicted with Decrepify below #% Life, they are instantly killed. Does not work on Bosses.
    • Abhorrent: Lucky Hit: Enemies hit while afflicted with Decrepify have up to a #% chance to reduce your active cooldowns by # seconds.

Summoning

• Corpse Tendrils: Veins burst out of a Corpse, pulling in enemies, Stunning them for # seconds, and dealing #% damage to them. Does not consume the Corpse.
  • Enhanced: Enemies who are in range of Corpse Tendrils are Slowed by #% before being pulled.
    • Horrid: Enemies Stunned by Corpse Tendrils take x#% more damage from Corpse Explosion.
    • Abhorrent: Enemies slain while Stunned by Corpse Tendrils have a #% chance to drop a Blood Orb.
• Bone Spirit: Consume all of your Essence to conjure a spirit of bone that seeks enemies. Upon reaching an enemy, the spirit explodes, dealing #% damage to the target and all surrounding enemies. Damage is increased by #% for each point of Essence spent casting Bone Spirit.
  • Enhanced: If Bone Spirit Critically Strikes, its cooldown is reduced by # seconds. This effect can only happen once per cast.
    • Ghastly: Bone Spirit has an additional #% Critical Strike Chance.
    • Dreadful: After Bone Spirit hits an enemy, you generate # Essence over the next # seconds.

Ultimate

• Army of the Dead: Call forth the deep buried dead. Volatile undead emerge over the next # seconds that explode when around enemies, dealing #% damage.
  • Prime: When Army of the Dead's Skeletons explode, they have a #% chance to leave behind a Corpse.
  • Supreme: Army of the Dead also raises your Skeletal Warriors and Skeletal Mages.
• Blood Wave: Conjure a tidal wave of blood that deals #% damage and knocks enemies back.
  • Prime: Blood Wave Slows enemies by #% for # seconds.
  • Supreme: Blood Wave leaves behind 3 Blood Orbs as it travels.
• Bone Storm: A swirling storm of bones appears around you and your Golem, dealing #% to surrounding enemies over # seconds.
  • Prime: Your Damage Reduction is increased by #% while Bone Storm is active.
  • Supreme: While Bone Storm is active, you consume nearby Corpses. Each Corpse consumed adds # seconds to Bonestorm's duration, up to # seconds.

Core

• Unliving Energy: Your maximum Essence is increased by {#}.
• Imperfectly Balanced: Your Core Skills cost {#}% more Essence, but deal x{#}% increased damage.
• Reconstitution: Lucky Hit: Your damage has up to a {#}% chance to create a corpse at the target's location. This chance is doubled against bosses.

Macabre

• Grim Harvest: Consuming a Corpse generates {#} Essence.
• Fueled by Death: You deal x{#}% increased damage for {#} seconds after consuming a Corpse.
• Necrotic Carapace: When a Corpse is formed from your Skills or your Minions, Fortify for {#}% Base Life ({#}).
• Skeletal Warrior Mastery: Increase the damage and Life of your Skeletal Warriors by {#}%.

Corruption

• Skeletal Mage Mastery: Increase the damage and Life of your Skeletal Mages by {#}%.
• Amplify Damage: You deal x{#}% increased damage to Cursed enemies.
• Death's Embrace: Close enemies take x{#}% more damage from you and deal {#}% less damage to you.
• Death's Reach: You deal x{#}% increased damage to Distant enemies.

Summoning

• Reaper's Pursuit: Damaging enemies with Darkness Skills increases your Movement Speed by {#}% for {#} seconds.
• Gloom: When you damage enemies with Darkness Skills, they take x{#}% increased Shadow Damage for {#} seconds, stacking up to {#} times.
• Terror: Darkness Skills deal x{#}% increased damage against Immobilized, Slowed, or Stunned enemies. This also applies to Shadow Damage dealt by your Minions.
• Crippling Darkness: Lucky Hit: Darkness Skills have up to a {#}% chance to Stun for {#} seconds.
• Blood Begets Blood: While below 50% Life, you receive {#}% more healing from all sources.
• Coalesced Blood: After being Healthy for {#} seconds, your next Blood skill Overpowers.
• Transfusion: Blood Orbs also heal your Minions for {#}% of the amount.
• Tides of Blood: Your Blood Skills deal x{#}% increased Overpower damage. This bonus is doubled while you are Healthy.
• Drain Vitality: Lucky Hit: Hitting enemies with Blood Skills has up to a {#}% chance to Fortify you for {#}% Base Life ({#}).
• Serration: Your Bone Skills have a {#}% increased Critical Strike Chance for each 10 Essence you have upon cast.
• Rapid Ossification: Every {#} Essence you spend reduces the cooldowns of your Bone Skills by {#} seconds.
• Evulsion: Your Bone Skills deal x{#}% increased Critical Strike Damage to Vulnerable enemies.
• Compound Fracture: After Critically Striking {#} times with Bone Skills, your Bone Skills deal x{#}% increased damage for {#} seconds.
• Spiked Armor: Gain {#} Thorns.

Ultimate

• Bonded in Essence: Your Minions gain {#}% of your Resistances.
• Death's Defense: Your Minions can't lose more than {#}% of their maximum Life from a single damage instance.
• Hellbent Commander: Your Minions deal x{#}% increased damage while you are Close to them.
• Inspiring Command: After you have been Healthy for at least {#} seconds, you and your Minions gain {#}% Attack Speed.
• Stand Alone: Increases Damage Reduction by {#}%, reduced by {#}% for each active Minion.
• Memento Mori: Sacrificing both Skeletal Warriors and Skeletal Mages increases their Sacrifice bonuses by {#}%.
• Golem Mastery: Increase the damage and Life of your Golem by {#}%.

Capstone

• Ossified Essence: Your Bone Skills deal x{#}% increased damage for each point of Essence you have above {#} upon cast.
• Shadowblight: Shadow Damage infects enemies with Shadowblight for {#} seconds. Every {#}th time an enemy receives Shadow Damage from you or your Minions while they are affected by Shadowblight, they take additional {#}% Shadow Damage.
• Rathma's Vigor: Increase your maximum Life by {#}%. While Healthy, you deal x{#}% increased damage.
• Strength in Numbers: While you have at least {#} Minions,

Skeletal Warriors

• Skeletal Skirmishers: Sword-wielding damage dealers that deal 30% increased damage but have 15% reduced Life
  • Upgrade 1: You can raise an additional Skirmisher.
  • Upgrade 2: Each time you critically strike, your Skirmishers next attack critically strike as well. Can only happen every 3 seconds.
  • Sacrifice: Your critical strike chance is increased by 5%, but you can no longer raise Skeletal Warriors.
• Skeletal Defenders: Durable shield-bearers with 15% increased Life
  • Upgrade 1: Every 8 seconds, your Defenders negate the next instance of direct damage they would take.
  • Upgrade 2: Increase the amount of thorns that Defenders inherit from you from 30% to 50%.
  • Sacrifice: You gain 15% non-physical resistance, but you can no longer raise Skeletal Warriors.
• Skeletal Reapers: Deals area damage with a slow and powerful scythe, and has a special wind-up attack, dealing heavy damage every 10 seconds.
  • Upgrade 1: Reaper attacks against enemies who are Immobilized, Slowed, Stunned or Vulnerable reduce the cooldown of their powerful wind-up attack by 2 seconds.
  • Upgrade 2: Reapers have a 10% chance to carve the flesh off enemies, forming a corpse. This cannot happen on the same enemy more than once every 5 seconds.
  • Sacrifice: You deal x10% increased Shadow Damage, but you can no longer raise Skeletal Warriors.

Skeletal Mages

• Shadow Mages: Deals moderate Shadow Damage.
  • Upgrade 1: Shadow Mage attacks have a 10% chance to Stun for 2.13 seconds. This cannot happen on the same enemy more than once every 5 seconds.
  • Upgrade 2: Shadow Mages fire an additional shadow bolt every 6th attack.
  • Sacrifice: Your maximum essence is increased by 15, but you can no longer raise Skeletal Mages.
• Cold Mages: Chills and Freezes enemies
  • Upgrade 1: Each time your Cold Mages damage enemies with their primary attack, you gain 2 essence.
  • Upgrade 2: Enemies who are Frozen by or damaged while Frozen by your Cold Mages primary attack are made Vulnerable for 3 seconds.
  • Sacrifice: You deal x15% increased damage to Vulnerable enemies, but you can no longer raise Skeletal Mages.
• Bone Mages: Uses its own bones as projectiles, dealing heavy damage for a Life cost.
  • Upgrade 1: Reduce the life cost of your Bone Mages attacks from 15 to 10%. After being alive for 5 seconds, Bone Mages deal 40% increased damage.
  • Upgrade 2: Each time a Bone Mage dies from its own attack, they leave behind a corpse and Fortify you for # seconds.
  • Sacrifice: Your Overpower damage is increased by 30%, but you can no longer raise Skeleton Mages.

Golem

• Bone Golem: Taunts enemies in a wide area.
  • Upgrade 1: Each time your Golem takes up to 20% of its maximum Life as damage, it sheds a corpse.
  • Upgrade 2: Your Golem gains 10% maximum Life and the amount of thorns they inherit from you is increased from 30% to 50%.
  • Sacrifice: You gain 10% increased attack speed, but you lose the ability to summon a Golem.
• Blood Golem: Drains Life from nearby enemies.
  • Upgrade 1: Your Golem absorbs 15% of the damage you would take.
  • Upgrade 2: While healthy, your Golem gains 25% damage reduction and x25% increased damage.
  • Sacrifice: Your maximum Life is increased by 10%, but you can no longer summon a Golem.
• Iron Golem: Slams the ground and Stuns enemies.
  • Upgrade 1: Every 5th Golem attack causes a shockwave, dealing 16% damage to the primary enemy and to enemies behind them.
  • Upgrade 2: Your golem slam attack also makes enemies Vulnerable for 3 seconds.
  • Sacrifice: You deal x30% increased critical strike damage, but you lose the ability to summon a Golem.