The fastest way to level a Necromancer is by using a Bone Necromancer build, which will easily carry you through Normal and Nightmare difficulties. This build is designed with progression in mind, to get your Necromancer to Hell difficulty, where you can respec into an endgame build.
Leveling General Tips
- Your main source of damage early on will be Teeth, but later you will transition to using Bone Spear instead.
- Many skills are good to invest a single point into, including Amplify Damage, Clay Golem, Iron Maiden, and Corpse Explosion. All of these, even at level 1, provide a substantial boost.
- Bone Prison will be your main tool for survivability, as it can lock down bosses and entire rooms full of mobs. Bone Wall and Bone Armor also excel at this, before you get Bone Prison.
- Using Corpse Explosion on enemies after killing them with Bone Spear can lead to devastating Corpse Explosion combos.
- Farming Countess for the Runes to make White (Dol + Io) and Lore (Ort + Sol) is wise, as those will be useful for most of the game, especially while leveling.
Attribute Distribution
- Levels 2-3: Energy
- Levels 4-11: Vitality
- Levels 12-13: Strength
- Level Vitality for the rest of the game, except for when you need Strength for gear.
- After you Respec, you should put about 30 points into Strength (To get it to 47 so you can use Ancient’s Pledge later) to use all necessary gear, then the rest will go into Vitality for the rest of the build, unless you need higher Strength to use gear.
Skills
- Level 2-5: Teeth
- Den of Evil: Teeth
- Level 6: Clay Golem
- Level 7-10: Teeth
- Level 11: Amplify Damage
- Level 12: Iron Maiden
- Level 13: Teeth
- Level 14: Bone Armor
- Level 15-16: Bone Wall
- Radament: Corpse Explosion
- Level 18-20: Bone Spear
- Izual: Corpse Explosion
- Level 21-23: Bone Spear
- Level 24-26: Corpse Explosion
RESPEC LEVEL 27:
- 1x Teeth
- 1x Bone Armor
- 1x Bone Wall
- x1 Amplify Damage
- 1x Clay Golem (Optional)
- x6 Bone Prison
- x8 Corpse Explosion
- Remainder in Bone Spear
After your Respec, you should max out stats in this order:
- Bone Spear
- Bone Prison
- Bone Wall
- Teeth or Bone Spirit (Your Preference)
Gear
Overall excellent. Helps with survivability, traversal, and cast rate. Cheap enough to make early, but can run through Hell Difficulty.
Body Armor
2 Sockets
Magic Damage Reduced By 3
+6 To Dexterity
+15 To Maximum Stamina
Poison Resist +30%
Regenerate Mana 15%
25% Faster Run/Walk
25% Faster Cast Rate
25% Faster Hit Recovery
Level 17
Normal
Nice movement buff. Ocher, Russet, or Sapphire variants will give Lightning, Fire, or Cold Resistances, respectively.
Boots
Magic
20% Faster Run/Walk
(Ocher) 20% Fire Resist
(Russet) 20% Lightning Resist
(Sapphire) 20% Cold Resist
Level 16-18
Normal
Can be purchased from Chasi, or can drop from monsters.
You want a bone wand with a bonus to Bone Spear, preferably +3. You also want this wand to have 2-sockets, as you can make it into the very powerful runeword White wand later.
Can be purchased from Akara, or can drop from monsters.
A Preserved Head is a nice shield for the offhand for Necromancers, and can offer a variety of effects. You want one that gives bonuses to Corpse Explosion, Bone Spear, Teeth, and/or any other skill you are making use of.
Can be purchased from Chasi, or dropped from monsters.
A general boost to skills, as well as increased mana, mana steal, and a boost to attributes.
Can be dropped by bosses after Act 3, and in the City of the Damned, River Flame, and Frozen Tundra in Acts 4 and 5.
A faster cast rate lets you cast more spells. Simple as.
Ring
Magic
+10% Faster Cast Rate
Level 13
Normal
Can be dropped from monsters.
A faster cast rate lets you cast more spells. Simple as.
Amulet
Magic
+10% Faster Cast Rate
Level 3
Normal
Can be dropped from monsters.
Giving yourself more survivability before you have access to Bone Wall and Bone Prison is a good idea, and +Life charms are the easiest way to do that.
Easy to afford in the Early Game, with +1 Skills Being especially useful, in addition to the Mana on kills.
Helm
2 Sockets
+1 To All Skill Levels
+10 To Energy
+2 To Mana After Each Kill
Lightning Resist +30%
Damage Reduced By 7
+2 To Light Radius
Level 27
Normal
Designed for Necromancers, this Body Armor can really keep a Necromancer alive (with boosted skills), if they prefer this to Stealth.
Body Armor
3 Sockets
15% Chance To Cast level 10 Bone Armor When Struck
15% Chance To Cast level 10 Bone Spear On Striking
+2 To Necromancer Skill Levels
+100-150 To Mana (varies)
All Resistances +30
Damage Reduced By 7
Level 47
Nightmare
A must-have for Bonemancers upon reaching nightmare difficulty. Cheap for a Nightmare Runeword.
Wand
2 Sockets
Hit Causes Monster To Flee 25%
+10 To Vitality
+3 To Poison And Bone Skills (Necromancer Only)
+3 To Bone Armor (Necromancer Only)
+2 To Bone Spear (Necromancer Only)
+4 To Skeleton Mastery (Necromancer Only)
Magic Damage Reduced By 4
20% Faster Cast Rate
+13 To Mana
Level 35
Nightmare
| Rune Name | Level | Lowest Act | Countess | Hellforge | Recipe |
| Dol | 31 | Act 1 Nightmare | Nightmare | Nightmare | Dol |
| Io | 35 | Act 1 Nightmare | Nightmare + | Nightmare + Hell | Io |
Helps get those resists up so that you can hit your resist caps without wasting slots.
Shield
3 Sockets
+50% Enhanced Defense
Cold Resist +43%
Fire Resist +48%
Lightning Resist +48%
Poison Resist +48%
10% Damage Goes To Mana
Level 21
Normal
Provides +3 to skills, as well as Cast Rate increases and other small buffs. While designed for Druids, this is excellent kit for any spellcaster. Will require a 4-socket Flail.
Flail
4 Sockets
+3 To All Skills
+40% Faster Cast Rate
+75% Damage To Demons
+100 To Attack Rating Against Demons
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage, 3 sec. Duration (Normal)
7% Mana Stolen Per Hit
+10 To Dexterity
Replenish Life +20
Increase Maximum Mana 15%
All Resistances +30-40 (varies)
Level 4 Oak Sage (25 Charges)
Level 14 Raven (60 Charges)
Level 54
Nightmare
| Rune Name | Level | Lowest Act | Countess | Hellforge | Recipe |
| Tal | 17 | Act 1 Normal | Normal+ | Normal+ | Ral |
| Thul | 23 | Act 4 Normal | Nightmare+ | Normal | Thul |
| Ort | 21 | Act 4 Normal | Nightmare+ | Normal | Ort |
| Amn | 25 | Act 4 Normal | Nightmare+ | Normal | Amn |
Getting +2 to All Skills, with all the other boosts, Spirit is an excellent piece for a Necromancer. Does require a 4-socket Monarch Shield and some investment into Strength to be viable, though.
Shield
4 Sockets
+2 To All Skills
+25-35% Faster Cast Rate (varies)
+55% Faster Hit Recovery
Adds 1-50 Lightning Damage
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage 3 Second Duration (Normal)
+75 Poison Damage Over 5 Seconds
7% Life Stolen Per Hit
+250 Defense Vs. Missile
+22 To Vitality
+89-112 To Mana (varies)
+3-8 Magic Absorb (varies)
Level 54
Normal
Very useful ring that boosts all skills and gives you a huge mana pool.
Ring
Unique
+1 to All Skills
Adds 1-12 lightning damage
+20 to Mana
Increase Maximum Mana 25%
Level 29
Nightmare
Can be dropped from monsters.
A faster cast rate lets you cast more spells. Simple as.
Amulet
Magic
+10% Faster Cast Rate
Level 3
Normal
Can be dropped from monsters.
+ Life charms are useful, as before. But now, grand Fungal charms can have some use, boosting your most important “Poison and Bone” skill tree.
Gives you a bit of everything: +2 to Skills, boosts to mana, life, damage reduction, and magic find. A very strong all-rounder.
Helm
Unique
+2 to All Skills
+2 to all Attributes
+148 to Life (Based on Character Level)
+148 to Mana (Based on Character Level)
Physical Damage Received Reduced by 10%
50% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Level 62
Hell
Can be dropped from monsters.
One of the best late/endgame Runewords in the game is extra useful for Necromancers, since its teleport power can regroup scattered skeletons.
Body Armor
3 Sockets
+2 To All Skills
+45% Faster Run/Walk
+1 To Teleport
+750-775 Defense (varies)
(0.75 Per Character Level) +0-74 To Strength
Increase Maximum Life 5%
Damage Reduced By 8%
+14 Life After Each Kill
15% Damage Taken Goes To Mana
(1 Per Character Level) +1-99% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Level 65
Hell
Everything you could want in a piece of gear, with some great boosts and effects. Only lacks in skill boosts, but otherwise is fantastic.
Boots
Unique
+20% Faster Run/Walk
1-2 to Skeleton Mastery (Necromancer Only)
+170-200% Enhanced Defense
+10-20 to Strength
+17 to Dexterity
Regenerate Mana 10%
Heal Stamina Plus 10%
Half Freeze Duration
Level 33 Bone Prison
Level 12 Life Tap
Level 66
Hell
Can be dropped from monsters.
A solid set of gloves that boosts cast rate and also boosts some skills (albeit your lesser-used ones)
Gloves
Unique
+2 to Curses (Necromancer Only)
+20% Faster Cast Rate
+25% to Poison Skill Damage
+30 Defense
Cold Resist +30%
Level 45
Hell
Can be dropped from monsters.
Provides +3 to skills, as well as Cast Rate increases and other small buffs. While designed for Druids, this is excellent kit for any spellcaster. Will require a 4-socket Flail.
Flail
4 Sockets
+3 To All Skills
+40% Faster Cast Rate
+75% Damage To Demons
+100 To Attack Rating Against Demons
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage, 3 sec. Duration (Normal)
7% Mana Stolen Per Hit
+10 To Dexterity
Replenish Life +20
Increase Maximum Mana 15%
All Resistances +30-40 (varies)
Level 4 Oak Sage (25 Charges)
Level 14 Raven (60 Charges)
Level 54
Nightmare
| Rune Name | Level | Lowest Act | Countess | Hellforge | Recipe |
| Tal | 17 | Act 1 Normal | Normal+ | Normal+ | Ral |
| Thul | 23 | Act 4 Normal | Nightmare+ | Normal | Thul |
| Ort | 21 | Act 4 Normal | Nightmare+ | Normal | Ort |
| Amn | 25 | Act 4 Normal | Nightmare+ | Normal | Amn |
Getting +2 to All Skills, with all the other boosts, Spirit is an excellent piece for a Necromancer. Does require a 4-socket Monarch Shield and some investment into Strength to be viable, though.
Shield
4 Sockets
+2 To All Skills
+25-35% Faster Cast Rate (varies)
+55% Faster Hit Recovery
Adds 1-50 Lightning Damage
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage 3 Second Duration (Normal)
+75 Poison Damage Over 5 Seconds
7% Life Stolen Per Hit
+250 Defense Vs. Missile
+22 To Vitality
+89-112 To Mana (varies)
+3-8 Magic Absorb (varies)
Level 54
Normal
Boneshade gives you both a general boost to skills, and specifically boosts your most important skills. An amazing weapon for a Bone Necromancer, so long as you stick with this build all the way to level 79.
Wand
Unique
+2 to Necromancer Skill Levels
+25% Faster Cast Rate
2 to Bone Spirit (Necromancer Only)
3 to Bone Spear (Necromancer Only)
3 to Bone Wall (Necromancer Only)
5 to Bone Armor (Necromancer Only)
5 to Teeth (Necromancer Only)
Level 79
Hell
Can be dropped from monsters.
The Boneflame is the best version of a preserved head. It gives you lots of skill boosts, and still provides enough resistance to reach your cap alongside other gear.
Shield
Unique
15% Chance to cast level 3 Terror when struck
+3 to Necromancer Skill Levels
+20% Faster Run/Walk
150% Enhanced Defense
All Resistances +30
Level 72
Hell
While this is true endgame gear, beyond what you’d normally want for a leveling build, it is the best belt for the slot for a Bonemancer (which this build transitions into).
Belt
Unique
+1 to All Skills
+20% Faster Cast Rate
Slows Target by 10%
90-120% Enhanced Defense
Increase Maximum Mana 5%
Level 3 Venom (11 Charges)
Level 80
Hell
Very useful ring that boosts all skills and gives you a huge mana pool.
Ring
Unique
+1 to All Skills
Adds 1-12 lightning damage
+20 to Mana
Increase Maximum Mana 25%
Level 29
Nightmare
Can be dropped from monsters.
The boost to skills and
Amulet
Unique
+2 to All Skills
+5 to All Attributes
+20-30% to All Resists
Level 65
Hell
Can be dropped from monsters.
Annhilus and Hellfire Torch and universally incredible charms, and Fungal remains as useful as before.
