Our favorite summoner/caster class is back to Diablo 4, and we will look at one of the best leveling builds for the Necromancer.
Part of our complete Diablo 4 class guide.
The Necromancer class was always a crowd-favorite in Diablo 2, and Diablo 4 is no different. Even though it can struggle a bit through the leveling process, the Necromancer can slowly become a powerhouse if geared and specced properly. So let’s look at one of the best Necromancer builds for leveling that works in the current meta. After you’re done with leveling you can check out our Necromancer endgame build.
Main Skills
Reap
Even though it has very limited range, Reap deals a lot of damage in an AoE arc. It also generates Essence while increasing our Damage Reduction. Three skill points will be needed here, with two for the Enhanced and Acolyte upgrades.
Blood Surge
This will be our bread-and-butter ability throughout the leveling process, so it will require seven skill points to activate the Enhanced and Paranormal upgrades. Blood Surge deals a large amount of AoE damage, with the added benefit of healing us.
Blood Mist
Blood Mist will make us Immune for three seconds, allowing us to reposition. During this effect our Movement Speed will be reduced by 20% while also dealing 2% Damage and Heal us for 0.5% of our Maximum Life. Blood Mist will require three skill points to get access to the Enhanced and Ghastly upgrades.
Corpse Explosion
We will be adding seven skill points here in order to get the Enhanced and Blighted upgrades. The skill will simply explode the targeted corpse and release an AoE miasma that deals 154% Shadow damage over six seconds. Keep in mind that this ability will create a hard to see through area that will make party play rather difficult, especially when dealing with enemy AoE effects that have visual tells.
Corpse Tendrils
This is a useful skill that can bunch enemies up with the help of tendrils that will come out of a nearby corpse. Enemies affected by it will also be stunned for three seconds. This effect will not consume the corpse, meaning you can use Corpse Explosion for a lot of AoE damage. Corpse Tendrils will require three skill points to access the Enhanced and Plagued upgrades.
Raise Skeleton
One of the classic Necromancer abilities, with the benefit that it doesn’t require any skill points. Use it on any nearby corpses to summon a friendly Skeleton with a limit of five at a time. Once that limit is reached, you will also summon a Skeletal Priest that empowers your other Skeletons for five seconds.
Passive Skills
Key Passive – Rathma’s Vigor
This Key Passive will give us a 10% increase in our Maximum Life. Whenever our character has been Healthy for the past 15 seconds, the next Blood skill you cast will Overpower.
Unliving Energy
We will add a single point into this passive to access the rest of the three. Unliving Energy gives us an additional three Essence.
Imperfectly Balanced
Three points added here will increase our Core Skill damage output by 15% for a 9% increase in Energy cost.
Hewed Flesh
After adding three skill points to this passive, we get a 12% chance on our Lucky Hits to create a Corpse which is great for our other abilities that require them. When facing off against a Boss this chance will be doubled.
Grim Harvest
Three skill points will be required for this passive to give us six Essence whenever we consume a Corpse with any of our other abilities.
Fueled by Death
This passive increases our damage output by 9% for six seconds after we consume a corpse. Fueled by Death will take up three of our skill points.
Death’s Embrace
Two skill points in this passive skill will give us a 4% damage buff towards Close enemies while reducing the damage they deal to us by 6%.
Death’s Reach
After adding three skill points here, we will deal 12% increased damage to Distant enemies.
Gruesome Mending
One skill points is all that’s needed here to get 10% Healing increase when below 50% Life.
Coalesced Blood
When Healthy all of our Blood skills will deal 18% more damage. Three skill points are needed here.
Drain Vitality
With three skill points in Drain Vitality, our Lucky hits will give us a 25% chance to Fortify for 8% of our total HP when we hit enemies with Blood skills.
Tides of Blood
All your Blood skills deal 15% more Overpower damage after we add three skill points here. If our character is Healthy this bonus will be doubled.
Inspiring Leader
If our character has been Healthy for a minimum of four seconds, both you and your Minions will get 12% Attack Speed. This passive will take up three skill points.
Death’s Defense
Three skill points added here will ensure that our minions can’t take lose more than 30% of their Maximum Life from a single instance of damage. This very important passive skill ensures our helpers won’t be one-shot.
Playstyle
This is a great build that will make leveling pass by in no time. It deals a lot of AoE damage with Blood Surge and Corpse Explosion, while your Skeletons keep mobs away from you. Energy might be an issue especially when starting out, but that’s where Reap comes into play. Even though you won’t be dealing a ton of damage with it, the Energy that it gives back will allow you to start the cycle of Blood Surge again.
Your best escape skill alongside your Dodge is Blood Mist, which also gives MS. In certain situations, it can also be used to get into a better position to deal damage, but tread carefully when dealing with Elites. Overall this is an ideal leveling build for the Necromancer class that can easily transition into multiple endgame builds.
