I’ve played Necromancer groups since 2021 and I’ll be direct: the class shines when you know what to do and why. I’ll explain the skills, gear, team roles, and dungeon tweaks that actually matter — and why they matter (as of March 14, 2025). I’m writing from experience, not theory; you’ll get practical advice you can use tonight.
Short version: Necromancer blends minions, control, and damage. You choose which to emphasize based on the team and the fight. Sounds obvious, but most players stick to one setup and wonder why raids fall apart.
💀 Core Skills for Dungeons
Command Skeletons, Bone Spear, and Corpse Lance are the pillars. Command Skeletons tank and make corpses. Bone Spear is your reliable single-target poke and corridor clearer. Corpse Lance converts corpses into big AoE hits. Keep at least one corpse source in every build — otherwise Corpse Lance won’t work the way you expect.
Why these three? Because they cover tanking, sustained damage, and cleanup. That’s what group dungeons need: steady pressure, space control, and quick cleave. In my experience, ignoring any one of those leaves holes your team will feel.
⚔️ Skill Pairings that Actually Work
Try these combos and think about why they pair well.
| Combo | Role | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Bone Spear + Command Skeletons + Bone Armor | Balanced DPS | General dungeons, boss phases |
| Corpse Lance + Bone Prison + Wraith Form | Crowd control | Mob-heavy runs, melee teams |
| Command Golem + Dark Curse + Bone Spear | Tank support | Squishy groups, boss fights |
Rhetorical question: Which of these you pick depends on your teammates. You won’t always need a Command Golem. Sometimes it’s overkill — and yes, that’s controversial because many guides insist “more minions = better.” I disagree.
Pro tip: Bone Armor keeps you alive during aggressive positioning. Use it when you’re the damage anchor.
🛡️ Gems & Gear — what to chase
Gems change how the class feels. Berserker’s Eye boosts straight DPS. Blood-Soaked Jade keeps you sustained with minion life steal. Everlasting Torment adds steady DoT that scales well with Bone Spear spreads. Pick based on role, not fashion.
Controversial take: Berserker’s Eye is overrated for minion-focused play. If your team lacks sustain, Blood-Soaked Jade often gives more real value. There, I said it!
Equipment priority (simple):
- Weapon boosting Bone Spear or your chosen main skill
- Armor that raises minion Life/Damage if you summon
- Accessories with Cooldown Reduction
- Resistances and Area Damage after that
// example rotation (quick)
1. Command Skeletons
2. Bone Armor
3. Bone Spear spam (save corpses)
4. Corpse Lance to finish clumps
👥 Playing Support vs DPS
When your group has a solid tank, be the damage source and keep skeletons on priority targets. When teammates are squishy, switch to defense — Bone Prison and Bone Wall save lives. This doesn’t always work perfectly; sometimes the flow of battle forces you to improvise (depends on your niche).
Quick checklist (use during runs):
- Tank overwhelmed? → Command Golem
- Allies spread out? → Corpse Lance for cleanup
- Everyone dying? → Bone Wall / Bone Prison
Watch the map and anticipate. Seriously — don’t wait until the tank dies.
🏰 Dungeon tweaks (by name)
Tomb of Fahir: favor AoE and crowd control — Corpse Lance, Bone Prison, Bone Wall. Tight corridors reward zoning.
Temple of Namari: single-target phases mean Bone Spear + Command Golem shine. Keep steady DPS and don’t overcommit to AoE.
Cavern of Echoes: hybrid fights. Mix Command Skeletons and Corpse Lance; keep Bone Armor ready for chaos.
| Dungeon | Focus | Must-have |
|---|---|---|
| Tomb of Fahir | AoE control | Corpse Lance, Bone Prison |
| Temple of Namari | Single-target | Bone Spear, Command Golem |
| Cavern of Echoes | Versatile | Skeletons + Bone Armor |
📊 Stats & Paragon
Intelligence is king. Aim high there first, then survivability. My rough targets (2025 standards): Intelligence to 3000+, Vitality for 30,000+ HP on tougher keys, Cooldown Reduction 15%+, Area Damage 20%+. Numbers vary by content and patch; adjust when devs change things.
Paragon suggestion:
- Early: heavy Intelligence
- Mid: balance with Vitality
- Endgame: split more into CDR/Area Damage
One odd insight
Oddly enough, fewer bodies sometimes mean more consistent damage. If skeletons clog your positioning you lose Bone Spear uptime. I’ve noticed that trimming minions on purpose improves clear speed in certain groups. Counterintuitive but true.
Here’s a short, blunt table summarizing builds:
| Playstyle | Core |
|---|---|
| Minion | Command Skeletons, Command Golem, Blood-Soaked Jade |
| DPS | Bone Spear, Berserker’s Eye, Bone Armor |
| Control | Corpse Lance, Bone Prison, Wraith Form |
There are exceptions, of course. A run with three competent Demon Hunters will change your choices. Between us: adapt or carry less loot.
Quote to remember:
“Play the fight, not the build.” — my running mantra.
To be fair, some advice out there hasn’t aged well. Check patch notes before you swap gems or expect identical results across seasons. Small stumble here — I sometimes still forget to toggle a legendary on during rushes, which is embarrassing but real.
One-liner for tonight: practice one rotation until it’s reflex, then tweak for the group. Want the sample build file? Paste this into your planner:
{
"main": "Bone Spear",
"support": ["Command Skeletons","Bone Armor"],
"gems": ["Blood-Soaked Jade","Everlasting Torment"]
}
If you want help tuning a specific loadout for a dungeon on March 14, 2025 patch, tell me your gear and I’ll suggest changes. — Mira
