Build:N/D Soul Taker Scythe

The anniversary update gave Necro a build that is interesting, unique, fun, and extremely strong. This setup dishes out insane damage, easily more than meta sin/derv builds. 5/5 effectiveness.

4/5 for universality. It requires a supportive team comp (ST minimum) and is weak to enchantment strip.

"necros are subpar in general PvE" "haha scythe go brrr"

In all seriousness, this has to be one of the best necro builds available. It changes up what necros can do, brings great PBAoE damage, and is a c-spacers dream. Like mentioned, it does need a supportive team comp. benefits greatly from cover enchantments such as vigorous spirit.

Downside is ench removal. While you don't need your dervish enchantments to deal damage, you sac yourself pretty good without them. Good thing is that they have relatively low CD.

Tested build variant: OApkYYFbqoyEm4WIdwXd33zFAgqI

• Add Grenth's Aura for more Twin Moon Sweeps.
• Add Putrid Explosion for ranged/nearby/unenchanted damage.

Good

• Extreme damage output.
• Almost exclusively armour ignoring.
• Adjacent range.
• Still works when attacks don't hit.
• Can receive further buffs from team members
• Relatively safe against interruption.
• Has some room for variation to adjust the build to an area.

Bad

• Suffers extremely from enchantment removal.
• A bit squishier than other frontline casters.
• Needs a bit of setup time.
• Causes scattering.

Edit: Changed effectiveness down to 4. Compared to the supported variants of soul taker builds the self-supplied dark aura really slows the build down and worsens the over all performance. Nonetheless this build should stay as a version that can be run in PUGs.

Melee necromancer build that triggers Dark Aura with the scythe

Pretty nifty build with the wind prayers synergy (especially signet of mystic speed, nice speed up there). Doesn't have much room for attack skills/reduced activation time attack skills, so other builds can theoretically do more DPS. Still, you save time with that signet. Self sufficient healing, Dark Aura, and enchantment covering is pretty nifty as well.

Very high damage, but is vulnerable to enchant strips.

Unlike the dagger spammer soul taker build, can afford to take Dark Aura itself without straining the backline. Also fits better as a lead to the meta mercenary team since it lacks a death magic hero.