PropheciesNecromancer. Blood Magic 4Blood RenewalEnchantment SpellFor 7 seconds, you gain +4 Health regeneration. When Blood Renewal ends, you gain 80 Health.15%117
CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedResurrection SignetSignetResurrect target party member. That party member is returned to life with 100% Health and 25% Energy. This Signet only recharges when you gain a morale boost.3
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Variable skill slot
If you are a secondary profession ranger, add Charm AnimalCoreRanger. Beast Mastery Charm AnimalSkillCharm target animal. Once charmed, your animal companion will travel with you whenever you have Charm Animal equipped. You cannot charm an animal that is more than 4 levels above you.1010 and Comfort AnimalCoreRanger. Beast Mastery Comfort AnimalSkillYou heal your animal companion for 20..87..110 Health. If your companion is dead, it is resurrected with 10..48..61% Health. If you have Comfort Animal equipped, your animal companion will travel with you.511 to the build.
If you are a secondary profession elementalist, add Glyph of Lesser EnergyCoreElementalist. Energy Storage Glyph of Lesser EnergyGlyphFor the next 15 seconds, your next 2 Spells cost 10..16..19 less Energy to cast.5130 to the build. Use it together with your more expensive skills to conserve energy.
Acquiring skills
Complete the side quest Death in the Ruins to acquire Dark PactCoreNecromancer. Blood Magic Dark PactSpellDeal 10..40..51 shadow damage to target foe.10%112.
If you're still missing other skills, you have missed them during the pre-searing Ascalon tutorial. You can buy these skills from Sir Bertran in Ascalon City.
Attributes
Focus mostly on blood magic.
Invest leftover attribute points in soul reaping to gain energy and in death magic to improve your minions.
Usage
Put Life SiphonCoreNecromancer. Blood Magic Life SiphonHex SpellFor 12..22..25 seconds, target foe suffers -1..3..3 Health degeneration, and you gain +1..3..3 Health regeneration.1015 on long-living targets.
Spam Dark PactCoreNecromancer. Blood Magic Dark PactSpellDeal 10..40..51 shadow damage to target foe.10%112 to wear down targets.
Combine damage dealing and self-healing with Vampiric GazeCoreNecromancer. Blood Magic Vampiric GazeSpellSteal up to 18..52..63 Health from target foe.1018.
Selfheal with Blood RenewalPropheciesNecromancer. Blood Magic Blood RenewalEnchantment SpellFor 7 seconds, you gain +3..5..6 Health regeneration. When Blood Renewal ends, you gain 40..160..200 Health.15%117.
You can use corpses to create minions with Animate Bone HorrorPropheciesNecromancer. Death Magic Animate Bone HorrorSpellExploit nearest corpse to animate a level 1..14..18 bone horror.1035. Your minion will be relatively weak, as you don't focus in death magic, but it'll be a little distraction for foes to target instead of your party members.
PropheciesNecromancer. Blood Magic 6Blood RenewalEnchantment SpellFor 7 seconds, you gain +4 Health regeneration. When Blood Renewal ends, you gain 100 Health.15%117
CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedResurrection SignetSignetResurrect target party member. That party member is returned to life with 100% Health and 25% Energy. This Signet only recharges when you gain a morale boost.3
Template code
Variable skill slot
If you are a secondary profession ranger, add Charm AnimalCoreRanger. Beast Mastery Charm AnimalSkillCharm target animal. Once charmed, your animal companion will travel with you whenever you have Charm Animal equipped. You cannot charm an animal that is more than 4 levels above you.1010 and Comfort AnimalCoreRanger. Beast Mastery Comfort AnimalSkillYou heal your animal companion for 20..87..110 Health. If your companion is dead, it is resurrected with 10..48..61% Health. If you have Comfort Animal equipped, your animal companion will travel with you.511 to the build.
If you are a secondary profession elementalist, add Glyph of Lesser EnergyCoreElementalist. Energy Storage Glyph of Lesser EnergyGlyphFor the next 15 seconds, your next 2 Spells cost 10..16..19 less Energy to cast.5130 to the build. Use it together with your more expensive skills to conserve energy.
Acquiring skills
Enfeebling BloodCoreNecromancer. Curses Enfeebling BloodSpellTarget foe and all nearby foes suffer from Weakness for 5..17..21 seconds.10%118 can be purchased from Captain Osric in Yak's Bend.
Shadow of FearPropheciesNecromancer. Curses Shadow of FearHex SpellTarget foe and all adjacent foes attack 50% slower for the next 5..25..32 seconds.1025 can be purchased from Captain Osric.
Attributes
Focus mostly on blood magic.
Aim for at least 4–5 curses.
Invest leftover attribute points in soul reaping to gain energy.
Usage
Use your blood magic skills as before.
Use Enfeebling BloodCoreNecromancer. Curses Enfeebling BloodSpellTarget foe and all nearby foes suffer from Weakness for 5..17..21 seconds.10%118 and Shadow of FearPropheciesNecromancer. Curses Shadow of FearHex SpellTarget foe and all adjacent foes attack 50% slower for the next 5..25..32 seconds.1025 to drastically debuff weapon based foes.
Variant: Factions
This is your Factions starter build after you have accepted a secondary profession.
FactionsNecromancer. Death Magic 4Bitter ChillSpellTarget foe is struck for 27 cold damage. If that foe had more Health than you, Bitter Chill recharges instantly.5110
CoreNecromancer. Death Magic 4Blood of the MasterSpellAll of your undead allies are healed for 53 Health. You sacrifice an additional 2% maximum Health per minion healed in this way.5%512
FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic Flesh of My FleshSpellLose half your Health. Resurrect target party member with your current Health and 5..17..21% Energy.54
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Acquiring skills
After accepting your secondary profession, talk to Headmaster Kuju in Shing Jea Monastery and accept the quest Necromancer Insignia. Accept all involved sub-quests to receive free skills. You don't have to do the quests, but they are useful to gain experience points and gold quickly.
Blood of the MasterCoreNecromancer. Death Magic Blood of the MasterSpellAll of your undead allies are healed for 30..99..122 Health. You sacrifice an additional 2% maximum Health per minion healed in this way.5%512 can be purchased from Zhao Di in Shing Jea Monastery.
Bitter ChillFactionsNecromancer. Death Magic Bitter ChillSpellTarget foe is struck for 15..51..63 cold damage. If that foe had more Health than you, Bitter Chill recharges instantly.5110 can be purchased from Xu Fengxia in Ran Musu Gardens.
Flesh of My FleshFactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic Flesh of My FleshSpellLose half your Health. Resurrect target party member with your current Health and 5..17..21% Energy.54 can be purchased from Xu Fengxia.
Attributes
Invest roughly two thirds of your attribute points in death magic and one third in soul reaping.
Usage
Use Deathly SwarmCoreNecromancer. Death Magic Deathly SwarmSpellDeathly Swarm flies out slowly and strikes for 30..78..94 cold damage on up to three targets in the area.1026 on foes standing next to each other.
Train single targets with Bitter ChillFactionsNecromancer. Death Magic Bitter ChillSpellTarget foe is struck for 15..51..63 cold damage. If that foe had more Health than you, Bitter Chill recharges instantly.5110.
Raise minions from corpses with Animate Bone FiendCoreNecromancer. Death Magic Animate Bone FiendSpellExploit nearest corpse to animate a level 1..14..18 Bone Fiend. Bone Fiends can attack at range.2535.
Heal them when necessary with Blood of the MasterCoreNecromancer. Death Magic Blood of the MasterSpellAll of your undead allies are healed for 30..99..122 Health. You sacrifice an additional 2% maximum Health per minion healed in this way.5%512.
Press Y to open the minion panel which gives you an overview of minions you currently control.
Selfheal when necessary with Soul FeastCoreNecromancer. Death Magic Soul FeastSpellExploit nearest corpse to gain 50..234..295 Health.101.
Transfer conditions to nearby foes with Plague TouchCoreNecromancer. Curses Plague TouchSkillTransfer 1..3..3 negative Conditions and their remaining durations from yourself to target touched foe.5¾.
Weaken warriors and rangers with Enfeebling BloodCoreNecromancer. Curses Enfeebling BloodSpellTarget foe and all nearby foes suffer from Weakness for 5..17..21 seconds.10%118.
Variant: Nightfall
This is a starter build which you can play as soon as you reach level 5. The minions you create both deal damage and prevent foes from attacking your team, while you provide additional damage with your other skills.
NightfallNecromancer. Death Magic Animate Shambling HorrorSpellExploit nearest corpse to create a level 1..14..18 shambling horror. When the shambling horror dies, it is replaced by a level 0..12..16 jagged horror that causes Bleeding with each of its attacks.15325
CoreNecromancer. Death Magic Blood of the MasterSpellAll of your undead allies are healed for 30..99..122 Health. You sacrifice an additional 2% maximum Health per minion healed in this way.5%512
CoreNecromancer. Death Magic Death NovaEnchantment SpellFor 30 seconds, if target ally dies, all adjacent foes take 26..85..105 damage and are Poisoned for 15 seconds.52
CoreNecromancer. Death Magic Deathly SwarmSpellDeathly Swarm flies out slowly and strikes for 30..78..94 cold damage on up to three targets in the area.1026
NightfallNo Profession. Sunspear rank Sunspear Rebirth SignetSignetResurrect target dead party member at your location with full health and 10% energy for each Sunspear rank you have attained. This signet can only be used once per mission unless recharged by a morale boost. PvE only.3
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Acquiring skills
Sunspear Rebirth SignetNightfallNo Profession. Sunspear rank Sunspear Rebirth SignetSignetResurrect target dead party member at your location with full health and 10% energy for each Sunspear rank you have attained. This signet can only be used once per mission unless recharged by a morale boost. PvE only.3 is granted by Runduk in Sunspear Great Hall if your sunspear rank is at least 2. Until you get this skill you can use Resurrection SignetCoreNo Profession. UnlinkedResurrection SignetSignetResurrect target party member. That party member is returned to life with 100% Health and 25% Energy. This Signet only recharges when you gain a morale boost.3.
Animate Shambling HorrorNightfallNecromancer. Death Magic Animate Shambling HorrorSpellExploit nearest corpse to create a level 1..14..18 shambling horror. When the shambling horror dies, it is replaced by a level 0..12..16 jagged horror that causes Bleeding with each of its attacks.15325 at Shiloh in Sunspear Great Hall.
Death NovaCoreNecromancer. Death Magic Death NovaEnchantment SpellFor 30 seconds, if target ally dies, all adjacent foes take 26..85..105 damage and are Poisoned for 15 seconds.52 at Shiloh.
NecrosisNightfallNecromancer. Sunspear rank NecrosisSkillIf target foe is suffering from a condition or hex, that foe suffers 60..90 damage. PvE only.512 at Shiloh.
Attributes
Try to have twice as much death magic than soul reaping while levelling.
Spend leftover attribute points into curses.
At level 20 you should have 12 death magic, 10–11 soul reaping, 6–8 curses.
Usage
Cast Deathly SwarmCoreNecromancer. Death Magic Deathly SwarmSpellDeathly Swarm flies out slowly and strikes for 30..78..94 cold damage on up to three targets in the area.1026 on foes standing close to each other.
Use NecrosisNightfallNecromancer. Sunspear rank NecrosisSkillIf target foe is suffering from a condition or hex, that foe suffers 60..90 damage. PvE only.512 against single targets.
You only deal damage if they're suffering from a hex or condition. Use Enfeebling BloodCoreNecromancer. Curses Enfeebling BloodSpellTarget foe and all nearby foes suffer from Weakness for 5..17..21 seconds.10%118 to inflict a condition if necessary.
Create minions from corpses with Animate Shambling HorrorNightfallNecromancer. Death Magic Animate Shambling HorrorSpellExploit nearest corpse to create a level 1..14..18 shambling horror. When the shambling horror dies, it is replaced by a level 0..12..16 jagged horror that causes Bleeding with each of its attacks.15325 and Animate Bone MinionsCoreNecromancer. Death Magic Animate Bone MinionsSpellExploit nearest corpse to animate two level 0..10..13 bone minions.1535.
Enchant minions with Death NovaCoreNecromancer. Death Magic Death NovaEnchantment SpellFor 30 seconds, if target ally dies, all adjacent foes take 26..85..105 damage and are Poisoned for 15 seconds.52 if you expect them to die soon.
Press Y to open the minion panel which gives you an overview of minions you currently control.
Heal your minions between fights with Blood of the MasterCoreNecromancer. Death Magic Blood of the MasterSpellAll of your undead allies are healed for 30..99..122 Health. You sacrifice an additional 2% maximum Health per minion healed in this way.5%512.
NightfallNecromancer. Death Magic 17Animate Shambling HorrorSpellExploit nearest corpse to create a level 19 shambling horror with 460 Health and 114 armor. When the shambling horror dies, it is replaced by a level 17 jagged horror with 460 Health and 114 armor that causes Bleeding with each of its attacks.15325
CoreNecromancer. Death Magic 17Blood of the MasterSpellAll of your undead allies are healed for 127 Health. You sacrifice an additional 2% maximum Health per minion healed in this way.5%512
CoreNecromancer. Death Magic 17Death NovaEnchantment SpellFor 30 seconds, if target ally dies, all adjacent foes take 110 damage and are Poisoned for 15 seconds.52
EotNNecromancer. Death Magic 17Putrid BileHex SpellFor 22 seconds, target foe suffers -3 Health degeneration. If that foe dies while under the effects of this Hex, all nearby foes take 93 damage.10112
EotNNecromancer. Soul Reaping 12MasochismEnchantment SpellFor 34 seconds, you have +2 to your Death Magic and Soul Reaping attributes and sacrifice 3% of your maximum Health when you cast a spell.5120
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Acquiring skills
If your necromancer originates from Factions or Prophecies, check the Nightfall tutorial build section for the acquisition of most skills.
MasochismEotNNecromancer. Soul Reaping 10MasochismEnchantment SpellFor 30 seconds, you have +2 to your Death Magic and Soul Reaping attributes and sacrifice 4% of your maximum Health when you cast a spell.5120 at Micah Fergson in the Eye of the North.
Putrid BileEotNNecromancer. Death Magic 17Putrid BileHex SpellFor 22 seconds, target foe suffers -3 Health degeneration. If that foe dies while under the effects of this Hex, all nearby foes take 93 damage.10112 at Micah Fergson.
Usage
Maintain MasochismEotNNecromancer. Soul Reaping 12MasochismEnchantment SpellFor 34 seconds, you have +2 to your Death Magic and Soul Reaping attributes and sacrifice 3% of your maximum Health when you cast a spell.5120.
Cast Putrid BileEotNNecromancer. Death Magic 17Putrid BileHex SpellFor 22 seconds, target foe suffers -3 Health degeneration. If that foe dies while under the effects of this Hex, all nearby foes take 93 damage.10112 on foes standing close to each other. Trigger the extra damage by finishing the target off with NecrosisNightfallNecromancer. Sunspear rank NecrosisSkillIf target foe is suffering from a condition or hex, that foe suffers 60..90 damage. PvE only.512.
Create minions from corpses with Animate Shambling HorrorNightfallNecromancer. Death Magic 17Animate Shambling HorrorSpellExploit nearest corpse to create a level 19 shambling horror with 460 Health and 114 armor. When the shambling horror dies, it is replaced by a level 17 jagged horror with 460 Health and 114 armor that causes Bleeding with each of its attacks.15325 and Animate Bone MinionsCoreNecromancer. Death Magic 17Animate Bone MinionsSpellExploit nearest corpse to animate two level 14 bone minions with 360 Health and 85 armor.1535.
Enchant minions with Death NovaCoreNecromancer. Death Magic 17Death NovaEnchantment SpellFor 30 seconds, if target ally dies, all adjacent foes take 110 damage and are Poisoned for 15 seconds.52 if you expect them to die soon.
Press Y to open the minion panel which gives you an overview of minions you currently control.
Weaken targets attacking with weapons with Enfeebling BloodCoreNecromancer. Curses 8Enfeebling BloodSpellTarget foe and all nearby foes suffer from Weakness for 13 seconds.10%118.
Heal your minions between fights with Blood of the MasterCoreNecromancer. Death Magic 17Blood of the MasterSpellAll of your undead allies are healed for 127 Health. You sacrifice an additional 2% maximum Health per minion healed in this way.5%512.
Equipment
Buy a rune of major death magic and one bloodstained insignia. Insert them into an armour piece of yours.
Notes[]
As you already purchased Flesh of My FleshFactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic Flesh of My FleshSpellLose half your Health. Resurrect target party member with your current Health and 5..17..21% Energy.54 if originating in Factions you can replace ResurrectCoreMonk. UnlinkedResurrectSpellResurrect target party member. Target party member is returned to life with 25% Health and zero Energy.1058 on your mesmer hero with it.
Replace Resurrection SignetCoreNo Profession. UnlinkedResurrection SignetSignetResurrect target party member. That party member is returned to life with 100% Health and 25% Energy. This Signet only recharges when you gain a morale boost.3 on Olias with Putrid BileEotNNecromancer. Death Magic Putrid BileHex SpellFor 5..17..21 seconds, target foe suffers -1..3..3 Health degeneration. If that foe dies while under the effects of this Hex, all nearby foes take 25..73..89 damage.10112.
When you recruit Master of Whispers, replace his Spiritual PainNightfallMesmer. Domination Magic Spiritual PainSpellTarget foe takes 15..63..79 damage. All hostile summoned creatures in the area of that foe take 25..105..132 damage.517.