Herald of Purity
Necromancer Build

Updated for Patch 3.27

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Herald of Purity is a Spell used for its two main purposes: granting more Physical Damage to the character (passive ability) and summoning Minions on kill. These two rarely go together, as Minion Builds are very distinct; they need to scale Minion Damage, not regular damage. Here, as a Necromancer, you'll pay more attention to the Minions - Sentinels of Purity. The base Damage of these summons grows drastically with the Gem Level. Their damage can be increased by up to 200% just from two Circle of Guilt Rings, the Items that buff the effect of this specific Herald Skill directly. These Sentinels are sourced from a Physical Spell Skill Gem, allowing you to equip two Cold Iron Point Daggers for 6 extra Gem Levels. You will also use a Specter and an Animated Guardian with Kingmaker as your secondary Minions to enhance the performance of the Sentinels. As a Necromancer, we recommend using Commander of Darkness, Mindless Aggression, Bone Barrier, and Mistress of Sacrifice Keystones. It will significantly improve Minions' DPS as well as Defences. Picking Guardian for an Ascendancy could work too, but it'd result in much less damage.

This build uses a lot of Unique Items to increase Gem Level or improve Sentinels directly, so it might seem hard to cap Elemental Resistances, but in reality, it's not that big of a deal. Cluster Jewels can be very powerful; it's recommended to have some of them - this build is adjusted for one large and up to two medium ones. Herald of Purity Necromancer is not much different from a standard Minion build. If you've played one already, you will feel right at home. Its defenses consist mostly of Armour with a bit of Energy Shield on top of Maximum Life. You can also invest in the Block Chance with Bone Offering, but due to the lack of a Shield, it's not a great idea. Flesh Offering is usually better in such a case.

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1. Gameplay

If you're using Gravebind, the build feels extremely smooth, as you won't have to summon your Sentinels; they will summon themselves. But just in case keep The Writhing Jar to generate them back quickly. You will direct your Minions with Signal Prey. Use Animated Guardian with Spectre for various buffs and Feeding Frenzy. Flesh Offering, combined with Desecrate, should provide a consistent way to enhance your Minions' Damage. For a Curse, use Vulnerability, and for a Guard Spell - Molten Shell. For Auras, we recommend Determination or Pride.

2. Build's PROS & CONS

3. Leveling tips

To level up efficiently, use our Leveling Guide. Start with Absolution and keep it until you reach the maps.

Bandits:

You should kill all three Bandits for one additional Skill Point

4. Final Skill Tree, Ascendancy Points, and Pantheon

Final Skill Tree:

84 Points Final Skill Tree (doesn't include Unique or Cluster Jewels)
123 Points Path of Building (PoB) link

Ascendancy points:

Preferably in that order:

1. Commander of Darkenss
2. Mindless Aggression
3. Mistress of Sacrifice
4. Bone Barrier

Pantheon:

Major God: Soul of Lunaris: 1% additional Physical Damage Reduction for each nearby Enemy, up to 8%; 1% increased Movement Speed for each nearby Enemy, up to 8%

Minor God: Soul of Shakari: You cannot be Poisoned while there are at least 3 Poisons on you; 50% less Duration of Poisons on You

5. Final Gems links

[DPS] Herald of Purity setup
	Herald of Purity - The Main Damage source are Sentinels of Purity, dealing Physical Damage; you will be able to have 4 or 5 of them at once.
	Minion Damage Support - More Minion Damage, less Minion Life. Use the Awakened version for the extra Gem Level for Herald.
	Multistrike Support - Increases the rate at which Minions Attack while lowering their damage.
	Impale Support - Minions have a much higher chance to Impale on Hit, and the effect of Impale is increased.
	Melee Physical Damage Support - Grants more Melee Physical Damage, but the Attack Speed is lowered.
	Predator Support - You're able to mark an opponent, causing Sentinels to focus on this enemy. They'll deal much more damage to the target, but if you want to avoid clicking or don't have the right socket colors, use Ruthless Support or Faster Attacks Support.

[UTILITY] other Minions
	Raise Spectre - Raises a Spectre that can serve many functions, such as granting Charges or conjuring a Proximity Shield.
	Animate Guardian - Equip the Animate Guardian with Kingmaker to greatly improve your character's and Sentinels' Damage and survivability.
	Feeding Frenzy Support - Feeding Frenzy grants all your other Minions Feeding Frenzy Buff for more Damage, Attack Speed, and Movement Speed.
	Minion Life Support - Minions have more Maximum Life and reduced Damage, but that's not an issue.

[UTILITY] Molten Shell and Offering setup
	Molten Shell - Creates a protective Shield that reduces incoming damage taken for some time; it can take more damage the more Armour you have.
	Cast when Damage Taken Support - It should automatically trigger Molten Shell when Damage is Taken.
	Lifetap Support - Linked Spells cost Life instead of Mana.
	Flesh Offering - A big Bonus to Movement, Cast, and Attack Speed for you and your Minions. You can replace it with Bone Offering if you have a Shield and want to be more durable. Keep it at Level on higher than CwDT.

[UTILITY] Aura setup
	Pride - Nearby enemies take much increased Physical Damage. It can be replaced with Determination, but it's bad, unless you have items with Armour.
	Flesh and Stone - You can swap between Blood and Sand Stance for either damage or survivability. You can also replace it with Tempest Shield if you want and are able to.
	Enlighten Support - Linked Spells Reserve slightly less Mana. Level 2 should be enough.

[UTILITY] Arcanist Brand setup
	Arcanist Brand - Linked Skills are cast for you once the Brand gets attached to an enemy.
	Vulnerability - A curse that causes foes to take increased Physical Damage, and makes them more susceptible to Bleed.
	Desecrate - Creates Corpses that you can later consume to Cast Offering.
	Lifetap Support

[MOBILITY] Frostblink setup
	Frostblink - Frostblink is a Mobility Skill that lets you teleport over a short distance.
	Lifetap Support

[UTILITY] Convocation
	Convocation - Use Convocation to recall your Minions to your location. Use if they're in danger.

[UTILITY] Aspect of the Avian
	Aspect of the Avian - Upgrades your Minions' damage or mobility in an altering fashion.

6. Gear Setup

It's a Physical Minion Build. Your Priority is to increase the level of Herald of Purity Gem. To do so, it is recommended to use two Cold Iron Point Daggers or one Maata's Teaching. Skin of the Lords (or any Corrupted Unique Body Armour) and some kind of an Amulet that can get you extra Gem Levels, too. Gravebind Gloves are a big improvement; you won't have to use any other Skill to Kill or Damage enemies at all. The other Unique Items are Circle of Guilt Rings with increased Damage for Sentinels and Mana Reservation Efficiency. Cluster Jewels are very important. Rotten Claws, Vicious Bite, Cult-Leader, and Disciples are powerful Notables found only there, but going for 12 improved passives is ultimately better. Mana Reservation Efficiency might be a problem, but we've resolved it with The Coming Calamity and Destructive Aspect. Look for some extra Dexterity, as it will be needed for Gems. Maximum Life, Armour, and Resistances are the most important stats to gain more durability.

Our recommended items will:

1. Cap your resistances at 75%
2. Provide you with enough DPS and Life to start mapping

(Helmet) Rare Helmet - A Helmet is a very important gear piece for such Minion Builds, you have up to two Levels for the Herald of Purity and maybe extra mana Reservation Efficiency. For the Eldritch mods, get Physical-taken-as and Minion Life.

Min. requirements: +90 to Maximum Life +40% to total Resistances +2 to Level of all Minion Skill Gems Optional affixes: Attributes

(Helmet) The Dark Monarch - This Helmet doubles the number of your Sentinels, but renders you unable to have AG and Spectres, which may make you more vulnerable.

+(50-100) to maximum Energy Shield +1 to Level of all Minion Skill Gems +(27-37)% to Chaos Resistance 50% reduced Light Radius Maximum number of Sentinels of Purity is Doubled Cannot have Minions other than Sentinels of Purity

(Helmet) Ancient Skull - If you can reach Level 30 Herald of Purity without a Rare Helmet, and your Minions have high Crit Chance (via your Power Charge cap and Maata's Teaching), try this one.

Minions deal (15-20)% increased Damage (150-200)% increased Armour and Energy Shield Minions have (40-20)% reduced maximum Life Minions have (15-25)% increased Movement Speed Minions have 50% increased Critical Strike Chance per Maximum Power Charge you have Minions can hear the whispers for 5 seconds after they deal a Critical Strike

(Weapon) Cold Iron Point - It simply improves your Helrad of Purity in the most direct way, and the only downside won't even affect your Minions. A bit crude, but cheap.

30% increased Global Critical Strike Chance +3 to Level of all Physical Spell Skill Gems Deal no Elemental Damage

(Weapon) Maata's Teaching - Fixes your Sentinels' base Crit Chance at up to 9.45% and grants +2 Levels for all Minion Gems. It's very powerful, and only the best Rare Convoking Wand will beat it.

26% increased Elemental Damage +(30-40) to Intelligence (15-30)% increased Critical Strike Chance +(1-2) to Level of all Minion Skill Gems Minions' Base Attack Critical Strike Chance is equal to the Critical Strike Chance of your Main Hand Weapon

(Weapon) Rare Convoking Wand - It can increase the Gem level of your Minion Skills by 2, Minion Damage, and Minion Attack Speed. It would be very expensive.

Min. requirements: 80% Minion Damage +1 to Level of All Minion Gems Trigger Socketed Spell when you use a Skill with an 8-second cooldown Optional affixes: Minion Attack/Cast Speed +1 to Level of All Spell Skill Gems

(Off-hand) Svalinn - Svalinn sure is expensive, but it's also the BiS Shield for builds such as these. Be sure to pick Block Passives on the Tree and use Bone Offering with it. It can be replaced with a cheap Rare Shield or The Surrender.

+(10-20) to maximum Life (10-15)% Chance to Block Spell Damage +(100-150) to Ward -10% to maximum Chance to Block Attack Damage -10% to maximum Chance to Block Spell Damage Chance to Block is Lucky Trigger a Socketed Elemental Spell on Block, with a 0.25 second Cooldown

(Body Armour) Skin of the Lords - Good if you pair it up with Rare Items that boost your Defences (Armour or Energy Shield). It is mediocre otherwise.

Item has no level requirement and Energy Shield (Hidden) Sockets cannot be modified +2 to Level of Socketed Gems 100% increased Global Defences You can only Socket Corrupted Gems in this item Item has 6 Sockets and is fully linked (Hidden) <Random Keystone>

(Body Armour) The Coming Calamity - Mana Reservation for the Herald of Purity is always 45% of your Mana, which is usually a discount price. Corrupt it to increase the Gem Level of Socketed Minion or Duration Gems by two.

+2 to Level of Socketed Herald Gems (80-100)% increased Energy Shield 35% chance to avoid being Stunned for each Herald Buff affecting you Mana Reservation of Herald Skills is always 45%

(Boots) Rare Boots - From basic stats, there's only Movement Speed, Resistances, and Maximum Life to look for on your Boots.

Min. requirements: 30% increased Movement Speed +90 to maximum Life +10% to Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: Attributes Freeze Immunity

(Gloves) Gravebind - Your Sentinels can create a perpetual loop of summoning and healing themselves with these gloves, removing your involvement in their creation almost completely. If they all die at once, use The Writhing Jar. It's also Chaos Resistance and Life on Kill.

(100-150)% increased Armour and Evasion +(19-29)% to Chaos Resistance +(15-25) Life gained on Kill Nearby Enemies Killed by anyone count as being Killed by you instead

(Belt) Rare Belt - Strength, Maximum Life, and Resistances can be sourced from a Belt in huge quantities. If you don't need these, go for Darkness Enthroned.

Min. requirements: +90 to Maximum Life +90% to Elemental Resistances Strength Optional affixes: increased Maximum Life

(Amulet) Rare Amulet  - The most important are the modifiers for an increased Gem Level of Herald of Purity by one or even two Levels, it will be expensive, so before you can afford it just search for Life, Resistances, and Mana Reservation Efficiency.

Min. requirements: +80 Maximum Life +40% to Elemental Resistances +1 to Level of all Skill/Physical Skill Gems Dexterity Optional affixes: Attributes +1 to Level of all Skill/Physical Skill Gems Mana Reservation Efficiency

(Amulet) Replica Dragonfang's Flight  - Lots of useful additions; all of them are good. The +3 to Gem Level of Herald of Purity is what sells it.

+(10-16) to all Attributes +3 to Level of all <Random Skill> Gems +(5-10)% to all Elemental Resistances (5-10)% increased Reservation Efficiency of Skills Items and Gems have (10-5)% reduced Attribute Requirements

Recommended Anointments: Ravenous Horde Prismatic Skin Whispers of Doom

(Ring) Circle of Guilt - A Ring directly upgrading your Herald of Purity, seek the modifiers for Sentinels' increased Damage and increased Mana Reservation Efficiency (if applicable). Put on two.

<One to three random Synthesis implicit modifiers> +(10-20) to all Attributes Adds (8-10) to (13-15) Physical Damage +(350-400) to Armour <Two Random Herald of Purity modifiers>

(Ring) Rare Bone Ring - A Rare Bone Ring can improve your Minion's stats, but you will probably need lots of Resistances and Attributes from it as well.

Min. requirements: Minions deal 30% increased Damage Minions have 10% increased Attack and Cast Speed 30% Total Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: Attributes Resistances Reduced Mana Cost of Skills

(Jewel) Rare Jewels - Jewels can grant you some more Maximum Life, Attributes, Resistances, or Minion Damage. Ghastly Abyss Jewels can increase your Minions' Damage if used a Minion Skill Recently, which is the most powerful mod.

Recommended affixes: increased maximum Life Attributes Elemental Resistances Minion's Damage modifiers

(Jewel) Quickening Covenant - This Jewel can be used to upgrade the offensive aspect of your Minions, socket it in one of Cluster Jewel Sockets.

Minions have (12-16)% increased Attack Speed Minions have (12-16)% increased Cast Speed Minions have +(20-24)% chance to Suppress Spell Damage Notable Passive Skills in Radius are Transformed to instead grant: Minions have 25% reduced Movement Speed

(Jewel) Forbidden Flame & Forbidden Flesh - With Gravebind, all your Minions' Kills count as your own, because of that, you can get Profane Bloom for clear speed, or Malediction to cast extra Curse, like Vulnerability.

Allocates <<Random Ascendancy Notable>> if you have the matching modifiers on Forbidden Flesh Allocates <<Random Ascendancy Notable>> if you have the matching modifiers on Forbidden Flame

(Jewel) Large Cluster Jewel - Rotten Claws and Vicious Bite are the most valuable Notables, these will significantly improve your Damage. Just these two are enough. You may also go for the 12-passive Jewel with 35% increased effectiveness of small passives.

Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Feasting Fiends 1 Added Passive Skill is Renewal 1 Added Passive Skill is Rotten Claws 1 Added Passive Skill is Vicious Bite

(Jewel) Medium Cluster Jewel - Minion Damage with Herald base is great, as there are two very good Notables: Cult-Leader and Disciples.

Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Cult-Leader 1 Added Passive Skill is Disciples

(Jewel) Small Cluster Jewel - Uncompromising grants 50% increased Mana Reservation Efficiency for Determination; you might want to have it. Destructive Aspect works for Pride the same way.

Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Uncompromising 1 Added Passive Skill is Destructive Aspect

(Flask) The Writhing Jar - Recovers some Life and Mana on use, but what's important is the creation of two enemies that die instantly, creating two Sentinels. Use it at the start of a map.

Instant Recovery (75-65)% reduced Amount Recovered 2 Enemy Writhing Worms escape the Flask when used Writhing Worms are destroyed when Hit (20-10)% reduced Charges per use

Other suggested Flasks: Alchemist's Quicksilver Flask of Adrenaline Granite Flask with increased Armour Quartz or Basalt Flask with reduced Effect of Shock or Curse Life Flask with Bleed removal

If you have any other build requests please leave that in the comments below. We are always open to suggestions and constructive feedback.

Pictures used in this article are the intellectual property of Grinding Gear Games.