Build notes: |
January 19, 2022 |
Build Overview
Let's face it, Summon Necromancers are the real Necromancers, and sending an undead army to fight your battles while you chill out (and get bored) in the back is the true Necro way. All jokes aside, Necromancer's Summoning Spells Skill Tree is one of the strongest in the game and it lets you build a plethora of different builds. For this one, we focus on Skeletons. While they might look brittle at first glance (just like Druid's Wolves), they are actually very durable and extremely dependable - once you summon them, you don't have much to do, except casting Amplify Damage and relocating, as they simply won't die (they will, occasionally, but you get the point).
This version of the pSkelemancer Necro Build is fully capable of solo clearing high-end content without putting too much effort into it - your Skeletons will take care of pretty much everything. The build offers a very safe and chill experience which makes it great for those of you who need a break from the always-on-the-edge exciting builds. It also offers very good mobility with Vigor merc and Blood Warp so its clear speeds are solid. If you're looking for a low-effort, cheap to gear up (you can run this build on a budget, no problem) farming build, it should meet your requirements.
You can also check our other Best Project Diablo 2 Builds
Pros | Cons |
Very Versatile | You rely on Summons to do pretty much everything |
Great Survivability | Quite boring to play after a while |
Solid Mobility | |
Can Clear any type of PD2 content |
Skills
ATTRIBUTES |
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SUMMONING SPELLS |
This is the core Skill Tree of this Build. This Skill Tree will let you create your own undead army that will obey your every command (especially after the recent AI improvements). Skills:
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CURSES |
This build utilizes Curses to break the enemy's physical resistance. With maxed-out Amplify Damage and Curse Mastery, you can lower enemy physical res by 75%. The rest of the Curses is not really worth spending any additional points on, but you can do it if you like their effects. Skills:
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POISON AND BONE SPELLS |
This skill tree is not the focus of this build and all the skill points are needed elsewhere, but we can afford to invest 2 points to get Bone Armor. Skills:
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Items
As per usual with PD2 Builds, you want to get as many Skill Levels (Necromancer/Summoning Spells in this case) as possible to increase the build's overall power level. Resistances are also important, but they should never come before the offensive power. A faster cast rate is nice to have, but not nearly as essential as with other types of necro builds. Defensive stats, like faster hit recovery and life on each kill, are a nice addition but you should not choose gear for them specifically. |
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HELMETS |
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Steel Shade (Armet) - This Helmet is a surprisingly solid option for the build as you will be using a shield (or an off-hand that works like a shield). It provides +2 to All Skills, a 30% Faster Cast Rate, and offers a solid defensive boost on top (with 20% better blocking and 30% faster block rate). Moreover, it has high fire absorb which makes it great for certain bosses. |
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Harlequin Crest (Shako) - You can't go wrong with Shako on this build; It gives you everything you might want for your Skelemancer - Skill levels, Mana, Health, Damage taken reduction, attributes, and magic find. If you plan on using this build for magic finding, this is the best choice. |
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Delirium (Rune Word) - This Helmet will give you some extra offensive power in the form of +2 Skills, a nice boost to Magic Find, and a solid increase in defenses. If you're looking for a more budget alternative for the Helmet slot, consider this one. |
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WEAPONS |
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Beast (Runeword) - A very solid Weapon Choice for a Summon Necro. It gives 8-10 levels of Fanaticism Aura, when equipped, that greatly increases the damage output of your Skeletons. The downside is its extortionate price. It can be inscribed into Axes, Scepters, and Hammers that have 5 sockets. |
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Arm of King Leoric (Tomb Wand) - This wand was tailored specifically for Skelemancers. With it, you will be able to summon a total of 4 additional Skeletal minions, which is massive. It will also give you a lot of relevant Skill Levels and some FCR. Moreover, its level requirement is very low, so you can use it for leveling. |
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Heart of the Oak (Runeword) - Heart of the Oak has got you covered if you need some extra Skill levels and FCR. Also, it not only increases your offensive power but also boosts your elemental resistances and takes care of your mana-related needs. |
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OFF-HANDS/SHIELDS | |
Boneflame (Succubus Skull) - An amazing off-hand that makes you Run faster, boosts your offensive power by a lot, provides a solid physical absorb, and increases your elemental resistances. This is objectively one of the most powerful off-hands in the game. You should try to get one that has +3 to Necromancer Skill Levels. |
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Homonculus (Hierophant Trophy) - An extremely powerful Class item that increases Necromancer's Skills by 2 and provides some nice defensive bonuses (increased block chance and faster block rate are great). Homonculus pairs especially well with the Steel Shade. If you go for this one, you should invest some more points into Dexterity to make your block relevant. |
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Stormshield (Monarch) - If you're looking for a shield that will make you almost impervious to incoming damage, pick up this one. It's a BiS defensive option that will allow you to achieve Max Block very easily. If you want to make your Summon Necro even less likely to die, Stormshield has got you covered. |
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WEAPON SWAP | |
Call to Arms (Rune Word) - This powerful Runeword will allow you to pre-buff yourself up with Warcries (buffs persist through weapon swap).
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Lidless Wall (Grim Shield) - A very powerful Shield that grants up to +2 Skills and high FCR. You should use it on weapon swap to maximize the benefits you get from Warcries. |
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AMULETS |
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Mara's Kaleidoscope - From this amulet, you'll get a great combination of skills, attributes, and resistances. It's a solid and versatile choice - you can't go wrong with it. |
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[Alternative] Rare/Magic Amulets with + Necromancer/Summoning Spells are great budget choices and solid fillers before you are able to get Mara's Kaleidoscope.
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ARMORS |
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Enigma (Runeword) - This classic and expensive runeword is a solid all-around choice that takes care of your defense and offense. Blink Charges, it gives you, are less relevant because of Blood Warp, but still handy to have in some situations (you won't achieve 0 Cooldown Bloodwarp unless you want to sacrifice your offensive power for it). |
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Atma's Wail (Embossed Plate) - This amazing unique armor offers a solid mix of offensive and defensive affixes. It will make you much more durable while allowing you to cast spells quicker. Moreover, it offers some Magic Find, which is nice. |
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Trang-Oul's Scales (Chaos Armor) - A nice defensively-oriented armor that will make your summons and your blood warp better. You might want to consider it, even if you don't plan on running a full Trang's set. |
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RINGS |
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The Stone of Jordan - One of the most iconic items in Diablo 2, which increases the level of all your Skills and your max Mana. A solid offensive choice. |
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Raven Frost - This ring provides Freeze immunity which is extremely important to have. If you have freeze immunity from another item, you can choose a different ring. |
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Wisp Projector - This is a BiS ring for this build as it allows you to buff your summons with Heart of the Wolverine. |
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GLOVES |
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Gravepalm (Sharkskin Gloves) - These gloves give you +1 to Summoning Skills which automatically makes them a BiS item, as no other gloves will give you that. They also increase Strength which is rather nice as it allows you to put fewer points into it. |
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Bloodfist (Heavy Gloves) - A solid defensively focused choice that offers a whopping +30% Faster Hit Recovery. If you want to be extra safe, pick these ones. |
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BOOTS |
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Waterwalk (Sharkskin Boots) - If you're looking for universal pair of boots, look no further. Waterwalks offer a great mix of mobility and defenses. With them, you will be able to move much faster while shrugging off incoming damage. |
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Aldur's Advance (Battle Boots) - This pair of Boots offers very high bonus Movement Speed and Life. Also, they have a very high bonus to Fire Resistance, which is handy if you don't have fire resistance charms or want your charms to have other bonuses. |
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Itherael's Path (Mirrored Boots) - These versatile boots will not only boost your attributes, defense, and hit recovery, but also increase your running speed and casting rate which makes it a solid option for the build. The downside is, they are hard to get and expensive. |
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BELTS |
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Arachnid Mesh (Spiderweb Sash) - Arachnid Mesh gives +1 to all Skills in addition to increasing your Cast Rate. This belt is a must-have in a wide range of caster builds, so purchasing it is a good investment. It's definitely the Best in Slot Belt for this build. |
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String of Ears (Demonhide Sash) - The String of Ears provides up to a 15% damage reduction bonus which is just amazing for this Item slot. It's a great option if you're after some additional survivability. |
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CHARMS |
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MERCENARY |
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We recommend picking up Act 1 Vigor Mercenary for extra mobility (Vigor Aura makes your Golems Much faster, which is EXTREMELY important) that helps with clear speeds by a lot, and for the ability to use a Bow with a chance to cast Amplify Damage. She should be equipped with:
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END NOTE This is our premiere Project Diablo 2 build where we tried to include all of the important information on how to set up this character while keeping the guide as compact as possible. If we've missed something of importance, please let us know! If you have any Build requests, please post them in the Comments section below. We will be happy to cover your most requested builds in the future! Also, we hope that you have found this guide useful and informative. Also, we will be happy to receive constructive criticism that will help us improve our future work, so don't hesitate to give us your feedback. |