The Necromancer summoning skills enable him to draw up skeletons and revives from corpses, and to create golems to fight for him.
Golems
Only one golem, of any type, may be active. If you cast another golem, the first one will be dispelled. Golems do not require a monster corpse to summon, though Iron Golems require a metal item to be created. Golems have a fixed defense. The Hit Points and Damage of Golems increase on Nightmare, and again on Hell Difficulty.
Skeletons and Skeletal Mages
In earlier versions of the game, one skeleton warrior or mage was summoned for each point in the skill. Since v1.10 you only gain one skeleton for every three points beyond the first three, but each one is much more effective. (And the screen is much less crowded.)
The attack ratings for summoned creatures are based on the Necromancer’s level, and can not be raised with equipment or more points in the skills.
Raise Skeleton
Required Level: 1 Prerequisites: None Requires: Valid monster corpse. Synergies: Raised Skeletons are made more effective by points in:
Skeleton Mastery
Summon Resist
Details: The Necromancer targets a monster’s corpse and casts this spell, causing a humanoid skeleton to emerge. Raised skeletons are melee fighters who spawn with semi-random equipment. Skeleton AI is about the same as a Mercenary. Meaning, they will pursue enemies that they see and otherwise stay near their owner, but can sometimes get stuck behind walls or around corners. If they get lost too far away from their owner, they will teleport to somewhere onscreen.
Skeletons have a 5% chance to spawn with a shield, and a 3% chance to block attacks with a shield.
Skeletons receive a hidden attack rating bonus as your character levels up.
Skill Level Progression
Slvl
#
Mana
Dmg.
AR
Def.
Slvl
#
Mana
Dmg.
AR
Def.
Slvl
#
Mana
Dmg.
AR
Def.
Slvl
#
Mana
Dmg.
AR
Def.
1
1
6
1-2
+20
+20
6
4
11
1-2
+95
+95
11
5
16
8-9
+170
+170
16
7
21
21-23
+245
+245
2
2
7
1-2
+35
+35
7
4
12
1-2
+110
+110
12
6
17
10-11
+185
+185
17
7
22
26-28
+260
+260
3
3
8
1-2
+50
+50
8
4
13
2-4
+125
+125
13
6
18
12-14
+200
+200
18
8
23
31-33
+275
+275
4
3
9
1-2
+65
+65
9
5
14
4-5
+140
+140
14
6
19
14-16
+215
+215
19
8
24
37-39
+290
+290
5
3
10
1-2
+80
+80
10
5
15
6-7
+155
+155
15
7
20
17-19
+230
+230
20
8
25
37-39
+305
+305
Skill Level Progression
Skeleton Mastery
Required Level: 1 Prerequisites: Raise Skeleton Synergies: None. Details: Increases the hit points and damage dealt by Skeletons, Skeleton Mages, and Revived.
Required Level: 6 Prerequisites: None Synergies: Clay Golems benefit from points spent in the following skills.
Golem Mastery
Summon Resist
Blood Golem: +5% Life Per Level
Iron Golem: +35 Defense Per Level
Fire Golem: +6% Damage Per Level
Details: Raises a Golem from the earth to fight for you. Before spending more than one point into Clay Golem consider that you will probably want upgrade to Blood Golem (at 18), Iron Golem (24), or Fire Golem (30), all of which replace the Clay Golem.
Notice that higher level clay golems have twice as much HP as other golems.
Defense: 20
Skill Level Progression
Slvl
Mana Cost
Dmg.
AR +X
Slow Enemy X%
Slvl
Mana Cost
Dmg.
AR +X
Slow Enemy X%
Slvl
Mana Cost
Dmg.
AR +X
Slow Enemy X%
Slvl
Mana Cost
Dmg.
AR +X
Slow Enemy X%
1
15
2-5
80
11%
6
30
5-13
180
41%
11
45
9-22
280
53%
16
60
12-31
380
60%
2
18
2-6
100
20%
7
33
6-15
200
44%
12
48
9-24
300
54%
17
63
13-33
400
60%
3
21
3-8
120
27%
8
36
6-17
220
46%
13
51
10-26
320
56%
18
66
13-34
420
61%
4
24
4-10
140
33%
9
39
7-19
240
49%
14
54
11-27
340
57%
19
69
14-36
440
62%
5
27
4-12
160
37%
10
42
8-20
260
51%
15
57
11-29
360
58%
20
72
15-38
440
63%
Skill Level Progression
Slvl
Clay Life (Normal)
Clay Life (Nightmare)
Clay Life (Hell)
Slvl
Clay Life (Normal)
Clay Life (Nightmare)
Clay Life (Hell)
Slvl
Clay Life (Normal)
Clay Life (Nightmare)
Clay Life (Hell)
Slvl
Clay Life (Normal)
Clay Life (Nightmare)
Clay Life (Hell)
1
100
175
6
275
481
11
450
787
16
625
1093
2
135
236
7
310
542
12
485
848
17
660
1155
3
170
297
8
345
603
13
520
910
18
695
1216
4
205
358
9
380
665
14
555
971
19
730
1277
5
240
420
10
415
726
15
590
1032
20
765
1338
Golem Mastery
Required Level: 12 Prerequisites: Clay Golem Details: This skill provides a passive bonus to the speed and hit points of all golems. Enhances speed and life of Golems. Golem Mastery adds more Hit Points to the Golem’s Original Base Life, not the Life shown with more than one point into a Golem skill.
Most useful if you’re planning to use a lot of Iron Golems, since the others can simply be recast as often as you like.
Skill Level Progression
Slvl
Life +X%
+Run Speed
+AR
Slvl
Life +X%
+Run Speed
+AR
Slvl
Life +X%
+Run Speed
+AR
Slvl
Life +X%
+Run Speed
+AR
1
20%
6%
25
6
120%
22%
150
11
220%
28%
275
16
320%
32%
400
2
40%
10%
50
7
140%
23%
175
12
240%
29%
300
17
340%
32%
425
3
60%
14%
75
8
160%
24%
200
13
260%
30%
325
18
360%
32%
450
4
80%
17%
100
9
180%
26%
225
14
280%
30%
350
19
380%
33%
475
5
100%
20%
125
10
200%
27%
250
15
300%
31%
375
20
400%
33%
500
Raise Skeletal Mage
Required Level: 12 Prerequisites: Raise Skeleton Requires: A valid monster corpse. Synergies: Skeletal Mages gain bonuses from points spent in:
Skeleton Mastery
Summon Resist
Details: Summons a skeletal mage from a monster corpse. Skeleton mages occur randomly in four types; fire, lightning, cold, and poison. Keep summoning new ones and unsummoning individuals if you wish to get all poison, or no cold, etc.
Cold mages are useful if you wish to slow monsters and potential break their corpses so shamans can not resurrect them. Cold is not good if you want monster corpses left to raise more skeletons from, Revive, or Corpse Explosion.
Skeleton mages have high elemental resistance, especially to the element that makes up their own attack.
See the Raise Skeletal Mage article for a complete breakdown of the damage, hit points, and more for each type of skeleton mage.
Skill Level Progression
Slvl
Mages
Mana
Def.
Slvl
Mages
Mana
Def.
Slvl
Mages
Mana
Def.
Slvl
Mages
Mana
Def.
1
1
8
+10
6
4
13
+60
11
5
18
+110
16
7
23
+160
2
2
9
+20
7
4
14
+70
12
6
19
+120
17
7
24
+170
3
3
10
+30
8
4
15
+80
13
6
20
+130
18
8
25
+180
4
3
11
+40
9
5
16
+90
14
6
21
+140
19
8
26
+190
5
3
12
+50
10
5
17
+100
15
7
22
+150
20
8
27
+200
D2R Patch 2.4 Changes – 14 April 2022
Percentage HP per level increased from 7% to 10%
Poison total damage scaling increased by about 750%. Poison duration no longer scales and now lasts 4 seconds
Cold damage scaling increased by about 50%
Lightning damage scaling increased by about 5%
The tooltip will now properly display the Life scaling per level
Blood Golem
Required Level: 18 Prerequisites: Clay Golem Synergies: Blood Golems receive bonuses from points spent in the following skills:
Golem Mastery
Summon Resist
Clay Golem: +20 Attack Rating Per Level
Iron Golem: +35 Defense Per Level
Fire Golem: +6% Damage Per Level
Details: Blood Golems are linked to the Necromancer who casts them. As the Blood Golem damages the target it leeches life, and shares this with the Necromancer. Before v1.13, the Necromancer would also lose life as the golem took damage, but this is no longer the case.
The Golem gains 70% of the health it steals while the player gains 30%. If the current life + stolen life > maximum life of the Blood Golem, the Hit Point overflow goes to the Necromancer. If the current life + stolen life > maximum life of the Necromancer, the Hit Point overflow returns to the Golem up to the maximum life for each target.
Defense: 80
Skill Level Progression
Slvl
Mana Cost
Dmg.
Life Leech
Slvl
Mana Cost
Dmg.
Life Leech
Slvl
Mana Cost
Dmg.
Life Leech
Slvl
Mana Cost
Dmg.
Life Leech
1
25
6-16
86%
6
45
16-44
116%
11
65
27-72
128%
16
85
37-100
135%
2
29
8-21
95%
7
49
18-49
119%
12
69
29-77
129%
17
89
39-105
135%
3
33
10-27
102%
8
53
20-55
121%
13
73
31-83
131%
18
93
41-111
136%
4
37
12-32
108%
9
57
22-60
124%
14
77
33-88
132%
19
97
43-116
137%
5
41
14-38
112%
10
61
24-66
126%
15
81
35-94
133%
20
101
45-122
138%
D2R Patch 2.4 Changes – 14 April 2022
Attack damage increased by about 20%
20% reduction in mana cost applied per level
Now gains Max Life per level
Damage scaling per level has been increased
Summon Resist
Required Level: 24 Prerequisites: Clay Golem, Golem Mastery Details: This skill passively raises the elemental (not physical) resistances of all the Necromancer’s minions: skeletons, golems, and revives.
Skill Level Progression
Slvl
Resist All
Slvl
Resist All
Slvl
Resist All
Slvl
Resist All
1
28%
6
50%
11
59%
16
64%
2
34%
7
52%
12
60%
17
64%
3
39%
8
54%
13
61%
18
65%
4
44%
9
56%
14
62%
19
65%
5
47%
10
57%
15
62%
20
66%
Iron Golem
Required Level: 24 Prerequisites: Clay Golem, Blood Golem Requires: A metal item. Iron Golems can not be created from Clubs, Wands, Crystal Swords, Gloves, Belts, Throwing Weapons, Staves, Bows, Crossbows, Quest Items, Jewelry, Leather Armor and Leather Boots. Synergies: Iron Golems benefit from points in the following skills:
Golem Mastery
Summon Resist
Clay Golem: +20 Attack Rating Per Level
Blood Golem: +5% Life Per Level
Fire Golem: +6% Damage Per Level
Details: This golem is created from the item, and takes on properties of the item. This feature was underutilized in earlier versions of D2, with little more than some defense, or a type of damage transferring to the golem’s stats.
Since v1.09, the item used has become far more important, with most of the item properties showing up in the golem itself. It’s worth it to most Necromancers to save nice items for future Iron Golems, rather than simply selling them.
Iron Golems have an inherent Thorns property, reflecting damage back to attackers. This adds to damage from the Iron Maiden curse, making striking an Iron Golem a very painful experience.
Some item properties do not work on Iron Golems, such as Magic Find, Gold Find, or Mana steal.
Iron Golems made from ethereal items are translucent.
Mana Cost: 35
Damage: 7-19/11-30/12-33
Attack Rating: 100
Receives Bonus From: Item properties of the item used to create the golem
Skill Level Progression
Slvl
% Dmg. Returned
Defense
Defense +X
Slvl
% Dmg. Returned
Defense
Defense +X
Slvl
% Dmg. Returned
Defense
Defense +X
Slvl
% Dmg. Returned
Defense
Defense +X
1
150%
190
35
6
210%
365
210
11
285%
540
385
16
360%
715
560
2
150%
225
70
7
225%
400
245
12
300%
575
420
17
375%
750
595
3
165%
260
105
8
240%
435
280
13
315%
610
455
18
390%
785
630
4
180%
295
140
9
255%
470
315
14
330%
645
490
19
405%
820
665
5
195%
330
175
10
270%
505
350
15
345%
680
525
20
420%
855
700
D2R Patch 2.4 Changes – 14 April 2022
Thorns no longer return a percentage of damage when hit. Now thorns will deal a flat amount of damage when the aura-effected targets are attacked
Fire Golem
Required Level: 30 Prerequisites: Clay Golem, Blood Golem, Iron Golem Synergies: Fire Golems benefit from points added to the following skills:
Golem Mastery
Summon Resist
Clay Golem: +20 Attack Rating Per Level
Blood Golem: +5% Life Per Level
Iron Golem: +35 Defense Per Level
Details: Fire Golems are beings of flame. They deal fire damage, heal from fire damage, and have a Holy Fire Aura.
Fire Golems have the most hit points of any golem, but they also cost, by far, the most mana.
Fire Golems are very effective at drawing in monsters, thanks to the constant damage their fire aura deals everything on the screen.
Fire Golems deal substantial fire splash damage when they die. This can be used as a weapon by casting and recasting them beside a target.
Attack Rating: 140
Defense: 235
Skill Level Progression
Slvl
Mana
Fire Dmg.
Holy Fire
Fire Abs.
Slvl
Mana
Fire Dmg.
Holy Fire
Fire Abs.
Slvl
Mana
Fire Dmg.
Holy Fire
Fire Abs.
Slvl
Mana
Fire Dmg.
Holy Fire
Fire Abs.
1
50
44-90
4-6
36%
6
100
119-170
9-11
66%
11
150
203-259
15-17
78%
16
200
307-368
24-26
85%
2
60
59-106
5-7
45%
7
110
134-186
10-12
69%
12
160
225-282
17-19
79%
17
210
330-392
26-28
85%
3
70
74-122
6-8
52%
8
120
149-202
11-13
71%
13
170
241-299
18-20
81%
18
220
359-422
29-31
86%
4
80
89-138
7-9
58%
9
130
165-219
12-14
74%
14
180
263-322
20-22
82%
19
230
382-446
31-33
87%
5
90
104-154
8-10
62%
10
140
187-242
14-16
76%
15
190
279-339
21-23
83%
20
240
411-476
34-36
88%
D2R Patch 2.4 Changes – 14 April 2022
20% reduction in mana cost applied per level
Holy Fire damage increased by an average of 50%
Fire attack damage increased by an average of 30%
Fixed a bug which caused the Fire Golem’s Holy Fire damage max value to display as half of its true value
Revive
Required Level: 30 Prerequisites: Raise Skeleton, Clay Golem, Raise Skeletal Mage, Blood Golem, Iron Golem. Requires: A valid monster corpse. (It will highlight when targeted with this skill active.) Bosses, SuperUniques, leapers, undead mages and some other monsters can not be Revived. Synergies: Points spent in Skeleton Mastery, and Summon Resist boost Revives. Details: Revives the dead monster, raising it up in its living form, but coloured dark gray. Revived monsters retain most of their attributes from life, and deal the same damage, type of damage, attack speed, foot speed, and more. Revives gain a bonus to their hit points, damage, and resistances.
Revives will use magical attacks, but shamans will not resurrect their monsters or your Revives.
Revives retain their original AI, so resurrecting aggressive attackers is more useful than shamans or others that wander around a lot.
Revives do not warp to keep up, though they will instantly reappear if you pass through a portal/waypoint, or use the teleport skill. It’s easy to lose them if you run around too quickly.
Gather useful Revives in one area, then quickly portal to another area, such as for a boss battle. You can use waypoints to move between acts as well, taking Flayers to fight Diablo, for instance.
Revives only last for 3 minutes, so keep moving and keep summoning up new ones to replace the old.
Each point in Revive simply adds one more to the number you can keep alive at once. If you’re not using them all on a regular basis, more points here are not well spent.
