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The unique mechanic of the Necromancer’s Book of the Dead in Diablo 4 has undergone significant adjustments regarding specific stats and effects since the game’s release. Although the core system remains intact, the finer details have changed. This guide will discuss those updates and provide you with an overview of this mechanic to help you determine what works best for your playstyle.
The Necromancer continues to be a popular choice among players in Diablo 4, enabling you to rapidly summon a multitude of minions and inflict massive damage. The class has seen a number of enhancements, making it even more appealing. While it might not deal damage at the same scale as the Spiritborn or Sorcerer classes, it remains a potent choice that greatly benefits from the Book of the Dead.
Unlocking the Necromancer’s Book of the Dead Mechanic
What It Does & How It Works
Unlocking the Book of the Dead is straightforward, as it becomes accessible once you reach Level 5. At that point, you can find the menu next to your character menu, which outlines the available minions in three sections. These minions include Skeletal Warriors, Skeletal Mages, and Golems; however, Golems will not be available immediately at Level 5.
Each minion type has an additional three sub-types, which will gradually level up as you progress, requiring no active input beyond leveling up your character. At Level 25, you’ll unlock a special quest called Call of the Underworld, where you’ll venture to the Fractured Peaks to learn a ritual for summoning a Golem.
Minions not only inherit 30% of your stats but also gain any applicable buffs.
All of your minions will start with 30% of your stats, although there are exceptions. You can also upgrade each sub-type with optional enhancements. It’s crucial to note that not every Necromancer build focuses on summoning minions; some players choose to sacrifice them instead. However, if you want to summon minions, you need to have it set as one of your active skills.
Ensure the skills Raise Skeleton & Golem are on your skill bar if you intend to summon them.
If you’re looking for further details on utilizing the minions effectively, check out this video from YouTuber Goblin Inc. Essentially, Skeletons can serve as either close-range fighters or distant attack spellcasters, depending on whether you’re summoning Warriors or Mages, while Golems function as tanks. To craft an effective endgame Necromancer build, understanding how their stats operate is essential.
Top Necromancer Book of the Dead Summons, Bonuses & Upgrades
All Stats & What They Do
Updates to the Book of the Dead primarily focus on the individual stats for each Summon and their sub-types. Each summon features three sub-types so that you can select their specialization based on the role you wish them to fulfill. You can only choose one additional bonus, but if you opt for the sacrificial route instead, you’ll receive a permanent boost. Note that each minion has limitations to how many can be summoned, although certain unique Necromancer items—like Legendary Aspects—may allow for more.
During World Boss battles, minions will automatically respawn after being defeated.
Skeletal Warriors behave much like standard Skeleton foes, rushing into combat to attack enemies at close range. You can summon 4 initially, and their stats are as follows:
|
Skeletal Warrior Sub-Type |
Base Ability |
Optional Upgrades |
Sacrifice Ability |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Skirmishers |
Deal 30% more damage but have 15% less health. |
You can summon an additional Skirmisher. |
Increase your Critical Strike Chance by 10%. |
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Each critical strike enables your Skirmisher’s next attack to crit as well, dealing 50% extra damage, usable every 3 seconds. |
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Defenders |
15% more health. |
Every 6 seconds, Defenders negate the next instance of damage they would take. |
You gain 15% Physical Resistance. |
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Increase the Thorns they receive from you by 50%. |
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Reapers |
Wield a powerful scythe with a special wind-up attack that deals heavy damage every 10 seconds. |
Reaper attacks against immobilized, slowed, stunned, or vulnerable targets reduce their special attack cooldown by 2 seconds. |
You deal 10% more Shadow damage. |
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Reapers have a 15% chance to carve flesh off enemies, creating a Corpse. |
Skeletal Mages are ranged units that launch spells from a distance at enemies, and you can summon 3 of them initially. Their stats are as follows:
|
Skeletal Mage Sub-Type |
Base Ability |
Optional Upgrades |
Sacrifice Ability |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Shadow |
Deals moderate Shadow damage. |
Shadows have a 10% chance to stun for 2 seconds once per target every 5 seconds. |
Your Maximum Essence is increased by 15%. |
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Shadows fire an additional Shadow Bolt every fourth attack. |
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Cold |
Deals chill damage. |
Every time Cold Mages hit with their primary attack, you gain 2 Essence. |
You deal 15% more damage to vulnerable enemies. |
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Enemies frozen by Cold Mage’s primary attack are vulnerable for 4 seconds. |
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Bone |
Utilize their bodies as projectiles, inflicting heavy damage at the cost of their own life. |
Reduce Life cost of your Bone Mages’ attacks from 15% to 10%. After being alive for 5 seconds, they deal 40% more damage. |
Your overpower damage is increased by 40%. |
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Each time a Bone Mage perishes due to its own attack, it creates a corpse and fortifies you for 20% of your base life. |
As mentioned, Golems serve more as tanks, possessing high health to endure enemy attacks. You initially gain the ability to summon just one Golem, with their stats outlined below:
|
Golem Sub-Type |
Base Ability |
Optional Upgrades |
Sacrifice Ability |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bone |
Taunts enemies, drawing their attacks. |
Every time your Bone Golem takes damage up to 20% of its Maximum Life, it sheds a corpse. |
You gain 10% increased Attack Speed. |
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Bone Golem gains 10% Maximum Life and the Thorns they inherit from you increases to 50%. |
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Blood |
Absorbs life from nearby enemies to recover and strengthen itself. |
Blood Golem absorbs 15% of the damage that you would take. |
Your Maximum Life is increased by 10%. |
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While healthy, the Blood Golem gains 25% Damage Reduction and 50% more damage output. |
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Iron |
Inflicts stuns on enemies. |
Every fourth attack from the Iron Golem creates a shockwave, dealing 30% damage to the primary target and those behind it. |
You deal 30% increased Critical Strike Damage. |
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Golem’s slam attack will also make enemies vulnerable for 3 seconds. |
Ultimately, players should tailor their summons to fit their desired playstyle. The Bone Spiritwave build remains a commonly favored option, sacrificing all three summons for a significant power boost. Feel free to experiment to discover what aligns best with your preferred approach. This will enhance your experience with the Book of the Dead as a Necromancer in Diablo 4.
Video Credit: Goblin Inc./YouTube