Poison and Bone Necromancer

By: NoFX-CKY


Here is my strategy guide for my poison and bone necro, wic, if bui!t proper!y, can
become "#$Y powerfu!% Note tat in te beginning, it is re!ati&e!y wea', and wi!! be so unti!
!ater in te game wen te necro can !earn is most powerfu! spe!!s% Be patient, and you wi!!
a&e a Necromancer tat wi!! be bot e(treme!y powerfu! as we!! as &ery fun to p!ay) *i!e
a!toug te name is +Poison and Bone,, we wi!!, ob&ious!y, need to use some oter s'i!!s% -e
fo!!owing section co&ers on wat s'i!!s I recommend for tis bui!d, as . wi!! not say wat is best
in order to pre&ent a great dea! of debate%

Curses

-e main curse in tis s'i!! tree is /ower $esist, wic is necessary to ma'e your P0B spe!!s and
1o!em2s attac's more effecti&e%


3mp!ify 4amage: 4o not be tempted to put too many &a!uab!e s'i!! points into it% .t migt,
owe&er, be good for te beginning of te game%
Recommended Points: 5 as a pre-re6uisite%

4im "ision: 7ame as 3mp!ify 4amage% .t is e!pfu! against ranged attac'ers or enemies tat
tend to run away%
Recommended Points: 5 as a pre-re6%

*ea'en: B!a% .gnore putting but one point in tis%
Recommended Points: 3!so on!y 5 as a pre-re6%

.ron 8aiden: -is s'i!! arises contro&ersy% 8any c!aim tat it2s te best curse, oters tin' it
suc's% . tin' its good ear!ier in te game wit te B19.8 ceese tric' ting, but supposed!y
tat2s going to be fi(ed in te up-coming patc L
Recommended Points: 3s many as you fee! necessary for ear!y use%

-error: :g% .gnore%
Recommended Points: 5 on!y as a pre-re6%

Confuse: Can be e!pfu! if you2re facing a !arge group of difficu!t enemies, but for te most
part, is sti!! use!ess most of te time because te cance to confuse isn2t tat great so you
migt as we!! use te mana for some oter usefu! spe!!%
Recommended Points: 3gain, on!y 5 as a pre-re6%

/ife -ap: . genera!!y don2t use tis s'i!!% How many necros a&e you seen carging an enemy
wit a weapon; .t can be usefu! if you a&e many minions, but tis bui!d doesn2t, so don2t
waste too many &a!uab!e points%
Recommended Points: 7ti!! on!y 5%
Exception: .f you party wit a !ot of me!ee caracters% -en put as many points as you fee!
necessary%

3ttract: .t wou!d be good if it wor'ed on bosses% But guess wat; .t doesn2t)
Recommended Points: <

4ecrepify: Can be &ery good in certain circumstances% But you2!! be wanting to spend your
points into /ower $esist instead%
Recommended Points: 5 as a pre-re6%
Exception: P&P necros= put as many points as you fee! necessary%

/ower $esist: -e curse you2&e been waiting for% -is curse is mandatory for a!! P0B necros,
and sorceresses wi!! !i'e it too%
Recommended Points: 5< are enoug= you won2t a&e enoug to ma( it out because some of
te oter s'i!!s are more important%

Summoning

$ea!!y te on!y ting you want in tis tree is te Fire 1o!em and 1o!em 8astery% For tis bui!d, .
genera!!y tend to stay away from s'e!etons and re&i&ed creatures% $ea!!y te on!y reason you
e&en a&e a go!em is to distract te enemy wi!e you b!ast tem wit oter spe!!s%

$aise 7'e!eton: .gnore%
Recommended Points: <

7'e!eton 8astery: 7ame as abo&e%

C!ay 1o!em: 3 good ear!y tan', a!toug it2s use!ess !ater on%
Recommended Points: >n!y 5

1o!em 8astery: 3 muc-needed s'i!! to power-up your Fire 1o!em%
Recommended Points: 3s many points as you can spare, ma(ing it out if possib!e%

7'e!eta! 8age: .gnore% -oug some c!aim tey ma'e good +arti!!ery,, !ater on in te game
teir damage becomes insufficient% . say ignore tem%
Recommended Points: <

B!ood 1o!em: . wou!dn2t recommend putting more tan 5 or ? points into it% :se it on!y unti!
you !earn Fire 1o!em, and combine it wit .ron 8aiden to ma'e it &irtua!!y indestructib!e wi!e
!eecing !ots of e(tra !ife for you%
Recommended Points: 5

7ummon $esist: *3$N.N1) 3!! of you tat use Fire 1o!ems ignore tis s'i!! !i'e te p!ague) For
not too many peop!e 'now tis, but tis degrades te F12s abi!ity to !eec !ife from fire
damage, be!ie&e it or not% Comp!ete!y use!ess for tis bui!d%
Recommended Points: <

.ron 1o!em: 1ood, but if you use a good item, you won2t e&er get tat item bac'% -is go!em
wou!d be awesome if you didn2t !ose te item wen it dies) But since you can2t get te item
bac', re!y more on te B19.8 tric' instead%
Recommended Points: 5 as a pre-re6%

Fire 1o!em: #asi!y te most powerfu! go!em in te game, wit tons of !ife and damage,
especia!!y since you put a !ot of points into 1o!em 8astery%
Recommended Points: 8a( it out%

$e&i&e: . don2t !i'e tis s'i!! &ery muc, as te re&i&ed creatures aren2t &ery aggressi&e or
inte!!igent, so wit tis bui!d . recommend ignoring tis, since you2!! need to put te points into
te oter s'i!!s%
Recommended Points: <

Poison and Bone

3 yes, as te name imp!ies, tis is te main tree for tis bui!d% $ea!!y you on!y concentrate on
on!y @ s'i!!s in tis tree, a!! of wic are effecti&e and mandatory for te success of tis type of
necromancer%

-eet: -oo wea'% 4on2t put many points into it%
Recommended Points: 5 as a pre-re6%

Bone Armor: This skill can definitely be a lifesaver, absorbing just a little etra damage can
be the difference bet!een life and death" #nless you$re a PvP necro, %ut only &
%oint into it, as you$ll ac'uire %lenty of items to boost this skill high enough"
Recommended Points: 5 Aitems wi!! boost tis s'i!! ig enougB
Exception: .f you2re a P&P necro, ten you sou!d put p!enty of points into it%

Poison 4agger: *i!e tis s'i!! as substantia! damage at iger !e&e!s, it sti!! doesn2t compare
wit Poison No&a, so on!y 5 point sou!d be put in% 3!so, you a&e to me!ee attac' te enemy,
putting te re!ati&e!y frai! necromancer into morta! danger%
Recommended Points: 5 as a pre-re6%

Corpse #(p!osion: 3n e(treme!y powerfu! spe!!, definite!y one of te best in te Necromancer2s
arsena!% .t is especia!!y effecti&e in Nigtmare and He!! difficu!ties, since it does damage based
on te corpse2s HP, effecti&e!y doing !arge doses of damage to enemies witin te b!ast radius%
.t is a!so "#$Y usefu! against te ordes of cows J
Recommended Points: 5<-5C sou!d be enoug, as tat wi!! basica!!y co&er a !arge enoug
cun' of te screen% .f you want to be ab!e to b!ast te wo!e screen ten put in as many e(tra
points as you fee! necessary%

Bone *a!!: *i!e tis can e!p you escape from enemies in pursuit, un!ess you ma( it out, te
it points are sti!! re!ati&e!y !ow Awic tey sti!! are e&en if you do ma( it outB, so most
enemies won2t ta'e but one it to brea' troug it% Howe&er, if you a&e a spare ot'ey, go
aead and try it out if you 'eep getting cased% But wit your go!em and oter offensi&e spe!!s,
you probab!y wi!! rare!y, if e&er, be put in tis dire need%
Recommended Points: < points
Exception: .f you2re P&P, put in 5 point as a pre-re6 to !earn Bone Prison%

Poison #(p!osion: *i!e tis does do a decent amount of poison damage, Poison No&a is sti!!
better% -e enemy can Dust run around te poison c!oud rater tan troug it%
Recommended Points: 5 point as a pre-re6%

Bone 7pear: -is s'i!! is o&errated% -e damage it does is insignificant e&en at iger !e&e!s,
ne&er enoug to 'i!! anyting in He!! difficu!ty% *oopdee do if it can pass troug enemies%
1et some fast cast and use Bone 7pirit and you2!! 'i!! enemies Dust as good% -oug it is te
on!y rea! +offensi&e, spe!! you a&e at tis time in te game tat doesn2t re6uire a corpse to
use%
Recommended Points: 5 as a pre-re6%

Bone Prison: 3!toug it can be good if used proper!y, tis bui!d genera!!y won2t a&e to re!y on
it%
Recommended Points: <
Exception: :n!ess you2re P&P, put as many points into it as you fee! necessary% Bone 7pirits do
go troug te prison to te target, after a!!%

Poison No&a: -is is one of te two main spe!!s for tis necromancer &ariant% -is spe!! easi!y
outstrips bot Poison #(p!osion and Poison 4agger in terms of damage, crowd contro!, and
usefu!ness combined% Not on!y is it te on!y one of te Necromancer2s area of effect spe!!, but
it a!so, un!i'e te oter two poison spe!!s, doesn2t re6uire you to go and me!ee or need a
corpse to cast%
Recommended Points: 8a( it out%

Bone 7pirit: -e Necromancer2s most powerfu! spe!! Aor so at !east . tin'EB% 1et some items
wit fast cast, and you can it as many enemies and do more damage tan Bone 7pear% Not
on!y tat, but it trac's te enemy, a!ways itting tem un!ess tey manage to out run it Awic
usua!!y won2t appenB%
Recommended Points: 8a( it out as we!!%


Note tat since most of te spe!!s tat you want to ma( out are, unfortunate!y, in te
!ofty eigts of c!&!% @<, it cou!d ta'e some time to do it% 7o, for te norma! game p!aying
necromancer, te spe!!s you sou!d a&e ot-'eyed are: Bone 7pirit, Poison No&a, Fire 1o!em,
/ower $esist, Corpse #(p!osion, and te rest can be s'i!!s of your own coice%
For P&P Necromancer2s, see my oter guide entit!ed +P&P Necromancers,%
Now tat we a&e te s'i!!s part o&er wit, !et2s mo&e on to stat point p!acement% -is is
someting e&eryone argues o&er and bic'ers about% .2&e seen many a necro put too many points
into strengt so tat tey cou!d wear te best e6uipment, causing tem to not a&e enoug
points into energy, wic can be fata!% -is Necromancer &ariant is #X-$#8#/Y mana intensi&e%
3 Necromancer wit no energy migt as we!! be dead% 7ince tere is no definite guide!ine of
do2s and don2ts, ere is ow my Necromancer as p!aced is stat points and ow . recommend
you sou!d as we!!%

Strength : 5 point per !e&e! unti! !e&e! F<% -is sou!d be p!enty, if not too muc% 3&oid wasting
too many points into tis% *i!e many peop!e want to bui!d up strengt to use -rang G>u!2s, but
cances are tat you2!! ne&er get any part of it wit ow muc peop!e want for it% 3noter
reason peop!e pour points into strengt is to use 7i!'s of te "ictor% *i!e it is good wit te
Hs'i!!s and a!!, and wit good def%, tere are oter tings tat wor' Dust as we!!, wic is
co&ered !ater on in tis guide% You sou!d a!so probab!y find p!enty of carms and stuff tat can
get your strengt ig enoug%

(eterity: < points% 3 necro as abso!ute!y no need for de(terity%

)itality: ? points per !e&e! unti! !e&e! C<% -is sou!d a&e you standing pretty good in te /ife
department, as we!! as stamina% By te time you get to !e&e! C< toug, you sou!d a&e
ac6uired p!enty of H/ife &ia carms, rings, ammys, etc%, and by now you2!! be needing to put as
many points as possib!e into energy%

*nergy: ? points per !e&e! unti! !e&e! F<% 3fter tat, put a!! @ points per !e&e! into it unti! !e&e!
C<% 3fter tat put e&ery sing!e stat point into it, as you wi!! need as muc energy as you can
get wit tis bui!d%

Recommended *'ui%ment

3 yes, now we mo&e on to te most arguab!e subDect, wat e6uipment wor's best wit tis
bui!d of necromancers% *i!e tis is ob&ious!y, for te most part, -rang G>u!2s 3&atar set, but as
mentioned before, te cances of getting e&en a part of tis set are re!ati&e!y sma!!%

Armor

*i!e many peop!e ramb!e on and on about ow great 7i!'s of te "ictor is, . find tat
it as too ig of a strengt re6uirement% . prefer to put tose strengt points into energy%
3n e(ce!!ent set of armor, probab!y te best !igt armor out tere, is te 7pirit 7roud gost
armor% .t as H5 to a!! s'i!!s, Dust !i'e 7i!'s does, and it a!so pre&ents its wearer from becoming
froIen, wic can become &ery annoying wen you2re trying to run from a particu!ar!y nasty
monster Ait is, after a!!, 6uite difficu!t to escape wen you can2t mo&e because you are froIenB,
ma'ing tis a &ery &a!uab!e asset to te necro2s gear%
>-H#$ P>77.B./.-.#7: rea!!y any good, rare armor wit Hmana, mana regeneration, resistance,
etc%, suc as a crafted caster bodyJ% -en get te armor soc'eted and insert eiter a P%
7appire or a P% 7'u!!% 3tma2s *i!!, Kue-Hegan2s *isdom, and 7'in of te "ipermagi a!so wor'
e(treme!y we!!%


+elms


*orms'u!! wou!d wor' we!!, wit te H5 s'i!!s and oter stats% 3!toug ., persona!!y, prefer a
nice e!m wit @ soc'ets, and in eac soc'et put a P% 7'u!!, since mana regeneration is
e(treme!y important, since Necromancers, unfortunate!y, don2t a&e passi&e s'i!!s !i'e te
7orceress2s *armt to e!p regenerate teir mana L% 3noter good option is a Peasant Crown
wit a 7ur $une, a!toug it2s &ery rare%


Boots


$ea!!y a!! . care about in boots is faster run9wa!'% 1ood options for tese are "ida!a2s Fet!oc'
or e&en 7ander2s $iprap% 7ou!d you not be ab!e to find tese Awic sou!dn2t appen as bot
of tem are fair!y commonB, .nfernostride is a decent coice as we!!% Howe&er, te best of a!! is
probab!y 7i!'wea&e if you can get a o!d of a pair%


,loves


Frostburn or 8agefist% -ere rea!!y are no oter a!ternati&es% 7ou!d you not be ab!e to find
tese, some crafted caster g!o&esJ sou!d do Dust fine%


Belt

1!oomstrap and Nigtsmo'e are probab!y te best be!ts for Necromancers out tere, wit te
mana regen% 3nd H mana L% -e +L damage ta'en goes to mana, on te Nigtsmo'e can pro&e
to be a !ife sa&er%




Shield

/id!ess *a!! is by far te best option, wit te H7'i!!s and te HL mana% -e runner up is 7igons,
wit te H5 s'i!!s A. rea!!y !oo' for te H s'i!!s in my e6uipmentE%B% >r, if you can2t find eiter
of tose, a sie!d wit decent defense and b!oc'ing percentage wit at !east @ soc'ets, eac
one wit a P% 4iamond% $esistance is &ita! !ater in te game, especia!!y in e!! difficu!ty%



Rings

$ea!!y tere aren2t &ery many options% . wou!d say go wit ? 7tone of Mordans% But since peop!e
usua!!y demand a !ot for tese rings, crafted caster ringsJ wou!d wor' Dust as we!!%


Amulets


$ea!!y tis fie!d is Dust a matter or preference% 7ome peop!e !i'e #ye of #t!ices, or 8aim >a'-
Curio, etc% 8y necro Dust uses a "enomous 3mu!et, wic gi&es H5C to mana but more
important!y, H@ to Poison and Bone spe!!s%





N 7ince . said tat some e6uipment wou!d be we!! fu!fi!!ed wit crafted items, . figured
to go aead and !ist a!! of te 'nown crafted caster recipes% Now, as . ope you sou!d
'now, un!ess you2re new to te game, a crafted item is someting tat is made Aence
te name +crafted,B in te Horadric Cube% Note tat on!y te 'nown preset mods Aa'a,
te mods tat wi!! definite!y sow upB are !isted, and sometimes-simi!ar mods tat
were not preset wi!! get mi(ed in
N OCourtesy of diab!oii%net for te crafted item recipesP


Caster -ea%ons

8agica! rod Ascepter, staff, or wand= not orbsB H any Dewe! H -ir rune H P% 3metystQ HF-5<L
regenerate mana, H5<-?< mana, 5-CL mana stea!


Caster +eadgear


.agical .ask / any je!el / 0ef rune / P" Amethyst 1
HF-5<L regenerate mana, H5<-?< mana, H5-FL mana stea!


Caster Armor



8agica! !igt p!ate H any Dewe! H -a! rune H P% 3metystQ HF-5?L regenerate mana, H5<-?<
mana, H5-@ mana per 'i!!



Caster ,loves


8agica! !eater g!o&es H any Dewe! H >rt rune H P% 3metystQ HF-5<L faster mana regeneration,
H5<-?< mana, H5-@ mana per 'i!!


Caster Belts


8agica! !igt be!t H any Dewe! H .t rune H P% 3metystQ HF-5<L regenerate mana, H5<-?< mana,
HC-5<L faster cast rate



Caster Boots


.agic 2eather boots / any je!el / Thul rune / P" Amethyst1 /34&56 regenerate mana, /&54
75 mana, ma mana /7486



Caster Shields

8agica! sma!! sie!d H any Dewe! H #t rune H P% 3metystQ HF-5<L regenerate mana, H5<-?<
mana, HC-5< b!oc'ing percentage


Caster Amulet

8agica! 3mu!et H any Dewe! H $a! rune H P% 3metystQ F-5<L regenerate mana, H5<-?< mana,
HC-5<L faster cast rate


Caster Ring

8agica! ring H any Dewe! H 3mn rune H P% 3metystQ HF-5?L regenerate mana, H5<-?< mana, H5-
C energy


Note tat:
N -ese recipes are wor'ing as of &% 5%<R
N -e mods on te items you use a&e absolutely no effect on te crafted item you
create%
N -e mod2s L is based on bot c!&! and te 6!&! of te item used in te recipe%
N 3!! items must be magica!, not rare or uni6ue% -e on!y acception wit tis is Dewe!s=
tey can be magica! or rare%
N 3!! items wor' wit te norma!, e(ceptiona!, and e!ite &ersions= te iger te c!ass,
te better te mods



Strategies


P/#37# note tat tis bui!d is &ery ard to wor' wit at first unti! you get !ater on into
te game% 7o to e!p you out, . decided to put strategies for te different game !e&e!s%


#ar!y 1ame:

3t tis point in te game you a&e &ery !itt!e offensi&e power% $e!y on te H5 to $aise 7'e!eton
Dust unti! you get to !e&e! S, wen you can !earn C!ay 1o!em% 3t first, you2re going to a&e to
re!y on ceesy, it-and-run tactics% 3gainst 3ndarie!, try to get some peop!e to e!p you% .f you
can2t, ten you can eiter:
N $un in and me!ee wit some sort of weapon wit amp!ify damage Ausua!!y not
recommendedB
N >r use C!ay 1o!em, 3mp!ify 4amage, and -eet AugB a!! in unison%
. suggest te !atter suggestion% But instead of using -eet, wic is patetica!!y wea', maybe
you can try and find a bow or crossbow to e!p ta'e er out instead%


.id ,ame

3gainst 4urie!, you sou!d use .ron 8aiden and C!ay 1o!em% Must 'eep recasting te
go!em as it dies and e&entua!!y 4urie! wi!! pound imse!f to deat% Note tat for tis figt, you
sou!dn2t use te B19.8 tric', because 4urie! wi!! sti!! pound on you% -is isn2t rea!!y too ard
of a figt, it Dust ta'es a !itt!e wi!e%

3gainst 8episto, use te same strategies as you did wit 4urie!% By now you sou!d
a&e !earned Bone 7pear, wic cou!d e!p out now tat you a&e some direct!y offensi&e
power%


2ate ,ame

4iab!o is going to be toug% You can try te B19.8 tric' wi!e you pe!t im wit Bone
7pears% 8a'e sure you a&e a mercenary wit good e6uipment, since e2!! be doing most of te
figting wit your go!em%

Now you2re in 3ct C% -is is te area of te game were you can !e&e! at a fast pace &ia
b!ood runs and te 3ncients% . recommend tat you at !east be at !e&e! @<-@F, so tat you cou!d
a&e !earned some of your more important spe!!s, before you face Baa!%
Baa! isn2t rea!!y tat ard% Must send in your Fire 1o!em, curse im wit /ower $esist,
and Dust 'eep pe!ting im wit Bone 7pirits% 7ou!dn2t be too ard% 3s for is minions, Dust 'eep
stac'ing up Poison No&a for 3o# damage%



Well, that pretty much concludes my little guide. Remember that this build will be
difficult to play at first, and can get ery frustrating in the beginning, but in the end, this is,
in my opinion, the most fun !ecromancer ariant" #f # happened to leae something out,
please e$mail me at %dmoore&adelphia.net. Remember that this guide or any part of it can in
no way be copied or reproduced without my permission. 'his guide has been permitted by me
to be aailable on both http:((www.planetdiablo.com and http:((gameday.de(diabloiih)
*!+,. #f you find it on any other site, please contact me immediately.
a1rim$eaper : !e&e! RT P0B Necromancer
-opyright .//. by !o01$-2,, all rights resered.