Welcome to the best Best BG3 Necromancer Build. The Necromancer is a subclass of the Wizard Class and is a very skilled spellcaster with access to plenty of Necromancy spells. You will be able to animate the dead and bend them to your will. The Wizard is the only class that has a specific subclass dedicated to Necromancy, therefore it is simply the best choice for a Necro Build.

Please visit our Best BG3 Builds overview page for more builds. To get an overview of all classes please visit the BG3 Classes overview page.

For this Necromancer Build in Baldur’s Gate 3, we’ll be using the Wizard class and selecting the Necromancy subclass (once you reach level 2). As Necromancer you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and make plenty of new friends there. Necromancy Spells become very powerful at higher levels. And not only that, you can learn new Necromancy spells from scrolls for a cost of 25 gold instead of the normal 50!

The BG3 Necromancer Build works for both PC and Console (PS5 and XBOX Series X/S).

Table of Contents for the BG3 Necromancer Build:

Necromancer Strengths

  • HARD-HITTING NECROTIC SPELLS
  • HIGH AMOUNT OF SUMMONS
  • UNMATCHED SELECTION OF SPELLS
  • NECROMANCY OF THAY BOOK

Necromancer Weaknesses

  • WEAK IN MELEE
  • NO ARMOUR, ONLY CLOTHING
  • LESS EFFECTIVE AT CLOSE RANGE

BG3 Necromancer Build Summon Army of the Undead

BG3 Necromancer Build Character Creation (Level 1)

In this section, we will walk you through the Character Creation for your BG3 Necromancer Build, including the best Race, Background, Skills, Abilities, Spells and Cantrips.

Race

You can use any race for the BG3 Necromancer Build; the differences between the races are quite mild. However, there are a few that are a little more useful than average. The table below summarises the best five Necromancer races.

This is largely subjective – if you want to try a different race, the build will still work fine regardless.

Race Strengths Info
wood elf icon bg3

Wood Elf
  • Proficiency in Stealth and Perception
  • Extra Weapon Proficiencies:
    • Shortswords
    • Longswords
    • Shortbows
    • Longbows
  • Fey Ancestry
    • Advantage against Charmed
    • Immune to Magical Sleep
  • Darkvision
  • Fleet of Foot – 1.5 metres of extra Movement Speed
 Wood Elves are one of the best races in BG3, thanks to their increased Movement Speed which can give you an upper hand in many situations.

Their immunity to Sleep is especially useful in the early-game, where your low HP will cause you to fall victim to enemy mages who love to cast the Sleep spell.

You can also choose Wood Half-Elf, which comes with many of the same benefits.

High Elf
  • Proficiency in and Perception
  • Extra Weapon Proficiencies:
    • Shortswords
    • Longswords
    • Shortbows
    • Longbows
  • Fey Ancestry
    • Advantage against Charmed
    • Immune to Magical Sleep
  • Darkvision
  • Choose an extra Cantrip (cast with Intelligence)
  

Very similar to Wood Elf, but missing the Stealth Proficiency and doesn’t get extra Movement Speed.

You can choose an extra Cantrip to learn, which is handy but not super important.
duergar icon bg3

Duergar

 With their wide choice of armour and weapon proficiencies, and resistances to poison, charm, and paralysis, Duergar are one of the strongest races in BG3.

The only downside of Duergar is their small stature – this reduces their base Movement Speed to 7.5 metres per turn (most races get 9 metres).
lolth drow icon bg3

Lolth-Sworn Drow

 Drow have similar bonuses to other Elves, but also come with a couple of extra Spells and Superior Darkvision.

You can choose Seldarine Drow instead if you want; they are functionally identical but have a different backstory to their Lolth-Sworn brethren.

Deep Gnome

 The Deep Gnome does a good job of shrugging off a variety of hostile conditions, thanks to its Gnome Cunning. They can also see in the dark.

However, their small size means that they have reduced Movement Speed, like the Duergar.

Class Selection

Our BG3 Necromancer Build uses the Wizard class as the base setup. Therefore, select the Wizard class in the character creation screen. We will be able to select the Necromancy subclass once we reach level 2 in Baldur’s Gate 3.

The Wizard provides you with the following benefits at Level 1:

  • Arcane Recovery – Spend Arcane Recovery Charges to recover spent Spell Slots. Each Spell Level = 1 Recovery Charge. For example, recovering a Third Level Spell Slot will cost 3 charges.
  • 1 Arcane Recovery Charge – You will gain an additional charge at every second level, up to a maximum of 6 Charges at Level 11.
  • Spellcasting – The Wizard is the most dedicated spellcaster in the game, and you already have access to a wide range of First Level spells from the outset.

Cantrips

The BG3 Necromancer Build (Wizard) can select three Cantrips to start the game with. Cantrips are basic spells that do not consume a spell slot when cast, effectively meaning you can cast them as often as you like without limitations.

We recommend choosing the following Cantrips to start the game with:

  • Fire Bolt – Hurl a mote of Fire, dealing 1-10 Fire Damage. Use this as your main damage Cantrip.
  • Ray of Frost – Call forth a beam of Frost, reducing the target’s movement speed and dealing 1-8 Cold Damage. Use this when you need to slow down an enemy.
  • Acid Splash – Hurl a bubble of Acid that deals 1-6 Acid Damage. This has a small AOE, so it’s good to use when there are multiple enemies in a tight space.

Note that if you chose High Elf as your race, then you can choose Fire Bolt as your High Elf Cantrip and therefore get an extra Cantrip from the Wizard list. In that case, we also recommend choosing Bone Chill. It deals 1-8 Necrotic Damage, prevents an enemy from regaining HP and also inflicts Disadvantage on Undead Attack Rolls.

Spells

The Necromancer Build lets you learn 6 Spells in Character Creation, but you will only be able to Prepare  (equip) 4 of them. It’s important to note that you’ll only be able to select Prepared Spells from your 6 chosen Learned Spells, and only the Prepared Spells can be used. This can be a bit confusing if you are a new player.

You can always prepare new spells in your menu in your spell book; the BG3 Wizard rules are not as strict as some other D&D-based games that only allow you to swap Prepared Spells when you Long Rest. The only restriction is that you cannot change Prepared Spells while in combat.

Learning which of your spells to prepare at any given time is a skill that you learn through experience. Try to scout ahead, look at the terrain, and examine enemies before fighting them. This can give you some clues as to which spells might work best in any upcoming combat. If in doubt, just run with your best damage spells and one or two defensive, mobility and buff/debuff spells.

With that in mind, we recommend Learning the following spells:

  • Mage Armour – This is vital for the Wizard Class since you have no Proficiency with normal Armour and have to settle for wearing Clothing. Mage Armour will improve your Armour Class to a total of (13 + Dexterity Modifier), allowing you to be more or less on par with other classes defensively. When cast, the Spell will last until your next Long Rest, so remember to cast it after every Long Rest before entering combat.
  • Magic Missile – Shoot three projectiles at a target, each one dealing 2-5 Force Damage. In total, this spell deals 6-15 damage, so it’s guaranteed to hit for at least a somewhat decent amount, and if you get a high Damage Roll then its damage is not too shabby for an early-game spell. The missiles will always hit their target, so this is a great way to guarantee some damage to an enemy.
  • Thunderwave – Arguably the best first-level damage Spell in the game, Thunderwave deals 2-16 Thunder Damage to all enemies in front of you and also sends them flying backwards. You can use this to knock enemies off ledges or cliffs for extra fall damage, or potentially even one hitting them.
  • Witch Bolt – Link yourself to an enemy with an arc of Lightning. Deals 1-12 Lightning Damage to the enemy and can be activated again for more damage each turn as long as you maintain your Concentration.
  • Chromatic Orb – Hurl a Sphere of Energy, dealing 2-8 Thunder, Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning or Poison Damage (of your choice) and create a surface of that type.
  • Grease – An easy-to-overlook Spell that creates an 8 metre wide AOE of Grease, slowing down enemies and potentially knocking them Prone when they try to move through it.

Background & Skills

Your most important Abilities for the Wizard Necromancer are going to be Intelligence and Dexterity. For optimal results, you should choose your Background and Skills accordingly.

We recommend choosing the Sage Background, which gives you two Skill Proficiencies:

  • Arcana (INT) – Recognise and interact with magical objects during your exploration.
  • History (INT) – Recall historical details about the world around you. It can sometimes open up additional dialogue options.

You can now choose two additional Skills to be Proficient with. Make sure you have these two covered:

  • Investigation (INT) – You are better at noticing and deducing hidden details. Can open up extra dialogue options.
  • Religion (INT) – Recognise religious icons and recall details about religions that you may encounter on your adventure.

If you choose Human as your race, then you will have one additional unrestricted Skill pick. For this, I recommend choosing Acrobatics (DEX), which will make your character better at resisting enemy attempts to push you and reduce the fall damage you take.

Ability Points

Intelligence is the most important ability for the Wizard build, as it’s the attribute used for Spellcasting. The higher your intelligence score, the more likely your spells will successfully hit your target. The second most important attribute is Dexterity, used mainly to improve your Armour Class. This is particularly important, since the Wizard has no Armour Proficiency and therefore relies on Dexterity to protect themselves. Thirdly, it’s important to have some points in Constitution, which will increase your Maximum Hitpoints and improve your chances of succeeding at Concentration Checks (continuing to channel the effects of an ongoing Concentration Spell after you take damage).

With all of this in mind, we recommend an ability spread something like this:

  • 8 Strength
  • 16 Dexterity
  • 14 Constitution
  • 16 Intelligence
  • 10 Wisdom
  • 10 Charisma

Bolded Abilities are the most important for the build. The others can be tweaked if you wish.

Level 2 – Select your Subclass for the BG3 Necromancer Build

At Level 2, you need to choose your Subclass. The Wizard class has a total of 8 different subclasses (Abjuration, Evocation, Necromancy, Conjuration, Enchantment, Divination, Illusion, Transmutation). For this build, we’ll be going with the Necromancy Subclass.

At this level, your Necromancer gains:

  • Necromancy Savant – Halves the cost to learn Necromancy Spells from Scrolls.
  • Grim Harvest – Once per turn, killing an enemy with a spell heals you for an amount equal to double the level of the Spell Slot used (triple if it was a Necromancy Spell). Doesn’t work if the slain enemy was an Undead or Construct.
  • Learn 2 more Spells:
    • Tasha’s Hideous Laughter – If the target fails the Saving Throw, they are overcome with a laughing fit. This is a “hard CC” effect that prevents the victim from doing anything.
    • Sleep – A great early-game stun spell. It can put one or several enemies up to a HP limit into a magical slumber. This spell cannot be blocked by a Saving Throw, but the victim will wake up if they take damage, get Shoved or Helped.

 

Level 3

At Level 3, the Necromancer build gains another Arcane Recovery charge, increasing the number of Spell Slots they can replenish without needing a Long Rest.

You gain 1 level 1 slot and two level 2 slots. We recommend learning the following Spells:

  • Cloud of Daggers – Deals AoE Slashing Damage and can be placed in tight areas where enemies have to get to you. They will walk through it and get high damage.
  • Misty Step – Teleport to a valid location within 18 metres. Only uses a Bonus Action, so you can attack on the same turn.

 

Level 4

At Level 4, it’s time to choose a Feat to unlock for your Necromancer Build in BG3. Grab the Ability Improvement Feat, which will give you two extra Ability Points to spend. Put both points into Intelligence, which will take you up to 18 INT. This will boost your spellcasting and will give you an extra Prepared Spell vacancy.

You can also select another Cantrip, we recommend Shocking Grasp, a melee Cantrip with Advantage against enemies with metal armour. It applies the Shocked condition, preventing the victim from taking Reactions. This can be used to help you to run away from a melee heavy hitter without incurring an Opportunity Attack. Ensure that Shocked was applied before running away.

You’ll be able to Learn 2 more Spells here too.  We recommend picking up the following Spells:

  • Enlarge/Reduce – A handy spell that allows you to Enlarge or Reduce the size of yourself or an ally. Enlarged characters deal more damage in melee and are better at Strength Checks. Smaller characters may be able to access small passageways to access hidden areas. This works well if you have a melee heavy-hitter in your party, such as a Fighter, Barbarian or Paladin.
  • Hold Person – A powerful hard stun that completely paralyses a humanoid target, unless they succeed on a Saving Throw. A victim of Hold Person will always take Critical Hits from melee attacks, making them very vulnerable to damage. They will attempt a new Saving Throw at the start of each turn.

Level 5 – BG3 Necromancer Build

At Level 5, your Proficiency Bonus is improved to +3, meaning you’ll now get a +3 bonus to all Skill rolls that your character has Proficiency for.

Your Arcane Recovery charge is increased to 3, too, again improving the amount of Spell Slots you can replenish with this ability.

You also unlock Third Level Spells at this level, too. Some First and Second-Level spells can be upcasted to the Third Level to make them more powerful.

As usual, you can choose two spells to Learn. We recommend:

  • Animate Dead – You can create an undead servant from a corpse. Later on, you can upcast the spell to summon more powerful undead, or several undead at once. You can use the spell outside of combat to create a squadron of undead, so that when the combat starts, you can spend your Actions on other spells.
  • Fireball – This is a very powerful AOE spell, dealing 8-48 Fire Damage to everything in a 12-metre wide area, with a range of up to 18 metres. Targets that perform a Saving Throw will still take half of the damage.

The first four levels don’t as a Necromancer don’t feel great in BG3, because you can’t raise any undead yet. But now we have the Animate Dead spell, you can finally start creating undead minions.

Level 6

At Level 6, your Necromancer finally gets some Necromancy subclass-specific features. You can animate more dead, and they will become more powerful.

  • Undead Thralls: Additional Undead – When you use Animate Dead, you can raise an additional corpse.
  • Undead Thralls: Better Summons – Creatures created with Animate Dead have additional hit points equal to your wizard level, and your Proficiency bonus is added to their damage.
  • Another Third Level Spell Slot, taking your total up to three.

You get to learn two additional Spells:

  • Counterspell – nullify another creature’s spell as a Reaction. This is great for interrupting powerful enemy spells. If the target spell is above Third Level, you must Upcast your Counterspell or pass a spell roll to block it.
  • Vampiric Touch – Deal Necrotic Damage and siphon the target’s life force to regain half as many hit points. This gives your Wizard some melee capability, but you can use a different spell if you stay at range 100% of the time.

 

Level 7

At Level 7 for your Necromancer Wizard Build you unlock the following:

  • Arcane Recovery Slots increased to 4.
  • Access to Fourth Level Spells.
  • One Fourth Level Spell Slot.
  • Learn two more Spells. We recommend choosing:
    • Conjure Minor Elemental – This lets you conjure a Minor Elemental, making your summon army even bigger. We prefer the Azer summon, but check out the others to see which one you like best.
    • Blight – Deals 8-64 Necrotic Damage to a single target. Plants are more vulnerable, rolling a Disadvantage on their Saving Throw. Remember that Undead and Constructs are immune to Necrotic Damage.

 

Azer Summon BG3 Necromancer Build

Level 8

At Level 8, you can choose another Feat. We recommend choosing Ability Improvement again and increasing your Intelligence to 20.

You can Learn two more Spells, as usual. Good options are:

  • Dimension Door – Teleport yourself and one adjacent ally to a location within sight. This is great for getting a couple of characters into an advantageous position or to escape from a dangerous one.
  • Confusion – An AoE Spell that causes those within to become Confused, randomly attacking, wandering around or passing their turn. They can resist the effects with a Wisdom Saving Throw.

Since you increased your Intelligence to 20, this time around you’ll get two new slots for Prepared Spells, instead of the usual one.

Level 9 for your BG3 Necromancer Build

At Level 9 of your BG3 Necromancer Build, it gains access to even more powerful magic. You’ll unlock the following features here:

  • Arcane Recovery Slots increased to 5.
  • Another Fourth Level Spell Slot, giving you three in total.
  • One Fifth Level Spell Slot, and the ability to Learn and Prepare Fifth Level Spells.
  • Learn two more Spells. We recommend:
    • Hold Monster – Paralyse a creature. It can’t move, act or react. Attacks from within 3 metres are always Critical Hits. Lasts for up to 10 turns, as long as you maintain Concentration. This is an upgraded version of Hold Person that can be used against any target. You can unprepare Hold Person and replace it with this spell.
    • Conjure Elemental – With this, we can summon even more powerful creatures.

Level 10

At Level 10, you unlock the following:

  • Choose one more Cantrip. We already picked all the best options, so you can choose whatever you like here.
  • Unlock another Fifth Level Spell Slot, giving you two in total.
  • Inured to Undeath – You have steeped yourself so completely in death that you are Resistant to Necrotic Damage, and moreover, your hit point maximum cannot be reduced.
  • Learn two more Spells. We recommend:
    • Cone of Cold – Make a flurry of frost, crisp air, and condensed snow crystals erupt from your hands. Deals 8-64 Cold Damage to targets within 9 metres.
    • Cloudkill – Craft a large cloud that inflicts 5-40 Poison Damage per turn. You can reposition the cloud every turn. The cloud Heavily Obscures everything within it. Requires Concentration.

Level 11

At Level 11 you’ll gain access to the most powerful magic available in Baldur’s Gate 3, making your necromancer build even stronger.

At this point, you’ll get:

  • Another Arcane Recovery Charge that brings your total number to 6.
  • One Sixth Level Spell Slot, and the ability to learn Spells of this tier.
  • Learn two more Spells. We recommend choosing:
    • Disintegrate – Going with the Necromancy theme, Disintegrate is one of the most powerful Spells in the game. It shoots a thin green ray from your finger, dealing up to 100 Force Damage. If you reduce the enemy’s hit points to 0, it disintegrates.
    • Circle of Death – Sculpt a massive sphere of entropic energy around a creature. Devastate the target and all surrounding creatures with Necrotic Damage.

 

Level 12 – Max Level Necro Build for Baldur’s Gate 3

Congratulations, you reached level 12 with your BG3 Necromancer Build.

At Level 12, your Necromancer unlocks the following:

  • Choose another Feat. We recommend War Caster:
    • War Caster – You gain Advantage on Saving Throws to maintain Concentration on a spell. You can also use a reaction to cast Shocking Grasp at a target moving out of melee range (1-8 Lightning Damage).
  • Learn two more Spells. We recommend:
    • Create Undead – You can raise a corpse as a heinous mummy who fights by your side.
    • Wall of Ice – High damage Spell that raises a wall of solid ice that deals Cold Damage to nearby creatures. Covers a huge area, and you can decide where it is placed.

BG3 Necromancer Build prepared spells level 12 max

BG3 Necromancer Build Equipment

The Necromancer Build for Baldur’s Gate 3 also benefits from some cool equipment you can get.

This build isn’t too gear-dependent, so don’t worry if you miss out on some of the items listed below. View the tables more like wishlists rather than precise blueprints.

We have split this section into an early-game and a late-game section, so you still have some useful equipment to look out for in Act I and Act II.

Early-Game Equipment

The table below shows the recommended early-game setup for the Necromancer Wizard. Check below the table for more information about each item, including where to obtain it. Don’t worry if you don’t have all of the items, and don’t be afraid to try new things not mentioned here, either. This is only a guideline and the build can still work fine if some equipment is different for you.

Slot Icon Item Effects Location
Head the shadespell circlet icon bg3 The Shadespell Circlet
  • When obscured in Shadow, gain +1 Spell Save DC
 Sold by Omeluum in the Underdark, after helping him to investigate the Parasite
Cloak cloak of protection Icon BG3 Cloak of Protection
  • +1 to Armour Class and Saving Throws
 Purchased from Quartermaster Talli in Last Light Inn
Chest the protecty sparkswall icon bg3 The Protecty Sparkswall
  • +1 to Spell Save DC
  • +1 to Armour Class and Saving Throws if you have at least 1 Lightning Charge
 Looted from a gilded chest at the far end of the trapped bridge in Grymforge
Gloves Bracers of Defence Icon BG3 Bracers of Defence
  • +2 to Armour Class, if you have no armour or shield equipped
 Looted from a gilded chest in the secret area of the Apothecary’s Cellar
Boots boots of genial striding icon BG3 Boots of Genial Striding
  • You cannot be slowed down by Difficult Terrain
 Sold by Blurg in the Myconid Colony
Necklace pearl of power amulet icon bg3 Pearl of Power Amulet
  • Recover a Spell Slot up to Third Level, once per Long Rest
 Sold by Omeluum in the Myconid Colony
Ring 1 ring of protection Icon BG3 Ring of Protection
  • +1 to Armour Class and Saving Throws
 Steal the Sacred Idol in Druid Grove (quest)
Ring 2 crushers ring icon bg3 Crusher’s Ring
  • +3 metres Movement Speed per turn
 Dropped by Crusher in the Goblin Camp
Main Weapon the spellsparkler icon bg3 The Spellsparkler
  • Gain 2 Lightning Charges when you deal damage with a Spell or Cantrip
  • Each charge has a +1 bonus to Attack Rolls and +1 bonus Lightning Damage on attacks
  • Reaching 5 charges consumes them all to deal 1d8 bonus Lightning Damage
 Rescue Counsellor Florrick from the fire in Waukeen’s Rest
Second Weapon Any
  • You can equip any Ranged Weapon that you have Profiency with
  • We’ll usually use Cantrips, so won’t get much use out of this weapon
 N/A

The main purpose of our early-game equipment is to improve your Necromancer’s defences, because Wizards are very squishy, and give you a bit of extra damage and mobility. The Spell Save DC stat is important – the higher this stat gets, the harder it is for enemies to win their Saving Throws against your spells. We have a couple of items that improve Spell Save DC, but most of them are located later in the game.

A summary of the purpose of these items:

  • Defensive Items
    • Cloak of Protection
    • The Protecty Sparkswall
    • Bracers of Defence
    • Ring of Protection
  • Mobility Items
    • Boots of Genial Striding
    • Crusher’s Ring
  • Accuracy Boosters (Spell Save DC)
    • The Shadespell Circlet
    • The Protecty Sparkswall
  • Damage Boosters
    • The Spellsparkler
  • Utility Items
    • Pearl of Power Amulet

Late-Game Equipment

The table below shows the recommended late-game setup for the Necromancy Wizard. In the late-game, we will be putting a little more emphasis on improving the Spell Save Difficulty Class stat, making it harder for enemies to succeed their Saving Throws against our spells.

Slot Icon Item Effects Location
Head hood of the weave Icon BG3 Hood of the Weave
  • Gain +2 Spell Save DC at all times
 Sold by Mystic Carrion in Philgrave’s Mansion
Cloak cloak of the weave Icon BG3 Cloak of the Weave
  • +1 to Spell Save DC and Spell Attack Rolls
 Sold by Helsik at the Devil’s Fee, once her special stock is unlocked
Chest robe of the weave icon bg3 Robe of the Weave
  • +2 Armour Class
  • +1 Spell Save DC and Spell Attack Rolls
  • Whenever you succeed a Saving Throw against a spell, restore 1d6 HP
 Inside a Globe of Invulnerability in Ramazith’s Tower
Gloves helldusk gloves Icon BG3 Helldusk Gloves
  • +1 to Strength Saving Throws
  • +1 to Spell Save DC and Spell Attack Rolls
  • Rays of Fire (Unique Cantrip)
 Dropped by Haarlep in the House of Hope.
Boots helldusk boots Icon BG3 Helldusk Boots
  • You cannot be forcefully moved by enemy Spells or Actions
  • You’re immune to Difficult Terrain
  • You can use a Reaction to succeed a Saving Throw that you were about to fail
 Looted from a locked gilded chest on the top floor of Wyrm’s Rock Fortress
Necklace spellcrux amulet icon bg3 Spellcrux Amulet
  • Recover a Spell Slot of any level, once per Long Rest
  • Can be used in combat, and only requires a Bonus Action
 Looted from the Warden in Moonrise Towers Prison
Ring 1 ring of protection Icon BG3 Ring of Protection
  • +1 to Armour Class and Saving Throws
 Steal the Sacred Idol in Druid Grove (quest)
Ring 2 Crypt Lord Ring
  • Lets you cast Create Undead without needing a Spell Slot, once per Long Rest
 Rewarded by Mystic Carrion for finding his servant, ensuring that Thrumbo survives
Main Weapon markoheshir Icon BG3 Markoheshkir
  • +1 to Spell Save DC and Spell Attack Rolls
  • Arcane Battery – Cast any spell for free, once per Long Rest
  • Kereska’s Favour, once per Long Rest
 Found inside a Globe of Invulnerability in Ramazith’s Tower
Second Weapon Any
  • You can equip any Ranged Weapon that you have Profiency with
  • We’ll usually use Cantrips, so won’t get much use out of this weapon
 N/A

For our late-game equipment, we have mainly built on the same priorities that we had in the early-game. The Wizard remains a squishy class throughout the game, so we are still using items to make your Necromancy Wizard tougher. We want to crank up the Spell Save DC as much as possible, so we have several items for that, too. We have less focus on mobility now, since you have lots of spells that you can use instead, such as Misty Step and Dimension Door.

A summary of this equipment:

  • Defensive Equipment:
    • Robe of the Weave
    • Helldusk Gloves & Boots
    • Ring of Protection
  • Mobility Items
    • Helldusk Boots
  • Accuracy Boosters (Spell Save DC)
    • Hood of the Weave
    • Cloak of the Weave
    • Robe of the Weave
    • Helldusk Gloves
    • Markoheshkir
  • Utility Items
    • Spellcrux Amulet
    • Crypt Lord Ring

Necromancy of Thay Book & Dans Macabre Spell in BG3

What would a BG3 Necromancer Build be without the Necromancy of Thay book. This is one of the items that will boost the power of your Necromancer once again. Because if you manage to finish the quest you can summon 4 Ghouls via the Dans Macabre spell. The spell doesn’t require corpses and you can stack 4 Ghouls on top of your other summons! Make sure to read our in-depth guide on how to get and how to open the Necromancy of Thay book in BG3.

Danse Macabre Spell in BG3 Summon Ghouls Necromancer Necromancy of Thay Book in Baldurs Gate 3 BG3 Necromancer

BG3 Necromancer Build Tips & Tricks

Try to stay mindful of positioning when playing your Necromancer Build in combat. Remember that having melee enemies in your face will give you a Disadvantage on your Attacks, and having the High Ground will give you an Advantage.

Use your summons to your advantage and let the enemies fight against them, not against you if possible.

If you have no Spell Slots left or don’t want to expend any at the moment, then your best bet is usually to cast a Cantrip on the enemy, as these have unlimited uses. Swinging your melee weapon is only advised if a melee enemy has got into close range (thus giving all your spells Disadvantage) and you cannot retreat safely without provoking an Opportunist Attack.

Necromancer Build Illithid Powers (optional)

BG3 Illithid Powers Skill tree

Illithid Powers are unlocked later in BG3 when you learn more about Mind Flayers and Tadpoles. By eating Jars of Mind Flayer Parasites you gain one point. This is another optional skill tree that you can get access to if you want. Here are some of the best Illithid Powers for the BG3 Wizard Build with the Necromancy School subclass:

  • Concentrated Blast: Allows you to deal extra damage to a target when you are Concentrating on a spell, potentially also healing if the target is Concentrating too. Ideally you will spend a lot of time Concentrating on spells, so you should be able to get good use from this.
  • Cull the Weak: When you reduce a creature’s hit points below a certain threshold, this power instantly kills it and deals 1-4 psychic damage to nearby enemies. This is particularly effective when engaging groups of weaker foes, enabling you to thin their numbers rapidly.
  • Fly: This can be used to reach hard to get to places or change positions in combat. Use this to keep your Wizard safe from enemy attacks, so your Concentration won’t get disrupted as easily.
  • Black Hole: This power creates an area-based effect that pulls in and slows targets. It’s particularly useful for crowd control, allowing you to cluster enemies together for area-of-effect attacks or to isolate them from vulnerable allies.
  • Psionic Backlash: This is a top-tier reaction from the Illithid Powers skill tree in BG3. This allows you to deal psychic damage when a nearby enemy casts a spell. This is especially useful if the target is casting a Concentration Spell. The damage from Psionic Backlash can immediately break their Concentration, ending the spell’s effects.

More Baldur’s Gate 3 Builds: