Necromancer Class Builds for ESO
Welcome to the Necromancer class build section for ESO. Necromancer can be played as a damage dealer, a healer or a tank. They perform both well in a group or a solo setting, depending on how you set up your build.
The Necromancer builds that you can find here focus on optimizing your setup as much as possible, that way you can really perform as good as possible on your Necromancer. Sometimes gear can be hard to acquire depending on the build you want to use, that is why I made sure to always include three different setups, the best in slot, advanced and a beginner setup.
Nonetheless, I would always recommend getting the best setup like described in the build, to completely optimize your setup. Please keep in mind that combat changes occur all 3 months in the Elder Scrolls Online, therefore it is possible that certain sets will change for your Necromancer!
PvE Dungeon & Trial META Necromancer Builds
The Meta Necromancer builds listed below are meant to be played in a group. The Meta Necromancer builds have a very cookie cutter approach and rely heavily on other group members.
- Magicka Necromancer DPS
- Stamina Necromancer DPS DW/Bow
- Stamina Necromancer DPS 2H/Bow
- Stamina Necromancer DPS Bow/Bow
- Necromancer Healer
- Necromancer Tank
- Werewolf Build
PvE Solo Necromancer Builds
The PvE Solo Necromancer builds are optimized for solo gameplay. The builds below have a good balance between damage, survivability, healing and movement. Everything you need to get through ESO alone. Of course, you can also use these solo builds in a group, especially useful in random groups.
PvP Solo Necromancer Builds
The PvP Solo Necromancer builds do have both a Cyrodiil and a Battlegrounds setup. You can play with these builds alone, but it is recommend to always join a group to increase your odds of survival.
Beginner Necromancer Guides & Builds
The Beginner Necromancer guides and builds are meant for new players. They introduce you to the Necromancer class and give you a good starting point for your adventure in ESO.
The Necromancer Class
Masters of death, Necromancers in ESO can call upon corpses to serve as undead thralls and weave ghastly spells to both harm, heal and defend.
All of Tamriel’s dead are a resource for you to manipulate and exploit, as nothing is forbidden for those who seek to master the dark arts. The Necromancer Class in ESO brings a unique style of play to The Elder Scrolls Online, allowing you to summon the undead and make use of corpses to overwhelm your enemies and empower your attacks.
When playing as a Necromancer, death itself is a weapon.
The Necromancer Skill-lines
The Necromancer class has three class skill-lines like every other class in ESO. Below you can find a quick introduction to the Grave Lord, Bone Tyrant and Living Death skill-lines.
Grave Lord
Imbue the dead with frost, fire, and lightning to bring ruin upon your enemies. Raise the relentless undead and allow your fallen enemies to intensify your unyielding assault.
The Necromancer class Grave Lord skill-line is focused on damage abilities.
Bone Tyrant
Bend and break the dead to your will and use their remains to create impenetrable barriers and extend your own life. Control the battlefield with the bones of the departed.
The Necromancer class Bone Tyrant skill-line is focused on defensive abilities.
Living Death
Draw from the power of life and death to replenish and restore your allies. Resurrect your defeated comrades and keep them in the fight.
The Necromancer class Living Death skill-line is focused on healing abilities.
Necromancer Class Synergies
The Necromancer class in ESO has two class specific synergies, the Grave Robber and Pure Agony synergy. Synergies are additional effects that some abilities offer.
Pure Agony Synergy
Pure Agony is a Synergy effect created by a Necromancer using Agony Totem. By pressing the Synergy button, you can use Pure Agony to deal damage over time to enemies in the area and apply Minor Vulnverability to them, causing them to take more damage.
Grave Robber Synergy
Grave Robber is a Synergy effect created by a Necromancer using Boneyard or one of its morphs. By pressing the Synergy button, you can use Grave Robber to deal additional damage to enemies in the area and heal the Necromancer who granted the synergy based on the damage done.
The Necromancer Story in ESO
Both reviled and feared by the people of Tamriel, Necromancers are masters of the dark arts. While most spellcasters study in well-lit libraries and guild halls, Necromancers delve deep into forbidden tomes and crumbling mausoleums, pushing the boundaries of magical praxis in secret.
With practice and fierce application of will, these grim mages can reanimate skeletons, summon ghostly thralls, and channel souls arcane power into terrifying spells that both harm and heal. The Necromancer’s power over life and death is absolute. Those fools who stand against them in life will surely serve then in death.
Warning: Using certain Necromancer abilities in ESO in a town is a criminal act. Citizens and guards will react accordingly.
Major Crimes as Necromancer
Major Crimes as a Necromancer in ESO are serious offenses that, if witnessed will significantly increase your Bounty and Heat. These crimes include:
- Assault: Inflicting unprovoked physical harm upon a citizen of Tamriel.
- Murder: Slaying an innocent citizen of Tamriel.
- Necromany: Public desecration of the dead. Not every Necromancer abilitiy is criminal – but if there’s dead body involved, it likely is.
Practicing necromancy in Tamriel is a criminal act. In most cases, mages caught casting necromantic spells can feign ignorance or insist that the spell originates from a different school of magic.
Some spells, however, are too horrific to overlook. Any necromantic abilitiy marked as a Criminal Act is a major crime and will offend the locals and alert the guards.
These abilities include:
- Blastbones and its morphs. Summoning an exploding skeleton is obviously necromancy.
- Skeletal Mage and its morphs. The arrival of skeletal minin always indicates that necromancer lurks nearby.
- Frozen Colossus and its morphs. Only a necromancer could conjure up such an undead behemoth.
- Bone Goliath and its morphs. This ability transforms you into a massive skeletal horror – a prime example of advanced necromancy.
- Spirit Mender and its morphs. Conjuring a wrath, no matter how friendly, clearly qualifies as necromancy.
Necromancer Showcase
Below you can see an example of a Magicka and Stamina Necromancer in ESO. Of course you can customize your character however you want, there are plenty of good outfit options in ESO!
FAQ Necromancer
The best Necromancer race for a damage dealer is the Dark Elf. The best race for a tank is the Nord and the best race for a Healer is the Breton. Of course, depending on your build this can vary and there is always more options than just one. To find the best race for a Necromancer and your build check out the Racial Guide.
Absolutely, the Necromancer class is worth playing in ESO. You can create great builds for damage dealers (DPS), healers and tanks with the Necromancer. Make sure to visit the Necromancer Builds page for advice.
Yes, the Necromancer class is still one of the more powerful classes and setups to play in ESO. The Necromancer class performs great in all disciplines, be it as damage dealer, tank or as healer.
Necromancers are powerful tanks in ESO. They can be played as off-tanks and main tanks. A good Necromancer tank build like the “Colossus” incorporates not only defense but also support abilities to boost the damage of the whole group.
You can buy the Necromancer separately in the Crown Store for 1500 crowns or buy the Greymoor DLC for 3500 crowns, which also includes the Necromancer.
