Discover the best Necromancer builds for Diablo II: Resurrected, focusing on the Bonemancer. Learn skill point allocation, stat distribution, and essential gear recommendations for beginners.
This guide details the Bonemancer build for the Necromancer class in Diablo II: Resurrected, focusing on early-game progression and skill point allocation.
Bonemancer - Skills
The build starts with Teeth, a low-damage projectile spell that increases in projectile count but not damage per projectile. While useful early on, its mana cost and kill rate make it unsustainable. At level 18, Bone Spear becomes available, offering significantly more damage and the ability to pierce enemies, providing crowd control. Teeth acts as a synergy for Bone Spear, meaning points invested in it are not wasted.
Other essential skills include a single point in Corpse Explosion for area damage, Amplify Damage to boost Corpse Explosion's effectiveness, and Clay Golem as a distraction. This setup is designed to reach Nightmare difficulty, with the option to grind monsters like Eldritch and Shenk to level 30s before a potential respec.
Bonemancer Suggested Skills
| Skills | Skill Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Teeth | 10+ | Basic attack spell. Use it until Bone Spear is up to snuff. |
| Corpse Explosion | 1 | A great spell for other builds, use it and Amplify Damage to neutralize advantageously placed mobs. |
| Bone Spear | 20 | Primary attack, pierces enemies. |
| Clay Golem | 1 | Basic meat shield. Don’t expect too much out of it with only a point invested. Best used as bait after Act 2. |
| Amplify Damage | 1 | Boost damage from Corpse Explosion, should all but ensure kills. |
Bonemancer Level-by-Level Skills
| Lv | Skill |
|---|---|
| 2 - 5 | Teeth (4) |
| 6 | Corpse Explosion (1) |
| Den of Evil | Amplify Damage (1) |
| 7 | Clay Golem (1) |
| 8 - 17 | Teeth (14) |
| 18 | Bone Spear (1) |
| Radament’s Lair | Bone Spear (2) |
| 19 - 34 | Bone Spear (18) |
| The Fallen Angel | Bone Spear (20) |
Bonemancer - Stats
Like most casters, the Bonemancer prioritizes Strength for gear requirements and Vitality for survivability. Since a respec is planned for the end of Normal mode, investing heavily in Strength for endgame gear like Spirit Monarch is unnecessary. Aim for around 40 Strength. If you find gear like Magefist or Frostburn, increase Strength as needed to equip them; otherwise, allocate all remaining points to Vitality.
Bonemancer Level-by-Level Stats
| Lv | Stat |
|---|---|
| 2 - 6 | Strength +25 (40) |
| 7+ | Vitality (100+) |
| Lam Esen’s Tome | Vitality +5 (100+) |
Bonemancer - Gear
Mana is crucial for the Bonemancer's offense. Running the Countess in Act 1 is recommended for accumulating Tir runes, which grant +2 mana after each kill when socketed into gear. The defense of the gear itself is secondary, as most starting items can be purchased from vendors like Charsi and Fara. Five Tir runes can significantly improve mana sustain.
Look for jewelry with Faster Cast Rate. Items that provide mana per kill, +Mana, +Life, +Energy, or +Vitality are also beneficial. Boots with Faster Run/Walk speed up travel. As you progress, consider runewords like Lore (Ort + Sol) and Stealth (Tal + Eth) for your helmet and armor, respectively. Mana can remain a concern without specific gear like Frostburn gauntlets.
Bonemancer Gear
| Type | Notes |
|---|---|
| Helmet | 2-socket helmet w/Tir runes - Lore runeword (Ort + Sol) |
| Amulet | +Faster Cast Rate amulet |
| Weapon | 3-socket weapon w/Tir runes - +skills Necromancer wand |
| Armor | 3-socket armor w/Tir runes - Stealth runeword (Tal + Eth) |
| Shield | 3-socket shield w/Tir runes - +skills Necromancer totem (can also be socketed with Tir runes) |
| Gloves | any |
| Ring 1 | +Faster Cast Rate ring |
| Ring 2 | +Faster Cast Rate ring |
| Belt | any |
| Boots | +Faster Run/Walk boots |
Walkthrough
- Play normally until you reach the Black Marsh.
- Find the Forgotten Tower and repeatedly kill the Countess to farm runes, prioritizing Ral, Tal, Eth, and as many Tir runes as possible.
- Acquire 3-socket armor, 2-socket helmets, 3-socket one-handed weapons, and 3-socket shields. Socket these with Tir runes for +2 Mana/kill per rune.
- Continue through the game until Act 5. Then, perform runs on Eldritch the Rectifier and Shenk the Overseer from the Frigid Highlands Waypoint to reach the mid-30s in level.
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