In the world of Diablo 4, the Necromancer reigns supreme, raising an army of the dead to wage war against the forces of Hell. With the right build, these undead hordes can carry players well into the late game, providing undeniable power. One of the most potent strategies revolves around a level 50+ endgame build that capitalizes on Shadow skills and puts the Necromancer's undead army in the spotlight.
The Shadowblight Summoner
This build relies heavily on Shadow damage, bolstered by the Shadowblight Key Passive and related passives that enhance the damage output of your minions. The Shadow Summoner build employs Reapers, Shadow Mages, and the Bone Golem. Reapers are perfect for builds that don't rely on critical hits as they deal more flat damage than other Skeletal Warriors. Shadow Mages, on the other hand, can apply Shadowblight, making them an ideal choice. Bone Golem plays a crucial role in taunting enemies, keeping both the player and their skeletal allies alive while providing usable corpses.
As for abilities, Blight is the Core Skill, notable for its capacity to slow targets and boost minion damage. Bone Splinters is the preferred Basic Skill in this build, thanks to its ability to inflict the Vulnerable status on enemies. The Blighted Corpse Explosion is vital for keeping the battlefield tainted with Shadow damage without the need to use Essence. To clear large groups of enemies, the build employs Bone Storm, which creates damaging fields over the player and their golem, and is especially effective against monsters with damage-reduction auras.
Building for Survival and Damage
The passives selected for this build cater to the needs of minions, Darkness damage, and survivability. All minion mastery nodes, including those in the Ultimate tree, as well as the Shadow passives in the second Corpse & Macabre tree are recommended for maximum effectiveness. Hewed Flesh can spawn Corpses via Blight's Damage over Time (DoT), making it a versatile choice in any situation. It can stack Shadowblight multiple times per cast, boosting damage. Since minions will inevitably die, generating extra Corpses for more minions is essential. In addition, Death's Embrace is necessary to keep players alive, as the build often involves close-range combat.
For more skeletons and to boost their Damage Per Second (DPS), players should grab Viscous and Blood Getter, along with Reanimation and Frenzied Dead. An item with the Ultimate Shadow Aspect can turn Bone Storm into a Darkness skill, capping off the offensive power of this build. The Blighted Aspect is also worth having, as it offers short periods of increased damage after Shadowblight is triggered 10 times. Players can opt for Rapid for faster Bone Splinter attacks, but it might be worth swapping out for Umbral for more Essence generation.
Gear Up for Battle
In terms of gear, players should prioritize items that boost Vulnerable Damage, Damage to Affected by Shadow Over Time Enemies, and anything that enhances minion stats. Though no specific Uniques are required, the Ring of Mendeln can significantly increase minion damage if players can keep their total minion count over seven. It offers up to a 10% chance on a Lucky Hit to empower skeletons and golems, causing their next attack to explode.
The Cult Leader is the recommended Paragon Board for summoner builds as it contains all necessary buffs for skeletons and golems. Its special nodesall boost minions, making it a reliable choice. Hulking Monstrosity is another useful option that mainly buffs golems, and although not as crucial as Cult Leader, it can certainly be helpful. For Glyphs, Deadraiser, Control, Corporeal, and Darkness can all enhance minion damage, with Deadraiser being the priority due to its general use-case.
In conclusion, Diablo 4 offers players a unique opportunity to embrace the dark arts with the Necromancer's Shadow Summoner build. By effectively raising an undead army, strategically employing Shadow skills, and carefully choosing the right gear and passives, players can venture into the late game with an army capable of taking on the fiercest adversaries. Diablo 4 is now available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, and it's time for players to step into the shoes of the Necromancer and unleash their undead army on the forces of Hell.
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