In Diablo 4, the Necromancer is a class that embodies death itself, wielding the power to raise the dead, summon skeletal minions, and manipulate the forces of life and death to overwhelm enemies. One of the most iconic and powerful builds for the Necromancer is the Army of the Dead build, which focuses on summoning massive hordes of undead creatures to Diablo 4 Items fight by your side. This guide will break down everything you need to know to create a powerful Army of the Dead Necromancer build, from skills and talents to gear and playstyle tips.

Overview of the Army of the Dead Necromancer Build

The Army of the Dead Necromancer build revolves around using the Army of the Dead skill, which summons a large number of powerful skeletal warriors to fight for you. As you progress through the game and unlock more of the Necromancer's skill trees and synergies, you can enhance the effectiveness of these minions, allowing you to overwhelm foes with sheer numbers and devastating power.

This build is ideal for players who enjoy playing a summoner class, preferring a playstyle that revolves around overwhelming enemies with swarms of undead rather than dealing direct damage themselves. It also offers a good balance between defense and offense, as your minions can absorb damage, while you focus on buffing and commanding them.

Strengths of the Army of the Dead Necromancer Build:

Large Minion Army: The core of the build is summoning a powerful army of skeletal minions, which can deal substantial damage and serve as a distraction for enemies.

Synergy with Corpses: The Necromancer's ability to use corpses for various skills enhances the Army of the Dead playstyle, allowing you to summon minions and use other abilities that further support and buff your army.

Durability: The minions in the Army of the Dead build are tough and can take a lot of the damage, allowing you to stay at range or behind your army while avoiding direct combat.

Crowd Control: With a full army at your side, you'll have a massive advantage in controlling the battlefield. The sheer volume of minions can overwhelm enemies and provide powerful crowd control through skills like Decompose or Bone Spear.

Weaknesses of the Army of the Dead Necromancer Build:

Requires Corpse Management: Corpses are essential to this build, so you need to make sure to have enough available corpses in the area to keep your minions up.

Dependence on Minions: While your minions are powerful, the build is highly dependent on them. If they die too quickly, it can leave you vulnerable, especially in tougher fights or dungeons.

Slower Leveling Early On: Before you unlock key skills and synergies, this build might feel slower in the early game, as it takes time to build up your army.

Key Skills for the Army of the Dead Necromancer Build

The Army of the Dead build centers around a few core skills that define the playstyle. As you level up your Necromancer, you'll unlock powerful synergies with these skills, allowing you to create an army of the undead that will mow down enemies in droves.

1. Army of the Dead

This is the defining skill of the build. When activated, Army of the Dead summons a horde of skeletons that fight alongside you for a limited time. You can upgrade this skill to increase the number of skeletons summoned or enhance their damage. The more powerful your minions, the better this skill performs.

Key Upgrades:

Summon More Skeletons: Increase the number of skeletons summoned by Army of the Dead to create a larger horde.

Increased Duration: Extend the duration of the army's presence on the battlefield to ensure they remain active for longer periods.

Enhance Damage: Choose upgrades that increase the damage output of your summoned minions, making them more effective in both mob clearing and boss fights.

2. Raise Skeletons

While Army of the Dead is the big signature skill, Raise Skeletons allows you to maintain a consistent presence of skeletal minions on the battlefield. This skill summons a small number of skeletons that can be used to support your army. Raise Skeletons is a great tool for ensuring you always have minions available, and the skill works well in tandem with Army of the Dead.

Key Upgrades:

Increase Skeleton Health and Damage: Boost your skeletons' health and damage output to make them more durable and deadly.

More Skeletons: Upgrade this skill to cheap D4 materials raise additional skeletons, further bolstering your undead forces.