Generator Necromancer Skills and Runes

Last updated on Oct 22, 2024 at 09:00 by Deadset 45 comments

On this page, we explain how to choose and use your skills when playing Generator Necromancer in Diablo 3. Updated for Patch 2.7.8 and Season 33.

Active Skills
Left Mouse Button Grim Scythe Icon Grim Scythe Cursed Scythe Cursed Scythe Right Mouse Button Skeletal Mage Icon Skeletal Mage Contamination Contamination 1 Simulacrum Icon Simulacrum Blood and Bone Blood and Bone 2 Bone Spear Icon Bone Spear Blighted Marrow Blighted Marrow 3 Blood Rush Icon Blood Rush Potency Potency 4 Bone Armor Icon Bone Armor Dislocation Dislocation
Passive Skills
1.

Rotation

Similarly to all Inarius builds, the Grim Scythe Generator spec begins runs with an activation of Bone Armor Bone Armor, trying to catch as many monsters in the initial radius as possible to maximize your damage reduction stacks from the set 4-piece bonus. Then, summon your Simulacrum Simulacrums; due to the rune Blood and Bone Blood and Bone you will get two minions at your side, and you need to be diligent in their upkeep as a large part of your DPS relies on them (you do not need to worry about their duration however — Haunted Visions Haunted Visions makes them last indefinitely). If you find it hard to keep track of them in the thick of a fight, simply check with a cast of a spender (i.e. Bone Spear Bone Spear) somewhere outside the cluster of monsters; if two more spears shoot in that direction, you are set.

Rotate between your poisonous skills at your discretion; you only goal is to stay at your maximum Nayr's Black Death Nayr's Black Death stacks at all times. You can spread Bone Spear Bone Spear to draw monster attention, or throw a Skeletal Mage Skeletal Mage Contamination Contamination for some extra DPS. Right as your Convention of Elements Convention of Elements rotation finishes the Physical cycle and reaches Poison, you want to pop Bone Armor Bone Armor to trigger the stun of Dislocation Dislocation, which will maximize your Krysbin's Sentence Krysbin's Sentence damage bonuses during your burst cycle. After that, simply swing Grim Scythe Grim Scythe Cursed Scythe Cursed Scythe alongside your Simulacrum Simulacrums and enjoy the devastation; once the Poison cycle is over, you can either reposition with Blood Rush Blood Rush, or resume the rotation of Nayr upkeep and drawing monster attention into big packs for the next cycle of mayhem.

2.

Skills and Runes

The primary damage dealer and main focus of the build is Grim Scythe Grim Scythe — the close range Essence generator of Necromancers, whose melee mechanics fall in exact line with the proximity-based damage enhancement of the Inarius set. Its damage will be further enhanced with the dedicated Leger's Disdain Leger's Disdain phylactery, which introduces the unique dynamic of the playstyle — striving to remain as low on Essence as possible at all times, as your damage is amplified by the amount of resource Grim Scythe Grim Scythe is actively restoring. Rune-wise, you are locked by the Cursed Scythe Cursed Scythe rune due to its dedicated weaponry, Trag'Oul's Corroded Fang Trag'Oul's Corroded Fang, because of the poisonous synergy with the cubed Nayr's Black Death Nayr's Black Death, and finally due to the huge curse value of the rune itself (see this build's gear page for more information).

A major skill slot will be devoted to Simulacrum Simulacrum, one of the Necromancer's longest cooldowns — thankfully, with the power of the revised Haunted Visions Haunted Visions, now made permanent minions at your side. You will be taking the "double summon" rune Blood and Bone Blood and Bone, since you want to maximize the mimicking of your own skills, which now includes — again, thanks to the amulet — Grim Scythe Grim Scythe itself.

In order to more efficiently scout out rift levels, plan engagements, or even outright skip unfavorable fights, you will be using the Necromancer's solitary movement tool — Blood Rush Blood Rush. Couple it with the toughness rune Potency Potency for a brief survivability spike on every engagement.

Bone Armor Bone Armor is the basis of Inarius set builds, tying into the damage reduction mechanic of the set and producing the swirling bone tornado effect of the 6-piece. The preferred rune is Dislocation Dislocation, whose two-second stun will provide a moment of respite in the thick of battle, as well as an additional source of Nayr's Black Death Nayr's Black Death and Krysbin's Sentence Krysbin's Sentence procs.

Since your major damage amplifier will be the cubed Nayr's Black Death Nayr's Black Death, you will be trying to include as many synergistic poisonous abilities as possible (on top of the Cursed Scythe Cursed Scythe) with the remainder of your skillset:

  • Bone Spear Bone Spear Blighted Marrow Blighted Marrow offers an excellent long-range monster pulling tool;
  • Either Skeletal Mage Skeletal Mage Contamination Contamination (extra single target) or Death Nova Death Nova Blight Blight (damage reduction).
3.

Passives

Swift Harvesting Swift Harvesting is the most logical addition to a primary attack-focused build, increasing the Attack Speed of both Grim Scythe Grim Scythe and Siphon Blood Siphon Blood with an impressive 15% bonus.

Since this spec falls into the category of low summoning builds, you can make use of the Stand Alone Stand Alone passive and its massive Armor bonuses with minimal losses.

Two interconnected passives — Eternal Torment Eternal Torment and Spreading Malediction Spreading Malediction — will work off each other, with the former making curses applied by Cursed Scythe Cursed Scythe last indefinitely, and the latter — increasing your damage for each afflicted enemy with no apparent cap.

3.1.

Season 33 Modification

Due to the 4th Kanai's Cube slot in Season 33 and the ability to include an extra damage multiplier in the form of Reilena's Shadowhook Reilena's Shadowhook, you will focus on expanding your Essence reserve alongside the usual recommendations for this build. Skill-wise, this means changing the passive Eternal Torment Eternal Torment for Overwhelming Essence Overwhelming Essence.

4.

Changelog

  • 22 Oct. 2024: Passive recommendations revised to include S33-specific changes.
  • 10 Jul. 2024: Skills and passives reviewed for Season 32.
  • 10 Apr. 2024: Skills and passives reviewed for Season 31.
  • 10 Jan. 2024: Skills and passives reviewed for Season 30.
  • 13 Sep. 2023: Skills and passives reviewed for Season 29.
  • 22 Feb. 2023: Skills and passives reviewed for Season 28.
  • 26 Aug. 2022: Skills and passives reviewed for Season 27.
  • 14 Apr. 2022: Guide reviewed for Season 26.
  • 08 Dec. 2021: Minor skill and passive revision.
  • 22 Jul. 2021: No changes required for Season 24.
  • 01 Apr. 2021: No changes required for Season 23.
  • 19 Nov. 2020: Passives changed to accomodate S22-specific changes.
  • 08 Jul. 2020: Overhauled the guide to include skill recommendations based on the revised powers of Haunted Visions and Razeth's Volition.
  • 12 Mar. 2020: No changes necessary for Season 20.
  • 22 Nov. 2019: Reviewed for Season 19.
  • 23 Aug. 2019: Reviewed for Season 18.
  • 12 May 2019: Guide was reviewed and approved for Season 17.
  • 18 Jan. 2019: Information was reviewed and approved for Season 16 with no changes required.
  • 27 Mar. 2018: Added the guide.
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