Diablo 4 Blood Lance Necromancer Endgame Build Guide

You probably know by now that one of the squishiest classes in Diablo 4 is the Necromancer. Unfortunately, this class is so fun to play so people have to put up with that vulnerability just to get a taste of the undead action. What if we told you that there’s a build that can cover the Necromancer’s soft spot?

This build doesn’t make the Necromancer tankier than other classes in the game. However, it does increase the survivability of the class significantly, so you can deal even more damage on the field.

The Lancer Build

This Diablo 4 Necromancer endgame build focuses on two things - Blood Lance and the Overpower effect. Overpower is one of the most underutilized effects in Diablo 4 right now but we’re going to put it to good use this time.

Let’s discuss Overpower first.

This is a powerful addition to your attack, much like a Critical Strike. Like a Critical Strike, Overpower happens by chance. At its base, you have a 3% chance to trigger Overpower. While Critical Strike’s value is based on a multiplier, Overpower’s damage is instead based on your current Life, as well as your Fortified Life.

If you can’t see where we’re going with this, we’ll basically increase the maximum health and Fortify effects of your Necromancer, so we can deal massive damage with Blood Lance. To begin with, let’s talk about the Caged Hearts first.

Caged Hearts

Pick these specific Caged Hearts for this build.

1. Caged Heart of the Sacrilegious

Effect: Walking near a Corpse automatically activates an equipped Corpse Skill every second, dealing [28 - 38]%[x] reduced damage. (Necromancer Only)

Corpse Skills aren’t going to be the star of this build but this Caged Heart is still important. Since you’ll have Corpse Tendrils equipped, you’re guaranteed to activate this helpful crowd-controlling ability almost always. You won’t need summons for this build too so all of the Corpses are going to be used for Corpse Tendrils.

2. Caged Heart of the Decrepit Aura

Effect: When at least 4 enemies are near you, gain an aura that automatically curses surrounding enemies with Decrepify for [6 - 17] seconds. (Necromancer Only)

With this equipped, you’ll basically have Decrepify active almost always. This is a good way to maximize the damage you deal to enemies while keeping their movement speed slow. Slowing down the enemies are also important to help improve your Necromancer’s survivability.

3. Caged Heart of the Barber

Effect: Critical Strikes and all subsequent damage within [2.0 - 4.0] seconds is absorbed by your target. Then, the absorbed damage erupts onto surrounding enemies. Stored damage is increased by 11%[x] per second.

For even more damage potential, make sure to get Caged Heart of the Barber as well. This is one of the best Caged Hearts to use when dealing with dense mobs that can take out chunks from your life in mere seconds. 

Book of the Dead

For this build, you’ll need to sacrifice all of your minions and reap the effects of their passives instead. It’s going to get lonely in the field but the passives you get can greatly improve your Necromancer, offensively and defensively.

1. Skeletal Warriors - Sacrifice

Effect: Your Critical Strike Chance increased by 5%, but you can no longer raise Skeletal Warriors

Blood Lance is a damage-over-time type of skill. Each hit can be enhanced as a Critical Strike so this bonus from Skeletal Warriors Sacrifice is a beneficial choice.

2. Skeletal Mages - Sacrifice

Effect:  You gain 15% Physical Resistance, but you can no longer raise Skeletal Warriors.

Needless to say, the 15% Physical Resistance is going to go a long way when it comes to keeping your Necromancer alive. You’ll have other defensive bonuses aside from this.

3. Golem - Sacrifice

Effect: You deal 10% increased Shadow Damage, but you can no longer raise Skeletal Warriors.

The effect of the Golem Sacrifice isn’t actually much. However, it can still benefit you defensively with the passives we’ve chosen for this build.

Skill Allocation

1. Hemorrhage - 3 Skill Points

Upgrades: Enhanced Hemorrhage, Acolyte’s Hemorrhage

This build is going to be very reliant on Skills so you need a lot of means to generate your Essence. That said, Hemorrhage is the best for this job. Its high attack speed makes Essence generation superb, especially compared to the other Basic Skills. Additionally, it can spawn Blood Orbs which are good for plenty of bonuses.

2. Blood Lance - 3 Skill Points

Upgrades: Enhanced Blood Lance, Supernatural Blood Lance

Although it’s the core of this build, Blood Lance isn’t going to be fully upgraded. We find that doing so is not necessary as the Skill Points are best used in other upgrades that can make Blood Lance more powerful.

Blood Lance pierces through targets and it can apply even more damage for every new enemy that it hits. This effect will pass on to your Overpower Damage, leading to devastating effects.

3. Unliving Energy - 1 Skill Point

Only needed to gain access to the next passive ability. However, the extra Essence is still well appreciated.

4. Imperfectly Balanced - 3 Skill Points

With Hemorrhage as our Basic Skill, it’s going to be easy to regenerate Essence even if you’re going heavy with the skills. That said, Imperfectly Balanced is going to give you a huge boost in damage but you won’t necessarily have to reel in from the bad side of this passive.

5. Hewed Flesh - 3 Skill Points

Hemorrhage is lacking when it comes to generating Corpses. Corpses are going to be crucial for using Corpse Tendrils. Hewed Flesh covers up for the downside of Hemorrhage so that you can still generate dead bodies properly, even if you’re not using Reap as a Basic Skill.

6. Blood Mist - 7 Skill Points

Upgrades: Enhanced Blood Mist, Ghastly Blood Mist

In most cases, Blood Mist is used as a means of escape for Necromancer builds. While its purpose remains relatively the same with this build, Blood Mist is also going to be used as a means to apply the Overpower bonus to enemies around you. Enhanced Blood Mist helps reduce the cooldown of this skill for every Overpower Damage, meaning you can have a means of escape every time.

7. Decrepify - 3 Skill Points

Upgrades: Enhanced Decrepify, Abhorrent Decrepify

You’re not going to use Decrepify usually with this build. Instead, we’ll have the Caged Heart of Decrepit Aura do that for you. Decrepify is a great way to minimize the impact of heavy mobs on your health. It’s also a good source for refreshing the cooldown of your skills.

8. Death’s Embrace - 3 Skill Points

This build is mostly straightforward and upfront. We’re going to need Death’s Embrace for the extra firepower and durability that’s going to keep us alive in most cases.

9. Amplify Damage - 3 Skill Points

Decripify is going to be our main applicator of Curse and it’s definitely an effective one at that thanks to its decent area coverage. Amplify Damage is going to put Curse to good use as it will give you a ton of damage bonuses for every Cursed enemy on the map.

10. Corpse Tendrils - 6 Skill Points

Upgrades: Enhanced Corpse Tendrils, Blighted Corpse Tendrils

Like Decrepify, you aren’t going to actively use Corpse Tendrils most of the time because Caged Heart of the Sacrilegious is going to do that for you. You’ll have no other Corpse Skill with this build so the Caged Heart will only use Corpse Tendrils when you’re near a Corpse.

It’s a great way to control crowds and to get them condensed into specific spots on the map.

11. Gruesome Mending - 1 Skill Point

Only needed to get access to the next passive.

12. Coalesced Blood - 3 Skill Points

You’re going to be Healthy most of the time anyway so you might as well get more out of it. Coalesced Blood gives you extra damage bonuses for staying in good condition while in battle. Hemorrhage is going to give you a lot of Blood Orbs to replenish your health so don’t worry too much about staying Healthy.

13. Drain Vitality - 3 Skill Points

With the number of hits you can get with Blood Mist and Blood Lance, there’s a very good chance that you’re going to get healed by Drain Vitality. The Fortify bonus you get from this passive is going to keep your Health at great and safe levels.

14. Tides of Blood - 3 Skill Points

This passive gives you Overpower bonuses for your Blood Skills. While you’re Healthy, you get 30% Overpower Damage Bonus! Obviously, it’s a great addition for this build where you’re constantly in good condition and you’re constantly dealing Overpower.

15. Bone Storm - 3 Skill Points

Upgrades: Prime Bone Storm, Supreme Bone Storm

Bone Storm is mostly going to be used as a defensive skill rather than an offensive one. We’re mostly using this ability for its Barrier and Damage Reduction bonuses. Bone Storm is a good saving grace for dangerous situations.

16. Stand Alone - 3 Skill Points

This build will have you sacrificing your minions for their great passives. Stand Alone is going to be an excellent skill to get as you’re going to get a total of 18% damage reduction since you’re all alone.

17. Memento Mori - 3 Skill Points

Memento Mori simply enhances the bonuses you get for sacrificing Skeleton Warriors and Skeletal Mages. This maximizes the stat bonuses you gain from your Book of the Dead setup.

18. Inspiring Leader - 3 Skill Points

Oddly enough, this is still a great passive to have even if you don’t have any minions. You’re still going to get the stat bonuses it gives even if you don’t have any minions with you.

19. Rathma’s Vigor - 1 Skill Point

Rathma’s Vigor is an excellent Key Passive as it rounds up all of the bonuses that we’re getting from this build. Aside from giving you the extra life that you need, Rathma’s Vigor also guarantees that your next skill will Overpower if you stay Healthy for a certain time. That’s a good opportunity to use Blood Lance.

Gameplay

Although it requires a lot of time to build because of the Aspects it needs, this build is still great for beginners as it’s easy to use. The game plan is very simple - use Blood Lance as often as you can.

To initiate enemies, use Decrepify to make them a lot weaker when it comes to overall damage. From there, you can start using Blood Lance as long as you have Essence to do so. Only stop when you’re about to shift Hemorrhage to start regenerating your resource.

You have two escape cards with this build, that is Blood Mist and Bone Storm. Bone Storm can be used effectively as it makes you more durable for a set period. 

Don’t focus too much on actively using Corpse Tendrils and Decrepify as your Caged Hearts will do this for you.

Aspects

One of the challenges with this build is that it requires a lot of grinding and investments. For starters, get these Aspects from Codex of Power first.

• ‍Aspect of Disobedience Halls of the Damned - Kehjistan

• ‍Aspect of Gore Quills Season's Journey

• ‍Aspect of Potent Blood Betrayer's Row - Dry Steppes

• ‍Aspect of the Umbral Champion's Demise - Dry Steppes

• ‍Blood Seeker's Aspect Mercy's Reach - Fractured Peaks

• ‍Ghostwalker Aspect Broken Bulwark - Scosglen

• ‍Offensive Aspect of Grasping Veins Corrupted Grotto - Kehjistan

Although Uniques aren’t necessary for this build, you’re going to want to get a few Aspects that are dropped by loot. Namely, get these:

1. ‍Aspect of Hungry Blood

Effect: When Blood Lance hits an enemy that is already lanced, it has a [13-23]% chance to fire a Blood Lance at a nearby enemy.

2. ‍Aspect of Shielding Storm

Effect: Each time that Bone Storm damages an enemy, gain a Barrier equal to [2 - 5]% of your Base Life for 10 seconds. (Necromancer Only)

3. ‍Aspect of Rathma’s Chosen

Effect: Whenever your Blood Skills Overpower you gain [20-50]%[+] Attack Speed for 4 seconds.

4. ‍Aspect of Explosive Mist

Effect: Blood Mist triggers Corpse Explosion on surrounding Corpses. When Blood Mist detonates a Corpse, its Cooldown is reduced by [0.2 - 0.5] seconds. (Necromancer Only)

These Aspects are going to improve your Skills on the build. If you’re having a tough time grinding for these Aspects, get Aspect of Rathma’s Chosen at least as it can greatly boost your defenses with Overpower.

Let Blood Rain!

This Diablo 4 Necromancer endgame build is devastating and effective. It does require a lot of time and effort but that would be put to good use. This build delivers an insane amount of damage while giving you great defenses. Definitely, a must for those that want an entirely new take on the Necromancer.