Diablo 4's Necromancer Book of the Dead: Revolutionary Changes to Class Tradition

The Necromancer has long been a beloved and recognizable class in the Diablo series, and in Diablo 4, players can expect a fresh and exciting take on this iconic character. With the ability to summon an army of undead minions to do their bidding, the Necromancer is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. But what sets this iteration of the class apart is its unique Book of the Dead mechanic, which allows for even more creative and powerful use of these minions. As a result, the Necromancer in Diablo 4 stands out as one of the most formidable versions of the class yet.

Since its debut in Diablo 2, the Necromancer has been known for its potent Bone Spear skill. While the class has undergone some changes in subsequent entries like Diablo 3 and Diablo Immortal, one consistent feature has been the ability to summon undead minions. However, the specifics of this mechanic have varied from game to game, with Diablo 4 offering some exciting new twists on how it works. Whether players are new to the series or longtime fans, they can look forward to exploring the full potential of the Necromancer's unique abilities in this latest installment.

Diablo 4 Switches Up How Many Skeletons Necromancers Can Summon

In each iteration of the Diablo series, the Necromancer's handling of minions has been a key aspect of the class's identity. While some players opt for builds that utilize the class's Blood or Shadow skills over minions, skeletal minions are frequently utilized in early game leveling. Despite their underwhelming survivability in Diablo 4's beta rebalancing, the Book of the Dead mechanic allows Necromancers to alter the form and upgrade the capabilities of their minions to suit their preferred playstyle. For instance, basic Skeletal Warriors can be transformed into Skirmishers, Defenders, and Reapers, each with distinct combat abilities. Interestingly, Diablo 4 departs from the previous versions of the game by enabling players to summon up to four Skeletal Warriors by default due to the crucial role of the Book of the Dead mechanic in the Necromancer's gameplay.

In previous Diablo games, Necromancers had limitations on the number of minions they could summon at once. Diablo 2, for instance, only allowed players to summon one minion initially and required them to upgrade their skills to increase their summoning capacity. However, Diablo 3 and Diablo Immortal deviated from this system, allowing players to passively summon up to seven Skeletal Warriors and two minions, respectively, at any given time. While the skill in Diablo 3 was not unlocked until level 9, Diablo Immortal automatically respawns minions every eight seconds.

In Diablo 4, Necromancers return to actively summoning minions, much like Diablo 2, but with one significant upgrade: players can summon up to four minions simultaneously from the start. This version of the Necromancer enables new players to access more minions at the beginning than any previous Diablo title, largely due to the Book of the Dead, which emphasizes the use of minions as a critical element of the class. While not every build may incorporate minions, the fact that Diablo 4 grants players access to so many minions early on is a refreshing change.

Diablo 4 is available now in early access with its full launch coming June 6 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.