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Hello guise! Here we talk all about the Best Necromancer Speedfarming Builds. If you’re going to bet on one of ’em, it’s likely Legacy of Dreams Skeletal Mage!

This is the first pass for all classes speedfarming guide updates:
Expect more detailed info soon! Alternate builds!

Necro Speed Build Template: LoD Skeletal Mage

Build – Items, Skills, Cube & Gems

Keep in mind I cant possibly discuss ALL the options for this build (as with most LoD builds), although I talk about many important ones in the discussion below.

Necro LoD Skeletal Mage Speed Farming Build Details
Slot Item Skill Rune
Weapon Scythe of the Cycle Land of the Dead (Frailty)
Frozen Lands (Aura of Frailty)
Offhand Any Phylactery Skeletal Mage Singularity (Life Support)
Head Leoric’s Crown Blood Rush (Open) Potency / Molting
Shoulders Razeth’s Volition (Any) Decrepify (Open)
Opportunist (Borrowed Time)
Chest Requiem Cereplate (Aquila Cuirass) Devour Devouring Aura (Any)
Hands Tasker and Theo Bone Armor Dislocation
Legs Hexing Pants of Mr. Yan (Swampland Waders) Passives
Boots Steuart’s Greaves Life from Death Extended Servitude
Bracer Reaper’s Wraps (Nemesis Bracer) Overwhelming Essence
Rigor Mortis, Dark Reaping (Open)
Belt Dayntee’s Binding Kanais Cube
Amulet Wisdom of Kalan (Open) Shadowhook, Corroded Fang (Reaver)
Ring Circle of Nailuj’s Evol Nemesis Bracer (Open)
Ring Unity (Open) Krysbins Sentence
Legendary Gem
Legacy of Dreams
Enforcer
Bane of the Powerful (Bane of the Trapped)

Build – Rerolls and Stat Priority

There are “basic” rerolls. Obviously high paragon or other niche objectives can cause to warp this, but this is a good template.

Necro LoD Skeletal Mage Speed Farming Build Details
Weapon High Damage INT DMG% VIT AD CDR
Offhand High Damage INT CHC Mage% VIT CDR
Head INT CHC Mage% VIT Any –
Shoulders INT VIT Life% Armor CDR –
Chest INT VIT Life% Armor Any –
Hands INT VIT CHC CHD CDR Any
Legs INT VIT Armor Any – –
Boots INT Mage% VIT Armor Any –
Bracer Phys% INT CHC VIT Any –
Belt INT VIT Life% Armor – –
Amulet Phys% CHC CHD INT CDR Any
Ring INT CHC CHD CDR AD Any

Keep in mind the above build and rerolls (best used as a template) are for a “standard balanced” speedfarming setup without taking it to the “extreme”.

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Build General Notes & Options

I’ll be adding more of these notes and evolutions soon – I just want to finish the first pass for all classes first. – BRGMahiko

Unlike the WD pet builds of the past, Skeletal Mage Necro (especially with Singularity) is a little more active while speed farming than you’d expect. It’s not really AFK farming, but if you have higher power levels, you can make adjustments here and there to reduce “stress”.

There are a huge amount of options, and I cant possibly talk about all of ’em (LoD build after all), I’ll try to talk about the most impactful ones.

Equipment Notes

As with most Legacy of Dreams builds, there’s quite a few flex slots.

Shoulder

Razeth’s Volition add’s a little more “quality of life” to your build by your Skeletal Mages now being able to drop corpses. No other shoulder directly impacts your build – but don’t sweat it I would just use my best rolled one…

Chest

Requiem Cereplate is the default here, to maximize essence gains per corpse. Aquila Cuirass helps if you plan to have essence up all the time (easier content), and can help you with more relaxed runs if you don’t need the extra essence from Cereplate .

Legs

Hexing Pants is godly with this build – at the small cost of being a DPS loss if you’re lazy and stand around. If you wanna be lazy, Swampland Waders rolled with Phys% is your best friend. If you’re in need of defenses, you can edit the build to accomodate Golem, and Golemskin Breeches.

Boots

Boots is always Steuart’s if you’re packing Blood Rush. While optional in tryhard versions of this build, this is a speedfarming guide so the greave’s + Blood Rush definitely gives a lot of SPEED.

Offhand?

You will always prefer 1h Scythe and Phylactery over a 2H weapon due to how Legacy of Dreams works (More items, more bonuses). Even if your offhand is useless. Scythe of the Cycle is your most stable weapon so that’s why I placed it as the default equipped, but it’s interchangeable with your cubed 1-hander.

Rings

As for rings, the best of the bunch are Evol, Unity, and Krysbins. Circle of Nailuj’s Evol is MANDATORY, while the latter two are just “great”. Avarice Band is another option you should always try to cram in your neph runs, and this build is one of the better ones to run it. Remember that pickup radius is linked to your auras.

Amulet

Amulet is “any”, as Kalan isn’t exactly super impactful. Flavor of Time, Hellfire, and Squirts (if you’re brave) are viable. Nothing here really impacts speed farming for your Necro.

“Always try to cram Avarice / Auras combo with this build if you’re nephing and bountying but don’t get too greedy…”

Cube Notes

Nothing is set in stone here.

Cubed Weapon

Corroded Fang is strongest (the build and gameplay to enable this prefers harder content), and Shadowhook is “easiest”, for brainless GGEZ farming – which is why I put it as the default. Messerschmidts Reaver is great for some niche scenarios (and helps while your build is in the early stages).

Cubed Armor

Nemesis is your best bet for speed here (interchangeable with Reaper’s Wraps equipped or cubed). If you feel like you can drop one of the bracers, then you open up a few options… none of which are incredibly tempting (get some idea’s from the equipment notes tab above). Aquila Cuirass would be my best bet if you only need one of the bracers.

Cubed Accessory

I mentioned the three ultra rings earlier on. Evol, Krysbin and Unity. Evol is a must. So you can swap out one of the lesser two with something like Avarice, or Lornelles Sunstone for defense.

None of them strictly need to be cubed or equipped but it’s easier to equip rings like Unity since their effect has no roll.

Sage Set (Deaths Breath Farming)? Cain?

Due to Legacy of Dreams being your active gem, you can’t possibly fit these in. I’ll update this with a Rathma/Jesseth version in the near future so you can farm DB’s with your necro with Sage, if you wish.

Skill Notes

You only really need 3 skills at maximum here, Skeletal Mage, Bone Armor (for Scythe of the Cycle), and any curse if you choose to use Corroded Fang. Aside from this you only have one real question to ask… “Do I or do I not need Land of the Dead”. Land of the Dead prevents you from “bricking” during a rift, providing you with boatloads of essence on demand (but comes with a hefty cooldown).

There’s a slew of skill options you can choose from. Here are the main ones I’d consider to shore up your build here and there…

  • Aura of Frailty for mega speed farming, synergizes well with content you can use Avarice + Hoarder on.
  • Golems active creates a few corpses to prevent you from bricking (if you dislike the long cooldown LotD). With Golemskin Breeches or Moribund Gauntlets – this can add a bit more utility.

This build awards evolution and knowledge to “mix and match” depending on your current strength vs the difficulty of what you’re farming. Remember to always adjust according to your capabilities and keep your expectations in check!

Passive Notes

Extended Servitude and Life from Death are the only critical passives. Don’t leave home without ’em. Overwhelming Essence is your best DPS passive (which is why I recommend it in the default build), given how the Singularity rune works. So these are your best three passives for the most part.

Finally, you have one rather open passive slot. Rigor Mortis is great for walkspeed, and Dark Reaping helps you out your essence generation. Lastly, Blood is Power is great for pseudo CDR for Land of the Dead. I would imagine your 3rd / 4th passive slot would be filled by one of these.

Stats and Reroll Notes

 

Legendary Gem Notes

Legacy of Dreams and Enforcer are LOCKED. No other gems should take the place of these two ever. The third one is a toss-up for speedfarming. 

Powerful is a basic choice, as Trapped requires CC to activate (which exemplifies the need for CC is you’re using Krysbins). For enemies that die too fast without CC, then you don’t need Trapped OR Krysbins and you can add more utility to your build. However, if you wan’t DPS, you’ll be using one of these two gems.

If you want defenses, Esoteric Alteration or Moratorium are your best bets. Never underestimate how a little defenses can make your runs more consistent – mindlessly piling on more DPS if you’re already one-shotting is useless.

Boon of the Hoarder is something I’ll mention here as I mentioned Avarice quite a lot earlier. This is part of the combo.

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This is just the first pass on our speedfarming guide updates!
Look forward to more in-depth information soon!

If you really don’t like pets, you can try LoD Bone Spear or something… But honestly if you’re going for extremely high torment farming LoD Skeletal Mage is probably your best bet for Necro speed farming! Hopefully we helped you along your path towards ripping rifts apart with it!

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5 COMMENTS

  2. Inarius Build:
    I use Decrepify->Borrowed Time, Bone Armor up each elite even on trash.
    I try In geom, but loose too much dommage.
    BRIGGS’ WRATH is so fun! thx for it 😉 and that’s why i need more bone armor damage!

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