Beginner's Guide to the Summoner Necromancer in Diablo 2 Resurrected

Nov-29-2023

 

Many Diablo 2 experts suggest starting with the Sorceress for efficient progress, but for pure beginners, it may not be as friendly. Considering the constant need for mana potions, it might overwhelm new players. Therefore, I recommend the Summoner Necromancer for beginner players.

 

One major advantage of the Summoner Necromancer is the ability to summon skeletons to aid in combat. Combined with a high-damage mercenary, the player's necromancer mainly plays a supportive role in the game. By relying on the damage of the summons and the mercenary, and occasionally casting Curse Spells, players can have an enjoyable gaming experience.

 

During the initial phase of leveling from 1 to 15, which is approximately after defeating the first chapter boss, Andariel, it is recommended to primarily level up the Raise Skeleton skill. Based on experienced players' calculations, this is the most efficient way to allocate skill points. Additionally, allocate a few points in Clay Golem, Raise Golem, and Amplify Damage for increased damage. The Clay Golem acts as the tank, providing a slowing effect on attacks. Its effectiveness against regular monsters may not be obvious, but it is crucial in boss battles for damage absorption and creating favorable conditions for your mercenary. As for attributes, focus on increasing vitality, with some points in strength. In this stage, you don't need high-quality equipment (which might not be affordable), so it's advised to complete each quest and farm The Countess for Runes #4 and #3 to craft a Lore Helm. This can be equipped at level 13.

 

In the first chapter player should not meet with any difficulty except for the boss fight against Andariel. At this point, your skeletons may still be weak, making them vulnerable to being killed by the boss. I recommend buying extra health and mana potions, clearing out the regular monsters first, and then using curse spells—specifically, Amplify Damage—on the boss. Don't worry about the skeletons dying; just pay attention to your Golem and mercenary's health. If the Golem dies, immediately resummon one or use a Town Portal to resummon your skeletons before returning to fight Andariel.

 

The next phase is from level 15 to 30. Upon entering the second chapter, hire an offensive ranged mercenary to boost your party's combat prowess. Equip your mercenary with a Rune called Malice, which can be made by socketing runes #6, #1, #5 into a three-socket weapon like a polearm. Alternatively, you can purchase a Halberd, a Sash, a Two-Handed Staff, and a Chipped Gem from shops to assemble a polearm with the Barbarian modifier. However, this combination has some randomness, and if the requirements are too high, your mercenary might not meet the strength requirement. Another option is to visit The Countess to collect runes #7 [Tal(7)] and #5 [Eth(5)] to craft a Stealth chest armor, which can unexpectedly aid in leveling.

 

In terms of skills, it's recommended to invest 1 point in Corpse Explosion, which proves useful in the Maggot Lair, as killing one worm and using Corpse Explosion will clear a path. This skill's damage is based on the slain monster's health. At level 24, unlock Revive in the Summoning Spells tab to resurrect fallen monsters and reinforce your summoning forces. Afterward, max out Raise Skeleton, and in the Curses tab, activate Decrepify, which stacks with the slowing effect of the Golem's attacks. This drastically reduces the boss's attack speed.

 

Tome of Town Portal in Diablo 2 that stores Scroll of Tome Portal. It can be purchased at a very cheap price from NPC merchants in the game. Each book can store up to 20 scrolls, but NPC merchants do not store up to 20 scrolls. Each book occupies 2 space. Right clicking on a book will immediately bring up a gate, allowing players to easily teleport back to the nearest town. Until the scroll stored in the book is used up, the book will not be available unless you store the scroll again. In addition to NPC merchants selling these books, there are also some special places in the game where you can find Tome of Town Portal: in the first act, there is also a chance that the Tome of Town Portal can be directly dropped from the bookshelves in the prison and tomb.

The Tome of Town Portal also has a special function as a key item for opening a mysterious hidden level: Secret Cow Level. Place a Tome of Town Portal with a scroll and Wirt's leg together in the Heraldic Cube, a red portal will appear in the first act of Town: Rogge Camp, where Secret Cow Level enters.

 

Regarding equipment, focus on saving money during the second chapter because you will need to purchase a 'Town Portal' Staff by the time you reach the third chapter. After acquiring the 'Town Portal' Staff, equip it in the alternate weapon slot and use the W key to quickly switch between weapons. However, since Town Portal charges are limited and repairs are costly, try to minimize its use in the early stages.

 

Once you reach level 30, prioritize unlocking Revive in the Summoning Spells tab. This allows you to resurrect fallen monsters and expand your summoning army. Next, max out Raise Skeleton and Corpse Explosion. Distribute any remaining skill points into Dim Vision and Confuse in the Curses tab to protect your party during battles.