Description
The Necromancer is both dangerous and powerful, they are among the most feared individuals on Norrath and for good reason. They specialise in the manipulation of the life force of themselves and others, with an exceptional talent in controlling the undead. The dark magics they delve into are considered by the good races to be evil at worst and immoral at best. They can slow or increase heart rates, cause blood to boil, rip flesh from still living bodies and then raise the dead of their 'experiments' as skeletal minions.
The Necromancer is one of only a few classes capable of restoring their health by 'leaching' it from their enemies. They use evil pacts and rituals to drain their own health in return for mana to cast spells, which often consist of those that produce the said 'leaching'. In addition to gaining health for themselves they possess a variety of spells for transferring both health and mana to others. Necromancers are capable of providing enough healing to keep a Warrior alive for a few more seconds and the mana surge for a healer to cast one last spell.
With their ability to provide back-up for quite a few roles, they can be a very valuable ally in a group. Necromancers have some of the most powerful spells of any spell caster, inflicting considerable damage with spells based on poison and disease. Their skeletal pet can provide an effective extra combatant, though not a particularly good one at taking hits, and similar to a Monk both the pet and Necro can feign death (pretend to be dead) at later levels. Necromancers have one of the widest range of spells of any class and are very effective alone, with the ability to make an enemy run in fear, slow its movement and then bombard it with harmful magics.
Necromancer Races
Dark Elf, Drakkin, Erudite, Gnome, Human, Iksar
Stats
The races capable of becoming Necromancers are naturally intelligent and make good use of their considerable intellect when researching new spells and developing their magical abilities. The single biggest influence on a Necromancers abilities is their intelligence statistic and for this reason it should be developed before all others.
Necromancers have a lot of spells which convert hit points (physical health) to mana (mental energy), because of the aggression Necros generate in combat, these spells work most effectively if they have a fair amount of 'safe space' preventing them always being low on health. Stamina along with a few other factors, determines a characters total hit points, raising it can be helpful but still only of secondary benefit to intelligence.
Tips
- The intelligence statistic is crucial to a Necromancer and at low levels should be the first you consider when looking for an upgrade.
- Items can be obtained that increase the natural health regeneration rate of a character, for a Necromancer who is often losing health at a steady rate while converting it to mana, they can be very useful.
- Necromancers are one of the most hated classes on Norrath, this means it can be difficult to purchase supplies when adventuring far from home. Fortunately the Plane of Knowledge is open to all, a teleporter is often close by and the merchants have no bones (haha) about supplying you.
- Your skeleton pets require bone chips to summon, make sure you have plenty spare before you head off on a big expedition.
Screenshots
With thanks to Deisyde (Dark Elf), Sinnester (Dark Elf), Ruschae (Erudite), Cybanecro (Iksar) and Zzyzz (Iksar) of The Rathe (Karana) server for being the Necromancer screenshot models!
Sites
Casters Realm
http://eq.crgaming.com/menu/necromancer.aspThe Casters Realm area on Necromancers, includes skill and spell lists, creation and strategy guides, spell research information and more.
EQ Necro
http://www.eqnecro.net/board/An active EQ Necromancer community forum.
Necro Talk
http://www.necrotalk.comA great place for Necromancers both new and old, loads of Necromancer related information and very active forums to converse with fellow Necros.
NecroGnomicon
http://www.necrognomicon.comA site dedicated to EverQuest and more specifically Gnomes who are Necromancers in EverQuest.