Necromancer and Soultaker: Player Guide
Human Wizard - Necromancer - Soultaker
A player guide to the Human Wizard - Necromancer - Soultaker line. The data reflects Chronicle 4 (the author mentions locations new in C4 and the Cursed Man summon). Below: leveling spots by level, gear, summons, PvP, PvM and mass battle tactics.
The Necromancer is one of the three human mages (alongside the Warlock, a summoner, and the Sorcerer, a combat mage). He combines summoning and combat spells (mainly Death Spike and Vampiric Claw) and is a kind of transitional class between the Warlock and the Sorcerer. As a human mage the Necromancer has one of the fastest casting speeds, the largest MP pool, the most powerful magic attack and very impressive M.Def. The standard buff set: Might 1, Shield 1, Concentration 2.
Leveling
Solo leveling is always possible, with some caveats (see below).
| Levels | Where to level |
|---|---|
| 1-20+ | Villages and around Gludio, then the Ruins of Despair and Ruins of Agony (near Gludio). Before the Necromancer profession use Blaze and Aura Burn |
| ~30 | Bee Hive (mobs level 35-40, x1/2) |
| 34-36 | When Bee Hive becomes inconvenient - Execution Grounds |
| 35+ | If Execution Grounds does not suit you - Cruma Marshlands works great |
| 38-39 | Cruma Tower. Ideally wear C-grade by then: in C4 even the first floor has quite dangerous mobs |
| 45-47 | Cemetery |
| 50+ | Dragon Valley (B-grade recommended), then Forbidden Gateway and Devastated Castle (best via the teleport from Goddard Castle Town - Disciples Necropolis). If you do not need to level a Soul Crystal, Blazing Swamp is better than the castle (left and down from the teleport) |
| 63+ | Forest of the Dead (the C4 Rune Castle area) and Blazing Swamp (right and up from the teleport, where the 70+ mobs are) |
| Beyond | Catacombs for those who like them (especially if you take part in the Seven Signs): Saints Necropolis, Catacombs of the Forbidden Path, etc. If you do not like dungeons - Varka Silenos Outpost from level 77+. Both in the catacombs and in Varka a party is still better |
At high levels the Necromancer is quite hard to level: experience percentages crawl and MP drops to zero fast. Body to Mind helps little - its gain is insignificant compared with the total MP pool.
Solo leveling caveats. After the second profession you level with Death Spike and Vampiric Claw. That is the problem: Death Spike consumes Cursed Bones ("red bones"), and if they are hard to get on your server, leveling often runs at a loss, while Vampiric Claw will not get you far - it eats a brutal amount of MP and has a long cooldown. Unfortunately there is no other way. Otherwise - party only, as a damage dealer and debuffer.
Gear
Armor:
| Grade | Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| No-grade | Devotion Set | Casting speed bonus |
| D | Knowledge Set | No mithril sets |
| C | Karmian Set | Again a casting speed bonus. Divine Set is possible for the extra MP, but the Demon Set is probably best: it costs HP but adds a good +4 INT |
| B | Avadon Robe Set | Without a doubt: +15% casting speed is a big boost |
| A | Tallum Robe, Dark Crystal Robe | Nightmare is debatable |
Weapons - staves or magic swords:
| Grade | Weapon |
|---|---|
| No-grade | Mage Staff |
| D | Demon Fangs |
| C | Ghoul's Staff, Demon's Staff, Homunkulus Sword [SA Acumen, +15% casting speed] ("Homka") |
| B | Staff of Evil Spirit (SOES), Sword of Valhalla [SA Acumen] |
| A | Branch of the Mother Tree [SA Acumen], Sword of Miracles [SA Acumen] |
| S | Arcana Mace |
Swords are preferable because you can use a shield with them. Play style also matters: for PvP take a weapon with SA Acumen (the opponent has less chance to interrupt your cast), for leveling one with SA Empower (+M.Atk).
Necromancer summons
The Necromancer is not a pure summoner, but his set of summons is no smaller:
- Corrupted Man - feeds on D crystals, takes 90% of experience. The clear choice for sieges and PvP.
- Reanimated Man - eats more D crystals but takes 30% of experience.
- Cursed Man (C4) - feeds on C crystals, takes 15% of experience and can use Soulshots/Spiritshots (like the Dark Panther). The best choice for leveling.
There are also summons from the "cat keeper" (Warlock) arsenal:
- Mew the Cat - a combat summon, 90% experience.
- Kai the Cat - gives you MP, 15% experience.
Both eat D crystals, and their skills do not level after the second profession.
With this toolkit you can comfortably take a Necromancer to high levels, where any clan will gladly accept him and any party will be happy to have him.
PvP (player vs player)
The Necromancer is often called an "uber class" - one that is hard for any other class to beat. That is quite true.
- Mages are the easiest opponents. The key is Silence, which takes away the ability to cast for a long time. It is harder against a Spellhowler or another Necromancer: whoever lands Silence first wins. Because of mages' high damage output, the Necromancer takes them down quickly.
- Archers are dangerous with Stun Shot and Double Shot: the first lands often, the second takes a lot of HP relative to your pool.
- Against non-mages use Sleep first, then debuffs: Curse Gloom (very important - lowers M.Def), Curse Weakness and others - there are many debuffs.
- Against a tank, dagger user or archer: Sleep - debuffs - Death Spike - ... - Vampiric Claw - Sleep - heal frantically - Vampiric Claw - finish with Death Spike.
- Against a summoner: put his summon to sleep and try to reach the character himself - he is weak, and once he is dead you can deal with the summon.
- Important: never be the first to flag (go purple).
In skilled hands the Necromancer is without a doubt a PvP machine.
PvM (party vs monsters)
In a party against monsters the Necromancer is a very powerful damage dealer, so mobs often aggro on him, which must not be allowed: he is a mage after all, with little HP and an interruptible cast. Rooted mobs go down very nicely. Against caster mobs use Silence - your friends will thank you - and Curse Gloom against all mobs.
It is good to level in a party with tanks, a Shillien Elder (the best buffer for a mage - Empower, Wild Magic), a Prophet (also good - Acumen, Berserker Spirit (party only), Bless the Soul, Bless the Body, etc.) and a Bladedancer. At high levels the Necromancer is eagerly taken into catacombs and the Tower of Insolence (TOI), as he is a very strong damage dealer. TOI is quite a good spot for party leveling: as you level, you move up the floors, leveling well and collecting good loot.
Mass PvP
In sieges, clan wars and the like, the Necromancer is a dangerous opponent, so the enemy tries to take him out first: do not rush forward. First put Silence on enemy mages, then debuffs and Sleep on archers and dagger users. Leave the tanks alone - they are someone else's job. Only after all this help your allies as a damage dealer. In mass PvP the Necromancer is a debuffer first and a damage dealer second. Remember that Silence is a terrifying skill for enemy mages, and for you as well, so keep track of every mage trying to get within casting range of you.
Tattoos
Any tattoos are fine for a Necromancer, but +INT tattoos (magic attack power) are recommended. STR can safely be cut - you are not going to fight hand to hand.
Original article author: DarkDiMaN