Best ESO Necromancer Build List – Updated August 2026

Latest Update: August 2, 2026 – Categories: ESO Builds

The Necromancer Class in The Elder Scrolls Online is a master of the undead, raising corpses and undead minions to do their will. These Necromancer Builds are great for Beginners, Solo gameplay, Group Content including Veteran Dungeons, PVE, and PVP!

Best ESO Necromancer Build List

The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) Necromancer class is a master of the undead, raising corpses and ghosts to do their will. With the right builds, Necromancers can be extremely powerful and excel in various roles, including damage dealers, healers, and tanks. In this guide, we will explore the best ESO Necromancer builds for different playstyles and provide tips on how to optimize your build for maximum performance.

Whether you prefer to weave ghastly spells from a distance or command undead thralls in melee range, the Necromancer class offers a unique and versatile playstyle that can be tailored to your preferences. From solo adventures to group dungeons and intense PvP battles, these builds will help you harness the full potential of the Necromancer in the Elder Scrolls Online.

Ready to take your Necromancer Build to the next level in The Elder Scrolls Online? Then you are in the right place! We’ve put together the BEST ESO Necromancer Builds for players of all skill levels, including Beginner Builds, Solo Builds, Group Builds, and much more! The Necromancer Class can be extremely powerful with these builds as a model to help you get started. Utilizing a back bar setup can significantly enhance your build’s efficiency and damage output, allowing you to switch between different sets of abilities seamlessly.

Is Necromancer A Good Class In ESO?

The Necromancer Class in The Elder Scrolls Online is a great choice for all types of content and is in high demand, particularly for group content, because of its powerful debuffs. In terms of class theme and identity, Necromancers are pretty likely what you would expect: summoning Skeletal pets and other dark creatures to do your dirty work for you. The use of short-duration pets, tethering abilities, and corpse management makes the Necromancer one of the most unique and skillful classes in the game, though it can be challenging to play, especially for newer players.

Necromancers excel in both PVE and PVP and are highly desired in both cases. Their powerful Ultimates can be a game-changer when turning around a keep battle in Cyrodiil or for stacking Necromancers and burning bosses in PVE. In PVP especially, the Necromancer’s amazing Passive Skills let them survive longer than most classes and their ability to time their damage dealing abilities to all hit at once can result in big damage spikes. So. if you’re interested in a summoner style build with great healing, defense and offensive capability that’s strong in almost every area of the game then definitely check out the Necromancer class.

What Skills Are Best For The Necromancer?

The best Necromancer skill is Blighted Blastbones, which deals massive AOE damage to surrounding enemies.

Necromancers are summoning masters in The Elder Scrolls Online with many powerful short-duration pets like Skeletal Arcanist and Skeletal Archer.

Necromancer Tanks will want to make consistent use of skills like Beckoning Armor for the extra resistances and to pull in enemies for easier crowd control.

Necromancer Healers can use skills like Blood Sacrifice for direct healing and Braided Tether for AOE healing.

PVP-focused Necromancers will want to make use of skills like Hexproof to remove negative effects.

The best Necromancer Ultimate is Glacial Colossus which does massive AOE damage while also debuffing them with Major Vulnerability to increase their damage taken from all others.

For more information on Necromancer Skills explore the Necromancer Class Skill Line Guides below.

Necromancer Skill Lines

Grave Lord

Imbue the dead with frost, fire, and lightning to bring ruin upon your enemies. Raise the relentless undead and allow your fallen enemies to intensify your unyielding assault.

Bone Tyrant

Bend and break the dead to your will and use their remains to create impenetrable barriers and extend your own life. Control the battlefield with the bones of the departed.

Living Death

Draw from the power of life and death to replenish and restore your allies. Resurrect your defeated comrades and keep them in the fight.

Choosing the Best ESO Necromancer Build

Choosing the best ESO Necromancer build depends on your playstyle and preferences. If you’re a beginner, you may want to start with a beginner-friendly build that focuses on survivability and ease of play. A beginner or leveling build is recommended, or you can swap to a build focused on Heavy Attacks.

If you’re looking for a more challenging build, you may want to consider a build that focuses on high damage output or complex rotations. In the builds list above, we provide an overview of the different types of ESO Necromancer builds and help you choose the best one for your needs.

For those new to the Necromancer class, a build that emphasizes defensive capabilities and straightforward mechanics can be a great starting point. As you become more comfortable with the necromancer skill lines and abilities, you can experiment with more advanced setups that offer higher damage and intricate skill rotations. Whether you aim to dominate in solo content, excel in group dungeons, or wreak havoc in PvP, there’s a perfect Necromancer build waiting for you.

PvE Dungeon & Trial META Necromancer Builds

PvE Dungeon & Trial META Necromancer builds are designed for group play and focus on optimizing the setup for maximum performance. These builds typically rely heavily on other group members and have a cookie-cutter approach. In this section, we will provide an overview of the best PvE Dungeon & Trial META Necromancer builds and provide tips on how to optimize your build for maximum performance.

In group settings, Necromancers shine with their ability to debuff enemies and support allies. META builds often include skills that apply Major Vulnerability, increasing the damage enemies take from all sources. This makes Necromancers invaluable in dungeons and trials, where coordinated attacks can quickly turn the tide of battle. By following these optimized builds, you can ensure that your Necromancer is contributing effectively to your group’s success.

What Weapons Are Best For The Necromancer?

The best weapon for a Necromancer in The Elder Scrolls Online is Dual Wield daggers. This weapon type is preferred for the increased Critical Chance that daggers obtain through the Twin Blade and Blunt passive.

If you prefer to play at range then a Staff or a Bow is a great option for the Necromancer class as well, as this will do a great job pairing with some of the Necromancer’s powerful ranged abilities.

What Armor Should a Necromancer Wear?

The best armor for the Necromancer class in The Elder Scrolls Online is medium armor, which provides bonuses to Critical Damage, Weapon and Spell Damage, Stamina Recovery and Cost Reduction of Stamina-based skills.

There are some exceptions to this rule, particularly if you prefer magicka-based skills. In this case you will want to prioritize light armor instead which boosts your Critical Chance, Offensive Penetration, Magicka Recovery and Magicka Cost Reduction.

Tanks as well as players interested in PVP will also want to invest in some solid Heavy Armor sets for the extra protection.

For more information on Armor Types in ESO check out our full guide here.

What Is The Best Race For Necromancer?

The best race for a Necromancer in The Elder Scrolls Online is Dark Elf due to their bonus Max Magicka and Max Stamina and increased Weapon and Spell Damage which provides better damage and sustain for all resource types.

It is important to note that sometimes other races can be preferred depending on what particular build you are trying to optimize for. For more details be sure to review our ESO Race Guides for each role.

Optimizing Your ESO Necromancer Build

Optimizing your ESO Necromancer build requires a deep understanding of the game mechanics and the Necromancer class. In this section, we will provide tips on how to optimize your build, including how to choose the right gear, skills, and rotations. We will also cover how to use the Necromancer’s unique abilities, such as Major Vulnerability and melee range, to maximize your damage output.

To get the most out of your Necromancer, it’s crucial to select gear that complements your chosen build. For instance, light armor is ideal for magicka necromancers, boosting your magicka recovery and offensive penetration. Additionally, mastering skill rotations and understanding when to deploy your most powerful abilities, like Glacial Colossus, can significantly enhance your performance. By fine-tuning these elements, you can transform your Necromancer into a formidable force in any scenario.

Best ESO Necromancer Builds for Different Playstyles

In this section, we will provide an overview of the best ESO Necromancer builds for different playstyles. We will cover builds for beginners, solo players, group players, and PvP players. We will also provide tips on how to customize your build to fit your playstyle and preferences.

For beginners, a build that balances offense and defense can provide a smooth introduction to the Necromancer class. Solo players might prefer a stamina necromancer build with high survivability and self-healing capabilities. Group players can focus on builds that enhance team synergy, while PvP enthusiasts might opt for setups that maximize burst damage and crowd control. No matter your playstyle, these builds will help you make the most of your Necromancer in the Elder Scrolls Online.

ESO Necromancer Builds FAQ

1. Is the Necromancer a good class in ESO?

Yes. The Necromancer is a powerful and versatile class that excels in all three roles, with particularly high demand in group content thanks to its unique debuffs and one of the strongest ultimates in the game in Glacial Colossus.

2. Is the Necromancer good for beginners?

The Necromancer is one of the more challenging classes to pick up because of its corpse management mechanics and short-duration pet timing. Beginners are better served starting with a Heavy Attack or one bar build to learn the class before moving into more complex rotations.

3. Do I need to buy Elsweyr to play the Necromancer?

No. The Necromancer class can be purchased separately for 1,500 Crowns directly from the Crown Store without owning the Elsweyr DLC. Buying a current chapter collection that includes all previous chapters will also unlock the class.

4. Does ESO+ give me access to the Necromancer class?

No. ESO+ grants access to DLC content in the Crown Store but does not unlock paid classes. The Necromancer must be purchased separately or obtained through a chapter collection.

5. What makes the Necromancer unique compared to other ESO classes?

The Necromancer’s corpse management system sets it apart entirely. Many of its most powerful abilities require or are amplified by the presence of enemy corpses, and managing short-duration skeletal pets and tethering abilities gives the class a skill floor unlike any other in the game.

6. Can I use Necromancer abilities in towns?

Some Necromancer abilities are flagged as Criminal Acts, meaning using them in front of NPCs in towns and cities will generate a bounty and trigger a guard response. Using abilities in open world areas outside of towns is fine.

7. What is the best Necromancer skill in ESO?

Blighted Blastbones is the standout damage skill, dealing massive AOE damage around the target. Glacial Colossus is the best ultimate, hitting multiple enemies with big damage while applying Major Vulnerability to increase the damage they take from all sources.

8. Is the Necromancer good for solo content?

Yes. The Necromancer’s self-healing through Living Death skills, durable skeletal pets, and strong AOE damage make it capable in solo content, though managing corpses in mobile or fast-paced fights takes practice to master.

9. Is the Necromancer good in PvP?

Yes. The Necromancer has standout passive survivability compared to most classes and the ability to stack damage abilities to all land at the same time, creating powerful burst windows that are hard to predict and punish.

10. Can the Necromancer function as a healer or tank?

Absolutely. Blood Sacrifice and Braided Tether make the Necromancer a strong group healer, and Beckoning Armor combined with powerful utility passives makes it one of the most reliable tank options in the game.

How To Create Powerful ESO Builds

Crafting the Perfect Build for you in The Elder Scrolls Online can be frustrating. Which skills are best for each class? What about passives? The best race? The best armor type and weapons? The best trait and glyphs? There are literally THOUSANDS of different options!

This is why we created the ESO Zero To Hero Build Academy – A Simple, yet Powerful build system that teaches the fundamentals of ESO Theorycrafting, step-by-step.

Build your character exactly how YOU want by following this simple process from start to finish and FINALLY start enjoying ESO the way you want to play it!

Our Guides are designed with New and Intermediate players in mind! Stop wasting hours searching the internet for the best ESO build information – get what you need NOW to succeed!

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About Hack The Minotaur

Hack The Minotaur (HTM) is a professional Gaming Writer and YouTube Creator with decades of experience in Gaming. Hack is the owner of HackTheMinotaur.com – a gaming site for helpful character builds and guides for some of the biggest video game franchises in the world.

Hack loves gaming content, particularly Traditional RPG’s, Action RPG’s and MMO’s. Go check out his main YouTube Channel for builds and guides on popular series like the Elder Scrolls and Fallout, check out his 2nd Channel for even more gaming guides, and make sure to check out his X Profile for updates on what content is coming next!