Necromancer Corpse Lance Build
Welcome to our build guide for Corpse Lance Necromancer in Diablo 3. Here, you will learn everything you need to know to play this build at the highest level. This build is updated for patch 2.6.4 and Season 16.
For more information regarding followers, we advise you to read our follower guide, which contains detailed advice on choosing the skills and the gear of your companion.
1. Introduction
The Corpse Lance Necromancer is a powerful elite hunting build, capable of the whole spectrum of content difficulty with minor adjustments and adaptable either to the Pestilence or Trag'Oul sets. This daredevil, burst damage spec is available in s Greater Rift progression (solo and group) and regular Rift farming variations, explained in that order.
2. Video Guide
The following video guide was created to accompany the present written guide and demonstrate how to play the build in-game.
3. Quick Reference
3.1. Skill Setup
The basic skill setup of the Corpse Lance Necromancer is displayed below. Read the dedicated Skills page for detailed information on choices, alternatives and build customization.
4. Builds
| Active Skills |
|---|
Corpse Lance
 Brittle Touch
Blood Rush
 Molting
1
Devour
Satiated
2
Decrepify
 Borrowed Time
3
Simulacrum
 Reservoir
4
Land of the Dead
Frozen Lands
|
| Passive Skills |
| Active Skills |
|---|
Grim Scythe
Cursed Scythe
Blood Rush
Molting
1
Devour
Satiated
2
Corpse Lance
Brittle Touch
3
Simulacrum
Reservoir
4
Land of the Dead
Frozen Lands
|
| Passive Skills |
| Active Skills |
|---|
|
Corpse Lance
Blood Lance
Blood Rush
No rune chosen
1
Devour
Cannibalize
2
Decrepify
Borrowed Time
3
Simulacrum
Reservoir
4
Land of the Dead
Frozen Lands
|
| Passive Skills |
| Active Skills |
|---|
Corpse Lance
Ricochet
Blood Rush
Molting
1
Bone Armor
Dislocation
2
Devour
Cannibalize
3
Bone Spear
Blighted Marrow
4
Land of the Dead
Frozen Lands
|
| Passive Skills |
4.1. Gear Setup
The required gear setup for the Corpse Lance Necromancer is listed below. Check the Gear page for detailed information on choices, alternatives, gemming, Kanai's Cube and Paragon distribution. It also includes detailed explanations for Season 16 adjustments.
- Helm:
Pestilence Mask (or 
Leoric's Crown in Season 16) - Shoulders:
Pestilence Defense - Gloves:
Pestilence Gloves - Chest:
Pestilence Robe - Belt:
Dayntee's Binding - Pants:
Pestilence Incantations - Boots:
Pestilence Battle Boots - Bracers:
Nemesis Bracers - Amulet:
The Traveler's Pledge - Ring 1:
The Compass Rose - Ring 2:
Convention of Elements - Weapon:
Trag'Oul's Corroded Fang - Offhand:
Lost Time
4.2. Legendary Gems
- Legendary Gem 1:
Molten Wildebeest's Gizzard - Legendary Gem 2:
Bane of the Trapped - Legendary Gem 3:
Zei's Stone of Vengeance
4.3. Kanai's Cube
- Weapon Slot:
Reilena's Shadowhook - Armor Slot:
Corpsewhisper Pauldrons - Jewelry Slot:
Krysbin's Sentence
5. Role in the Current Meta
This build is ranked as the Top Tier solo and group pushing build for its class in the current Season.
This build is oriented mostly at solo Rifting (Greater and Normal). Due to its mediocre mobility on long distances, it is not recommended for Bounties. It is also not recommended for group Greater Rifts past the point where every party member can handle the content on his own.
6. Changelog
- 18 Jan. 2019 (gear page): Added suggestions for the baseline Ring of Royal Grandeur for Seasonal characters.
- 18 Jan. 2019 (this page): Guide was revised with additional recommendations for Season 16.
- 18 Jan. 2019 (skills page): Information was reviewed and approved for Season 16 with no changes required.
- 20 Sep. 2018 (this page): Guide was reviewed and approved for Season 15.
- 14 Jun. 2018 (this page): Guide was reviewed and approved for Season 14.
- 26 Nov. 2017 (this page): Added the Pestilence group variation, adjusted Passive selection.
- 26 Nov. 2017 (gear page): Expanded the gearing explanations to clarify proper item rolls.
- 26 Nov. 2017 (skills page): Spreading Malediction is now a default choice and Decrepify its alternative.
- 26 Nov. 2017 (group progression variant page): Added the group progression variant.
- 12 Nov. 2017 (skills page): Added a passive alteration for an endgame optimized character.
- 27 Oct. 2017 (speed farming variant page): Reworked the variant to a Pestilence setup.
- 27 Oct. 2017 (gear page): The Pestilence set is now the main setup (and Trag'Oul is a variation).
- 27 Oct. 2017 (skills page): Guide shifted to suggest Pestilence set as the main setup, and Trag'Oul as a variation.
- 27 Oct. 2017 (this page): Guide shifted to suggest Pestilence set as the main setup, and Trag'Oul as a variation.
- 27 Oct. 2017 (trag'oul variant page): Moved Trag'Oul as a progression variant.
- 15 Jul. 2017 (speed farming variant page): Updated the speed farming guide with optimized suggestions.
- 12 Jul. 2017 (this page): Guide updated to reflect the meta shift to Simulacrum.
- 12 Jul. 2017 (gear page): Guide updated to reflect the meta shift to Simulacrum.
- 12 Jul. 2017 (skills page): Guide updated to reflect the meta shift to Simulacrum.
- 07 Jul. 2017 (gear page): Gear recommendations updated.
- 07 Jul. 2017 (skills page): Skill recommendations updated.
- 26 Jun. 2017 (this page): Guide added.
More Necromancer Guides
Builds from Other Classes
Farming Guides
This build is presented to you by Deadset, one of the very few professional Diablo 3 players. Deadset regularly publishes video guides on Youtube and streams on Twitch, where you can see how this and other builds play out in practice.
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- Salvage Guide
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