Necromancer Thorns Command Skeletons Solo Build With LoD

Last updated on Jun 03, 2025 at 09:00 by Deadset 57 comments

Welcome to our build guide for LoD Thorns Skeletons 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 2.7.8 and Season 35.

1.

Introduction

Focusing on the combination of Legacy of Dreams's adaptability, underlying Thorns synergy and the natural summoner capabilities of the class, the LoD Skeleton and Golem Necromancer offers a quirky solo pushing variant to the class. This methodical and mechanically simple playstyle is meant strictly for solo GR pushing.

2.

Quick Reference

2.1.

Skill Setup

The basic skill setup of the Solo LoD Skeleton Necromancer is displayed below. Read the dedicated Skills page for detailed information on choices, alternatives and build customization.

Active Skills
Left Mouse Button Leech Icon Leech Cursed Ground Cursed Ground Right Mouse Button Devour Icon Devour Satiated Satiated 1 Frailty Icon Frailty Scent of Blood Scent of Blood 2 Command Golem Icon Command Golem Bone Golem Bone Golem 3 Command Skeletons Icon Command Skeletons Dark Mending Dark Mending 4 Bone Armor Icon Bone Armor Thy Flesh Sustained Thy Flesh Sustained
Passive Skills
2.2.

Gear Setup

The required gear setup for the Solo LoD Skeleton Necromancer is listed below. Check the Gear page for detailed information on choices, alternatives, gemming, Kanai's Cube and Paragon distribution.

2.2.1.

Altar of Rites

The former Season 28 theme, the Altar of Rites, has been revised and re-added to Diablo 3 as a permanent character progression mechanic. — For virtually all builds and players of all skill levels — from casual to advanced — we recommend progressing through the Altar tree using the path outlined below. The suggested path is geared towards maximum quality of life first, then amplifying damage, and then mopping up the tree with defensive and edge case utility nodes.

Note that while they require reaching them with a Seal, Legendary Potion Powers are not part of the Seal cost system; Potions unlock with a separate resource called Primordial Ashes, obtained from salvaging Legendary or Set items of Primal (red bordered) quality. Upgrade them as soon as possible, and in the order shown below (courtesy of Caleko's Altar of Rites planner).

Altar of Rites Planner

You can read more on the Altar of Rites, Seals and Legendary Potion Powers in our dedicated Altar of Rites Mechanics guide.

2.3.

Legendary Gems

2.4.

Kanai's Cube

2.5.

Season 35 Theme — Eternal Conflict

This Season revives the Pandemonium Kill Streak buff from Season 19. Each stack grants a bonus to movement speed and damage, capping at +50% movement speed and +100% damage at 1000 kills. Hitting specific kill thresholds unleashes powerful effects. Read more in our dedicated Season of the Eternal Conflict Mechanics Guide!

While speedfarming sees limited use from this theme, Greater Rift pushing benefits significantly. Effects like Geysers (150), Meteors (400), and Angels (500) can clear elites and Rift Guardians instantly. Players may reset streaks after 150 kills to repeatedly trigger Geysers or push for 500+ kills near boss fights, often using Nemesis Bracers Nemesis Bracers to spawn extra enemies.

Because the most potent effects (Geysers, Meteors, Angels) can obliterate Rift Guardians instantly up to GR150, players can retool builds for efficiency and comfort. Here’s how:

2.5.1.

Legendary Gem Considerations

Since you can rely on killstreak procs to clear the Rift Guardian, Bane of the Stricken Bane of the Stricken can be safely omitted in favor of:

2.5.2.

Equipment and Skill Flexibility

Adjust your equipment to items that favor durability, health sustain, and ease of movement. Consider adjusting non-essential skills for the build to ones that pull, reposition, or otherwise displace enemies to facilitate large pulls of enemy packs. In more concrete terms, this means:

  • For class-specific items, Necromancers should consider Dayntee's Binding Dayntee's Binding if it's absent from the build; this is a powerful damage reduction item that incentivizes you to be mindful of utility skills by spreading curses on as large of an enemy pull as possible (especially in conjunction with popular Necro passives such as Spreading Malediction Spreading Malediction). This synergizes well with the killstreak theme.
  • For additional options that balance between defense and offense, the class-specific amulet Wisdom of Kalan Wisdom of Kalan extends the Bone Armor Bone Armor stack maximum and can fit into several builds, while other helpful cross-class jewelry includes Unity Unity (combined with the same ring on the follower plus a follower immortality token), and the Endless Walk set (The Traveler's Pledge The Traveler's Pledge and The Compass Rose The Compass Rose).
  • Situational items that can bolster your defenses include Stone Gauntlets Stone Gauntlets, the drawbacks of which are negated via CC-immunity effects like Ice Climbers Ice Climbers, or the Altar of Rites CC-immunity node. The class-specific Razeth's Volition Razeth's Volition and the class-agnostic Aquila Cuirass Aquila Cuirass are powerful and popular choices for low Essence-spending builds, especially ones built around generators like LoD Poison Scythe. A final niche consideration is Mantle of Channeling Mantle of Channeling, which balances between defense and offense for channeling builds, often built around Iron Rose Iron Rose.
  • Utility items like Nemesis Bracers Nemesis Bracers are essential as more elites mean more killstreak maintenance and faster progression. When soloing, they should be equipped by your follower; in groups, at least one party member should commit to wearing them. When focusing strictly on speed, Steuart's Greaves Steuart's Greaves can be a powerful inclusion for scouting, but builds that are locked into other items for the slot can turn to niche options like Warzechian Armguards Warzechian Armguards or Krelm's Buff Belt Krelm's Buff Belt. To facilitate large pulls, consider using a Follower equipped with The Ess of Johan The Ess of Johan, a proc-based analogue to an enemy-pulling skill (albeit outside your control).
  • Skill-wise, make sure to include at least one movement skill tool like Blood Rush Blood Rush. While Necromancers lack an easily available enemy-pulling tool (Rathma Necros build around Army of the Dead Army of the Dead Death Valley Death Valley, but are an exception), a stunning skill like Bone Armor Bone Armor Dislocation Dislocation can help manage large packs of enemies and doubles as a Krysbin's Sentence Krysbin's Sentence proc. Take a look if you can include passives like Final Service Final Service (for a cheat-death) or Fueled by Death Fueled by Death (for extra movement speed).
3.

Changelog

  • 03 Jun. 2025 (gear page): Added Season 35 Eternal Conflict killstreak recommendations.
  • 03 Jun. 2025 (skills page): Skills and passives reviewed for Season 35.
  • 03 Jun. 2025 (this page): Added Season 35 Eternal Conflict killstreak recommendations.
  • 20 Jan. 2025 (gear page): Added Season 34 Angelic Crucible recommendations.
  • 20 Jan. 2025 (skills page): Skills and passives reviewed for Season 34.
  • 20 Jan. 2025 (this page): Added Season 34 Angelic Crucible recommendations.
  • 22 Oct. 2024 (gear page): Added Season 33 advice for 4th Kanai slot.
  • 22 Oct. 2024 (skills page): Skills and passives reviewed for Season 33.
  • 22 Oct. 2024 (this page): Added Season 33 advice for 4th Kanai slot.
  • 10 Jul. 2024 (gear page): Added Season 32 advice for ethereal weapons.
  • 10 Jul. 2024 (skills page): Skills and passives reviewed for Season 32.
  • 10 Jul. 2024 (this page): Added Season 32 advice for ethereal weapons.
  • 10 Apr. 2024 (gear page): Added Season 31 advice for the unbound Kanai's Cube slots.
  • 10 Apr. 2024 (skills page): Skills and passives reviewed for Season 31.
  • 10 Apr. 2024 (this page): Added Season 31 advice for the unbound Kanai's Cube slots.
  • 10 Jan. 2024 (gear page): Revised guide for the permanent addition of the Altar of Rites, and added Season-specific Soul Shard recommendations.
  • 10 Jan. 2024 (skills page): Skills and passives reviewed for Season 30.
  • 10 Jan. 2024 (this page): Revised guide for the permanent addition of the Altar of Rites, and added Season-specific Soul Shard recommendations.
  • 13 Sep. 2023 (gear page): Added Season 29 Paragon Cap and Gearing recommendations.
  • 13 Sep. 2023 (skills page): Skills and passives reviewed for Season 29.
  • 13 Sep. 2023 (this page): Added Season 29 Paragon Cap and Gearing recommendations.
  • 22 Feb. 2023 (gear page): Added Season 28 Altar of Rites recommendations.
  • 22 Feb. 2023 (skills page): Skills and passives reviewed for Season 28.
  • 22 Feb. 2023 (this page): Added Season 28 Altar of Rites recommendations.
  • 26 Aug. 2022 (gear page): Added Season 27 Angelic Crucible recommendations.
  • 26 Aug. 2022 (skills page): Skills and passives reviewed for Season 27.
  • 26 Aug. 2022 (this page): Added Season 27 Angelic Crucible recommendations.
  • 14 Apr. 2022 (gear page): Guide reviewed for Season 26.
  • 14 Apr. 2022 (skills page): Guide reviewed for Season 26.
  • 14 Apr. 2022 (this page): Guide reviewed for Season 26.
  • 08 Dec. 2021 (gear page): Added Season 25 Soul Shard recommendations.
  • 08 Dec. 2021 (skills page): No changes required for Season 25.
  • 08 Dec. 2021 (this page): Added Season 25 Soul Shard recommendations.
  • 22 Jul. 2021 (gear page): Added S24 Ethereal recommendation.
  • 22 Jul. 2021 (skills page): No changes required for Season 24.
  • 22 Jul. 2021 (this page): Added S24 Ethereal recommendation.
  • 01 Apr. 2021 (gear page): Added follower recommendation.
  • 01 Apr. 2021 (skills page): No changes required for Season 23.
  • 01 Apr. 2021 (this page): Added follower recommendation.
  • 19 Nov. 2020 (gear page): Added S22 Cube recommendation.
  • 19 Nov. 2020 (skills page): No changes required for Season 22.
  • 19 Nov. 2020 (this page): Added S22 Cube recommendation.
  • 02 Jul. 2020 (gear page): No changes required for Season 21.
  • 02 Jul. 2020 (skills page): No changes required for Season 21.
  • 02 Jul. 2020 (this page): No changes required for Season 21.
  • 12 Mar. 2020 (gear page): Revised jewelry options and added non-Golem gearing alternatives for Season 20.
  • 12 Mar. 2020 (skills page): Minor revisions to skill and rune selections for Season 20.
  • 12 Mar. 2020 (this page): Skills and item choices revised and enriched for Season 20.
  • 22 Nov. 2019 (gear page): Reviewed for Season 19.
  • 22 Nov. 2019 (skills page): Reviewed for Season 19.
  • 22 Nov. 2019 (this page): Reviewed for Season 19.
  • 23 Aug. 2019 (gear page): Item recommendations have been revised for Season 18.
  • 23 Aug. 2019 (skills page): Skills were reviewed and approved for Season 18.
  • 23 Aug. 2019 (this page): Item recommendations have been revised for Season 18.
  • 23 May 2019 (gear page): Minor fixes to the guide.
  • 23 May 2019 (skills page): Minor fixes to the guide.
  • 23 May 2019 (this page): Minor fixes to the guide.
  • 17 May 2019 (gear page): Guide was reviewed and approved for Season 17.
  • 17 May 2019 (skills page): Guide was reviewed and approved for Season 17.
  • 17 May 2019 (this page): Guide was reviewed and approved for Season 17.
  • 12 May 2019 (gear page): Guide was revised with additional recommendations for Season 17's LoN buff.
  • 12 May 2019 (this page): Guide was revised with additional recommendations for Season 17's LoN buff.
  • 27 Mar. 2019 (gear page): Guide added.
  • 27 Mar. 2019 (skills page): Guide added.
  • 27 Mar. 2019 (this page): Guide added.
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