Is There Such A Thing As A 2-hand Wielding Necro? - Topic

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Oct 27 2025 12:51pm

Thinking about doing this the next reset. 2-handed necro, preferably with a polearm, to represent the grim reaper. Using bone armor and synergies to get more defense, but also summons of course to make it easier. Clay golem would be essential.

I know the necro has no damage enhancing skills, and attack rating will be a problem. But it sounds like a fun challenge, being in front, slashing away with the summons helping to deal damage.

When thinking about it too...... typically you have like maybe +2 or +3 to either summon skeleton and skeleton mastery. This means perhaps +20-30 damage through normal. Maybe +50 on higher levels. You wielding a polearm, maybe a rare one, you can do 50-100 damage, maybe more. I think it sounds like an okay deal for a different challenge?

Any guides exist for this one?

Taurean

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Oct 28 2025 12:09am

Just wanted to update. I tried it out. Almost no starting gear help, just gold to buy n gamble. Well, i will not lie, running into battle with 55 hit points, and no shield, is kind of hard ^^ this is hardcore too. I think the best thing to do with this, when starting out at least, is to keep using wand n shield/head until you get at least some protective gear and hit points. Because it is pointless using the polearm if you can't run into the fray and just take a lot of damage.

But, it is possible. You CAN let the summons - 3 skeletons (+3 skeleton mastery), 1 clay golem, 1 rogue archer, take the brunt of the damage, while you sneak in and swipe, take out a shaman or someone else. You can play ultra defensively and still contribute to damage output. Just gambled a rare bardiche with like 50% ed, so that helps.

But obviously, never go against something that can deal a lot of damage... just stay back and let the summons do the main work. But it's cool to have the ability to deal at least moderate physical damage with the necro ^^ Very unorthodox. Also put a point into bone shield, that's another 20 hit points. There is a lot of skill points to use ... but i'm excited to see how this turns out at ladder reset. Especially against bosses ^^ Curse i also use, that doubles the damage. But i am not looking forward to facing duriel with this setup ^^ The attack swing speed is slow.. and with freezing aura, i can imagine it being risky ^^ But, i'll figure it out.

The rangeadder on the polearms also helps. The skeletons go in close, you go in, and you stay half a yard behind them. This means the monsters focus on them, not on you, at least 90% of the time.

Mukhalif

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Oct 28 2025 06:13pm

It's a fun idea for sure. I haven't seen any guides on it. I did try a melee necro, though not using polearms. It was slow, risky and AR was a massive issue.

I guess best solution for AR would be Infinity either on yourself or the merc, as lvl12 Conviction removes 83% monster defense rating.

But yeah would be cool to actually see a use for some of those unique scythes with necro skills on. Can't remember their name

This post was edited by Mukhalif on Oct 28 2025 06:15pm

paweljonk

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Oct 29 2025 01:26am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3ZhiHvoET8

bonespear wearbear

Taurean

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Oct 30 2025 04:39pm

Quote (Mukhalif @ 29 Oct 2025 01:13)
It's a fun idea for sure. I haven't seen any guides on it. I did try a melee necro, though not using polearms. It was slow, risky and AR was a massive issue.

I guess best solution for AR would be Infinity either on yourself or the merc, as lvl12 Conviction removes 83% monster defense rating.

But yeah would be cool to actually see a use for some of those unique scythes with necro skills on. Can't remember their name

Thanks for the advice. Infinity is far off ^^ Maybe next ladder if i play through the season ^^

I did some more playing, level 21 now, soon getting to normal travi runs. Still using that rare scythe. I learned something, it does not have rangeadder, just 1, which means i am quite upclose, but still, i got the summons, so i am quite well protected. Leveling clay golem a bit, it slows the enemies, fun as hell ^^ But also using sigon gloves+belt, 30% ias, so he actually swings very fast ^^ and got some ar gear, 500 ar, i hit 80% of the time. Abou 30-60 damage. I helps out, especially with curse.

So i also figured out something else that must be a main strategy, to keep wand+head on switch, with skeleton+mastery and such, summoning skills. And perhaps bone armor. Switching when raising skeletons and those things. It's manageable enough, don't have to do it so often that is becomes a real hassle.

So yeah, it's a fun and different way of playing a necro. The next weapon i am aiming for now, is actually the WAR SCYTHE ....... am going to try gambling for it as soon as i get to level 29. And i will have the stats for it then too. They can also get stat reduction or you can socket it with hel rune or reduction jewel. 80 str 80 dex, quite manageable. The reason for this weapon being, 1) I think it has the scythe look, which is quite essential to this build, the point is to animate the grim reaper ^^ 2) It has FOUR to rangeadder...... 3) It has high ias and good damage.

One unique item comes to mind ... the grim reaper unique war scythe. https://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/normal/upolearms.shtml .. kind of fun ^^ Upgrading it could be a fun thing to do, just having to mind the stat increase. Grim's burning dead also is a fun one: https://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/exceptional/upolearms.shtml .. +3 skills, can be a bit significant with so many different skills, skeletons, golem, bone armor, curse... probably revive too. -50%!! requirements too, that is significant. Such a shame that stormspire, the elite version of war scythe, is such a bad weapon...... though the reaper's toll would be an insanely cool weapon to use on this build... probably the best weapon for it.

Many fun elements to consider with a build like this.

Mukhalif

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Oct 31 2025 02:24am

For early game there's also that cube recipe, think it's:
Any diamond
Any staff
Kris
Belt

Gives you a polearm with the "savage" damage prefix, think they have a chance of rolling exceptional too

gel87

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Oct 31 2025 08:19am

There is one with 50% chance to cast bonespears as synergize.
There is one with 3 all necro skills.

It should be tematical correct to aid with corpse explotion, summons and thorns and amp.

A melee / throwing necro is actually a very easy char to play true normal and nightmare on, even on P8.
Amp + throwing jav or knife early, with a skeleton or two carries far and is way more effective than running around as a barb/pala/assa/ama/sorc early...

The key is edge at level 19 for thorns, and inner sight merc fix ar issues as well.
Later its Faith + bramble + inner sight which fixes it in a better way.

Lazybumi

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Nov 1 2025 08:07am

The visual would be sick on the necro
Maybe wielding a scythe or something cool
Cant possibly think of any end build with it though

SinsOfTheSun

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Nov 1 2025 10:53am

Shift into bear for better attack frames
with brand for 100% ctc lvl 18 bone spears
Or with oath for 30% ctc lvl 20 bone spirit

Brand is much better, 100>30, aoe dmg > single target dmg

You need to put 20 points in all synergies of the skill you are using on ctc.

There is no good “reaper scythe” necro build sadly.

Taurean

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#10

Nov 1 2025 02:39pm

Quote (Mukhalif @ 31 Oct 2025 09:24)
For early game there's also that cube recipe, think it's:
Any diamond
Any staff
Kris
Belt

Gives you a polearm with the "savage" damage prefix, think they have a chance of rolling exceptional too

ilvl 50 humm, early game ... naah... but humm.... rare scythe would probbly be better eh? Just gamble it?

Quote (gel87 @ 31 Oct 2025 15:19)
There is one with 50% chance to cast bonespears as synergize.
There is one with 3 all necro skills.

It should be tematical correct to aid with corpse explotion, summons and thorns and amp.

A melee / throwing necro is actually a very easy char to play true normal and nightmare on, even on P8.
Amp + throwing jav or knife early, with a skeleton or two carries far and is way more effective than running around as a barb/pala/assa/ama/sorc early...

The key is edge at level 19 for thorns, and inner sight merc fix ar issues as well.
Later its Faith + bramble + inner sight which fixes it in a better way.

Heh heh yeah i know, but eh .. lvl 16 or so ... 0 dommage at lvl 50....... The 3 negro skills is the grim reaper, that i menionned....

I actually don't like copse explosion, yes it is effictive, but like .. when you focus on mellee, you go dat way. I don't wanna switch too much styles.......

Trowel negro, now that sounds a bit ... strange, butt cool too. Can probbly deal some dommage, with curse. But, that would be a different build altogheter, this is the grim reaper negro, with the scythe looks.... But it's a fun idea! Thanks! :)

Edge is 24 i think .. or 25... thorns is okay then, but eh ... not too hard. The deal with a1 merc's inner sight is good. The defense is lowered n you hit more often.

Faith okay, goodone, but i will never get to make it. Mayeb though.... thank you for the tip!!

Brable ... not gonna make that ...... need strongeth armor.....

Thanks for the tips :)

Quote (SinsOfTheSun @ 1 Nov 2025 17:53)
Shift into bear for better attack frames
with brand for 100% ctc lvl 18 bone spears
Or with oath for 30% ctc lvl 20 bone spirit

Brand is much better, 100>30, aoe dmg > single target dmg

You need to put 20 points in all synergies of the skill you are using on ctc.

There is no good “reaper scythe” necro build sadly.

Gotta have the scythe out... grim reaper look. So no shifting here...

Brand no point, better with harmony... i can cast curs... bone spar is zero dommage at even nightmare...

Oaht too, good waepon, but no point in it.... lvl 20 bs is bs dmg .... gotta be propered synergie'd up :)

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