Executive Summary
The Bone Spear Necromancer represents the pinnacle of burst damage potential for the class in Season 8. This build transforms traditional Bone Spears into devastating Blood Spears through the synergy of Indira's Memory, creating a high-risk, high-reward playstyle that demands precision but rewards mastery with unparalleled damage output.
Core Build Philosophy
This build operates on a fundamental principle: converting health expenditure into overwhelming damage through blood magic. By utilizing Indira's Memory to transform Bone Spears into Blood Spears, we achieve exceptional scaling through both Blood and Overpower mechanics. The critical gameplay loop revolves around strategic positioning and careful resource management to maximize damage while maintaining survivability.
Advantages and Limitations
Primary Strengths
- Exceptional single-target and area damage potential
- Rapid clear speed when properly equipped
- Anticipated to dominate Necromancer performance metrics in Season 8
Key Challenges
- Health depletion mechanics require precise execution
- Mandatory positioning requirements for optimal damage
- Gear dependency for comfortable gameplay experience
Critical Equipment Requirements
Mandatory Unique Items
The cornerstone of the build, enabling the Blood Spear transformation by consuming corpses and 10% maximum life per cast.
Amplifies critical strike damage and creates echo effects for additional damage layers.
Enhances Bone Prison functionality with expanded area coverage and Bone Splinter projectiles, while providing crucial Essence scaling.
Essential Legendary Aspect
Skill Configuration
Active Skill Loadout
- Bone Spear - Primary damage dealer, transformed into Blood Spear
- Bone Prison - Critical setup tool for guaranteed Overpower hits
- Soulrift - Defensive and utility skill
- Blood Mist - Emergency defensive mechanism
- Corpse Tendrils - Crowd control and grouping tool
- Blight - Damage amplification within Bone Prison
Skill Point Distribution
The build utilizes 71 skill points, incorporating Renown bonuses for complete optimization. Focus prioritizes maximizing Bone Spear ranks, supporting passives for Blood and Overpower scaling, and essential defensive allocations.
Book of the Dead Configuration
All minion types are sacrificed for permanent passive bonuses:
- Melee Skeleton Defenders: Sacrificed for elemental resistance enhancement
- Bone Mage Skeletons: Sacrificed for Overpower damage amplification
- Iron Golem: Sacrificed for critical strike damage increase
Equipment Optimization
| Equipment Slot | Item/Aspect | Gems/Runewords | Priority Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helmet | Deathless Visage | Tam + Wat (Runeword) | Critical strike damage scaling with echo generation |
| Chest Armor | Hardened Bones Aspect | Royal Topaz | Essence regeneration, Maximum Life, Intelligence |
| Gloves | Accelerating Aspect | - | Bone Spear ranks, Critical Strike Chance, Maximum Life |
| Pants | Indira's Memory | Royal Topaz | Maximum Life and/or Tides of Blood ranks |
| Boots | Path of Trag'Oul | - | Bone Skills ranks |
| Two-Handed Mace | Grasping Veins Aspect | Cir + Vex (Runeword) | Maximum Life, Intelligence, Resource restoration |
| Amulet | Dark Dance Aspect (50% scaling slot) | Royal Skull | Coalesced Blood ranks, Intelligence, Critical Strike Chance |
| Ring 1 | Bone Duster's Aspect | Royal Skull | Attack Speed, Maximum Life, Intelligence |
| Ring 2 | Sacrificial Aspect | Royal Skull | Attack Speed, Maximum Life, Intelligence |
Mythic Unique Option
Shroud of False Death serves as an exceptional chest armor upgrade, prioritizing Maximum Life and All Stats for optimization.
Tempering Strategy
Primary Tempering Manuals
Masterworking Priorities
Focus enhancement on affixes marked as primary priorities in each slot, particularly Maximum Life, Attack Speed, and skill ranks.
Gems and Runewords
Gem Configuration
- Weapons: Runeword combinations as specified
- Armor: Royal Topaz for Intelligence scaling
- Jewelry: Royal Skull until armor cap (1000), then Royal Diamond
Runeword Combinations
Essential Runewords
Paragon Board Strategy
Board Progression Order
- Starting Board - Foundation for core stats and initial pathing
- Bone Graft - Primary damage scaling board
- Blood Begets Blood - Health and Blood skill synergies
- Scent of Death - Corpse generation and utility
- Flesh-Eater - Consumption mechanics enhancement
- Cult Leader - Damage amplification through sacrifice bonuses
Legendary Node Priorities
- Bone Graft Board: Bone Graft node for physical damage scaling
- Blood Begets Blood Board: Blood Begets Blood node for fortify and blood skill synergy
- Scent of Death Board: Scent of Death node for corpse generation efficiency
- Flesh-Eater Board: Essence Glutton for resource management
- Cult Leader Board: Cult Leader node for sacrifice bonus amplification
Glyph Placement Strategy
- Priority 1: Sacrificial in high-radius board for maximum coverage
- Priority 2: Territorial for damage reduction
- Priority 3: Essence for resource management
- Priority 4: Exploit for vulnerable damage
- Priority 5: Corporeal for physical damage
Level Progression Guidelines
Key Stat Benchmarks
- Intelligence: 1000+ through paragon investment
- Maximum Life: 40,000+ at full optimization
- Armor: 1000 (capped)
- Attack Speed: 2.0+ attacks per second
- Critical Strike Chance: 50%+ before temporary buffs
Node Priority System
- Damage nodes affecting Physical/Bone/Blood skills
- Maximum Life percentage nodes
- Intelligence nodes
- Resistance nodes (until capped)
- Armor nodes (until capped)
Boss Powers Integration
Primary Selection
Lilith's Wind of Hate - Optimal endgame choice (Alternative: Grigoire's Lightning Square for progression)
Modifier Powers
- Hatred's Embrace's Haste - Attack speed amplification
- Wandering Death's Chest Beam - Additional damage layer
- Lord Zir's Blood Pool - Synergistic blood damage enhancement
Mercenary Configuration
Primary Mercenary: Raheir
- Ground Slam - Crowd control support
- Raheir's Aegis - Defensive utility
- Bastion - Damage reduction
- Inspiration - Resource generation
Reinforcement: Varyana
- Bloodthirst - Triggered on Bone Spear casts for additional damage
Combat Execution Strategy
Core Rotation
Optimal Skill Rotation
Position & Bone Prison
Cast Blight
Bone Spears
Corpse Tendrils
- Position strategically near enemy clusters
- Deploy Bone Prison to trap targets
- Cast Blight within prison area for damage amplification
- Execute Blood Spears exclusively on trapped enemies
- Utilize Corpse Tendrils for grouping scattered enemies
- Maintain Decrepify (automated with Tam + Wat runeword)
Critical Gameplay Rules
- Never cast Blood Spear outside Bone Prison - This will drain life without guaranteed Overpower
- Blood Mist serves as emergency escape - Reserve for critical situations
- Corpse Tendril timing - Use preemptively for optimal grouping
Positioning Fundamentals
- Maintain medium range for optimal Bone Prison placement
- Anticipate enemy movement patterns
- Prioritize elite packs within prison boundaries
- Utilize terrain for natural chokepoints
Consumable Optimization
Elixir Selection
- Primary Choice: Resistance elixirs based on content
- Maximum Life Option: Elixir of Fortitude II
- Budget Alternative: Elixir of Destruction II (Overpower/Vulnerable scaling)
- Resource Management: Elixir of Resourcefulness II for Essence issues
Health Potion Management
Maintain maximum tier health potions appropriate to character level
Season 8 Specific Optimizations
The build benefits significantly from Season 8's improvements:
- Enhanced Indira's Memory functionality through bug fixes
- Improved consistency in Blood Spear mechanics
- General Necromancer quality-of-life improvements
Advanced Optimization Tips
Gear Acquisition Strategy
Target farm specific bosses for unique items:
- Deathless Visage from Lord Varshan
- Indira's Memory from Beast in the Ice
- Path of Trag'Oul from Grigoire's Lair
Transition Recommendations
Begin with standard Bone Spear setup until acquiring Indira's Memory, then transition to Blood Spear mechanics gradually as defensive stats improve.
Performance Benchmarks
Build Progression Milestones
This comprehensive guide provides all necessary information for mastering the Bone Spear Necromancer in Season 8. The build's exceptional damage potential justifies its demanding playstyle, rewarding skilled players with unmatched clear speeds and boss-killing capability.
