Necromancers – How to Exploit their Fatal Weaknesses

As a veteran gamer who has faced my share of necromancer bosses, I know firsthand how challenging these masters of death can be. But the right damage types and tactics can quickly turn the tables against these seemingly unstoppable undead commanders. In this guide, I‘ll share expert strategies for every class to effectively leverage necromancer weaknesses.

The Undead‘s Bane – Radiant & Holy Damage

Of all the damage types, radiant and holy energy are by far the most devastating to necromancers. These life-affirming forces are the natural bane of these twisted manipulators of negative energy. Weapons or spells that deal radiant/holy damage essentially short-circuit the dark powers that fuel undead and necromancy.

In the Elder Scrolls series, radiant damage ignores 75% of undead resistance, while holy weapons like Auriel‘s Bow banish raised enemies. In Dungeons & Dragons, sacred flames and holy smites deal extra radiant damage to undead foes. So when facing a lich or vampire necromancer, equip your Silver Swords and Holy Avengers!

Here are some great radiant/holy attacks ideal for countering necromancers:

Paladin – Divine Smite, Sacred Weapon
Cleric – Sacred Flame, Dawn, Sunbeam
Sorcerer – Radiant Soul

Poison Adds Insult to Undeath

While radiant and holy attacks are the surest ways to defeat necromancers, poison can help wear them down. These students of decay and entropy rarely bother resisting toxins…why protect against the very energy you manipulate?

In Skyrim, I sniped the vampire necromancer Morvarth with Poisonbloom arrows, gradually draining his undead vitality. Before he could raise reinforcements, my companion cleric destroyed him with Turn Undead. And in the Witcher series, necromancers and rotfiends have no poison immunity – so blade oils and dimeritium bombs are quite lethal!

So while your warriors are engaging their skeletal shields directly, have your rogues or rangers apply poison arrows and blades. A few stacks of poison will leave even the heartiest necromancer ripe for smiting!

Ideal Poison Attacks
Rogue – Poisoned Dagger
Ranger – Ensnaring Strike
Druid – Poison Spray
Necromancer – Ray of Sickness (poetic justice!)

Vulnerabilities by Character Class

Now that we‘ve covered the main damage types that counter necromancers, let‘s explore tactics for specific classes:

Warriors

As frontline fighters, warriors can leverage their heavy armor and damage resistance to survive the initial undead onslaught before taking out the commanding necromancer directly. Usebuffing shouts and elemental weapon attacks to deal extra damage against these frail mages even quicker. I used Fiery Soul Trap weapons as a Dragonknight in Elder Scrolls Online to burn through necromancers rapidly.

Rogues

With their stealth and mobility, rogues can outmaneuver undead thralls to quickly apply poison, interrupts, and direct damage on necromancers. Save interrupting Sap until you see them casting Animate Dead or other reinforcement spells. Once they can no longer hide behind minions, most cloth-wearing necromancers will melt under a rogue‘s dual-wielded attacks!

Rangers

Like rogues, ranged attackers can snipe necromancers from afar and whittle them down with bow or crossbow attacks. Just don‘t get surrounded by skeleton archers! Use caltrops, bear traps or blunt arrows to slow approaching undead while concentrating your elemental arrows on the necromancer commander.

Mages

As casters, keeping distance and using area-of-effect spells is key against necromancer mobs. Take out approaching undead legions with fireballs and lightning storm attacks. Star Pact builds in Guild Wars 2 are ideal for high burst damage – just save your celestial skill combo for when the necromancer makes the mistake of reviving nearby corpses!

Healers

Counterintuitively, healers are essential in defeating necromancers. By protecting allies from life drain attacks with restoration magic, you deny their source of rejuvenation. Turn Undead attacks also temporarily convert undead thralls to attack their necromancer masters. So strap on that mace and charge up Bless – your party is counting on you!

So while they start off seemingly overpowered, applying the right pressure points and attacks makes toppling even master necromancers quite achievable. Hopefully these tips help you strategize your next thrilling showdown against these devious dark magicians! Let us turn the tide against those who seek to pervert the natural order itself. Onwards, champions!

Your resident gaming expert,
Jerron, the Paladin