All five classes in Diablo 4 offer players a unique mechanic that helps to spice up their gameplay and build variety. While Sorcerers, Druids, and Rogues need to complete quests to unlock their unique class mechanic in Diablo 4, Barbarians and Necromancers are lucky in that they don't need to do anything except level up to get theirs.
Necromancers' unique mechanic is the Book of the Dead, which details the three types of summons that the class can use. As Necromancers level up to Level 25, more skeletons become available, eventually culminating in a special quest to learn how to summon a Golem. But the Book of the Dead isn't just about summoning – it's also about sacrificing minions for personal power.
How To Unlock the Book of the Dead
The Book of the Dead is one of the easiest class mechanics to unlock in Diablo 4 as it only has one requirement: reach Level 5. Upon reaching Level 5, players will be able to see their Book of the Dead one tab over from the Character/Inventory page. The main page has three categories: Skeletal Warriors, Skeletal Mages, and Golems.
When a Necromancer clicks on one of these categories, another screen comes up, this time with three sub-classes that are available for that type of summon. Upgrades for these sub-types, and additional sub-types, are earned automatically with each level until Level 25. At that point, players must learn how to summon a Golem via a unique questline called "Call of the Underworld" that brings the Necromancer back to the Shrine of Rathma in the Fractured Peaks to learn a new ritual.
Book of the Dead Overview: Minions, Buffs, and Requirements
Necromancer minions automatically inherit 30% of the player's stats, barring some exceptions. The three summons each have three sub-types, which have a short track of optional upgrades. Skeletal Warriors can become Skirmishers, Defenders or Reapers, while Skeletal Mages can adopt Shadow, Cold, or Bone abilities. Golems can become Bone, Blood, or Iron Golems, each of which unlocks after that initial questline.
Minions and summons are a core part of the Necromancer class identity, but they don't necessarily need to be summoned to provide a benefit to the player. Players can choose to sacrifice their ability to summon minions in exchange for personal power, too.
To summon minions as a Necromancer, though, the ability must be slotted onto the player's ability bar. This cuts out three of the possible six slots, so players who aren't going for a summoning-centric build could probably stand to cut out one or two of these minions and take a sacrifice passive instead.
Skeletal Warriors Specs and Upgrades
- Skeletal Skirmishers: +30% damage, -15% Health
- Option 1: +1 Max Skirmisher
- Option 2: Player's Crits cause Skirmishers to Crit on their next hit with 50% extra damage.
- Sacrifice Ability: Crit Chance increased by 5%
- Skeletal Defenders: +15% life
- Option 1: Direct damage is negated every 6 seconds
- Option 2: 40% Thorns inherited instead of 30%
- Sacrifice Ability: +15% Non-Physical resist
- Skeletal Reapers: Power attack every 10 seconds
- Option 1: Attacks against Immobile, Slowed, Stunned, or Vulnerable enemies reduce cooldown by 2 seconds
- Option 2: +15% chance to form a corpse on hit
- Sacrifice Ability: +15% Shadow damage
Skeletal Mages Specs and Upgrades
- Shadow Mages: Shadow damage
- Option 1: +10% chance to Stun
- Option 2: Extra Shadow bolt every five bolts
- Sacrifice Ability: +15 to Max Essence
- Cold Mages: Chill/Freeze enemies
- Option 1: Damage regenerates 2 Essence for player
- Option 2: Frozen enemies are made Vulnerable on hit for 4 seconds
- Sacrifice Ability: +15% Vulnerable damage
- Bone Mages: Heavy damage at cost of life
- Option 1: Life cost reduced to 10% per attack. After 5 seconds alive, +40% damage
- Option 2: Bone Mage deaths caused by its own attacks create a Corpse and Fortify for 11% Health
- Sacrifice Ability: +40% Overpower damage
Golem Specs and Upgrades
- Bone Golem: Taunts enemies
- Option 1: Creates a Corpse every time it is dealt 20% of its Max Health as damage
- Option 2: +10% Max Health, 50% Thorns inherited instead of 30%
- Sacrifice Ability: +10% Attack Speed
- Blood Golem: Heals itself with attacks
- Option 1: 15% of player damage is transferred to the Blood Golem
- Option 2: +25% Damage Reduction and +50% damage when player is Healthy
- Sacrifice Ability: Max Health increased by 10%
- Iron Golem: Can stun enemies with slam attacks
- Option 1: Every five attacks, creates a shockwave dealing 40% damage
- Option 2: Attacks make enemies Vulnerable for 3 seconds
- Sacrifice Ability: +30% Crit Damage
Diablo 4 is available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S