Necromancy: Difference between revisions

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== How it works ==
== How it works ==
All killed '''enemy''' creatures can be raised as skeletons. This includes [[sacrifice]]d creatures, [[clone]]d creatures, summoned [[elemental]]s and even [[war machines]]. If the victorious hero's army has no empty slots available and no [[Skeleton]]s, but includes [[Skeleton Warrior]]s, the killed enemy creatures will be raised as Skeleton Warriors, but only 66.6% compared to Skeletons. If there are no available slots and no skeletons (either kind) in the army, none of the killed enemy creatures are raised.
All killed '''enemy''' creatures can be raised as skeletons. This includes [[sacrifice|sacrificed]] creatures, [[clone|cloned]] creatures, summoned [[elemental|elementals]] and even [[war machines]]. If the victorious hero's army has no empty slots available and no {{hv|Skeleton|SkeletonSkeletonWarrior|text=Skeletons}}, but includes {{hv|Skeleton Warrior|SkeletonSkeletonWarrior|text=Skeleton Warriors}}, the killed enemy creatures will be raised as Skeleton Warriors, but only 66.6% compared to Skeletons. If there are no available slots and no skeletons (either kind) in the army, none of the killed enemy creatures are raised.


The number of skeletons brought back at the end of the combat depends on three main factors:  
The number of skeletons brought back at the end of the combat depends on three main factors:  
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So a hero with 50% necromancy, who killed 100 creatures with 6 hp or higher, will obtain 50 skeletons, whereas if he were to kill 100 peasants (who have only 1 hp), only 8 skeletons would be obtained. This can be also interpreted as the hero being able to revive only 50 hp total (8 skeletons have 48 hp).
So a hero with 50% necromancy, who killed 100 creatures with 6 hp or higher, will obtain 50 skeletons, whereas if he were to kill 100 peasants (who have only 1 hp), only 8 skeletons would be obtained. This can be also interpreted as the hero being able to revive only 50 hp total (8 skeletons have 48 hp).


Additionally, with [[Cloak of the Undead King]] the same rules apply to [[Walking Dead]], [[Wight]]s and [[Lich]]es. As they have more health, fewer are raised. And if a hero only has upgraded versions in the army and no free slots, the "two thirds rule" is applied (the health difference between basic and upgraded creatures does not play any role in this case).
Additionally, with [[Cloak of the Undead King]] the same rules apply to [[Walking Dead]], {{hv|Wight|WightWraith|text=Wights}} and [[Lich|Liches]]. As they have more health, fewer are raised. And if a hero only has upgraded versions in the army and no free slots, the "two thirds rule" is applied (the health difference between basic and upgraded creatures does not play any role in this case).


== Chance to get ==
== Chance to get ==
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{{user commentary|
{{user commentary|
Necromancy is the basis of [[Necropolis]] faction. By default there cannot be a Necropolis hero without this skill, so if a very important basic skill like [[Wisdom]] or [[Earth Magic]] is offered together with improving Necromancy, ignore Necromancy. You will get it sooner or later, while an ability to learn [[Animate Dead]] and cast it properly won't appear for every level. However, if your hero wears [[Cloak of the Undead King]], expert Necromancy is exactly what you need, as rising [[Lich and Power Lich|Liches]], the only Necropolis shooters with good stats, will make you almost invincible. In that case you might want to avoid battles prior to getting expert Necromancy, as 2-3 level Necropolis troops are significantly weaker than many other units of those levels.
Necromancy is the basis of [[Necropolis]] faction. By default there cannot be a Necropolis hero without this skill, so if a very important basic skill like [[Wisdom]] or [[Earth Magic]] is offered together with improving Necromancy, ignore Necromancy. You will get it sooner or later, while an ability to learn [[Animate Dead]] and cast it properly won't appear for every level. However, if your hero wears [[Cloak of the Undead King]], expert Necromancy is exactly what you need, as rising {{hv|Lich and Power Lich|LichPowerLich|text=Liches}}, the only Necropolis shooters with good stats, will make you almost invincible. In that case you might want to avoid battles prior to getting expert Necromancy, as 2-3 level Necropolis troops are significantly weaker than many other units of those levels.


For heroes from other towns, the Necromancy skill is undesirable as Skeletons are weak, slow and will spoil [[morale]], and getting somewhat 5 Skeletons after a minor battle will be a total nonsense. Thus, if Necromancy came to a non-Necropolis hero, a better decision is to reload the game and avoid the source of it, unless your game is dedicated to Necropolis - if so, you may hire a supplying hero regardless of the class, who will increase the number of Skeletons.
For heroes from other towns, the Necromancy skill is undesirable as Skeletons are weak, slow and will spoil [[morale]], and getting somewhat 5 Skeletons after a minor battle will be a total nonsense. Thus, if Necromancy came to a non-Necropolis hero, a better decision is to reload the game and avoid the source of it, unless your game is dedicated to Necropolis - if so, you may hire a supplying hero regardless of the class, who will increase the number of Skeletons.
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[[Category: Secondary skills]]
[[Category: Secondary skills]]
__NOTOC__
__NOTOC__
<!-- popupables -->
{{Creatures/Lich and Power Lich|popupid=LichPowerLich}}{{Creatures/Skeleton and Skeleton Warrior|popupid=SkeletonSkeletonWarrior}}{{Creatures/Wight and Wraith|popupid=WightWraith}}

Revision as of 15:41, 21 August 2025

Secondary Skills
 Air Magic
 Archery
 Armorer
 Artillery
 Ballistics
 Diplomacy
 Eagle Eye
 Earth Magic
 Estates
 Fire Magic
 First Aid
 Intelligence
 Interference Horn of the Abyss
 Leadership
 Learning
 Logistics
 Luck
 Mysticism
 Navigation
 Necromancy
 Offense
 Pathfinding
 Resistance
 Scholar
 Scouting
 Sorcery
 Tactics
 Water Magic
 Wisdom
Necromancy
Basic: 5% Horn of the Abyss10% Shadow of Death of enemy creatures killed are resurrected.
Advanced: 10% Horn of the Abyss20% Shadow of Death of enemy creatures killed are resurrected.
Expert: 15% Horn of the Abyss30% Shadow of Death of enemy creatures killed are resurrected.

By default, Necromancy raises killed enemy creatures as SkeletonSkeleton Skeletons (or Skeleton WarriorSkeleton Warrior Skeleton Warriors). See Cloak of the Undead KingCloak of the Undead King for notes on Skeleton Warriors and raising other creatures.

Bug: AI heroes always raise exactly 1 Skeleton (or Lich) even if they should have raised more creatures (fixed in Horn of the Abyss Horn of the Abyss).

Heroes with Necromancy as a starting skill:

Heroes with Necromancy as a specialty and a starting skill (5% bonus per level to the skill):

Related factors:

How it works

All killed enemy creatures can be raised as skeletons. This includes sacrificed creatures, cloned creatures, summoned elementals and even war machines. If the victorious hero's army has no empty slots available and no Skeletons, but includes Skeleton Warriors, the killed enemy creatures will be raised as Skeleton Warriors, but only 66.6% compared to Skeletons. If there are no available slots and no skeletons (either kind) in the army, none of the killed enemy creatures are raised.

The number of skeletons brought back at the end of the combat depends on three main factors:

  1. Number of creatures in killed stacks
  2. Amount of health of killed stacks
  3. Level of Necromancy skill

First, the total number of raised Skeletons can never exceed the number of creatures slain in combat. Second, the total health of raised Skeletons can never exceed the total health of killed creatures. Third, the level of Necromancy skill used in calculations can never be more than 100%, although it is technically possible for a hero to have Necromancy skill above 100%. These rules in The Shadow of Death are applied to every killed stack individually (in Horn of the Abyss Horn of the Abyss the amount of creatures raised is calculated by the overall number of killed creatures), and always rounded towards 1.

The health of the enemy creature killed affects the efficiency that it is revived as per table:

1 hp = 16.6% efficiency
2 hp = 33.3%
3 hp = 50% efficiency
4 hp = 66.6% efficiency
5 hp = 83.3% efficiency
6 hp or higher = 100% efficiency

So a hero with 50% necromancy, who killed 100 creatures with 6 hp or higher, will obtain 50 skeletons, whereas if he were to kill 100 peasants (who have only 1 hp), only 8 skeletons would be obtained. This can be also interpreted as the hero being able to revive only 50 hp total (8 skeletons have 48 hp).

Additionally, with Cloak of the Undead King the same rules apply to Walking Dead, Wights and Liches. As they have more health, fewer are raised. And if a hero only has upgraded versions in the army and no free slots, the "two thirds rule" is applied (the health difference between basic and upgraded creatures does not play any role in this case).

Chance to get

Out of total 112 for The Shadow of Death, and of (112 + Interference chance) for Horn of the Abyss Horn of the Abyss.
Banned skills change the probability.

Town Class Chance to learn
Castle  Knight   0
Castle  Cleric   0
Rampart  Ranger   0
Rampart  Druid   0
Tower  Alchemist   0
Tower  Wizard   0
Inferno  Demoniac   0
Inferno  Heretic   0
Necropolis  Death Knight  10
Necropolis  Necromancer  10
Dungeon  Overlord   0
Dungeon  Warlock   0
Stronghold  Barbarian   0
Stronghold  Battle Mage   0
Fortress  Beastmaster   0
Fortress  Witch   0
Conflux  Planeswalker   0
Conflux  Elementalist   0
Cove Horn of the Abyss     Captain   0
Cove Horn of the Abyss     Navigator   0
Factory Horn of the Abyss     Mercenary   0
Factory Horn of the Abyss     Artificer   0


Gallery

User Commentary

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Necromancy is the basis of Necropolis faction. By default there cannot be a Necropolis hero without this skill, so if a very important basic skill like Wisdom or Earth Magic is offered together with improving Necromancy, ignore Necromancy. You will get it sooner or later, while an ability to learn Animate Dead and cast it properly won't appear for every level. However, if your hero wears Cloak of the Undead King, expert Necromancy is exactly what you need, as rising Liches, the only Necropolis shooters with good stats, will make you almost invincible. In that case you might want to avoid battles prior to getting expert Necromancy, as 2-3 level Necropolis troops are significantly weaker than many other units of those levels.

For heroes from other towns, the Necromancy skill is undesirable as Skeletons are weak, slow and will spoil morale, and getting somewhat 5 Skeletons after a minor battle will be a total nonsense. Thus, if Necromancy came to a non-Necropolis hero, a better decision is to reload the game and avoid the source of it, unless your game is dedicated to Necropolis - if so, you may hire a supplying hero regardless of the class, who will increase the number of Skeletons.

Necropolis and Necromancy are often considered to be overpowered, and therefore frequently banned in multiplayer games (and tournaments).

While a hero might level up from an encounter and as a result increase their necromancy expertise - e.g. from basic to advanced - the level that is applied to the encounter is the one the hero had already attained when the encounter started. Level ups in necromancy, when they are attained by winning an encounter, only apply to encounters going forward.


See also:

Lich
13
10
Shots
12
11–13
30
6
Move
Ground
Size
1
Growth
3
848
742
Cost

550

Power Lich
13
10
Shots
24
11–15
40
7
Move
Ground
Size
1
Growth
3
1079
889
Cost

600

Skeleton
5
4
1–3
6
4
Move
Ground
Size
1
Growth
12 (+6)
60
75
Cost

60

Skeleton Warrior
6
6
1–3
6
5
Move
Ground
Size
1
Growth
12 (+6)
85
85
Cost

70

Wight
7
7
3–5
18
5
Move
Flying
Size
1
Growth
7
252
231
Cost

200