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{{Secondary skills}}
{{Secondary skills}}
{{Secondary skill
{{Secondary skill
  | B_effect = allows 10% of the creatures killed in combat to be brought back from the dead as skeletons.
  | B_effect = {{swh|5%|10%}} of enemy creatures killed are [[Animate Dead|resurrected]].
  | A_effect = allows 20% of the creatures killed in combat to be brought back from the dead as skeletons.
  | A_effect = {{gt|{{swh|10%|20%}}}} of enemy creatures killed are [[Animate Dead|resurrected]].
  | E_effect = allows 30% of the creatures killed in combat to be brought back from the dead as skeletons."
  | E_effect = {{gt|{{swh|15%|30%}}}} of enemy creatures killed are [[Animate Dead|resurrected]].
}}
}}


==Background information==
By default, Necromancy raises killed enemy creatures as {{Cn|Skeleton}}s (or {{Cn|Skeleton Warrior}}s). See {{An|Cloak of the Undead King}} for notes on Skeleton Warriors and raising other creatures.


Necromancy is a [[Secondary Skill]] that all [[Necropolis]] heroes - both [[Death Knight]]s and [[Necromancer]]s - start with. No other heroes have Necromancy as a starting skill, nor can they learn basic Necromancy by levelling up. Even [[Witches]] are no longer offered this skill in later versions of the game. Non-[[Necropolis]] heroes can learn Necromancy only from [[Witch Hut]]s and [[Scholar (Adventure Map)|Scholar]]s, and only if the mapmaker specifically allows it.
'''Bug:''' AI heroes always raise exactly 1 Skeleton (or Lich) even if they should have raised more creatures ''(fixed in {{hota}}{{-wh}})''.


'''Recommended for:''' N/A. Heroes either start with this skill, or are typically unable to learn it.
'''Heroes with Necromancy as a starting skill:'''
* {{Cl|Death Knight}}s
* {{Cl|Necromancer}}s


On many maps, especially XL maps with droves of low-level creatures, Necromancy is considered overpowered by tournament players, and its use is therefore frequently banned from competitive play.
'''Heroes with Necromancy as a specialty and a starting skill''' ''(5% bonus per level to the skill)''''':'''
* {{H2|Isra|Death Knight}} (Advanced)
* {{H2|Vidomina|Necromancer}} (Advanced)


==Description==
'''Related factors:'''
* {{an|Amulet of the Undertaker}}: +5% Necromancy
* {{an|Vampire's Cowl}}: +10% Necromancy
* {{an|Dead Man's Boots}}: +15% Necromancy
* [[Necromancy Amplifier]]: {{swh|+5%|+10%}} Necromancy; bonus stacks if you have multiple towns with this building
* [[Soul Prison]]: +20% Necromancy; bonus stacks if you have multiple towns with this building via [[Map Editor]]


*Basic Necromancy enables a victorious hero to raise as [[Skeleton]]s up to 10% of enemy creatures killed in combat, with a minimum of one.
== How it works ==
*Advanced Necromancy enables a victorious hero to raise as [[Skeleton]]s up to 20% of enemy creatures killed in combat, with a minimum of one.
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 [[Skeleton|Skeletons]], but includes [[Skeleton Warrior|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.
*Expert Necromancy enables a victorious hero to raise as [[Skeleton]]s up to 30% of enemy creatures killed in combat, with a minimum of one.


All enemy creatures that are displayed after battle as casualties can be raised as skeletons, even if this includes [[sacrifice]]d creatures, [[clone]]d creatures, summoned [[elemental]]s or [[war machines]](!).
The number of skeletons brought back at the end of the combat depends on three main factors:
# Number of creatures in killed stacks
# Amount of health of killed stacks
# Level of Necromancy skill


When a victorious army contains [[Skeleton Warrior]]s but no [[Skeleton]]s, and no empty army slot is available, Skeleton Warriors will be raised instead of Skeletons, but only 2/3 of the usual number.
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 {{sod}} are applied to every killed stack individually (in {{hota}}{{-wh}} the amount of creatures raised is calculated by the overall number of killed creatures), and always rounded towards 1.


==Heroes with a specialty in this skill==
The health of the enemy creature killed affects the efficiency that it is revived as per table:
*[[Isra]] the [[Death Knight]]
*[[Vidomina]] the [[Necromancer]]


==Artifacts affecting this skill==
1 hp = 16.6% efficiency<br>
*[[Amulet of the Undertaker]] (Neck). Gives +5% Necromancy to a hero's Necromancy skill.
2 hp = 33.3%<br>
*[[Vampire's Cowl]]  (Shoulders). Gives +10% Necromancy to a hero's Necromancy skill.
3 hp = 50% efficiency<br>
*[[Dead Man's Boots]] (Feet). Gives +15% Necromancy to a hero's Necromancy skill.
4 hp = 66.6% efficiency<br>
*[[Cloak of the Undead King]] (Shoulders, combination artifact assembled from the other three Necromancy artifacts). Heroes without Necromancy can raise [[Skeleton]]s as if they have learnt Expert Necromancy. Heroes with Necromancy receive +30% to their total Necromancy percentage on top of the +30% Necromancy provided by the individual artifacts, and can raise [[Walking Dead]], [[Wight]]s and [[Lich]]es at, respectively, Basic, Advanced and Expert Necromancy. ''Note: Available only in the'' [[Shadow of Death]] ''expansion''.
5 hp = 83.3% efficiency<br>
6 hp or higher = 100% efficiency<br>


==Buildings affecting this skill==
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).
*[[Necromancy Amplifier]]
*[[Soul prison]]


==In-depth==
Additionally, with [[Cloak of the Undead King]] the same rules apply to [[Walking Dead]], [[Wight|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).


The exact number of skeletons raised depends on a hero’s total Necromancy percentage. This is calculated by summing all the Necromancy percentages as provided by a hero's Necromancy skill ''prior to'' combat (including any Necromancy [[specialty]]), Necromancy artifacts, [[Necromancy amplifier]]s and the [[Soul Prison]]. Thus, a level 10 [[Isra]] with Advanced Necromancy, the [[Amulet of the Undertaker]], two [[Necromancy Amplifier]]s and a [[Soul Prison]] has a total Necromancy percentage of (10 × 0.05 × 20% + 20%) + 5% + 2 × 10% + 20% = 75%. The maximum percentage is 100%.
== Chance to get ==
{{Secondary skill chance explanation}}
{{ZET SEC SKILL CHANCE TABLE|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{gt|10}}|{{gt|10}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}|{{rt|0}}}}


The number of raised skeletons is ''separately'' calculated for each enemy stack and is not affected by whether either a victorious or a defeated hero had any health artifacts such as the [[Vial of Lifeblood]] equipped:  
== Gallery ==
*If an enemy stack consisted of creatures with 6 [[health]] or more, the number of raised skeletons from that stack is equal to the ''number of creatures'' killed multiplied by a hero’s total Necromancy percentage.
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150px">
*If an enemy stack consisted of creatures with less than 6 [[health]], the number of skeletons raised from that stack is equal to the ''total number of health points'' of the killed creatures multiplied by a hero’s total Necromancy percentage.
Brian-kemper-necromancy.jpg| Art by [[Brian Kemper]]
The total number of skeletons raised equals the sum of the number of skeletons raised from each separate stack.
RoE 1.0 CD-Heroes3-DATA-HEROES3 VID-EVIL2B-smk-EVIL2B.webm|thumbtime=0:01|A [[Necromancer]] raising the dead<br>([[Season of Harvest]]{{-wr}} prologue)
</gallery>


To illustrate, a hero with 35% Necromancy will raise 5 Skeletons if she defeats an enemy hero who has fled after losing one stack of 8 [[Stone Gargoyle]]s, one stack of 1 [[Gremlin]], and 15 Gremlins from one stack of 20 Gremlins. That is, 35% of 8 Stone Gargoyles is enough for 2 skeletons, the stack of 1 Gremlin consists of too few hitpoints to raise a skeleton from, and the 15 Gremlins that were killed provide 60 health, of which 35% (i.e., 21 health) can be raised into 3 skeletons. The total number of skeletons raised is therefore 2 + 0 + 3 = 5.
{{user commentary|
Necromancy is the basis of [[Necropolis]] faction, but (by default) there cannot be a Necropolis hero without this skill. So if a very important basic skill choice, such as picking [[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.


Finally, when having killed at least one enemy creature, even if it is just a [[Peasant]], victorious heroes with Necromancy will always raise at least one skeleton, regardless of their total Necromancy percentage.  
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 happens to be proposed to a non-Necropolis hero, an understandable 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 are 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 applied to the encounter ''is the one the hero had already attained when that encounter started''. In other words, levels of expertise in Necromancy attained through combat only apply to future encounters.
}}{{end of user commentary}}
 
{{secondary skill 'see also'|top=* [http://heroescommunity.com/viewthread.php3?FID=6&TID=11784 ''How does the necromancy skill work exactly?''] Heroes Community thread started by angelito.}}


[[Category: Secondary skills]]
[[Category: Secondary skills]]
__NOTOC__

Latest revision as of 18:28, 5 January 2026

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
 Runes Horn of the Abyss
 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[edit | hide | hide all]

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[edit | hide]

Out of total 112 for The Shadow of Death, and of (112 + Interference chance + Runes 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
Bulwark Horn of the Abyss     Chieftain 0
Bulwark Horn of the Abyss     Elder 0


Gallery[edit | hide]

User Commentary

Show User Commentary
Hide User Commentary

Necromancy is the basis of Necropolis faction, but (by default) there cannot be a Necropolis hero without this skill. So if a very important basic skill choice, such as picking 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 happens to be proposed to a non-Necropolis hero, an understandable 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 are 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 applied to the encounter is the one the hero had already attained when that encounter started. In other words, levels of expertise in Necromancy attained through combat only apply to future encounters.

See also:

Retrieved from "https://heroes.thelazy.net//index.php?title=Necromancy&oldid=191805"