RuneScape: How to Master Necromancy and Raise Your Combat Potential

With the arrival of Necromancy, RuneScape introduced its first new combat skill in nearly two decades—bringing a fresh, unique combat style that combines powerful rituals, undead summoning, and RuneScape gold soul-based mechanics. Whether you're a returning veteran or an eager new adventurer, mastering Necromancy is one of the most rewarding ways to enhance your combat potential in both PvE and PvM content.

This guide covers how to unlock, train, and optimize Necromancy, including gear progression, best practices, and how to integrate it into your combat loadout.

1. What Is Necromancy in RuneScape?

Necromancy is a combat skill that introduces a new combat style—separate from Magic, Melee, and Ranged—centered around channeling death energies, summoning spirits, and commanding the undead. It is stand-alone, meaning Necromancy weapons and gear scale independently from the traditional combat triangle.

Key Features:

Uses Necromancy runes (e.g., Soul, Bone, Ectoplasm)

Relies on Necromancy Incantations and conjures

Supported by a ritual system for training and buffs

Offers both single-target burst and DoT/AoE abilities

2. How to Unlock Necromancy

To begin your path as a necromancer, you must complete the introductory quest: "The Spirit of War".

Steps to Start:

Speak to The Raptor in the City of Um (accessed from the Wilderness Edge).

Complete the quest chain, including:

The Spirit of War

Secrets of the Obelisk

Optional: Ritual of the Mahjarrat for lore tie-ins

Once complete, you unlock the Necromancy skill interface, ritual site, and combat abilities.

You’ll start at level 1, but the early levels progress quickly.

3. Leveling Up Necromancy Efficiently

Necromancy can be trained in two ways: Combat Training and Rituals.

A. Combat Training

Slay enemies using Necromancy gear and abilities

Gains XP in both Necromancy and combat-related stats

Best combat training spots:

Levels 1–20: Undead wolves near City of Um

Levels 20–50: Slayer tasks with weak-to-Necromancy enemies

Levels 50–90: Elite dungeons, Slayer Tower, and abyssal creatures

Levels 90+: Use Necromancy at high-level bosses or ED3 farming

B. Rituals (Non-combat)

Rituals allow passive XP and unlock unique buffs or materials:

Visit the Ritual Site near City of Um

Perform incantations, using runes and materials

Rituals yield Necromancy XP, Glyphs, and Death Essence

Tip: Alternate between rituals and combat for optimal XP/hr and resource generation.

4. Gear Progression

Necromancy gear follows its own tier path. You’ll need to craft your weapons and armor using materials earned through rituals or combat.

Gear Tiers and Progression:

Level 1–20: T60 starter gear from quest rewards

Level 30–60: Craft basic Deathwarden armor and Ectoplasm Staff

Level 70+: Upgrade to enhanced Deathwarden sets using Death Essences

Level 90+: Craft T90 Deathdealer gear, the best-in-slot for most necromancy builds

Each tier increases damage, defense, and soul siphon effectiveness.

5. Understanding Abilities and Conjures

Necromancy introduces a custom ability bar with both basic, threshold, and ultimate abilities, as well as Conjures, which summon undead to fight alongside you.

Key Abilities:

Soul Bolt – Your primary basic attack

Necroblight – Applies DoT and debuffs enemy resistances

Finger of Death – Powerful threshold with high single-target burst

Command Undead – Controls your summoned minions for coordinated strikes

Conjures:

Skeleton Warrior – Melee damage

Putrid Zombie – AoE DoT explosion

Ghostly Familiar – Support effects and damage redirection

Rotation Tip: Start with Necroblight, summon a Skeleton Warrior, then chain basic attacks to build adrenaline and unleash Finger of Death or Death Skulls when available.

6. Perks, Relics, and Synergies

You can further boost Necromancy performance through relics and perks:

Relics:

Death Ward – Reduces damage when below 25% HP

Lingering Souls – Increases Conjure duration by 15%

Soul Reaper’s Insight – Boosts Finger of Death damage by 20% when used on cursed targets

Synergy Tips:

Combine Necromancy auras (e.g., Power of the Grave) with Death Skull ultimate for massive burst

Use Deathmark glyphs in rituals to boost ritual XP and duration

In group PvM, play a support-conjurer role by distracting adds with summons

7. PvM Applications and Bossing

At higher levels, Necromancy shines in bossing scenarios thanks to its ability to scale against single targets and large groups.

Top PvM Uses:

God Wars Dungeon 3: Shines due to AoE potential and undead resistance

Elite Dungeons (ED1–ED3): Great for multitarget clearing

Slayer Bosses: Strong against weak-to-spell enemies like Abyssal Lords

It also fits in hybrid loadouts for players who switch between styles depending on the fight.

8. Final Thoughts

Necromancy is more than a flashy new skill—it’s a complete combat system, offering a fresh and cheap RuneScape gold powerful way to engage with RuneScape’s evolving content. Whether you're soloing bosses, dominating Slayer tasks, or passively earning XP through rituals, Necromancy offers versatility and strong progression rewards.

Mastering Necromancy means:

Building flexible gear and combat rotations

Balancing rituals and real-time combat

Exploring boss content with new strategic options

Embrace the power of the afterlife, command the undead, and let Necromancy elevate your combat game to new heights.