Build Guide
This build has been tested in the 2.6.4 patch PTR and is subject to any finalized changes before the beginning of Season 16. This build will be updated as needed.
As Season 16 is the Season of Grandeur, all Seasonal characters automatically gain the effects of the Ring of Royal Grandeur to reduce the number of required Set items for Set effects by 1 (does not work for 2 piece Sets) and does not stack with equipped or Cubed Ring of Grandeur effects. This build is structured around the use of that effect and thus is not usable outside the duration of Season 16.
This build works on the use of Cold element damage to trigger Frostburn's high Freeze effect chance for constant Krysbin's Sentence proccing and triggering the damage effects of Rimeheart in the Cube. As such this build works on boosting attack speed for maximum chance to trigger Freezes and taking advantage of the output of Freeze effects to control the battlefield in offset to the lower damage range compared to the typical Rathma build that relies on Singularity Skeletal Mages.
The Skeletal Mages using the Skeleton Archer rune instead help boost attack speed, both their own and the Necromancer's, and this is furthered by Tasker and Theo in the Cube for a constant long ranged Cold damage barrage. Tasker and Theo also works to speed up the Command Skeletons and the Command Golem, the former having their own Freeze effect when activated but granted additional Freeze chances on any other attacks thanks to Frostburn, and the Golem's AoE Freeze effect still having a bit of a lengthy cooldown, so having its normal attacks be able to Freeze enemies is a considerable boon. All such pets gaining 1000% increased damage per each Skeletal Archer up to 4 from the 6 piece set bonus and another 400% damage bonus from the Jesseth Arms set when triggering Command Skeletons. With how much cheaper the Skeletal Archers are to maintain, keeping up the maximum 10 is easily managed.
The Necromancer's own attack power isn't quite as significant to the build, use of Siphon Blood with Suppress acting more as a health/Essence top-off to using Devour with Cannibalize, though the Cold damage with Frostburn does allow the Necromancer to contribute to dealing Freeze effects on enemies and thus trigger Rimeheart more often in turn. Use of the Frailty curse with Scent of Blood adds another 15% additional pet damage to the mix, with enemies dying at or below 15% health.
The passives work mainly around the pets themselves, Abherrant Animator granting them 200% of the Necromancer's Thorns since they'll be engaging enemies directly while the Necromancer remains at range, Gristly Tribute for all their outgoing damage to help heal the Necromancer, and Commander of the Risen Dead reducing Command Skeleton Essence cost and Command Golem cooldown by 30%. Dark Reaping adds an additional 2% heal and Essence gain for using the Jesseth Skullscythe.
The build's constant Freeze effects make it excellent for staggering mobs, and thus make it viable for group play as well as solo play.
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