Path of Exile (PoE) is a deep, complex action RPG where choosing the right build can make the difference between enjoying the game and feeling overwhelmed. Among all the classes, the Witch stands out as one of the most popular because of her mastery over spells, curses, and most importantly-minions. If you're a new player and want a beginner-friendly yet powerful build, the Necromancer subclass of the Witch is one of the best starting points.

 

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to get started with a Necromancer build, including passive tree progression, skill gems, gear recommendations, and playstyle tips. By the end, you'll have a solid foundation to summon an army of undead minions that can carry you through the campaign and into early endgame maps.

 

Why Choose Necromancer as a Beginner?

The Witch has three ascendancy classes: Elementalist, Occultist, and Necromancer. For beginners, Necromancer is the most forgiving and powerful choice because:

 

Minions Do the Fighting - You don't need top-tier mechanics or lightning-fast reflexes. Your army of skeletons, zombies, and spectres do most of the work.

 

Scales Well with Minimal Gear - Many builds require expensive uniques or complex crafting. Necromancer minions deal solid damage with just basic gear and gem links. But you need Path of exile currency to get them.

 

Safe Playstyle - Minions act as your frontline. You can stay behind them, focusing on staying alive while they handle enemies.

 

Beginner-Friendly Mechanics - Minion builds are easier to understand and progress without worrying about advanced mechanics like crit scaling or complex mana reservations.

 

This makes Necromancer the perfect entry point for Path of Exile newcomers.

 

Core Concept of the Beginner Necromancer Build

The central idea is simple:

 

Summon Skeletons as your main damage dealers.

 

Raise Zombies as tanky frontline minions.

 

Spectres (later on) for additional utility and damage.

 

Auras and support gems to boost your minions.

 

Offerings and curses to weaken enemies and strengthen your army.

 

This approach lets you clear the story with ease and transition into maps without major struggles.

 

Step 1: Leveling and Passive Skill Tree Progression

The Witch starts at the northern part of the passive skill tree, near strong spell and energy shield nodes. For our minion build, we want to travel toward minion damage, life, and survivability nodes.

 

Early Game (Act 1-3)

Prioritize nodes like Lord of the Dead (increases minion damage and gives you extra minions).

 

Pick up Minion Life clusters to keep your zombies alive.

 

Take some Life nodes for your own survivability.

 

Mid Game (Act 4-7)

Path toward Spiritual Command (minions' attack speed scales with your own bonuses).

 

Take Death Attunement to allow more spectres.

 

Invest in Minion Damage and Minion Attack/Cast Speed clusters.

 

Endgame Tree

Secure Necromantic Aegis if you want to give your minions the benefit of your shield's stats (optional).

 

Prioritize life and minion survivability.

 

Consider block, energy shield, or aura effect nodes depending on your gear choices.

 

Step 2: Ascendancy (Labyrinth) Choices

The Necromancer ascendancy is unlocked by completing the Labyrinth trials. Here's the recommended progression:

 

Mindless Aggression - Boosts minion damage, speed, and survivability. Great early power spike.

 

Unnatural Strength - +2 levels to all minion gems. This is one of the strongest ascendancy notables in the entire game.

 

Bone Barrier - Defensive powerhouse. Grants minion and player defenses along with a guard skill.

 

Commander of Darkness - Boosts auras and gives extra elemental resistances, making it easier to cap resistances for yourself and minions.

 

This combination makes your army stronger, tankier, and more effective across the entire game.

 

Step 3: Main Skill Gems and Supports

Primary Damage Skill: Summon Skeletons

 

Supports: Minion Damage, Melee Physical Damage, Multistrike, Melee Splash (for clearing), Brutality, or Minion Speed.

 

Skeletons are expendable but powerful damage dealers. You constantly resummon them during combat.

 

Secondary Minions

Raise Zombies - Tanky meat shields that stay alive longer. Link with Minion Life + Fortify Support.

 

Summon Spectres - Best used later once you find strong spectre types (like ranged spectres from Act 5+).

 

Utility Skills

Desecrate - Creates corpses, used for both spectres and offerings.

 

Flesh Offering (or Bone Offering) - Sacrifice corpses to buff your minions' attack speed or defensive block chance.

 

Convocation - Instantly recalls all minions to your side. Great for repositioning in fights.

 

Auras

Hatred - Boosts minion physical damage by adding cold damage.

 

Determination - Helps with survivability if you struggle defensively.

 

Vitality - Early life regeneration for you and minions.

 

Curse

Elemental Weakness or Vulnerability depending on your setup. Link with Blasphemy for an aura-like effect if you can afford the mana.

 

Step 4: Gear Recommendations

One of the best things about beginner Necromancer builds is that you don't need expensive gear. Focus on these:

 

Weapon: A wand or sceptre with +1 to minion skills or +1 to all spell skill gems. Craft or find this early.

 

Shield: Energy shield/life hybrid with resistances, or one that buffs minions.

 

Helmet/Chest/Boots/Gloves: Prioritize life, resistances, and minion bonuses.

 

Rings/Amulet: Look for stats like minion damage, life, or mana regeneration.

 

Belt: Heavy Belt or Leather Belt with high life.

 

You can buy POE orbs to get more gear which you need.

 

Step 5: Playstyle and Strategy

Playing Necromancer as a beginner is about positioning and support:

 

Enter a zone and immediately summon skeletons.

 

Keep zombies and spectres alive (resummon if needed).

 

Cast Desecrate and Offering in tough fights to boost your army.

 

Stay behind your minions and let them tank.

 

Use Convocation to pull minions to you if they wander off.

 

Reapply skeletons often to maintain your frontline damage.

 

Your main focus should be avoiding direct hits and staying mobile while your minions shred enemies.

 

Step 6: Transitioning to Maps and Early Endgame

By the time you reach maps, your skeletons should be strong enough to carry you through low and mid-tier content with minimal investment. At this stage, you can:

 

Upgrade to a 5-link or 6-link for Summon Skeletons.

 

Focus on capping your elemental resistances (75% in maps).

 

Slowly pick up better spectres like Slave Drivers (lightning damage, Act 5/Prison) or Redemption Sentries (late-game, strong ranged DPS).

 

Experiment with aura stacking or curse optimization once your gear improves.

 

Final Thoughts

 

The Necromancer Witch build is one of the strongest beginner options in Path of Exile. With skeletons as your main damage dealers, zombies for tanking, and spectres for utility, you can safely and reliably progress through the story and into maps without requiring expensive gear or advanced mechanics.

 

For new players, this build offers an excellent way to learn the game's systems while still feeling powerful. Later on, you can refine it into more advanced variations, such as spectre-focused builds, aura-stacking Necromancers, or strength-scaling zombie armies.

 

But as a first step into Wraeclast, the beginner Necromancer is unbeatable in terms of safety, simplicity, and progression. Summon your undead army, stand behind them, and watch as your minions do the dirty work.