Necromancer Healer

The damage-support healer. Glacial Colossus puts Major Vulnerability on the boss for about 25 seconds, and corpse heals work without corpses.

Update 51PvE · HealerPure classAdvancedLast reviewed 2026-10-27

Overview

The Necromancer healer brings the longest Major Vulnerability in the game. Glacial Colossus applies it to everything it hits for 17 seconds, and Veil's Forfeit makes your Major Vulnerability last 50% longer: about 25 seconds per Colossus, which is 10% more damage taken for the boss.

Necromancer heals usually need corpses. Malevolent Promise marks the nearest enemy so you can consume it like a corpse, which keeps Braided Tether and Renewing Undeath working on single bosses. Braided Tether is a free, big heal over time that also adds 3% healing while slotted, and Renewing Undeath cleanses up to three negative effects.

Remote Totem gives the group Minor Protection and puts Major Cowardice on enemies, and Unnerving Boneyard adds Major Breach and Minor Vulnerability, with a Grave Robber synergy heal. Curative Curse and Near-Death Experience make your heals stronger and crit more on wounded allies.

Strengths

Major Vulnerability for about 25 seconds per Colossus.
Group Minor Protection, and Major Breach and Major Cowardice on enemies.
Free, strong heals that work without corpses.

Weaknesses

Glacial Colossus replaces Horn, so someone else should bring Major Force.
Most heals are ground or corpse-targeted, so aim matters.
Tanks wearing Archdruid Devyric already cover some of the Vulnerability.

Buffs and debuffs you bring in trials

Your group gets

Enemies get

You get

Class Mastery

Pure-class characters with all three class lines at rank 50 can slot two Class Mastery passives (added in Update 50).

Veil's Forfeit
Your Major Vulnerability lasts 50% longer: about 25 seconds from each Glacial Colossus.
Malevolent Promise
Marks the nearest enemy so corpse skills work without corpses, and consuming the mark gives you Ultimate.

Skill Setups

Most healer builds have a Trial and a Dungeon setup. Trials stack 12 players, so ground heals reach everyone; in a 4-player dungeon the Dungeon setup leans on heals that follow people and puts Banner Bearer on both bars.

Written for 12-player trials, where the group stacks: ground heals like Illustrious Healing reach everyone at once. Only one healer in the raid needs Overflowing Altar, so agree with the other healer who brings it. On trial trash, pre-cast your heals over time and shields before the pull.

What this setup brings

Your group gets

Enemies get

You get

Front bar

Restoration Staff · Grand Rejuvenation

1

2

3

4

5

R

Back bar

Lightning staff · Powerful Assault

1

2

3

4

5

R

Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Radiating Regeneration Restoration Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka Sticky heal over time on the three lowest allies. Your main heal in dungeons, and what you cast between everything else.	Sticky heal over time on the three lowest allies. Your main heal in dungeons, and what you cast between everything else.
Front 2	Braided Tether Living Death Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 12 secondsCost: Free Free: consumes a corpse (or Malevolent Promise's mark) to heal you and everyone around and in front of you over 12 seconds. 3% more healing while slotted.	Free: consumes a corpse (or Malevolent Promise's mark) to heal you and everyone around and in front of you over 12 seconds. 3% more healing while slotted.
Front 3	Combat Prayer Restoration Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 4,590 Magicka Burst heal in front of you, plus Minor Berserk and Minor Resolve for everyone it hits. The panic button.	Burst heal in front of you, plus Minor Berserk and Minor Resolve for everyone it hits. The panic button.
Front 4	Renewing Undeath Living Death Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresCost: 3,510 Magicka Ground heal; consuming a corpse also removes up to three negative effects and keeps healing.	Ground heal; consuming a corpse also removes up to three negative effects and keeps healing.
Front 5	Illustrious Healing Restoration Staff Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 15 secondsCost: 3,510 Magicka Ground heal for a stacked group. Recast it every 6 seconds to keep the Master's Restoration Staff's resource restore going.	Ground heal for a stacked group. Recast it every 6 seconds to keep the Master's Restoration Staff's resource restore going.
Front R	Reviving Barrier Support Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate Group shield and heal over time for 30 seconds. Cast it before big damage, not after.	Group shield and heal over time for 30 seconds. Cast it before big damage, not after.
Back 1	Overflowing Altar Undaunted Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 4,050 Health Trials, one healer only: Minor Lifesteal on the boss, and a Blood Feast synergy that heals for 65% of Max Health.	Trials, one healer only: Minor Lifesteal on the boss, and a Blood Feast synergy that heals for 65% of Max Health.
Back 2	Remote Totem Bone Tyrant Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 11 secondsCost: 3,240 Magicka Group Minor Protection and Major Cowardice on enemies in the area, then fears them.	Group Minor Protection and Major Cowardice on enemies in the area, then fears them.
Back 3	Elemental Blockade Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 15 secondsCost: 2,970 Magicka Area Concussion and Off Balance on the boss for the damage dealers. Cast it every third or fourth rotation.	Area Concussion and Off Balance on the boss for the damage dealers. Cast it every third or fourth rotation.
Back 4	Echoing Vigor Assault Cast time: InstantDuration: 16 secondsCost: 2,984 Stamina Big group heal over time for 16 seconds, and the Assault skill that triggers Powerful Assault. Recast it as it ends.	Big group heal over time for 16 seconds, and the Assault skill that triggers Powerful Assault. Recast it as it ends.
Back 5	Unnerving Boneyard Grave Lord Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 10 secondsCost: 2,970 Magicka Major Breach and Minor Vulnerability on the boss, and a Grave Robber synergy that heals the ally who takes it.	Major Breach and Minor Vulnerability on the boss, and a Grave Robber synergy that heals the ally who takes it.
Back R	Glacial Colossus Grave Lord Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 3 secondsCost: 150 Ultimate Major Vulnerability on everything it hits, about 25 seconds with Veil's Forfeit. Cast it right before the burn.	Major Vulnerability on everything it hits, about 25 seconds with Veil's Forfeit. Cast it right before the burn.

Open the Trial setup in the Build Editor to change skills, gear and stats.

In a 4-player group nobody stands still, so sticky heals that follow people (Radiating Regeneration, Echoing Vigor) do the work. Banner Bearer takes Illustrious Healing's slot and Unnerving Boneyard's: the banner only stays up while it's on both bars. Trample takes Overflowing Altar's slot: three status effects on the pack, and Major Heroism so your Ultimate comes back faster.

What this setup brings

Your group gets

Enemies get

You get

Front bar

Restoration Staff · Spell Power Cure

1

2

3

4

5

R

Back bar

Lightning staff · Powerful Assault

1

2

3

4

5

R

Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Radiating Regeneration Restoration Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka Sticky heal over time on the three lowest allies. Your main heal in dungeons, and what you cast between everything else.	Sticky heal over time on the three lowest allies. Your main heal in dungeons, and what you cast between everything else.
Front 2	Braided Tether Living Death Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 12 secondsCost: Free Free: consumes a corpse (or Malevolent Promise's mark) to heal you and everyone around and in front of you over 12 seconds. 3% more healing while slotted.	Free: consumes a corpse (or Malevolent Promise's mark) to heal you and everyone around and in front of you over 12 seconds. 3% more healing while slotted.
Front 3	Combat Prayer Restoration Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 4,590 Magicka Burst heal in front of you, plus Minor Berserk and Minor Resolve for everyone it hits. The panic button.	Burst heal in front of you, plus Minor Berserk and Minor Resolve for everyone it hits. The panic button.
Front 4	Renewing Undeath Living Death Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresCost: 3,510 Magicka Ground heal; consuming a corpse also removes up to three negative effects and keeps healing.	Ground heal; consuming a corpse also removes up to three negative effects and keeps healing.
Front 5	Banner Bearer Scribed as Shocking Banner Cast time: InstantCost: 459 Magicka and 459 Stamina every two seconds Dungeons: scribed group buff banner. It only stays up while it's on both bars, so it takes slot 5 on each.	Dungeons: scribed group buff banner. It only stays up while it's on both bars, so it takes slot 5 on each.
Front R	Reviving Barrier Support Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate Group shield and heal over time for 30 seconds. Cast it before big damage, not after.	Group shield and heal over time for 30 seconds. Cast it before big damage, not after.
Back 1	Trample Scribed as Magical Trample Cast time: 1.5 secondsDuration: 2 secondsCost: 3,046 Magicka Dungeons: scribed AoE that applies three status effects and gives you Major Heroism, so Reviving Barrier comes back faster.	Dungeons: scribed AoE that applies three status effects and gives you Major Heroism, so Reviving Barrier comes back faster.
Back 2	Remote Totem Bone Tyrant Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 11 secondsCost: 3,240 Magicka Group Minor Protection and Major Cowardice on enemies in the area, then fears them.	Group Minor Protection and Major Cowardice on enemies in the area, then fears them.
Back 3	Elemental Blockade Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 15 secondsCost: 2,970 Magicka Area Concussion and Off Balance on the boss for the damage dealers. Cast it every third or fourth rotation.	Area Concussion and Off Balance on the boss for the damage dealers. Cast it every third or fourth rotation.
Back 4	Echoing Vigor Assault Cast time: InstantDuration: 16 secondsCost: 2,984 Stamina Big group heal over time for 16 seconds, and the Assault skill that triggers Powerful Assault. Recast it as it ends.	Big group heal over time for 16 seconds, and the Assault skill that triggers Powerful Assault. Recast it as it ends.
Back 5	Banner Bearer Scribed as Shocking Banner Cast time: InstantCost: 459 Magicka and 459 Stamina every two seconds Dungeons: scribed group buff banner. It only stays up while it's on both bars, so it takes slot 5 on each.	Dungeons: scribed group buff banner. It only stays up while it's on both bars, so it takes slot 5 on each.
Back R	Glacial Colossus Grave Lord Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 3 secondsCost: 150 Ultimate Major Vulnerability on everything it hits, about 25 seconds with Veil's Forfeit. Cast it right before the burn.	Major Vulnerability on everything it hits, about 25 seconds with Veil's Forfeit. Cast it right before the burn.

Scribing

Scribed skill

Shocking Banner

Banner Bearer · Shock Damage / Druid's Resurgence / Courage

Cast time: Instant
Radius: 8 metres
Cost: 459 Magicka and 459 Stamina every two seconds

Shock Damage

Focus script: Increases damage done with direct damage by 6%.

Druid's Resurgence

Signature script: Increases Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery of other group members by 139.

Courage

Affix script: Grants Minor Courage, increasing Weapon and Spell Damage by 215.

Shocking Banner: 6% more direct damage and recovery for the group, plus Minor Courage (215 Weapon and Spell Damage).

Scribed skill

Magical Trample

Trample · Magic Damage / Assassin's Misery / Heroism

Cast time: 1.5 seconds
Target: Area
Radius: 5 metres
Duration: 2 seconds
Cost: 3,046 Magicka

Magic Damage

Focus script: Deals 6,233 Magic Damage to all enemies.

Assassin's Misery

Signature script: Afflicts enemies with the Concussion, Sundered, and Hemorrhaging status effects.

Heroism

Affix script: Grants you Major Heroism for 10 seconds, generating 3 Ultimate every 1.5 seconds.

Magical Trample: Concussion, Sundered and Hemorrhaging on the pack for Exploiter and status-effect sets, and Major Heroism for your own Ultimate.

Open the Dungeon setup in the Build Editor to change skills, gear and stats.

Flex skills

Swap these in when the fight or your group calls for it.

Intensive Mender
A spirit that heals the lowest ally near you for 8 seconds and leaves a corpse.
Aggressive Horn
Back-bar Ultimate when a tank already covers Major Vulnerability.
Healing Springs
Ground heal that restores your Magicka for each ally it touches, if you don't wear the Master's staff.

Passives

The passives that shape this build. They come with the skill lines, so there's nothing to slot.

Curative Curse
12% more healing while you have a negative effect on you, which in trials is most of the time.
Near-Death Experience
Up to 12% more crit chance on heals, the more wounded the target.
Corpse Consumption
10 Ultimate when you consume a corpse, every 16 seconds.
Health Avarice
3% more healing taken for you with Remote Totem slotted.
Restoration Master
5% more healing from Restoration Staff skills while it's equipped.
Essence Drain
A fully charged Heavy Attack with the staff gives you Major Mending for 4 seconds.
Evocation
32% more Magicka Recovery and 16% cheaper Magicka skills from 8 Light pieces. Why every healer here wears Light.

Gear

The first trial healer. Pillager's Profit turns every Ultimate you cast into Ultimate for up to 11 others. Powerful Assault on the jewellery and back staff gives the group Weapon and Spell Damage each time you cast Echoing Vigor. Ozezan the Inferno gives Minor Vitality with every heal, and the Master's Restoration Staff (Grand Rejuvenation) restores Magicka and Stamina to everyone your Illustrious Healing touches. All 7 pieces are Light for the most Magicka Recovery; the back staff carries Weakening so the boss hits a little softer.

Pick a set for each block. The build's recommended gear is selected to start with.

Body

Chest, hands, waist, legs and feet

Jewellery & back bar

Neck, both rings and the back-bar staff

Front-bar staff

Restoration Staff

Monster set

Head and shoulders

Buffs and debuffs with this gear

Gold entries come from your gear; the rest come from your skills and passives.

Your group gets

Enemies get

You get

Slots

Slot	Set	Type	Trait	Enchant
Head	Ozezan the Inferno Light (monster)	Light (monster)	Divines / Infused	Magicka
Shoulders	Ozezan the Inferno Light (monster)	Light (monster)	Divines	Magicka
Chest	Pillager's Profit Light	Light	Divines / Infused	Magicka
Hands	Pillager's Profit Light	Light	Divines	Magicka
Waist	Pillager's Profit Light	Light	Divines	Magicka
Legs	Pillager's Profit Light	Light	Divines / Infused	Magicka
Feet	Pillager's Profit Light	Light	Divines	Magicka
Neck	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 1	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 2	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Front: main hand	Grand Rejuvenation Restoration staff (two-handed)	Restoration staff (two-handed)	Decisive	Berserker
Back bar	Powerful Assault Lightning staff (two-handed)	Lightning staff (two-handed)	Infused	Weakening

Sturdy and Divines are interchangeable on armour. Tri-Stat glyphs on jewellery are a fine swap if you need more resources.

What the sets do

Ozezan the InfernoMonster

2 pieces · Scrivener's Hall (veteran) + Undaunted chest

(1 item)Adds 129 Magicka Recovery.
(2 items)Overhealing yourself or an ally grants them 4272 Armor for 1.1 seconds. Healing yourself or an ally grants them Minor Vitality for 1.1 seconds, increasing their healing received and damage shield strength by 6%.

Pillager's ProfitTrial

5 pieces · Dreadsail Reef

(2 items)Adds 4% Healing Done.
(3 items)Gain Minor Aegis, reducing damage taken from monsters by 5%.
(4 items)Adds 1096 Maximum Magicka.
(5 items)Casting an Ultimate ability while in combat grants 2% of Ultimate spent as Ultimate to up to 11 other group members within 12 meters every 2 seconds over 10 seconds. Group members can only be affected by this set once every 45 seconds.

Powerful AssaultPvP

3 front / 5 back · Imperial City Tel Var merchants

Full bonus on the back bar only.

(2 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(3 items)Adds 1096 Max Stamina.
(4 items)Adds 129 Weapon and Spell Damage.
(5 items)When you cast an Assault ability in combat, you and up to 5 group members within 12m gain 307 Weapon and Spell Damage for 15 seconds.

Grand RejuvenationArena

2 pieces · front bar · Dragonstar Arena (veteran)

(2 items)The initial heal of Grand Healing invigorates you and group members affected for 6 seconds, restoring 224 Magicka and Stamina every 2 seconds.

The defensive dungeon healer. Spell Power Cure on four pieces and the resto staff gives Major Courage to anyone you overheal, and sticky heals keep it on the whole group. Powerful Assault moves to a Medium chest, two jewellery pieces and the back staff, and Death Dealer's Fete on the last ring adds Max Health, Magicka and Stamina so a 4-player group's healer survives what a trial healer never sees.

Pick a set for each block. The build's recommended gear is selected to start with.

Front-bar staff

Restoration Staff

Monster set

Head and shoulders

Buffs and debuffs with this gear

Gold entries come from your gear; the rest come from your skills and passives.

Your group gets

Enemies get

You get

Slots

Slot	Set	Type	Trait	Enchant
Head	Ozezan the Inferno Light (monster)	Light (monster)	Divines / Infused	Magicka
Shoulders	Ozezan the Inferno Light (monster)	Light (monster)	Divines	Magicka
Chest	Powerful Assault Medium	Medium	Divines / Infused	Magicka
Hands	Spell Power Cure Light	Light	Divines	Magicka
Waist	Spell Power Cure Light	Light	Divines	Magicka
Legs	Spell Power Cure Light	Light	Divines / Infused	Magicka
Feet	Spell Power Cure Light	Light	Divines	Magicka
Neck	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 1	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 2	Death Dealer's Fete Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Front: main hand	Spell Power Cure Restoration staff (two-handed)	Restoration staff (two-handed)	Decisive	Berserker
Back bar	Powerful Assault Lightning staff (two-handed)	Lightning staff (two-handed)	Infused	Weakening

Sturdy and Divines are interchangeable on armour. Tri-Stat glyphs on jewellery are a fine swap if you need more resources.

What the sets do

Ozezan the InfernoMonster

2 pieces · Scrivener's Hall (veteran) + Undaunted chest

(1 item)Adds 129 Magicka Recovery.
(2 items)Overhealing yourself or an ally grants them 4272 Armor for 1.1 seconds. Healing yourself or an ally grants them Minor Vitality for 1.1 seconds, increasing their healing received and damage shield strength by 6%.

Powerful AssaultPvP

3 front / 5 back · Imperial City Tel Var merchants

Full bonus on the back bar only.

(2 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(3 items)Adds 1096 Max Stamina.
(4 items)Adds 129 Weapon and Spell Damage.
(5 items)When you cast an Assault ability in combat, you and up to 5 group members within 12m gain 307 Weapon and Spell Damage for 15 seconds.

Spell Power CureDungeon

6 front / 4 back · White-Gold Tower

Full bonus on the front bar only.

(2 items)Adds 1096 Maximum Magicka.
(3 items)Adds 1096 Maximum Magicka.
(4 items)Adds 129 Weapon Damage and Spell Damage.
(5 items)When you overheal yourself or an ally, you give the target Major Courage for 5 seconds which increases their Weapon Damage and Spell Damage by 430.

Death Dealer's FeteMythic

1 piece · Antiquities: Blackwood

(1 item)Gain a stack of Escalating Fete every 2 seconds in combat, up to 30. Each stack adds 88 Maximum Health, Magicka and Stamina. You lose a stack every 4 seconds out of combat.

Alternative sets

Nazaray
Monster swap: each Colossus also stretches every debuff on the boss.
Master Architect
Trials with a second healer on Pillager's: Major Slayer for five allies whenever you cast an Ultimate.
Jorvuld's Guidance
Body swap: 40% longer buffs and shields.

Champion Points

Slottable stars only. Spend passive points in each tree along the path to these stars.

Warfare

Soothing Tide
Stronger area heals. Almost every heal you cast is one.
Swift Renewal
Stronger heals over time: Radiating Regeneration, Echoing Vigor and the class HoTs.
Enlivening Overflow
Overheals give allies Health, Magicka and Stamina Recovery. Healers overheal all the time.
From the Brink
A shield on anyone you heal below 25% Health. It saves people from the next hit.

Fitness

Bastion
Stronger shields from Reviving Barrier, Ozezan and class shields.
Rejuvenation
Recovery for all three resources.
Shield Master
Cheaper damage shields.
Boundless Vitality
Max Health, so one-shot mechanics don't kill you.

Craft

Steed's Blessing
Run between pulls faster.
Gifted Rider
Faster mount.

Good swaps

Rejuvenator
More Weapon and Spell Damage for heals. Swap it for From the Brink once your group stops dropping low.
Hope Infusion
Minor Heroism on allies you heal below 50%. Swap it in when nobody else gives the group Heroism.
Fortified
Armor, in place of Bastion when you don't slot Reviving Barrier or another big shield.
Celerity
Movement speed for fights with a lot of running. Swaps for Shield Master.

Race

High Elf
Max Magicka, Weapon and Spell Damage, and casting restores your lowest resource.
UltimateNord
Ultimate when you take damage, and a sturdier healer in progression.
sustainBreton
More Magicka Recovery and cheaper Magicka skills, if you run dry.
also goodDark Elf
Max Magicka and Stamina, if you already have one of the others.

Mundus

The Ritual
8% more healing done. Divines on the armour makes it bigger.
sustainThe Atronach
Magicka Recovery, if you still run out.
critsThe Thief
More Critical Chance, so more heals crit.
movementThe Steed
Speed and Health Recovery, for fights with a lot of running.

Attributes

64 Magicka

Every heal and shield you cast scales from Max Magicka. Food and Boundless Vitality give you enough Health.

Food

bestArtaeum Pickled Fish Bowl
Max Health and Max Magicka. Your heals scale from Magicka, and the Health keeps you alive.
sustainGhastly Eye Bowl
Max Health and Magicka Recovery, if you run out of Magicka.
StaminaBewitched Sugar Skulls
Max Health, Magicka and Stamina, if you block or dodge a lot.
also goodClockwork Citrus Filet
Max Health and Magicka with Health and Magicka Recovery.

Potions

Essence of Spell Power
Restores Magicka and gives Major Brutality and Major Savagery: stronger heals and more crits.
UltimateHeroism potion
Minor Heroism for more Ultimate, so Reviving Barrier comes back sooner.
defenceArmor potion
Major Resolve, for fights where you keep getting caught.

Gameplay

1Cast Glacial Colossus right before the group burns the boss, and call it out.
2Cast Braided Tether on a corpse or the Malevolent Promise mark whenever it's off cooldown: it's free.
3Keep Remote Totem and Unnerving Boneyard on the boss.
4Keep Radiating Regeneration and Echoing Vigor rolling, and recast Illustrious Healing every 6 seconds for the Master's staff.
5Use Renewing Undeath on a corpse to cleanse the group, and drop Overflowing Altar if you're the trial's Altar healer.

FAQ

What does the Necromancer healer bring to the group?

In trials it gives the group 6 buffs. The full list is under Overview.

What's the difference between the Trial and Dungeon setups?

Trials have 12 players who stack, so the Trial setup uses ground heals and Overflowing Altar. In 4-player dungeons people move more, so the Dungeon setup leans on sticky heals, slots Banner Bearer on both bars, and swaps Pillager's Profit for Spell Power Cure.

When should I cast Glacial Colossus?

Right before the group burns the boss, and call it out. With Veil's Forfeit its Major Vulnerability lasts 50% longer.