Necromancer Tank

A corpse-fuelled bulwark built around Glacial Colossus. It brings Major Vulnerability, Minor Vulnerability, Major Breach, Major Maim and group Minor Protection from class skills alone.

Update 52 (PTS)PvE · TankPure classIntermediateLast reviewed 2026-10-27

Update 52 (PTS) version

This page is the Update 52 version of this tank build. Update 52 is on the PTS until January 19, 2027, so numbers can still move. Skill and set tooltips still show the live Update 51 text; hover one that changes to see what's new. For what works in game today, switch to Update 51 in the version picker (top right, or in the menu on phones). The full list is in the Update 52 patch notes.

Overview

The Necromancer tank is built around Glacial Colossus. Update 52 puts it back to 175 Ultimate and makes it hit 75% harder on targets that already have Major Vulnerability, but cuts that Major Vulnerability to 12 seconds, which stretch to about 18 with the Veil's Forfeit mastery. Cast it from the War Machine bar and every Colossus also gives the group Major Slayer. Colossus already covers Major Vulnerability, so the monster set is Baron Zaudrus, which turns status effects into Ultimate for more Colossus casts, rather than Archdruid Devyric.

Defensively you stack layers: Beckoning Armor for Major and Minor Resolve (it also drags ranged attackers to you), Spirit Guardian to redirect 10% of incoming damage, Deaden Pain for Major Protection whenever you eat corpses, and Agony Totem for Minor Protection for you and the group.

The back bar runs the same staff kit as every tank here: Elemental Susceptibility for Major Breach and Minor Vulnerability, Elemental Blockade for Chilled, and the scribed Wield Soul for the pull and Major Cowardice. That makes Unnerving Boneyard a repeat of Susceptibility's Major Breach, so it isn't slotted. Major Maim comes from the scribed Shield Throw (Goading Throw) on bosses and Void Bash on trash.

Strengths

Major Vulnerability from Glacial Colossus, stretched by Veil's Forfeit.
Plenty of passive mitigation. One of the sturdiest pure-class tanks this patch.
Corpses feed both your Ultimate and Deaden Pain's Major Protection.

Weaknesses

Corpse management and ground-targeted skills punish sloppy positioning.
Update 52 puts Glacial Colossus back to 175 Ultimate, so you cast it a little less often.
Beckoning Armor pulls ranged attackers to you, which can drag adds around if you're careless.

Buffs and debuffs you bring on bosses

Keeps you alive

Your group gets

Enemies 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, so Colossus covers about 18s.
Pound of Flesh
Taking damage can heal you and restore Stamina.

Tip

For organised trials, swap Pound of Flesh for

Malevolent Promise for even more Ultimate.

What changes in Update 52

Update 52 is on the PTS (patch 12.2.0, from 26 October 2026) and goes live on 19 January 2027. This version follows the first PTS week, so numbers can still move. Skill and set tooltips on this page still show the live Update 51 text.

Class. Glacial Colossus goes back to 175 Ultimate (Update 51 had cut it to 150), deals about 12% less base damage, and hits 75% harder on monsters that already have Major Vulnerability. Its Major Vulnerability drops to 12 seconds (from 17), about 18 with Veil's Forfeit, so Baron Zaudrus' extra Ultimate matters more. It's still the build's centrepiece.

Trash taunt. Unstoppable and both its morphs (Heavy Armor) now taunt up to six enemies that weren't taunted in the last 7 seconds, so Unstoppable Brute takes Inner Rage's slot in the Trash setup. It still gives Major Resolve and 6 seconds of CC immunity, but snares you by 65% while that lasts, and it costs Stamina. Inner Beast no longer taunts: it pulls up to six enemies, from 22 metres (down from 28) for 3,213 Stamina, which makes it a flex pick for spread-out packs. The Tormentor set now taunts every enemy it damages. The Taunt script taunts six enemies only on Goading Smash and Goading Vault, which need a two-hander or a bow; Goading Throw stays single-target, so the Boss setup doesn't change.

Reverberating Bash. It now stuns after 0.7 seconds and applies Major Maim for 15 seconds. Void Bash already puts Major Maim on the whole pack, so the Trash setup doesn't change.

More damage for tanky builds. Juggernaut, Deadly Bash and the Cutting Defense star now add damage done to monsters when your Health and Armor outweigh your damage stats. A typical tank gets about 20% from Deadly Bash alone. Nothing to slot: the gear you already wear turns it on. Defensive Stance's block bonus, which wasn't applying, is fixed.

Gear to watch. Perfected Void Bash now gives Armor instead of Max Health. The Infused armour trait goes up to 40% and Impenetrable to 165. Gaze of Sithis raises your Armor cap by 13,200, and Dov-rha Sabatons, Knight-errant and Glorious Defender are reworked for shield tanks. The gear table stays as written until PTS numbers settle.

Skill Setups

Every tank build has a Boss and a Trash setup. On bosses you taunt with the scribed Shield Throw (Goading Throw) for its heal and Major Maim; on trash Unstoppable Brute taunts the whole pack at once.

Taunt with Shield Throw scribed as Goading Throw instead of Inner Rage. It heals you each time the shield comes back and keeps Major Maim on the boss, so the boss hits 10% softer. Inner Rage's Radiate synergy is lost, which matters less on one target.

What this setup brings

Keeps you alive

Your group gets

Enemies get

Front bar

One hand & shield · War Machine

1

2

3

4

5

R

Back bar

Ice staff · War Machine

1

2

3

4

5

R

Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Deaden Pain Bone Tyrant Cast time: InstantCost: Free Eats corpses for a heal and Major Protection, and you take 3% less damage while it is slotted.	Eats corpses for a heal and Major Protection, and you take 3% less damage while it is slotted.
Front 2	Shield Throw Scribed as Goading Throw Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresCost: 2,538 Stamina Scribed as Goading Throw: your boss taunt. It heals you on return and keeps Major Maim on the boss. Recast it every 10 seconds.	Scribed as Goading Throw: your boss taunt. It heals you on return and keeps Major Maim on the boss. Recast it every 10 seconds.
Front 3	Hungry Scythe Bone Tyrant Cast time: InstantCost: 2,970 Magicka Burst self-heal plus a heal over time. Scales with Max Health; face the boss.	Burst self-heal plus a heal over time. Scales with Max Health; face the boss.
Front 4	Expunge and Modify Living Death Cast time: InstantCost: 1,940 Health Cleanses DoTs and refunds resources; 3% cheaper skills while slotted.	Cleanses DoTs and refunds resources; 3% cheaper skills while slotted.
Front 5	Spirit Guardian Living Death Cast time: InstantDuration: 16 secondsCost: 4,320 Magicka Takes 10% of the damage meant for you and heals you.	Takes 10% of the damage meant for you and heals you.
Front R	Aggressive Horn Assault Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate Group Major Force for burns.	Group Major Force for burns.
Back 1	Elemental Susceptibility Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantRange: 35 metresDuration: 30 secondsCost: 3,240 Magicka Boss Major Breach; its Chilled and Concussion add Minor Maim, Brittle and Vulnerability.	Boss Major Breach; its Chilled and Concussion add Minor Maim, Brittle and Vulnerability.
Back 2	Elemental Blockade Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 15 secondsCost: 2,970 Magicka Chilled for Minor Maim and Brittle, and armour shred on Chilled targets.	Chilled for Minor Maim and Brittle, and armour shred on Chilled targets.
Back 3	Agony Totem Bone Tyrant Cast time: InstantDuration: 13 secondsCost: 4,050 Magicka Minor Protection for you and the group, plus a fear on enemies.	Minor Protection for you and the group, plus a fear on enemies.
Back 4	Wield Soul Scribed as Leashing Soul Cast time: InstantRange: 22 metresCost: 4,234 Magicka Scribed as Leashing Soul: the pull, with Major Cowardice.	Scribed as Leashing Soul: the pull, with Major Cowardice.
Back 5	Beckoning Armor Bone Tyrant Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 2,430 Magicka Major and Minor Resolve. It also drags ranged attackers to you, which backs up Wield Soul.	Major and Minor Resolve. It also drags ranged attackers to you, which backs up Wield Soul.
Back R	Glacial Colossus Grave Lord Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 3 secondsCost: 150 Ultimate Major Vulnerability and a stun. Cast from this bar for War Machine's Major Slayer.	Major Vulnerability and a stun. Cast from this bar for War Machine's Major Slayer.

Scribing

Scribed skill

Goading Throw

Shield Throw · Taunt / Sage's Remedy / Maim

Cast time: Instant
Target: Enemy
Range: 28 metres
Cost: 2,538 Stamina

Taunt

Focus script: Deals 2,145 Physical Damage to an enemy and taunts them for 15 seconds.

Sage's Remedy

Signature script: Heals you for 2,591 Health on return, scaling off your Max Health.

Maim

Affix script: Afflicts the enemy with Major Maim for 10 seconds, reducing damage done by 10%.

Goading Throw: a 28m taunt that heals you when the shield comes back and puts Major Maim on the boss for 10 seconds, so the boss deals 10% less damage.

Scribed skill

Leashing Soul

Wield Soul · Pull / Druid's Resurgence / Cowardice

Cast time: Instant
Target: Enemy
Range: 22 metres
Cost: 4,234 Magicka

Pull

Focus script: Deals 2,803 Magic Damage to an enemy, pulls them to you, and taunts them for 16 seconds if they are not already taunted.

Druid's Resurgence

Signature script: Restores 600 Magicka and 600 Stamina.

Cowardice

Affix script: Afflicts the enemy with Major Cowardice for 10 seconds, reducing Weapon and Spell Damage by 430.

Leashing Soul: pulls and taunts an add, refunds 600 Magicka and Stamina, and applies Major Cowardice.

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

Taunt the pack with Unstoppable Brute: since Update 52 it taunts up to six enemies at once. Cast it once you're in the middle, since it snares you for 6 seconds. Pulsar takes Elemental Susceptibility's slot and spreads Chilled over the whole pack. Razor Caltrops replaces Agony Totem for AoE Major Breach. Reverberating Bash replaces Expunge and Modify to trigger Void Bash and stack the pack.

What this setup brings

Keeps you alive

Your group gets

Enemies get

Front bar

One hand & shield · Void Bash

1

2

3

4

5

R

Back bar

Ice staff · Powerful Assault

1

2

3

4

5

R

Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Deaden Pain Bone Tyrant Cast time: InstantCost: Free Eats corpses for a heal and Major Protection, and you take 3% less damage while it is slotted.	Eats corpses for a heal and Major Protection, and you take 3% less damage while it is slotted.
Front 2	Unstoppable Brute Heavy Armor Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 2,943 Stamina Trash taunt from Update 52: taunts up to 6 enemies that weren't recently taunted, with Major Resolve and 6 seconds of CC immunity. It snares you by 65% while the immunity lasts, so cast it once you're in the pack.	Trash taunt from Update 52: taunts up to 6 enemies that weren't recently taunted, with Major Resolve and 6 seconds of CC immunity. It snares you by 65% while the immunity lasts, so cast it once you're in the pack.
Front 3	Hungry Scythe Bone Tyrant Cast time: InstantCost: 2,970 Magicka Burst self-heal plus a heal over time. Scales with Max Health; face the boss.	Burst self-heal plus a heal over time. Scales with Max Health; face the boss.
Front 4	Reverberating Bash One Hand and Shield Cast time: InstantRange: 7 metresCost: 2,700 Stamina Trash: stuns the target after 0.7 seconds and, since Update 52, applies Major Maim for 15 seconds. It's also the bash that triggers Void Bash to pull the pack into one stack.	Trash: stuns the target after 0.7 seconds and, since Update 52, applies Major Maim for 15 seconds. It's also the bash that triggers Void Bash to pull the pack into one stack.
Front 5	Spirit Guardian Living Death Cast time: InstantDuration: 16 secondsCost: 4,320 Magicka Takes 10% of the damage meant for you and heals you.	Takes 10% of the damage meant for you and heals you.
Front R	Aggressive Horn Assault Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate Group Major Force for burns.	Group Major Force for burns.
Back 1	Pulsar Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantCost: 3,780 Magicka Trash: Chilled on the whole pack for Minor Brittle and Minor Maim, Minor Mangle, and Minor Protection for you.	Trash: Chilled on the whole pack for Minor Brittle and Minor Maim, Minor Mangle, and Minor Protection for you.
Back 2	Elemental Blockade Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 15 secondsCost: 2,970 Magicka Chilled for Minor Maim and Brittle, and armour shred on Chilled targets.	Chilled for Minor Maim and Brittle, and armour shred on Chilled targets.
Back 3	Razor Caltrops Assault Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 10 secondsCost: 2,295 Stamina Trash: AoE Major Breach and a snare on the pack, and a Powerful Assault trigger.	Trash: AoE Major Breach and a snare on the pack, and a Powerful Assault trigger.
Back 4	Wield Soul Scribed as Leashing Soul Cast time: InstantRange: 22 metresCost: 4,234 Magicka Scribed as Leashing Soul: the pull, with Major Cowardice.	Scribed as Leashing Soul: the pull, with Major Cowardice.
Back 5	Beckoning Armor Bone Tyrant Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 2,430 Magicka Major and Minor Resolve. It also drags ranged attackers to you, which backs up Wield Soul.	Major and Minor Resolve. It also drags ranged attackers to you, which backs up Wield Soul.
Back R	Glacial Colossus Grave Lord Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 3 secondsCost: 150 Ultimate Major Vulnerability and a stun. Cast from this bar for War Machine's Major Slayer.	Major Vulnerability and a stun. Cast from this bar for War Machine's Major Slayer.

Scribing

Scribed skill

Leashing Soul

Wield Soul · Pull / Druid's Resurgence / Cowardice

Cast time: Instant
Target: Enemy
Range: 22 metres
Cost: 4,234 Magicka

Pull

Focus script: Deals 2,803 Magic Damage to an enemy, pulls them to you, and taunts them for 16 seconds if they are not already taunted.

Druid's Resurgence

Signature script: Restores 600 Magicka and 600 Stamina.

Cowardice

Affix script: Afflicts the enemy with Major Cowardice for 10 seconds, reducing Weapon and Spell Damage by 430.

Leashing Soul: pulls and taunts an add, refunds 600 Magicka and Stamina, and applies Major Cowardice.

Open the Trash 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.

Necrotic Potency
Swap for Deaden Pain in a well-healed group for much more Ultimate.
Temporal Guard
Front-bar Ultimate for progression if someone else brings Major Force.
Unnerving Boneyard
Area Major Breach and a Grave Robber synergy on big trash pulls, in place of Susceptibility.
Empowering Grasp
Empower for your DPS and area Major Maim. Swap it in for Expunge and Modify if your sustain is fine.
Renewing Animation
Group resurrect on the front bar during progression.
Pummeling Goliath
Defensive transformation; Update 51 buffed its Bash.
Inner Beast
Update 52: no longer a taunt; it pulls up to 6 enemies to you from 22 metres, for 3,213 Stamina. Good for spread-out packs, alongside Leashing Soul for single casters.

Passives

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

Last Gasp
Flat Max Health, always on.
Disdain Harm
15% less damage over time while Agony Totem or Beckoning Armor is active.
Health Avarice
More healing received for each Bone Tyrant skill slotted.
Sword and Board
20% more damage blocked with your shield on the front bar.
Undaunted Mettle
6% Max Health, Magicka and Stamina, since your gear has all three armour weights.
Constitution
Health Recovery and a little Magicka and Stamina from each Heavy Armor piece when you take damage.

Gear

The front bar swaps Void Bash for War Machine. Goading Throw already keeps Major Maim on the boss, and a single target has nothing to gather, so the extra pieces let War Machine work from both bars.

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 ice staff

Front-bar weapons

One-handed sword and shield

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.

Keeps you alive

Your group gets

Enemies get

Slots

Slot	Set	Type	Trait	Enchant
Head	Baron Zaudrus Medium (monster)	Medium (monster)	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Shoulders	Baron Zaudrus Light (monster)	Light (monster)	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Chest	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Hands	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Waist	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Legs	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Feet	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Neck	War Machine Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 1	War Machine Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 2	War Machine Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Front: main hand	War Machine One-handed sword	One-handed sword	Infused	Crusher
Front: off hand	War Machine Shield	Shield	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Back bar	War Machine Ice staff (two-handed)	Ice staff (two-handed)	Infused	Crusher

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

Baron ZaudrusMonster

2 pieces · The Cauldron (veteran) + Undaunted chest

(1 item)Adds 548 Max Stamina, 548 Max Magicka and 603 Max Health.
(2 items)Applying a status effect to an enemy grants a stack of Zaudrus's Ambition for 10 seconds, up to 3. At 3 stacks they are removed and you gain 4 Ultimate.

Lucent EchoesTrial

5 pieces · Lucent Citadel (Gold Road); perfected on veteran

(2 items)Adds 4% Healing Taken.
(3 items)Gain Minor Aegis, reducing damage taken from monsters by 5%.
(4 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(5 perfected)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(5 items)While you are above 50% Health, group members within 28m who aren't wearing Lucent Echoes gain 11% Critical Damage and Critical Healing. At 50% Health or below, you take 20% less damage from monsters.

War MachineTrial

5 pieces · Halls of Fabrication (Morrowind)

(2 items)Adds 1096 Max Stamina.
(3 items)Gain Minor Slayer, increasing damage done to monsters by 5%.
(4 items)Adds 129 Weapon and Spell Damage.
(5 items)When you use an Ultimate in combat, you and the closest 5 group members within 28m gain Major Slayer for 1 second per 10 Ultimate spent, increasing damage done to monsters by 10%.

Lucent Echoes becomes Turning Tide for short pulls: block, then bash, to cleave the pack and give it Major Vulnerability. War Machine becomes Powerful Assault: you don't want to spend Ultimates on trash, and Razor Caltrops triggers it. Void Bash on the front bar pulls the pack together when you bash with Reverberating Bash, then puts Major Maim on all of it. That's for dungeons: trial adds can't be crowd controlled, so in trials keep the Boss front bar on trash too. The back-bar ice staff takes the Charged trait so Pulsar almost always applies Chilled, and the jewellery goes Swift for running between packs.

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 ice staff

Front-bar weapons

One-handed sword and shield

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.

Keeps you alive

Your group gets

Enemies get

Slots

Slot	Set	Type	Trait	Enchant
Head	Baron Zaudrus Medium (monster)	Medium (monster)	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Shoulders	Baron Zaudrus Light (monster)	Light (monster)	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Chest	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Hands	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Waist	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Legs	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Feet	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Neck	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Swift	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 1	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Swift	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 2	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Swift	Reduce Spell Cost
Front: main hand	Void Bash One-handed sword	One-handed sword	Infused	Crusher
Front: off hand	Void Bash Shield	Shield	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Back bar	Powerful Assault Ice staff (two-handed)	Ice staff (two-handed)	Charged	Crusher

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

Baron ZaudrusMonster

2 pieces · The Cauldron (veteran) + Undaunted chest

(1 item)Adds 548 Max Stamina, 548 Max Magicka and 603 Max Health.
(2 items)Applying a status effect to an enemy grants a stack of Zaudrus's Ambition for 10 seconds, up to 3. At 3 stacks they are removed and you gain 4 Ultimate.

Turning TideDungeon

5 pieces · Shipwright's Regret (Ascending Tide)

(2 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(3 items)Adds 1096 Max Stamina.
(4 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(5 items)When you Block, your next Bash within 10 seconds deals 2223 Magic damage to up to 6 enemies in a 5 by 10 meter line and applies Major Vulnerability for 10 seconds. Scales off Max Health. Once every 15 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.

Void BashArena

2 pieces · front bar · Vateshran Hollows (Markarth); perfected on veteran

(2 perfected)Adds 965 Max Health.
(2 items)When you deal damage with Power Bash, you gain Call of the Void for 2 seconds, pulling enemies within 12m to you. When it ends, enemies in the area get Major Maim for 10 seconds. Once every 13 seconds.

Alternative sets

Tremorscale
Monster swap for trial main tanks; Colossus already covers Vulnerability.
Pearlescent Ward
Body swap for progression trials.
Powerful Assault
Replaces War Machine if you don't have Halls of Fabrication gear.

Champion Points

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

Warfare cuts single-target and direct damage, and Fitness adds Max Health, Armor and stronger shields.

Warfare

Ironclad
Less damage from direct attacks, which covers most boss mechanics.
Duelist's Rebuff
Less damage from single-target hits.
Bulwark
Free Armor with a shield or frost staff. Swap for Enduring Resolve at the armour cap.
Focused Mending
Stronger single-target heals, which boosts your own self-heals and Goading Throw's heal.

Fitness

Boundless Vitality
Max Health is the base of every heal and shield you have.
Fortified
Armor until you hit the cap.
Rejuvenation
Recovery for all three resources.
Bastion
Stronger shields from skills and sets.

Craft

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

Celerity replaces Rejuvenation so you get between packs faster.

Warfare

Ironclad
Less damage from direct attacks, which covers most boss mechanics.
Duelist's Rebuff
Less damage from single-target hits.
Bulwark
Free Armor with a shield or frost staff. Swap for Enduring Resolve at the armour cap.
Focused Mending
Stronger single-target heals, which boosts your own self-heals and Goading Throw's heal.

Fitness

Boundless Vitality
Max Health is the base of every heal and shield you have.
Fortified
Armor until you hit the cap.
Celerity
Trash: movement speed for running between packs.
Bastion
Stronger shields from skills and sets.

Craft

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

Good swaps

Unassailable
Less AoE damage taken. Swap it in for Focused Mending on fights where the damage is mostly area attacks.
Enduring Resolve
Less damage over time. Swap it in for Bulwark once you're at the armour cap, or for fights that are mostly damage over time.

Race

Nord
Max Health, Armor and Ultimate whenever you take damage.

Mundus

The Atronach
Magicka Recovery, since most of a tank's casts cost Magicka.
below the armour capThe Lady
Adds Armor. Take it over The Atronach while your gear and CP leave you short of the armour cap.

Attributes

64 Health

Max Health is what every heal and shield you cast scales from. Food, mundus and Reduce Spell Cost jewellery cover your Magicka and Stamina. Keep Max Stamina above Max Magicka, though: the Combustion synergy restores whichever is higher, and you want it to be Stamina. If passives or sets push your Magicka up, put just enough points into Stamina to stay ahead and the rest into Health.

Food

defaultJewels of Misrule
Max Health with Magicka and Stamina Recovery, at a fraction of the price of Bear Haunch.
bestOrzorga's Smoked Bear Haunch
Adds Health Recovery on top, so it's slightly better, but it costs much more.

Potions

Essence of Health
Tri-stat: restores Health, Magicka and Stamina at once.
situationalHeroism potion
Minor Heroism for more Ultimate, when your resources hold up without tri-stats.

Gameplay

1Keep Chilled and Concussion landing with the ice staff: every status effect feeds Baron Zaudrus, which turns them into Ultimate for the next Glacial Colossus.
2Pre-buff with Beckoning Armor and Spirit Guardian. Both leave corpses for Deaden Pain.
3Taunt the boss with Shield Throw (Goading Throw) and recast it every 10 seconds for Major Maim; taunt trash with Unstoppable Brute. Pull adds with Wield Soul; Beckoning Armor drags ranged attackers in on its own.
4Keep Elemental Susceptibility on the boss, and drop Elemental Blockade and Agony Totem under it.
5Always cast Glacial Colossus from the back bar so War Machine's Major Slayer lines up with the Vulnerability window. Call it for the burn.
6Eat corpses with Deaden Pain when you take a spike: the heal and Major Protection last 4 seconds per corpse.
7Hungry Scythe has to hit an enemy to heal, so face your target.
8On trash, Reverberating Bash so Void Bash groups the pack and applies Major Maim, then drop Razor Caltrops and Pulsar on it. Block heavy attacks.

FAQ

What does the Necromancer tank bring to the group?

On bosses it gives the group 3 buffs, including Major Force and Major Slayer, and puts 8 debuffs, including Major Vulnerability, Major Breach, Major Maim and Major Cowardice on the boss. The full list is under Overview.

What's the difference between the Boss and Trash setups?

Bosses taunt with the scribed Shield Throw (Goading Throw) for its heal and Major Maim. Trash taunts the whole pack with Unstoppable Brute and swaps in skills and gear for packs of adds.

When should I cast Glacial Colossus?

Right before the group burns the boss, and call it out. Glacial Colossus gives Major Vulnerability to everything it hits, 50% longer with Veil's Forfeit, and cast from the War Machine bar it also gives the group Major Slayer.