Necromancer

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Description
The Necromancer is the lord of all things dead. It can summon multiple Undead units as well as rip flesh from enemy units.

Stats and Skills
The attribute changes you get by choosing this class:

The abilities you get by choosing this class:

Overall
Necromancers are one of the game's best spellcasters. Every summoning spell has the capability of creating multiple units, and there's even a Black Portal to empower them (much like the Summoner's Circle of Power). Although not quite as potent or as usable as the Summoner, the Necromancer can easily dominate opponents when played with the right races.

Early Game
The necromancer has an advantage in the early game. He is able to generate the early-game weak units quickly, and summon zombies three or four at a time (or more, it depends on your level..) in order to quickly fill up mines and get resource production to a very high level. He can then prowl around the map, dominating mines for the first part of the game, until foes reach the stage at which they have strong enough units to counter the units you summon.

Resource Domination
A necromancer is very powerful when it comes to patrolling the map, looking for and converting resources (especially in the earlier game). Whilst dexterity is not usually a strong point, their ability to summon large quantities of units (particularly skeletons) is enough to protect the hero from attack as long as is necessary. Competing enemy heroes that do not run away can often be disposed of using a fun tactic: allowing them to move close, and then summoning huge quantities of skeletons. They are then encircled and cannot escape - a good necromancer can summon the skeletons faster than they are destroyed, and then wait it out until the opposing hero has been killed. Upgrading the skeletons as they are damaged (if playing undead) is a further option available to those with the resources.

This is less effective if opposing heroes are able to use blanket spells to dispose of large quantities of units.

Races
The greatest combo for the Necromancer is obviously with the Undead. The Necromancer can save the Undead's resources by summoning higher forms of Undead, and can create armies easily and instantaneously with the summoned Skeletons. No other race can morph Skeletons, which makes the Undead easily the best choice for any Necromancer.

Other races which gain from the Necromancer are ones where upgradable fodder in the form of Skeletons is greatly needed or certain damage types such as Slashing can greatly expand the race's arsenal. Also, races which go well with the Necromancer are ones where their weaknesses can be covered with the Necromancy spells.

Counters

 * Undead Necromancers can be very formidable. It is essential to locate the position of the Necromancer and take them out as quickly as possible, preferably with Crushing damage units. Mechanical units such as Dark Dwarven golems can be amongst the best threats to the Necromancer, as they cannot have their flesh stripped and perfectly counter almost all Undead units.
 * If you intend to eliminate the opposing hero, try to do so with ranged attacks. Take a selection of close-quarters crushing attack units to hold back the skeletons etc., while firing at the necromancer with a ranged attack. Trying to attack the necromancer directly will fail; they can simply spam skeletons and escape.
 * Use a hero or a spellcaster with area effect damage spells, so as to combat multiple summoned units at once and to stop your hero being boxed in by skeletons.
 * Take advantage of the fact that the necromancer and his party are likely to be moving slowly; dexterity isn't a strength, and undead units tend to be slow, especially the more powerful ones. Shadowing the necromancer as he converts mines with your own hero, and converting everything back 10 seconds after he has finished and moved away is a good way to indirectly face the threat of having your mines taken. Of course, this relies on you not having too many responsibilities and interests elsewhere...
 * Attacking necromancers with flying units is another good strategy, since the smaller units they tend to summon to escape an attack can't retaliate or block the way. The necromancer hero can summon higher level units that can, or summon skeletons and upgrade them, but this is usually either too slow to combat an ambush, or a big drain on mana and resources. The larger units are also summoned in smaller numbers so will be easier to deal with.
 * Target the resources that lead to mana and magic upgrades in the opposing race (usually crystal).