One of the classic types of magic offered to us in the Elder Scrolls games are necromantic spells. Whether it is summoning a mortal's soul back from Aetherius and forcing them to occupy their old corpses ( or bones ) to animate their remains, binding mortal spirits, or even constructing and animating golems of flesh and bone, necromancy remains as a form of magic in TES that many players enjoyed. In The Elder Scrolls Online, Zenimax Online Studios have used necromancers as a typical, "always evil" enemy to feed experience gains, sealing off this form of magic almost completely from the player.


But it doesn't have to be this way, and Zenimax does not even need to make a whole new class for necromancy to offer it to players.


While incorporating new skills in an MMO always presents concerns about balance, it rings all the more true when the classes in the game have not one unique skill line, but three. Quite frankly, coming up with five active abilities, four passives, and one ultimate for three separate skill lines, AND making sure they balance well with the other classes in the game? That's a lot of work, and there's a lot of unknowns to sort through.


So how can Zenimax Online Studios include our beloved zombies, skeletons and spirits, without having to toil over new ideas and balance issues? It's... well, it's never simple, but there is an easier option: offer a single necromancy skill line, featuring active abilities, passive abilities, and an ultimate. Morphs would be our friend here, as they could determine what the necromancer in question is summoning, what their spells look like, and what type of damage they're doing. Below is merely a sample of what could possibly be done, and the good news is, ZOS already has the models created for everything they need!


Ultimate Ability: Summon Flesh Atronach. Much like the Warden's bear, a summoned Flesh Atronach could follow the player around, and build up ultimate for stronger attacks when commanded by the player. It would likely do physical damage, but then, that is where our morphs come in. Once the skill is ready to be morphed, the player could choose between a Flesh Colossus for increased disease damage, or a Bone Colossus for increased physical damage.

Active Abilities

Summon Skeleton: The player summons a skeleton that follows them around and does physical damage per strike, much like a summoned Clannfear. Later on, it can be morph either into a Summoned Zombie that deals increased disease damage (and is your typical zombie model as seen in ESO presently,) or a Summoned Revenant that deals increased poison damage with its weapon strikes (think Draugr, or similarly preserved warriors.)

Summon Ghost: The player summons a ghost that follows them around and deals frost damage to enemies, much like a summoned twilight. It could be morphed later on into either a Bound Wraith for increased frost damage and snares upon enemies, or a Bound Ancestor that deals increased damage and heals you upon command.


Spectral Chains: The player calls forth necromantic chains to snare and damage multiple enemies in front of them. It can be morphed later on to Binding Chains for additional snares, or Sundering Chains for additional damage over time. Zenimax has the animations for this already, for they used them to show the bindings Angolf the Gravesinger had placed upon the Guardians of Earth, Water and Air in the Glenumbra Wyrd Tree questline. This animation has been used in other quests and locations throughout the game as well.


Spiritual Nexus: The player casts a rune circle upon the ground that harnesses the energy of the Spirit Realm, increasing the physical and spell resistances of all allies standing within. It can be morphed later on into either Positive Nexus, where allies within the circle are also granted healing, and Negative Nexus, where enemies that step inside the circle are rooted for a few seconds (better dodge roll out of there!) and instead of granting physical and spell resistance to allies, the circle reduces the resistances of enemies standing inside of it. For this move, think of those circles that necromancer NPCs summon that root you in place!


Necromantic Flames: The player casts a ball of necromantic flame to scorch the soul of their enemy, dealing flame damage. This can be morphed later on to Soul Fire for increased flame damage, or Flying Skull for increased magic damage. Necromancer enemies in the game already use these spells against the player, though despite their appearance, they do not deal frost or fire damage.


Passive Abilities

Spirit's Release: When your summoned undead is slain, regain magicka.

Blood Infusion: Adds health to your summoned undead.

Leather Wrappings: Adds resilience to summoned undead.

Binder of Souls: For each necromantic ability slotted, your magicka is increased by a certain percent.



These are just some ideas that outline a possible Necromancer Skill Line that would not be as taxing for Zenimax to consider and implement as an entire class, while still providing viable abilities and giving Elder Scrolls fans the necromantic spells they've been waiting for. This would obviously be subject to change, additions, and adjustment to maintain balance in the game. I hope the fine folks over at Zenimax Online Studios would consider the possibility and viability of a Necromancy Skill Line!





@ZOS_GinaBruno