Introduction
Tired of Necromancer builds that crumble under pressure, leaving you a skeletal mess on the battlefield? The Eternal Sugar Build offers a surprisingly robust and rewarding alternative in Diablo IV. This build focuses on creating a Necromancer that is incredibly difficult to kill, constantly regenerating resources, and consistently dishing out devastating Bone Spear attacks. We’re talking about a character that can face tank enemies, clear Nightmare Dungeons with ease, and stand toe-to-toe with challenging bosses.
But what is the Eternal Sugar Build? The “Eternal” aspect refers to the build’s exceptional survivability. Through a combination of strong defensive stats, life regeneration, and barrier generation, this Necromancer is designed to withstand significant amounts of damage. The “Sugar” component, on the other hand, symbolizes the reliable and consistent resource generation. We’ll be utilizing skills and aspects to ensure that Essence, the Necromancer’s resource, is always readily available, allowing for a relentless barrage of Bone Spears.
This isn’t just some gimmick build. The Eternal Sugar Build is designed to be viable for a wide range of content in Diablo IV, from solo leveling and Nightmare Dungeon clears to tackling challenging world bosses and even dipping your toes into PvP. Its versatility and resilience make it an excellent choice for both new and experienced players.
This guide is geared towards players who are looking for a durable, high-damage Necromancer build that can handle a variety of content. We’ll break down the core components, skills, gear, paragon board choices, gameplay strategies, and strengths and weaknesses of the Eternal Sugar Build, equipping you with everything you need to dominate Sanctuary. Get ready to build a Necromancer that’s both sweet and unstoppable!
Core Components of the Eternal Sugar Build
This build revolves around the Bone Spear skill, augmented by exceptional resource generation and fortified defenses. Let’s explore the crucial elements that make it tick.
The Necromancer: Master of Life and Death
The Necromancer is the obvious and only choice for this build. The class’s inherent ability to manipulate corpses and generate Essence makes it perfectly suited for the Eternal Sugar Build’s core mechanics. Skills like Corpse Tendrils provide invaluable crowd control, while Blood Mist offers temporary invulnerability and Essence generation. Furthermore, the Necromancer’s access to potent Bone skills allows for devastating damage output. The inherent connection to life and death, plus the capacity for generating resources, makes the Necromancer the ideal base for the Eternal Sugar Build.
Key Skills: Unleashing the Bone Barrage
Several skills are essential for the Eternal Sugar Build to function optimally. These are the foundation upon which our survivability and damage are built:
- Bone Spear: The primary damage dealer. Maximize this skill and its associated enhancements. The Shatter enhancement is key, causing Bone Spear to explode on impact, dealing significant damage to surrounding enemies. This also helps in clearing large groups effectively.
- Corpse Tendrils: A critical crowd control ability. The Blighted enhancement pulls enemies into a tight cluster, making them vulnerable to Bone Spear’s Shatter explosion. This also provides Essence generation through the “Fueled by Death” passive.
- Blood Mist: This skill provides invulnerability and a method to escape dangerous situations. The Ghastly enhancement leaves behind a corpse, which can then be utilized with Corpse Tendrils. It also generates Essence.
- Corpse Explosion: While not a primary damage dealer, Corpse Explosion provides additional area-of-effect damage and helps clear out weaker enemies. The Plagued enhancement provides a damage boost and can help apply Vulnerable to enemies.
- Bone Storm: The Ultimate skill that provides both damage and crowd control. The Prime Bone Storm enhancement generates a barrier every time Bone Storm damages an enemy, significantly boosting survivability.
Prioritize Bone Spear first, followed by Corpse Tendrils and Blood Mist. Corpse Explosion can be leveled later, and Bone Storm should be taken as soon as it becomes available.
Gear: Fortifying Body and Soul
Gear is paramount in maximizing the Eternal Sugar Build’s potential. Focus on specific weapon types, armor pieces, and affixes that complement the build’s strengths:
- Weapons: A two-handed Scythe is ideal for the increased damage. Look for affixes such as Critical Strike Damage, Vulnerable Damage, and Intelligence. Unique weapons like the Black River scythe, which enhances Corpse Explosion, can also be beneficial.
- Armor: Prioritize armor with affixes like Total Armor, Maximum Life, Life Regeneration, and Damage Reduction from Close/Distant Enemies. The Aspect of Disobedience is crucial, providing increased armor based on the number of enemies hit with basic skills.
- Jewelry: Focus on affixes like Critical Strike Chance, Critical Strike Damage, Vulnerable Damage, and Cooldown Reduction. The Aspect of Exposed Flesh is vital, providing a chance to generate Essence when hitting Vulnerable enemies with Bone Spear.
- Important Affixes: Critical Strike Chance, Critical Strike Damage, Vulnerable Damage, Cooldown Reduction, Maximum Life, Total Armor, and Essence Cost Reduction are all crucial for the build.
- Ideal Stats: Strive for high Critical Strike Chance (around fifty percent), high Critical Strike Damage (over three hundred percent), Vulnerable Damage (as high as possible), and sufficient cooldown reduction to keep Bone Storm active as much as possible. Essence Cost Reduction is vital for maintaining a constant flow of Bone Spears.
Paragon: Sculpting the Path to Immortality
The Paragon board is essential for further enhancing the Eternal Sugar Build. Focus on the following boards and nodes:
- Starting Board: Prioritize Intelligence and Dexterity nodes.
- Bone Graft Board: This board is essential for increasing Bone skill damage. The Glyph Socket should be used for the Exploit Glyph, which provides increased Vulnerable application.
- Bloodbath Board: This board provides further damage increases when enemies are Vulnerable. Focus on the Legendary node and the surrounding damage nodes.
- Flesh-Eater Board: This board provides increased damage to Close enemies. This pairs well with Corpse Tendrils pulling enemies together, boosting Bone Spear damage.
- Black River Board: If using the Black River Scythe, this can be a worthwhile board to focus on.
Prioritize damage nodes early on, then focus on survivability nodes as you progress through higher Nightmare Dungeon tiers. Choosing the right glyphs further amplifies the power of your Necromancer.
Gameplay and Strategy
The Eternal Sugar Build’s gameplay revolves around maintaining a consistent flow of Bone Spears while staying alive and controlling the battlefield.
- Rotation: Start by using Corpse Tendrils to pull enemies together, applying Vulnerable. Then unleash a barrage of Bone Spears, taking advantage of the Shatter explosion. Use Blood Mist when overwhelmed or to generate Essence. Use Corpse Explosion to clear out any remaining smaller enemies. Keep Bone Storm active whenever possible.
- Resource Management: Essence management is critical. The Aspect of Exposed Flesh, combined with the “Fueled by Death” passive and Essence Cost Reduction affixes, should provide ample Essence to maintain a constant stream of Bone Spears.
- Positioning: Maintain a safe distance from enemies, using Corpse Tendrils to control their positioning. Use Blood Mist to reposition if necessary.
- Target Prioritization: Focus on elites and bosses first. Use Bone Storm to control large groups of enemies.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The Eternal Sugar Build offers a unique blend of power and survivability, but it also has its limitations.
- Strengths: Exceptional survivability, consistent damage output, strong crowd control, viable for a wide range of content, fun and engaging playstyle. It excels in solo Nightmare Dungeons, tackling world bosses, and even holds its own in PvP.
- Weaknesses: Gear-dependent, relies on Essence generation, can struggle against enemies that are immune to Vulnerable. Clearing high-density content might be slower compared to builds that prioritize raw damage output.
Variations and Alternatives
While the core components are crucial, some flexibility exists in tailoring the build to your preferences.
- Gear Variations: If you haven’t acquired the Aspect of Exposed Flesh, consider using the Aspect of the Embalmer, which provides increased damage to enemies affected by Corpse skills. Alternative unique items can also be incorporated, provided they don’t detract from the build’s core focus on Bone Spear damage and resource generation.
- Skill Variations: Instead of Corpse Explosion, you could opt for Decrepify, which provides a debuff to enemies that reduces their damage and attack speed, further boosting survivability.
- Similar Builds: Other Bone Spear builds exist, but they often sacrifice survivability for increased damage. Blood Lance builds offer similar sustain but lack the range of Bone Spear.
Leveling Guide
Leveling the Eternal Sugar Build is relatively straightforward. Focus on Bone Spear early on, and gradually incorporate Corpse Tendrils and Blood Mist as you progress. Look for gear with Intelligence and Critical Strike Chance. Using the Golem skill during leveling can provide good damage. Switching to the full Eternal Sugar Build around level fifty allows you to smoothly transition into endgame content.
Conclusion
The Eternal Sugar Build offers a refreshing take on the Diablo IV Necromancer, providing a durable and powerful option for tackling a wide range of content. With its exceptional survivability, consistent damage output, and engaging playstyle, this build is sure to delight players looking for a Necromancer that can truly conquer Sanctuary. So, embrace the power of Bone, master the art of Essence generation, and create a Necromancer that’s both eternally strong and delightfully sweet.
Now, go forth and build your own Eternal Sugar Necromancer! Share your experiences, suggestions, and questions in the comments below. May your Bone Spears always find their mark, and may your Essence never run dry!
