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🩻 RS3 Necromancer: Complete New Player Guide (July 2026)
Last updated: July 2026 | Verified against 2026 Combat Modernisation & Road to Restoration changes
Why Necromancy? (The 2026 Case)
Necromancy is objectively the best starting combat style for new RS3 players in 2026, and here's why:
- Combat-triangle independent — works equally well against every enemy type. No switching styles.
- Self-guided — the in-game interface literally tells you what to do next at every stage.
- Self-sufficient — you craft your own gear and runes. Minimal GP investment required early on.
- Built-in survivability — conjured ghosts heal you passively during combat.
- AFK-friendly — conjures fight for you; rituals are low-input and profitable.
- Balanced Position — Following the March 2026 Combat Modernisation, Melee, Ranged, and Magic caps were raised to 120 and buffed to match Necromancy's design. While Necromancy is no longer the undisputed highest DPS style at the absolute endgame, it remains the most accessible, cost-effective, and user-friendly style for learning PvM and running low-input alt accounts.
IMPORTANT
2026 Context: Treasure Hunter was permanently removed January 19, 2026. The economy is healthier and more organic. Lumbridge has been restored to its classic layout. New players now start in Lumbridge proper — not the Crater.
🗺️ Phase 0 — Before You Even Touch Necromancy
Step 1: Complete the Basic Tutorial in Lumbridge
You'll start in Lumbridge. Do the starter orientation — it's short. Get familiar with the interface. Then immediately head to Draynor Village.
Step 2: Find the Underworld Portal
- Teleport to the Draynor Village lodestone
- Walk to the middle Underworld portal (can't miss it — glowing portal near the village)
- Enter it
Step 3: Start "Necromancy!" — The Tutorial Quest
- No skill requirements whatsoever
- This IS your tutorial — it teaches you combat, rituals, conjures, and runes
- On completion: You'll be ~Level 5 Necromancy, have your first weapons, and unlock full access to the City of Um
TIP
The City of Um is your home base for the entire Necromancy journey. It contains your ritual site, the Well of Souls (talent tree), gear upgrade forge, and all your trainers. Bookmark the Tome of Um teleport item you receive — it gets you back here instantly.
🏙️ Phase 1 — City of Um Orientation (Levels 1–20)
Upon arriving in the City of Um, your priority list is:
Talk to Kili (ASAP)
Kili is your gear upgrade NPC. Every 10 levels, you return to Kili for a task that unlocks the next tier of weapons and armor. She is the backbone of your entire gear progression. Find her and introduce yourself immediately.
Understand the Two Training Methods
Necromancy has two parallel systems — you need both, you cannot skip either:
| System | How to Train | What It Gives You |
|---|---|---|
| Combat | Kill things with Necromancy abilities | Talent Points (spent at Well of Souls) |
| Rituals | Perform rituals at the ritual site | Souls (stored in Well of Souls) + XP |
Both Talent Points AND Souls are required to unlock higher tiers of the Talent Tree. Neither alone is enough.
The Well of Souls — Your Talent Tree
Located in the City of Um. This is where you spend Talent Points to permanently unlock:
- New conjures (skeleton, ghost, zombie, phantom)
- Combat abilities (Spectral Scythe, Death Skulls, etc.)
- Passive upgrades
Unlocks at higher tiers require:
- Reaching the level threshold
- Having enough Souls in the Well
- Completing specific quests
- Having unlocked the tier below it first
F2P Cap Warning
WARNING
Free-to-play accounts are hard-capped at Level 20 Necromancy. F2P is essentially a demo. The full game — all quests, gear tiers, bosses, conjures, and endgame — requires membership. If you're serious about Necromancy, membership is not optional.
📜 Phase 2 — The Quest Chain (Do These in Order)
The Necromancy quest chain is your roadmap. Each quest unlocks a critical mechanic. Do not skip or delay these.
Quest Order & What Each Unlocks
| # | Quest | Level Req | Key Prerequisite | What It Unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Necromancy! | None | None | City of Um, Level 5 Necromancy, core mechanics |
| 2 | Kili Row | ~Level 20 | Necromancy! | Gear upgrade system, T20 Death Guard & Skull Lantern |
| 3 | Rune Mythos | ~Level 20 | Necromancy! | Necrotic rune crafting (incantations) |
| 4 | Vessel of the Harbinger | 46 Necromancy, 40 Prayer | Rune Mythos + Ghosts Ahoy | Well of Souls progression, major ability unlocks |
| 5 | The Spirit of War | 65 Necromancy, 3,000 Souls | Vessel of the Harbinger | Hermod boss access, armor plate source, Deathdealer path |
| 6 | Tomes of the Warlock | ~Level 70+ | Spirit of War | Further ability unlocks, lore progression |
| 7 | Remains of the Necrolord | ~Level 80+ | Tomes of the Warlock | Further content, progression toward final quest |
| 8 | Alpha vs Omega | ~Level 90+ | Remains of the Necrolord | Unlocks Rasial boss fight (final boss) |
⚠️ Important Side Quest: Ghosts Ahoy
- Required before you can start Vessel of the Harbinger
- It's an older quest based in Port Phasmatys (Eastern Morytania)
- Quick to complete — do it when you're around Level 40–45 Necromancy so it's ready when you need it
- Don't neglect this or you'll be gatekept at Level 46
⚔️ Phase 3 — Early Combat Training (Levels 1–60)
What to Fight and When
| Level Range | Recommended Enemies | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1–20 | Chickens, cows, goblins near Lumbridge | Just get comfortable with abilities |
| 20–40 | Undead/skeletons near Varrock, Port Phasmatys area | Undead mobs = better XP with Necromancy affinity |
| 40–60 | Fungal Mages (Polypore Dungeon), Abyssal area monsters | Solid mid-tier XP and drops |
| 60–80 | Waterfiends, Abyssal Demons (Kuradal/Slayer Dungeon) | Unlock Slayer for passive skill building |
| 80–90 | Abyssal Savages, higher-tier Slayer tasks | AFK-friendly with full conjure army |
| 90–120 | Abyssal Beasts, high-tier Slayer, or switch to Rituals | Rituals become fastest XP at 90+ |
Core Combat Abilities — Learn These
| Ability | What It Does | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Conjure Skeleton Warrior | Summons a DPS skeleton minion | First unlock — use always |
| Conjure Vengeful Ghost | Summons ghost that heals you — passive sustainability | Critical for survivability |
| Conjure Putrid Zombie | Damage sponge minion | Get ASAP |
| Conjure Undead Army | Summons all available conjures at once | Unlock via Talent Tree — use to start every fight |
| Soul Strike | Basic magic-ranged attack | Spam early, generates stacks |
| Finger of Death | Powerful single-target nuke | Mid-game, spends Soul stacks |
| Death Skulls | Bouncing skull attack — AoE + high damage | One of your best abilities at higher levels |
| Spectral Scythe | AoE melee range sweep | Great for multi-target situations |
| Invoke Death | Activates a threshold-type ability on kill | Important for ability rotation |
| Living Death | Ultimate ability — transforms your playstyle for 40 seconds | Endgame defining ability |
TIP
At Level 106, you can have all 4 conjures active simultaneously. Until then, prioritize Ghost (healing) and Skeleton (DPS). Use "Conjure Undead Army" to pop them all at the start of every encounter.
🔧 Phase 4 — Gear Progression (The Kili System)
How Gear Works in Necromancy
You do not buy your gear from the Grand Exchange at low-to-mid tiers. You earn it by completing tasks given by Kili every 10 levels. This is by design — you craft your own equipment from drops and ritual outputs.
Weapon Upgrades — Death Guard & Skull Lantern
| Tier | Level | How to Get |
|---|---|---|
| T10 | 1 | Given automatically during "Necromancy!" quest |
| T20 | 20 | Complete Kili Row quest |
| T30 | 30 | Kili's Task (ritual-based) |
| T40 | 40 | Kili's Task (ritual-based) |
| T50 | 50 | Kili's Task |
| T60 | 60 | Kili's Task + materials |
| T70 | 70 | Kili's Task (requires boss kills) |
| T80 | 80 | Kili's Task (requires high-level boss kills) |
| T90 | 90 | Kili's Task (requires Nex and/or Ambassador kills) |
CAUTION
Always unequip your Death Guard and Skull Lantern before attempting to upgrade them at the forge. They must be in your inventory, not your equipment slots. This trips up almost every new player.
The Critical T70 Choice — Tank vs. Power Armor
At Level 70, after completing The Spirit of War quest, Kili gives you a permanent choice between two armor paths:
| Path | Armor Set | Who It's For |
|---|---|---|
| Tank | Deathwarden | New players, learners, quest bosses. More forgiving. Easier Kili tasks. |
| Power | Deathdealer | Experienced players, DPS focus. Better damage output. Harder tasks. |
Recommendation for new players: Start with Deathwarden (Tank). You can always transition later, and the easier task requirements mean you'll get gear upgrades faster at the stage where you need them most. The endgame sees most players on Deathdealer, but rushing DPS gear as a new player is a trap.
🕯️ Phase 5 — Rituals Explained
What Are Rituals?
Rituals are performed at the ritual site in the City of Um. You place glyphs on the ground in a pattern, then channel the ritual — it runs for a duration and produces output. During rituals, random disturbances spawn that you can choose to interact with (for extra XP) or ignore (for more AFK gameplay).
The Main Ritual Types
| Ritual | Purpose | Unlock Level |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser Communion | Gathers Souls for the Well of Souls | Level 5 |
| Ensoul Material | Required for weapon/armor upgrades via Kili | After Kili Row quest |
| Essence Ritual | Creates Impure Essence for necrotic rune crafting | After Rune Mythos quest |
| Greater Communion | Better soul generation rates | Level 60 |
| Powerful Communion | Best soul rates — use at 90+ | Level 90 |
| Necroplasm Rituals | Create inks and candles for higher rituals | Various levels |
The Most Important Ritual Tip — Multiply Glyphs
When placing glyphs at your ritual site, fill every spare slot with Multiply glyphs (I, II, or III — use the highest tier you can). These glyphs increase your output quantity per ritual cycle and are the single biggest efficiency multiplier available. At Level 99 with the Necromancy Skillcape equipped, the multiplier effect is further boosted.
Maximizing Soul Attraction (90-120 Meta)
To get the absolute fastest XP rates from rituals at Level 90+, you need to trigger as many disturbances (Soul Storm, Defile, Wandering Soul) as possible:
- Maximize your Soul Attraction percentage (aim for 640% or higher).
- Use high-tier glyphs and the Attraction perk on the skillcape (Attraction 3) to trigger back-to-back disturbances.
- Note: Ritual base XP was adjusted (reduced by ~20%) in recent balancing updates, making active participation in these disturbances absolutely mandatory if you want top-tier XP/hour.
Early Ritual Strategy
- Don't grind souls obsessively early — Powerful Communion at Level 90+ generates souls far more efficiently.
- Focus on Combat for quick leveling and Talent Points up to Level 90, doing only enough rituals to pass Kili's tasks.
- Once at Level 90, switch primarily to high-attraction rituals for the fastest route to 120.
- Engaging disturbances = massive active XP. Ignoring disturbances = slower XP but fully AFK.
🔮 Phase 6 — Necrotic Runes (Incantations)
How the System Works
- Complete Rune Mythos quest to unlock rune crafting
- Perform rituals to produce Impure Essence (via Essence Ritual)
- Take Impure Essence to the Necrotic Rune altar (portal inside the City of Um ritual site)
- Craft into specific necrotic runes used for incantations (special abilities)
Rune Types
- Bone Runes — Lower-tier incantations
- Flesh Runes — Mid-tier incantations
- Miasma Runes — Higher-tier incantations
- Soul Runes (Necromancy variant) — Highest incantations
NOTE
Necromancy is designed so you rarely need to buy runes from the Grand Exchange. Your own ritual output sustains your supply. You can buy from GE in a pinch, but it's not the intended flow.
The Tome of Um
You receive a Tome of Um early on. Upgrade it when you can — the upgraded version provides fast teleports back to the City of Um, which dramatically speeds up ritual/rune crafting cycles.
📊 Phase 7 — The Level-by-Level Milestone Map
| Milestone | Level | What Changes |
|---|---|---|
| Necromancy unlocked | 1 | After "Necromancy!" quest |
| T20 gear available | 20 | After Kili Row quest |
| Vessel of Harbinger | 46 | Need Ghosts Ahoy done + 40 Prayer |
| All 3 basic conjures active | ~60 (Talent Tree) | Full early conjure army available |
| Spirit of War | 65 | Need 3,000 souls in Well |
| Greater Communion | 60 | Better ritual efficiency |
| T70 armor choice (Tank/Power) | 70 | Major gear step |
| Spectral Scythe upgrades | 70 (Talent Tree) | Significant DPS increase |
| Powerful Communion | 90 | Fastest souls + best ritual XP |
| Fastest XP via rituals | 90 | Switch to ritual-primary training |
| All 4 conjures simultaneously | 106 | Full undead army including Phantom Guardian |
| Skillcape perk | 99 | Ritual multiplier boost |
| Rasial (final boss) | ~95 recommended | After Alpha vs Omega quest |
| Max Level | 120 | Complete mastery |
🏆 Phase 8 — Rasial, The First Necromancer (Endgame Boss)
Rasial is the final boss of the Necromancy quest chain and the defining endgame encounter for the skill.
Requirements
- Complete Alpha vs Omega quest (final quest in the chain)
- Recommended Level: 95+ Necromancy
- Recommended Gear: T90 or higher (Deathdealer Power set preferred for DPS)
Key Mechanics to Know
| Mechanic | What Happens | How to Handle |
|---|---|---|
| Ghost Wall | A wall of spirits moves toward you | Walk/run laterally to dodge |
| Soul Obelisks | Spawns at ~700k HP | Many players ignore and just DPS Rasial down |
| Volley of Souls | Rasial charges 5 soul stacks (green orbs) then fires | Activate Deflect Necromancy curse OR Devotion before it fires |
| Death Mark | Places a debuff on you | Use Freedom ability to remove |
Recommended Setup
- Amulet: Salve Amulet (e) — Rasial is undead, this is Best in Slot
- Familiar: Hellhound (damage reduction) for learning phase; Blood Reaver later for healing
- Potions: Overloads + Adrenaline Renewals (or Extreme Necromancy potions if Herblore isn't 99 yet)
- Prayer: Soul Split active, Ancient Curses (Turmoil/Affliction equivalent for Necromancy)
- Ability Bar: Death Skulls rotation management is essential — watch guides specifically for this
TIP
Group worlds (Worlds with a "Group" designation) are available if you're struggling with solo Rasial. There's no shame in learning the fight in a group environment first.
💪 Phase 9 — Supporting Skills to Train Alongside Necromancy
These aren't optional for serious progression — they're mandatory for endgame capability.
| Skill | Target Level | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Defence | 99 | Gear equip requirements + raw survivability |
| Prayer | 95 ← Critical | Unlocks Soul Split (self-healing curse) + Ancient Curse prayers for massive damage boost. Non-negotiable for endgame. |
| Herblore | 99 ← Critical | Overloads — the single biggest combat upgrade outside gear. Non-negotiable for serious bossing. |
| Invention | Unlock ASAP (80 Div, 80 Craft, 80 Smith) | Augment your Necromancy gear with perks — Biting 4, Precise 6, Equilibrium 4, etc. Massive damage increase. |
| Runecrafting | ~60–80 | Self-sufficiency for necrotic rune crafting |
| Smithing/Crafting | Within 10 levels of Necromancy | Kili's tasks regularly require these |
| Slayer | 90+ (long-term) | Unlocks the best AFK training spots for Necromancy and provides consistent GP income |
The Non-Negotiable Priority Order for Support Skills
Prayer 95 → Herblore 99 → Invention unlock → Everything elseDo not let anything distract you from Prayer 95 and Herblore 99. Every hour of bossing without Soul Split and Overloads is significantly less effective.
🛠️ City of Um Achievement Diary — Worth Doing
| Diary Tier | Key Requirements | Reward Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 10 Prayer, 15 Craft/Smith, 20 Necromancy | Underworld Grimoire (teleport item), QoL improvements |
| Medium | 11 Herblore, 37 Defence, 40 RC, 45 Craft/Smith, 50 Necromancy | Better bone/ash management, improved ritual XP |
| Hard | 80 Necromancy, 70 Smithing, 68 Magic | Significant QoL + experience boosts |
| Elite | 90 Necromancy, 90 RC, 95 Prayer, 96 Herblore | Maximum diary bonuses — major quality of life |
Do Easy and Medium diaries as early as you can meet the requirements. Hard and Elite are long-term goals.
📋 Complete New Player Checklist
Immediate (Day 1)
- [ ] Start in Lumbridge, do basic orientation
- [ ] Travel to Draynor Village lodestone
- [ ] Enter the Underworld portal
- [ ] Complete "Necromancy!" quest — your actual tutorial
- [ ] Explore City of Um, speak to every NPC (especially Kili)
- [ ] Do a basic Lesser Communion ritual to understand the system
- [ ] Kill a few undead enemies to get your first Talent Points
Early Game (Levels 1–40)
- [ ] Complete Kili Row quest (gear system unlocked, T20 weapons)
- [ ] Complete Rune Mythos quest (necrotic rune crafting unlocked)
- [ ] Spend Talent Points at Well of Souls — prioritize Conjure Skeleton, then Conjure Ghost
- [ ] Do Communion rituals regularly; build soul count gradually
- [ ] Visit Kili at Level 30 for T30 task; at Level 40 for T40 task
- [ ] Do Ghosts Ahoy quest (Port Phasmatys) before you hit Level 46
Mid Game (Levels 40–70)
- [ ] Complete Vessel of the Harbinger at Level 46 (requires Ghosts Ahoy + 40 Prayer)
- [ ] Unlock the Vengeful Ghost and Putrid Zombie conjures via Talent Tree
- [ ] Get your Prayer level to 70+ to unlock Curses
- [ ] Visit Kili at 50 and 60 for gear upgrades
- [ ] Complete The Spirit of War at Level 65 (need 3,000 souls in Well first)
- [ ] Make the Tank/Power choice at Level 70 (recommend Tank/Deathwarden for new players)
- [ ] Start leveling Herblore seriously — target 99 as a mid-term goal
Late Game (Levels 70–99)
- [ ] Complete Tomes of the Warlock and Remains of the Necrolord
- [ ] Get Prayer to 95 — unlock Soul Split and endgame curses
- [ ] Get Herblore to 99 — unlock Overloads
- [ ] Unlock Invention skill (80 Divination, 80 Crafting, 80 Smithing required)
- [ ] Augment your Necromancy gear — use perks like Biting 4, Precise 6
- [ ] Visit Kili at 80 and 90 for endgame gear upgrades (boss kills required)
- [ ] Switch to Powerful Communion rituals at Level 90 (fastest XP to 120)
- [ ] Complete City of Um Hard Diary when you meet requirements
Endgame (Levels 99–120 + Rasial)
- [ ] Complete Alpha vs Omega quest to unlock Rasial
- [ ] Unlock all 4 conjures simultaneously at Level 106
- [ ] Get the Necromancy Skillcape at Level 99 for ritual multiplier perk
- [ ] Fight Rasial — use T90 gear, Salve Amulet (e), Overloads, Soul Split
- [ ] Grind to Level 120 via Powerful Communion rituals
- [ ] Complete City of Um Elite Diary
- [ ] Maximize Invention perks on T90/T95 gear
🔗 Essential Resources (July 2026)
| Resource | URL | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| RS Wiki — Necromancy Training | runescape.wiki/w/Necromancy_training | Training methods, XP rates, everything |
| RS Wiki — Ritual Calculator | runescape.wiki/w/Calculator:Necromancy/Rituals | Real-time GP/hr for rituals (prices fluctuate) |
| PvME (pvm.wiki/pvme) | pvme.io | Best-in-slot ability rotations, boss guides, gear setups |
| r/runescape | reddit.com/r/runescape | Community Q&A, current meta discussions |
| In-game Necromancy interface | Press the Necromancy skill icon in-game | Literally tells you your next objective |
NOTE
The in-game Necromancy skill guide panel is genuinely excellent. It shows your current Kili tasks, Well of Souls soul count, Talent Tree progress, and upcoming unlocks. Check it regularly — it's your built-in quest log for the skill.
Guide compiled July 2026 | Sources: RS Wiki, pvme.io, r/runescape, RuneHQ | Reflects 2026 Combat Modernisation (March 2026) and Road to Restoration changes (January 2026)