Corpse Explosion Guide

The Corpse Explosion Necromancer (CE Necro) is a crowd-clearing specialist build that focuses primarily on the Corpse Explosion spell to devastate large groups of enemies by detonating corpses for massive area damage. Corpse Explosion deals percentage-based damage making it effective against all enemy types while Amplify Damage curse doubles physical damage and Bone Spear provides initial corpse creation. This distinctive build excels at efficient area clearing and magic find runs, offering a "battlefield demolition" playstyle with explosive corpse chains, curse support, and the ability to clear entire screens with strategic corpse detonations.

First thing to do is allocate 1 point in the following Skills: Dim Vision, Weaken, Iron Maiden, Terror, Confuse, Life Tap, Attract, Decrepify, Lower Resist, Bone Armor, Bone Wall, Bone Spear, Bone Spirit, Bone Prison, Teeth, Raise Skeleton, Skeletal Mastery, Clay Golem, Golem Mastery, Iron Golem, Fire Golem, Blood Golem, Summon Resist, Raise Skeletal Mage, and Poison Dagger. After this max out the following Skills: Corpse Explosion, Amplify Damage, Bone Spear, Bone Armor. With your extra points, max out Bone Spirit for additional magic damage and then put remaining points into Clay Golem and Golem Mastery for tank support and Lower Resist for curse utility.

When it comes to your Attributes, start with acquiring a Hellfire Torch and an Annihilus Charm. Put those in your inventory and then add Strength, enough to wear your gear. Dexterity should be minimal unless needed for gear requirements since you fight from range with spells. Energy can be useful for Corpse Explosion spam and maintaining curses, but gear can compensate. The rest of your points should go into Vitality for maximum life and survivability while casting Corpse Explosion from safe distances.

Best Weapon choices include Heart of the Oak Runeword in a Flail for +3 All Skills, 40% Faster Cast Rate, and resistances to maximize Corpse Explosion effectiveness, or Spirit Runeword as a budget option with +2 Skills and 35% Faster Cast Rate. White Runeword in a Bone Wand provides +3 Bone Spear and 20% Faster Cast Rate excellent for creating initial corpses. Shield wise, Homunculus is Best in Slot for +2 Necromancer Skills and +5 Bone Armor with regeneration bonuses, or Spirit Monarch for +2 Skills and 35% Faster Cast Rate. When it comes to your Armor, Enigma Runeword in a Mage Plate base is Best in Slot for +2 Skills and Teleport utility for positioning corpses strategically and escaping danger. Skin of the Vipermagi is excellent for +1 Skills and 30% Faster Cast Rate. Trang-Oul's Scales provides +2 Necromancer Skills and set bonuses. Helmet, Harlequin Crest is ideal for +2 Skills, Life, and Mana for maximum Corpse Explosion effectiveness, or Lore Runeword as a budget +1 Skills option. For Gloves, Magefist provides +1 Fire Skills and 20% Faster Cast Rate for rapid Corpse Explosion casting, or Trang-Oul's Claws for 20% Faster Cast Rate, +2 Curses, and cold resist. For the Belt, Arachnid Mesh is perfect for +1 Skills and 20% Faster Cast Rate to enhance Corpse Explosion damage, or Goldwrap for 30% Extra Gold and 10% Faster Cast Rate. When it comes to Boots, War Traveler for Magic Find and strength/vitality bonuses since corpses do the killing efficiently, or Sandstorm Trek for 20% Faster Hit Recovery and poison resist. Rings, Stone of Jordan provides +1 Skills and mana for Corpse Explosion spam, pair with Bul-Kathos' Wedding Band for +1 Skills and Life Leech. Amulet you can opt for Mara's Kaleidoscope for +2 Skills and resistances, Tal Rasha's Adjudication for +2 Skills and magic find, or a rare amulet with +2 Necromancer Skills, Faster Cast Rate, and resistances.

For your inventory, focus on Necromancer Skill Charms with +Poison and Bone Skills and life bonuses to maximize Corpse Explosion effectiveness. Small Charms with 7% Magic Find and resistances or life and resistances for efficient farming since Corpse Explosion clears so effectively. Faster Cast Rate Small Charms help reach the 125% FCR breakpoint for optimal casting speed. Mana Small Charms support sustained Corpse Explosion chain reactions. Life Small Charms provide survivability for positioning near corpses. Gheeds Fortune for Magic Find, Gold Find, and reduced vendor prices.

Mercenary wise, an Act 2 Nightmare Offensive mercenary with Might Aura helps create initial corpses faster and provides frontline support, or Act 2 Nightmare Prayer mercenary for Prayer Aura life regeneration during intense combat. For Weapon, Insight Runeword in a Thresher base is essential for Meditation Aura to support continuous Corpse Explosion spam and curse maintenance, or Infinity Runeword for Conviction Aura and Amplify Damage procs that synergize perfectly with Corpse Explosion. Helmet options include Vampire Gaze for Damage Reduction and Life Leech, or Andariel's Visage for Attack Speed and Strength. Armor you want Fortitude Runeword in an Ethereal Sacred Armor base for maximum damage to help create corpses quickly, or Treachery Runeword for Attack Speed and Fade proc to keep your mercenary alive while you position for optimal Corpse Explosion chain reactions that devastate entire groups with Clay Golem providing additional corpse creation and Amplify Damage curse doubling the explosive damage across the battlefield.