Skeletal Mage (skill)

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For the monster of the same name, see Skeleton Mage.

Skeleton Mage Class: Necromancer (Diablo III) Skill Category: Secondary Active Cost: 40 Essence Raise a skeleton from the ground to attack your foes dealing 400% damage as Physical over 2 attacks. Lasts 6 seconds. Damage Type: Physical Other Stats: Summon

Skeleton Mage (formerly Raise Dead) is a Secondary Necromancer skill in Diablo III. Unlike its previous incarnation in Diablo II, it serves more as a direct damage spell than a summoning skill.

In-game

When activated, briefly summons a Skeletal Mage to attack the designated target (unless it is out of reach, dies, or is unattackable, in which case the skeleton retargets to another random foe, like a normal pet). For the duration, the Mage can follow its master.

Necromancer can summon as many Mages at the same time as they can support, which is limited by Essence pool and casting speed.

Contrary to the tooltip, the number of attacks the Mage can make is only limited by the duration and attack speed. Each attack consists of two bolts of energy in quick succession, normally dealing 200% damage per bolt.

Runes

• Gift of Death: Risen Skeleton Mages leave a corpse behind when they die or expire.
• Singularity: Consumes all Essence when cast, but raises a more powerful skeleton. For each additional point of Essence consumed (in addition to the base cost), the skeleton's damage increases by 3%.
• Life Support: Risen Skeleton Mages cost 10% of maximum Life to cast, but duration is increased by an additional 2 seconds.
• Contamination: Damage type changes to Poison, and summons a contaminated Mage. It will not attack and will not follow its master, but instead will channel an aura of decay for 175% damage as Poison per tick for the duration. An aura is roughly 20 yards in radius and hits all enemies in vicinity.
• Skeleton Archer: Damage type changes to Cold, and raises Skeleton Archers instead of Mages. Skeleton Archers increase the Necromancer's attack speed by 3% for 5 seconds each time they deal damage, stacking up to 10 times.

Passives

• Extended Servitude: increases duration by 25%.
• Aberrant Animator: grants 200% of the Necromancer's Thorns.
• Stand Alone: grants 100% increased Armor. This bonus decreases by 10% (minimum 0) for each active minion.
• Grisly Tribute: each attack made by Skeletons heals the Necromancer for 10% of their Life per Hit.
• Blood for Blood: removes the Life cost of Life Support rune when picking up a Health Globe, storing up to 3 charges.
• Blood is Power: every 5% of maximum Life drained by the Life Support rune will reduce all remaining cooldowns by 1%.
• Rathma's Shield: for 4 seconds after casting Land of the Dead, Army of the Dead or Simulacrum, Life Support rune will drain no Life on cast.

Necromancer Skills

Primary Skills
Bone Spikes • Grim Scythe • Siphon Blood
Secondary Skills
Bone Spear • Skeletal Mage • Death Nova
Blood and Bone
Bone Armor • Bone Spirit • Blood Rush • Simulacrum
Reanimation
Command Skeletons • Command Golem • Army of the Dead • Land of the Dead
Curses
Decrepify • Leech • Frailty
Corpses
Corpse Explosion • Corpse Lance • Devour • Revive
Passives
Fueled by Death • Life from Death • Stand Alone • Bone Prison • Commander of the Risen Dead • Swift Harvesting • Extended Servitude • Rigor Mortis • Overwhelming Essence • Dark Reaping • Spreading Malediction • Eternal Torment • Final Service • Grisly Tribute • Draw Life • Serration • Aberrant Animator • Blood for Blood • Blood is Power • Rathma's Shield