Necromancer

Orc necromancer

Scourge necromancer

Necromancers are practitioners of necromancy, the study and use of magic to raise and control the dead. Necromancers are the enemies of life itself, and all hands are raised against them.

Arcane mysteries

"...practitioners of unspeakable magic, macabre manipulators of life and death: necromancers."

Arcane mysteries are the mysteries of life and death. Death, in the form of necromantic magic, acts as a counterbalance to Life. It is an unavoidable force that breeds despair in mortal hearts and pushes everything toward a state of entropic decay and eventual oblivion. It is said that the only way to ensure the saving of another is the sacrifice of life. Sacrificial magic was considered the greatest violation of life and the energies of Life, known commonly as nature magic, promote growth and renewal in all things. However, energies can be so chaotic that they manifest as entropic horrors, pure fel magic given form to lash out at all life. To fuel fel magic, but an insignificant sacrifice--a living fish or two, a few strands of seaweed--is required.

Mages

Mages of the arcane are diviners of secrets, balancing the ebb and flow of incredible mystic energies. Unparalleled skill is required to manipulate the volatile forces of the universe. These practitioners push their magical knowledge to its very limits—often to the brink of their own exhaustion, and at great risk to the world around them. Those who master this craft are capable of releasing a barrage of unrelenting power upon their enemies, drawing upon replenishing energies to maintain their assault for as long as the battle demands.

Because the magi's arcane mysteries are necromantic mysteries (the mysteries of life and death), it can be stated that the magi's arcane magic is necromantic: If necromancy is a school of (or from) arcane magic, arcane magic is a magic that relates to necromancy and is therefore necromantic: of, from, or relating to, necromancy (or necromancers).

Warlocks

Drom'kor, Timewalker Necrolyte: "I could use the timeways to cheat death, but why bother when there are more elegant ways?"

Kena Shadowbrand:Warlocks have the ability to convert their own life force into rewards - both material and evanescent.

Zenith Shadowforce: "I have drunk the life energies of my bitterest enemy, and they were sweet beyond the telling."

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Warlocks, the equivalent to mages, are magical practitioners who seek to understand darker, fel-based magics, including destructive spells. According to the Blizzard employee known as Justin Parker, warlocks have overlapping abilities with necromancers but pursue a discipline different from them. However, if warlocks have necromantic abilities (the abilities of necromancers) and practice necromancy, they are necromancers (practitioners of necromancy). If (key word: if) warlocks aren't necromancers and pursue a discipline different from necromancers, this "different discipline" has yet to be revealed.

World of Warcraft Cinematic Trailer

In the face of demonic power (or warlock magics), most heroes see death. Warlocks see only opportunity. Their aim is dominance and in the dark arts, they have found a path to it. Demonic power would exist in - and be derived from - the Twisting Nether because demons (and the demonic powers they contain) are from the Twisting Nether. However, when someone asked if perhaps warlocks were harnessing their power from the Twisting Nether, Sean Copeland—Blizzard's very own Lead Historian—, replied, “No, that’d be magi, IIRC. They gain power by the destruction of another source (recall the undead warlock in original cinematic). Additionally, the Blizzard employee stated that demons contain fel magic, but aren't "the" source. As such, the warlock class or the warlocks' discipline seems non-canon to Justin Parker and Sean Copeland. Warlocks don't get their demonic fel magic from demons (the source of demonic fel magic) and warlocks don't get their power from the Twisting Nether (the source of demons).

Demonic Knowledge: "Everything has a cost. Everything." - Plague Fleshbane

Demonic Soulstone: "You're done when I say you're done." - Victor Baltus

Demonologist's Pact: "Look at me wrong, fool, and my minions will tear a hole in your soul!" - Gladiator Kileana

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The warlocks' discipline/knowledge is demonic and demons know how to raise undead. This isn't to state that warlocks do raise undead but it does, however, raise the questions: How do warlocks know how to raise the dead and do they control the dead? By their very nature, demons are leeches on the living universe—but the demonologist has mastered harnessing the power of these malefic beings on the field of battle. Warlocks harvest the souls of their defeated enemies; those specialized in the ways of demonology use this life essence to tap into the Void, pulling all manner of abomination from the chaos of the Twisting Nether. While such a practice is often considered by outsiders to be wicked and reckless, the demonologist maintains absolute control over the summoned creatures. These malignant entities are fully beholden to—and empowered by—the will of the warlock, until banished to the realm from whence they came.

A doomguard rising out of a victim of the warlocks' Curse of Doom spell.

The imp Rulrin while phase shifted into the Twisting Nether.

A warlock casting Shadows of Death, presumably in order to bring his demonic minion back from the dead.

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Demons would be non-physical entities (incorporeal spirits—which are undead) because demons are from the Twisting Nether, an astral dimension separate from the physical universe. The physical is separate from the non-physical and if demons are physical beings, they would not be able to exist in a non-physical place. However, despite knowing that demons can't be physical beings who exist in a place separate from the physical universe, Matt Burns—Writer at Blizzard Entertainment—stated that he thinks there is physical stuff in TN when he was asked if demons are non-physical beings that warlocks can give physical shells to. Presumably, he stated this because warlocks would be necromancers.

Notable necromancers

World of Warcraft
Name	Role	Condition	Magical Field
[??] Kel'Thuzad	Master of Naxxramas and Lich King majordomo; Final boss of Naxxramas and First Of The Necromancers	Defeatable	Frost Shadow Unholy
[21+]  Dar'Khan Drathir	Master of the Scourge in Quel'Thalas	Undead-Killable	Shadow
[??]  Gothik the Harvester	Second boss in The Military Quarter of Naxxramas	Killable	Shadow Arcane
[??]  Heigan the Unclean	Second boss in The Plague Quarter of Naxxramas	Killable	Shadow Nature
[??]  Noth the Plaguebringer	First boss in The Plague Quarter of Naxxramas	Killable	Shadow Arcane
[78/82]  Salramm the Fleshcrafter	Second boss in The Culling of Stratholme instance in the Caverns of Time	Killable	Shadow Unholy
[72/82]  Dalronn the Controller	Second/third boss in the Utgarde Keep instance	Killable	Shadow Unholy
[61]  Maleki the Pallid	Boss in the Undead Side of Stratholme; Death required to kill Baron Rivendare	Killable	Frost Shadow
[61]  Darkmaster Gandling	Headmaster of Scholomance	Killable	Shadow Arcane
[60]  Doctor Theolen Krastinov	Boss in Scholomance	Killable	Physical Shadow
[60]  Kormok	Boss in Scholomance; Holder of a piece of Lord Valthalak's Amulet	Killable	Shadow Unholy
[60]  Instructor Malicia	Scourge instructor and boss in Scholomance	Killable	Holy Shadow Arcane
[32]  Morbent Fel	Leads the undead in Raven Hill Cemetery, Duskwood	Killable	Shadow Unholy
[69]  Naberius	Raised the entire village of Kirin'Var Village, Netherstorm	Killable	Ice
[10]  Zalazane	Occupies the Echo Isles	Defeatable	Shadow Nature Unholy
[20+]  Thule Ravenclaw	Master of Fenris Keep	Killable	Fire Unholy Demonic
[35]  Abercrombie	Quest giver in Raven Hill Cemetery, Duskwood	Alive	Unholy
[44+]  Helcular	Apprentice to Kel'Thuzad, killed while transforming into a lich in a cave near Southshore	Undead	Unholy

Lore-only
Name	Role	Condition	Magical Field
Abrakkar the Wretched	Scourge Commander	Dead	Unholy
Al'satt	Role unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Diodor the Damned	Early member of the Cult of the Damned	Dead	Unholy
Gul'zakar	Role unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Mael Shelub	Independent, last seen in Silverpine Forest	Alive	Unholy
Nazaruul	Stationed at Plaguelands	Dead	Unholy
Pai Stormbringer	Leader of the Cult of the Damned	Alive	Shadow & Death
Ru'sad	In charge of the undead forces found in Zul'Aman	Unknown	Unknown
Toren Snapjoint	Role unknown	Unknown	Unholy
Ul'haik Hadanot	Leader of the Cult of the Damned	Alive	Shadow & Death
Vasilii	Role unknown	Alive	Shadow & Death

Necromancers in WoW can also be found guarding Ziggurats in place of crypt fiends. Without nearby corpses to manipulate, however, they lack suitable combat skills.

Warcraft III

This section concerns content exclusive to Warcraft III.

See also Warcraft III Necromancer Quotes:

Heigan the Unclean has a striking resemblance to the WCIII necromancer.

From Necromancer at Battle.net:

Though they retained their Humanity after making a pact with death, Necromancers became the most terrifying agents of the Scourge. These dark, insidious men were once thought to be aspiring geniuses by the Magocracy of Dalaran. However, their insatiable lust to delve into the secrets of the dark arts drove them to forsake their very souls. Ner'zhul, the Lich King, granted these malevolent sorcerers true power over the dead in exchange for their loyalty and obedience. The shadowy Necromancers have the power to command various types of Undead and even spread the foul undead plague as well.

World of Warcraft

This section concerns content exclusive to World of Warcraft.

Necromancers in World of Warcraft

This section concerns content that is out-of-date. Reason: Needs more named ones.

• Acherus Necromancer - The Scarlet Enclave, Eastern Plaguelands
• Anub'ar Necromancer - Azjol-Nerub, Dragonblight
• Auchenai Necromancer - Auchenai Crypts, Terokkar Forest
• Blackrock Necromancer - Dreadmaul Rock, Burning Steppes
• Burning Depths Necromancer <Cult of the Damned> - Obsidian Dragonshrine, Dragonblight
• Dark Necromancer - Culling of Stratholme, Caverns of Time
• Death's Head Necromancer - Razorfen Downs, The Barrens
• Deatholme Necromancer - Deatholme, Ghostlands
• Decrepit Necromancer - Northeast Dragonblight
• En'kilah Necromancer - Temple City of En'kilah, Borean Tundra
•  Necromancer <Cult of the Damned> - Stratholme, Eastern Plaguelands
• Frigid Necromancer <Cult of the Damned> - Ruby Dragonshrine, Dragonblight
• Gor'vosh Necromancer - Ashran
• Malefic Necromancer - Southeastern Icecrown
• Master Necromancer - Culling of Stratholme, Caverns of Time
• Outcast Necromancer - Desolace
• Redpine Necromancer - Western Plaguelands
• Scholomance Necromancer - Scholomance, Western Plaguelands
• Scourge Necromancer - Acherus: The Ebon Hold, Eastern Plaguelands
• Thuzadin Necromancer - Stratholme, Eastern Plaguelands
• Ymirjar Necromancer - Utgarde Pinnacle, Howling Fjord
• Shadowy Necromancer - Hyjal Summit, Caverns of Time, Tanaris

Named

•  Gunther Arcanus <Lich>

In the RPG

This section concerns content exclusive to the Warcraft RPG, and thus unlikely to be canon.

Necromancers are spellcasters whose magics manipulate the power of death. In calling upon this power, necromancers risk being consumed by it — until eventually they join the ranks of the undead. Necromancers twist arcane magic to manipulate the power of death. Commanding the undead, generally in the service of the Scourge, they gradually take on the characteristics of the dead — hollow eyes, shambling gaits, pallid and sunken skin, foul odors and so forth. A few necromancers are uncorrupted and the most experienced necromancers become epic necromancers.

Forsaken necromancer

The Dark Lady, Sylvanas Windrunner, realized how valuable necromancy was to their cause. Though Forsaken heal naturally, many go to the priests of the Forgotten Shadow for "repairs". Necromancers can also free enslaved, mindless undead and research powerful spells that might one day return the Forsaken to life. Sylvanas knew she needed necromancers to heal, strengthen and replace her people, and she set about wooing necromancers away from the Scourge, mainly by force.

Media

This section needs to be cleaned up to a higher standard of quality.

Videos

WoW Pro Lore Kel'Thuzad and the Forming of the Scourge

Kel'Thuzad, a necromancer

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See also

• Necrolyte
• Necromantic magic
• [The Schools of Arcane Magic - Necromancy]

External links

Lore

WoW Insider Know Your Lore: The color of magic by Anne Stickney Jul 28th 2013 8:00PM

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