Hello and welcome to my second thematic build guide. I've always wanted to play a Cruoromancer because I really like their unique relation with necromancy, which naturally fits for a Lich. So I made this guide to explore the vampire / blood mage fantasy. I hope you like it!

If this guide helped you in any way, feel free to give it a positive rating and/or add it to your favorites! if you see anything wrong, please let me know and I'll be happy to edit it accordingly.

The portrait can be found here[www.nexusmods.com]. Artist is Stefan Koidl.

This is a theme-focused build. As such, I avoided multiclassing and made flavour choices to keep the theme of the character.

I know some feat choices are not "optimal".

That being said, the build is optimized enough to be played and finish the game comfortably on Core or below. I'm using it on Hard, but I don't recommend it for new players since you'll need some previous game knowledge for party composition.

Spells

Most of those are suggestions and you should pick according to what your party needs (for buffs and cc). Don't forget to check vendors first so you can learn more spells from scrolls before picking those during level up. Learn all the Necromancy spells you want until level 5 spells (character level 9).

Starting from level 6 spells, you can pick all of your Necromancy spells via the Lich spellbook, so you don't need to take those on your regular Wizard level ups. However, pick at least one Necromancy spell on each Wizard level for the favorite school slot, since you can't use that slot for spells you learn via the Lich spellbook. My suggestions will be highlighted in bold.

So many good spells. I'll just list some of main ones:

A list of useful and/or thematic equipment for the build. Use whatever good item you can find for the other slots.

* After defeating the vescavor queen on Leper's Smile, take some of its slime, then order it to be used during the assault on Drezen. Then, on Act 3, visit the house and get the item.

*Find the cloak piece on Areelu's Laboratory and all the necessary ingredients and then ask the Storyteller to craft it for you.

* Stacks with the +4 INT spell.

Use your Infusion ability with your necro spells to make those harder to resist (so enemies are less likely to halve the damage). You will keep doing this at higher levels with your Lich spells, essentially giving those a free spell focus bonus. For early game though, try to get some CC and buffs to help your party do the dirty work, at least until you get abundant casting and can then afford some more slots for necro spells.

Cruoromancer gets the Animate Dead spell earlier than other casters for free, so spam those guys to be your meat shields during early game. With the Commanding Infusion ability, they will actually hit something.

You lose some health by using the infusions (hence the blood magic theme), so use your blood drinker ability on corpses for some extra health to keep fueling your spells, plus any other spell that gives temporary health like False Life. And remember that you are a Dhampir, so in order to heal yourself you should use inflict wounds scrolls/potions. Stock-buy those at vendors since you won't find many laying around.

After getting Lich, a whole new world opens. Use Repurpose on tough mobs before they die so you'll have an extra minion on your team, and drain the hell out of everyone by activating Withering Life, especially with selective AoE spells. As always, don't forget to use your Infusion before casting spells and keep drinking the blood of fallen enemies for health + damage with the Blood Feaster feat.


In case you're wondering "why take spell penetration since Lich spells are not subject to it?", the answer is simple: to make the early game a bit more fun and thematic.

I didn't pick this subclass to be a buff/cc bot for 20+ hours until I could start using my class features and necromancy. That's not a great roleplaying experience as a vampire master of death...

And it's not like those feats will be wasted. You'll still use some of the regular Necromancy spells for filler, like the low level ones and the ones on the favorite school slot. This build doesn't need a lot of feats to work, so you have some to spare anyway. And this is not Unfair difficulty, so we're allowed to have some flavor over min-maxing.

After killing the Vescavor Queen on Leper's Smile (act 2), gather some of its slime and enter the cave. Take the first left and go all the way down until you find a bunch of undead around the Wand of Zacharius. You have to click it during the fight and take it or the undead will keep respawning. Attention: put the wand in your bag, don't pick any other option.


When you get to the Lost Chapel, enter the chapel (hehe) and go downstairs through the secret passage on the false wall. Then, go straight up until you find Zacharius and give him his wand back. Congrats, you've unlocked the Lich path.