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Necromancy is a branch of magic that has consistently proven to be quite interesting whenever it is incorporated into any medium. It's easy to portray any necromancer as a villain, given the heinous nature of this form of magic to raise the undead and force them to do a caster's bidding. However, necromancy is more than this, with certain aspects of this form of magic being quite riveting in their own right.
It's easy to see why necromancers have such a captivating presence across the media they're featured in, with video games being no exception here. Raising the dead is pretty great as a player, with certain characters also doing justice to this moniker by becoming quite memorable as necromancers in their respective video games. Here are some of the most iconic necromancers in video games that need no introduction.
6 Dorian Pavus (Dragon Age: Inquisition)
Dorian is one of the best party members players can get in Dragon Age: Inquisition. This mage is pretty charismatic and always has a smart quip or two to lighten the mood in most situations... when appropriate, that is. Of course, most people also will notice the fact that he's an extremely effective necromancer who can turn most enemies into mincemeat by using his skills effectively in battle.
This makes him a pretty sturdy and reliable party member to bring into any battle, so long as players can help him avoid any unnecessary damage that can really take a toll on his limited health. The fact that Dorian's quips don't become weary regardless of how long players keep him in their party is a testament to how well-written this necromancer really is.
5 Serana (The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim)
Serana is one of the best parts of the Dawnguard expansion for The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. She's a vampire who is awakened by the Dragonborn and serves as one of the more memorable companions the player can have on their journey. There might be many other companions in Skyrim who are worth a mention, but none come close to matching Serana's powerful and infectious personality.
It helps that her narrative plays a major role in the events of Dawnguard, with players having more and more excuses to interact with her great character. It helps that she's a pretty powerful necromancer in her own right who can absolutely decimate the opposition with a wide swath of magical abilities if need be.
4 Gravelord Nito (Dark Souls)
Dark Souls is a game that needs no introduction. The title is one of the most legendary hardcore action RPGs around that grabbed lightning in a bottle and proceeded to become one of the most popular video games of all time. That being said, the game's quality does peter off somewhat in the second half, even if hunting down the four Lord Souls can be quite engaging in its own right.
Gravelord Nito holds one of the Lord Souls that players require to gain access to the ending. This is easier said than done, with the mere act of reaching this powerful figure being a pretty huge chore in its own right. After going through the grueling endeavor of exploring the Catacombs, players also have to deal with the boss fight itself, which is quite challenging indeed.
3 Tarquin (Divinity: Original Sin 2)
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a game that is full to the brim with complex and rewarding role-playing opportunities. In fact, the sheer wealth of options given to the player when it comes to dealing with the world and its inhabitants is truly immense, leading to many people committing wildly different acts as compared to other players. So, it's easy to see why some people might not even know who Tarquin is in the game, given how quickly players can decide his fate in the game.
Tarquin appears pretty shady even if his story about Dallis forcing her to become her private inventor is somewhat believable. If players decided to let him stick around and bond with him a bit more, they'll come across a startling revelation that Tarquin was actually one of the necromancers who was responsible for resurrecting Braccus Rex, although this was also done against his will. It's a wrong he wishes to correct quite ardently, and even employs the help of the player character and their party to accomplish the same.
2 Thanatos (Hades)
Hades is an amazing roguelike action RPG created by Supergiant Games that absolutely skyrocketed in popularity and is easily one of the best games in the genre anyone can check out. The game's amazing art style, fun combat, and memorable characters make it a truly excellent title from start to end. One of the many characters to whom Zagreus can give an unhealthy amount of nectar and ambrosia is Thanatos.
He's one of the characters that Zagreus can romance in the game, with the embodiment of death appearing at certain times during Zagreus' escape into the underworld to challenge him to a duel of sorts. He might not fit the traditional picture of a necromancer, but it's only fitting that the personification of death itself would be such a perfect fit for this list.
1 Zog The Eternal (Middle-earth: Shadow Of War)
Middle-earth: Shadow of War was a much-awaited sequel to the smash hit Shadow of Mordor that fans were eagerly anticipating. The game definitely expanded on several concepts present in the first game, even if this came at the cost of an unhealthy and exploitative end-game grind.
One of the many antagonists that players have to deal with in this game is Zog the Eternal. This orc necromancer serves as a thorn in Talion's side time and time again, making it easy to see why both the player and Talion find it infinitely satisfying to beat him up time and time again.