We’ve covered the basics; now let’s dig a little deeper into Death’s many different abilities. This chapter details all of the Horseman’s various skills and attack combos, providing a thorough breakdown that will help you obliterate all who would seek to challenge you.

Skills

Every time Death levels up, he earns one Skill Point. These precious points are used to purchase and master powerful skills that make the Reaper even more dangerous. There are two major skill trees: Harbinger and Necromancer.

Harbinger Tree

The Harbinger skill tree focuses on dealing direct damage to Death’s enemies and strengthening the might of his standard attacks. This skill tree features several “sub-trees” that enhance the effectiveness of the Harbinger tree’s three primary skills: Teleport Slash, Harvest, and Unstoppable.

Teleport Slash Sub-Tree

Teleport Slash is an excellent skill in which Death darts forward to deliver a lethal scythe attack. This skill also has several other advantages: it heals Death by a small degree, and can also help him slip past foes to avoid their attacks. Teleport Slash can be enhanced in a variety of ways by purchasing other skills within its sub-tree. Unending Fury and Death Blossom rank among the best—the former allows Death to quickly generate Wrath so that Teleport Slash can be used more often, while the latter greatly increases the power of Teleport Slash, turning it into a devastating anti-group skill.

Teleport Slash Sub-Tree

Skill	Level	Prerequisites	Description	Level 1 Stats	Level 2 Stats	Level 3 Stats
Teleport Slash	1	None	Death teleports across the battlefield and delivers a violent scythe attack that deals damage and restores Death's health.	Costs 200 Wrath Deals 99-117 damage Heals for 10% of damage done	Costs 200 Wrath Deals 111-130 damage Heals for 12% of damage done	Costs 200 Wrath Deals 122-144 damage Heals for 15% of damage done
Immolation	3	Teleport Slash	All enemies struck by Teleport Slash have a chance to be set ablaze.	Deals 102 damage every 0.5 seconds Lasts 5 seconds 25% chance to set on fire	Deals 153 damage every 0.5 seconds Lasts 6 seconds 25% chance to set on fire	Deals 179 damage every 0.5 seconds Lasts 7 seconds 25% chance to set on fire
Inescapable	3	Teleport Slash Immolation	All enemies struck by Teleport Slash have a chance to be slowed by Frost.	Slows by 20% Lasts 2 seconds 25% chance to slow	Slows by 25% Lasts 3 seconds 25% chance to slow	Slows by 30% Lasts 4 seconds 25% chance to slow
Unending Fury	5	Teleport Slash Immolation	Wrath generation is increased for a short time after performing Teleport Slash.	Increases Wrath Generation by 40% Lasts 10 seconds	Increases Wrath Generation by 45% Lasts 10 seconds	Increases Wrath Generation by 50% Lasts 10 seconds
Rage of the Grave	5	Teleport Slash Inescapable	Increases the Critical Hit Chance on Teleport Slash attacks.	Teleport Slash gains 10% increased Critical Strike Chance	Teleport Slash gains 15% increased Critical Strike Chance	Teleport Slash gains 20% increased Critical Strike Chance
Death Blossom	8	Teleport Slash Immolation Unending Fury	Hitting enemies with Teleport Slash also causes an explosion, damaging nearby foes.	Deals 684 damage	Deals 1027 damage	Deals 1370 damage

Harvest Sub-Tree

Harvest is a fantastic anti-group skill that summons Death’s Reaper Form for a brief instant to level surrounding enemies with a swirling scythe attack. Even if Harvest doesn’t wipe out Death’s foes, it will push them back and give the Horseman a chance to flee or follow up with another attack. The skills that fall under Harvest’s sub-tree can increase Death’s damage output or generate Reaper Energy, allowing the Rider to pour on the punishment while easily defeating entire mobs of foes.

Harvest Sub-Tree

Skill	Level	Prerequisites	Description	Level 1 Stats	Level 2 Stats	Level 3 Stats
Harvest	5	None	Death's true incarnation appears, unleashing a spinning scythe attack that devastates surrounding foes.	Costs 200 Wrath Deals 1210 damage	Costs 200 Wrath Deals 1478 damage	Costs 200 Wrath Deals 1747 damage
Reaping	8	Harvest	Reaping increases the chance of scoring a critical hit on enemies struck by Harvest.	Harvest gains a 15% increased Critical Strike Chance	Harvest gains a 20% increased Critical Strike Chance	Harvest gains a 25% increased Critical Strike Chance
Trauma	8	Harvest Reaping	Enemies struck by Harvest increase the damage dealt by all of Death's attacks for a short time.	Increases damage by 10% per enemy hit.	Increases damage by 15% per enemy hit.	Increases damage by 20% per enemy hit.
Red Harvest	12	Harvest Reaping Trauma	Enemies struck by Harvest grant Reaper Energy.	Adds 8 Reaper Energy per enemy hit	Adds 10 Reaper Energy per enemy hit	Adds 12 Reaper Energy per enemy hit

Unstoppable Sub-Tree

For the true carnage addict, there is Unstoppable. This skill greatly increases Death’s Strength attribute for a short time, allowing the Reaper to devastate those who would seek to thwart him. Unstoppable can be made even more lethal by upgrading its sub-tree skills, which can increase Death’s ability to inflict critical hits, along with enhancing his critical damage. Upgrade Unstoppable with Call of the Grave, and you’ll be able to keep the mayhem going for longer periods of time.

Unstoppable Sub-Tree

Skill	Level	Prerequisites	Description	Level 1 Stats	Level 2 Stats	Level 3 Stats
Unstoppable	8	None	Death's unearthly strength is increased for a short time.	Costs 300 Wrath Increases Strength by 30 while active Lasts 8 seconds	Costs 300 Wrath Increases Strength by 40 while active Lasts 8 seconds	Costs 300 Wrath Increases Strength by 50 while active Lasts 8 seconds
Inevitability	12	Unstoppable	While Unstoppable is active, Death is more likely to deal a Critical Strike.	10% increased Critical Strike Chance	15% increased Critical Strike Chance	20% increased Critical Strike Chance
Empowerment	12	Unstoppable Inevitability	Death's Critical Strikes deal additional damage while Unstoppable is active.	Increases Critical Strike Damage by 20%	Increases Critical Strike Damage by 30%	Increases Critical Strike Damage by 40%
Killing Blow	16	Unstoppable Inevitability	While Unstoppable is active, Death has a chance to deal a second strike with each attack.	5% chance of a second strike	10% chance of a second strike	15% chance of a second strike
Call of the Grave	16	Unstoppable Inevitability Empowerment	The duration of Death's Unstoppable ability is increased.	Increases Unstoppable duration by 3 seconds	Increases Unstoppable duration by 4 seconds	Increases Unstoppable duration by 5 seconds

Final Harbinger Skill: Reaper Storm

When Death advances to Level 20, he’ll have the option to unlock the Harbinger Tree’s final skill, Reaper Storm. Think of this as an even more lethal version of Harvest—one that can last for up to 8 seconds of anti-group annihilation. Unleash Reaper Storm in the midst of mobs whenever possible, for the initial blast inflicts tremendous damage.

Final Harbinger Skill

Icon	Skill	Level	Prerequisites	Description	Level 1 Stats	Level 2 Stats	Level 3 Stats
	Reaper Storm	20	None	Death's form rips apart into a tornado of debris and fragments of ancient bone, laying waste to those caught in the maelstrom.	Costs 400 Wrath Lasts 4 seconds Deals 80 damage every 0.2 seconds Storm blasts deal 1204 damage	Costs 400 Wrath Lasts 6 seconds Deals 120 damage every 0.2 seconds Storm blasts deal 1606 damage	Costs 400 Wrath Lasts 8 seconds Deals 160 damage every 0.2 seconds Storm blasts deal 2008 damage

Necromancer Tree

The Necromancer skill tree focuses on bolstering Death’s defenses and summoning lesser minions to his aid. Like the Harbinger tree, this one features several “sub-trees” that enhance the effectiveness of its three primary skills: Exhume, Aegis Guard, and Murder.

Exhume Sub-Tree

Exhume is a versatile skill that allows Death to summon a pair of aggressive Ghouls that hunger for combat. The primary benefit of these bloodthirsty minions is to distract and harass Death’s enemies, taking the heat off of the Reaper and allowing Death to flank his foes. Max out Undying and not only will the Ghouls last longer, but you’ll also gain a third Ghoul. Corpse Explosion is also excellent—purchase it to turn your Ghouls into lethal time bombs that obliterate nearby enemies when slain.

Exhume Sub-Tree

Skill	Level	Prerequisites	Description	Level 1 Stats	Level 2 Stats	Level 3 Stats
Exhume	1	None	Death summons bloodthirsty Ghouls from beyond the grave to fight alongside him.	Costs 300 Wrath Ghouls deal 26 damage per attack Ghouls summoned: 2	Costs 300 Wrath Ghouls deal 40 damage per attack Ghouls summoned: 2	Costs 300 Wrath Ghouls deal 53 damage per attack Ghouls summoned: 2
Undying	3	Exhume	Increases the health of the summoned Ghouls.	Increases Ghoul health by 451	Increases Ghoul health by 632	Increases Ghoul health by 813 Additional Ghouls Summoned: 1
Enervation	3	Exhume Undying	Damage dealt by the Ghouls is awarded as Wrath to Death.	Restores 1 Wrath per Ghoul attack	Restores 3 Wrath per Ghoul attack	Restores 4 Wrath per Ghoul attack
Fiery Souls	5	Exhume Undying	Ghouls deal additional fire damage to surrounding enemies.	Adds 13 Fire damage Fire aura deals 16 Fire damage every 0.5 seconds	Adds 20 Fire damage Fire aura deals 32 Fire damage every 0.5 seconds	Adds 20 Fire damage Fire aura deals 32 Fire damage every 0.5 seconds Exhume gains 5% Arcane Critical Strike Chance
Death's Allure	5	Exhume Undying Enervation	Death's enemies are driven to attack the summoned Ghouls.	—	Increases radius by 50%	Increases radius by 100%
Corpse Explosion	5	Exhume Undying Fiery Souls	Summoned Ghouls explode when killed or when the ability ends, damaging and knocking back nearby enemies.	Explosion deals 402 damage	Explosion deals 562 damage	Explosion deals 723 damage

Aegis Guard Sub-Tree

When it comes to increasing Death’s defense, nothing does the job better than Aegis Guard. This lifesaving skill greatly boosts Death’s Defense and Resistance attributes, making him extremely difficult to kill for a brief time. Aegis Guard can also punish Death’s adversaries through sub-tree skills such as Reflect and Grounding, and can greatly increase the effectiveness of Death’s Arcane attacks through Grave Defense and Enraged Guardian, all while ensuring that the Reaper remains in the fray.

Aegis Guard Sub-Tree

Skill	Level	Prerequisites	Description	Level 1 Stats	Level 2 Stats	Level 3 Stats
Aegis Guard	5	None	Death surrounds himself with a necromantic shield, significantly increasing his Defense and Resistance.	Costs 300 Wrath Adds 321 Defense while active Adds 321 Resistance while active Lasts 8 seconds	Costs 300 Wrath Adds 642 Defense while active Adds 642 Resistance while active Lasts 8 seconds	Costs 300 Wrath Adds 963 Defense while active Adds 963 Resistance while active Lasts 8 seconds
Grave Defense	8	Aegis Guard	Aegis Guard enhances Death's Arcane attribute while the ability is active.	20 Arcane	25 Arcane	30 Arcane
Reflect	8	Aegis Guard Grave Defense	Death's Aegis Guard reflects a portion of any damage dealt to Death back at its source.	Reflects 10% of damage done to Death.	Reflects 15% of damage done to Death.	Reflects 20% of damage done to Death.
Grounding	12	Aegis Guard Grave Defense	Threads of lightning arc from death while Aegis Guard is active, damaging nearby enemies.	Strikes 1 enemy every 0.5 to 1 seconds Deals 176 Lightning damage	Strikes 2 enemies every 0.5 to 1 seconds Deals 268 Lightning damage	Strikes 3 enemies every 0.5 to 1 seconds Deals 321 Lightning damage
Enraged Guardian	12	Aegis Guard Grave Defense Reflect	The arcane power of Aegis Guard increases Death's Arcane Critical Chance while active.	10% increased Arcane Critical Chance	15% increased Arcane Critical Chance	20% increased Arcane Critical Chance
Death Guard	16	Aegis Guard Grave Defense Reflect Enraged Guardian	Death's Aegis Guard lasts longer and requires less effort to summon.	Reduces Wrath cost by 10% Lasts 3 additional seconds	Reduces Wrath cost by 15% Lasts 4 additional seconds	Reduces Wrath cost by 20% Lasts 5 additional seconds

Murder Sub-Tree

Murder is a unique skill that summons one or more flocks of otherworldly crows to harass and distract Death’s enemies. Coupled with Exhume, Murder can be a fantastic way to keep swarming hostiles from singling Death out. Murder can be upgraded in various ways; it can help restore Death’s health, restore his Reaper Energy, or freeze his foes cold in their tracks.

Murder Sub-Tree

Skill	Level	Prerequisites	Description	Level 1 Stats	Level 2 Stats	Level 3 Stats
Murder	8	None	A murder of crows emerges from the ether, called down by Death to attack his foes.	Costs 300 Wrath Flocks deal 20 damage Summons 1 flock	Costs 300 Wrath Flocks deal 160 damage Summons 2 flocks	Costs 300 Wrath Flocks deal 201 damage Summons 3 flocks
Bless	12	Murder	Death's crows restore their master's health by attacking his enemies.	Restores 27 health per hit	Restores 41 health per hit	Restores 54 health per hit
Heralds of Death	16	Murder Bless	The summoned crows restore Reaper Energy to Death with every strike.	Hits add 3 Reaper Energy	Hits add 5 Reaper Energy	Hits add 7 Reaper Energy
Ice Crows	16	Murder Bless	Death's crows, imbued with the chill of the Abyssal Plains, deal ice damage to all enemies they strike.	Deals 40 Ice damage	Deals 80 Ice damage	Deals 80 Ice damage 2% chance to freeze

Final Necromancer Skill: Frenzy

The Necromancer Tree’s final skill is designed to pour all of Death’s Wrath into one single, devastating attack. The more Wrath Death possesses when unleashing Frenzy, the more powerful the skill will be. Chug a Wrath potion after using Frenzy, and then unleash the skill again. Repeat as needed until none are left to challenge you.

Final Necromancer Skill

Icon	Skill	Level	Prerequisites	Description	Level 1 Stats	Level 2 Stats	Level 3 Stats
	Frenzy	20	None	Death channels his Wrath reserves to attack his enemies. Frenzy increases in power depending on the amount of Wrath available.	Costs 100 Wrath per projectile Deals 160 damage per projectile	Costs 100 Wrath per projectile Deals 201 damage per projectile	Costs 100 Wrath per projectile Deals 241 damage per projectile

Skill Pairings

Try combining the following skills in order to achieve effective skill synergies:

Convenient Healing: Teleport Slash (maxed out) + Harvest (with Trauma) + Murder (with Bless)
Endless Wrath: Teleport Slash (with Unending Fury) + Exhume (with Enervation) + Frenzy
Anti-Group: Exhume (with Undying maxed out) + Harvest (maxed out) + Murder (maxed out, with Ice Crows) + Reaper Storm
Crushing Criticals: Teleport Slash (with Rage of the Grave) + Unstoppable (with Inevitability and Empowerment)
Chilling Out: Teleport Slash (with Inescapable) + Murder (with Ice Crows maxed out)
Burning Vengeance: Teleport Slash (with Immolation) + Exhume (with Fiery Souls)
Fear the Reaper: Harvest (with Red Harvest) + Aegis Guard (with Grave Defense and Enraged Guardian) + Murder (with Heralds of Death)