Best Diablo 4 Necromancer Book of the Dead Golems: Blood, Bone, or Iron?

Necromancers in Diablo 4 have a powerful tool at their disposal: Golems. These fearsome creatures can be summoned to help in battle, acting as tanky companions that mow down opponents like they’re nothing. They have saved me from what I thought was a guaranteed death so many times already.

But with three to pick from, it’s hard to know which one is best and in what circumstances, so it’s a good idea to get your head around the pros and cons of each one and what sorts of situations they thrive in.

How to unlock and summon Golems in Diablo 4

If you’re a Necromancer, you’ll automatically unlock Golems via the Call of the Underworld quest, which becomes available at Level 25, regardless of the build you’re running. The Bone Golem is the only one you can use right out of the gate. The Blood Golem and Iron Golem unlock a little later at Level 28 and Level 32, respectively.

Summoning them is a walk in the park. All you need to do is open the Skill Assignment page, look for the Book of the Dead summons at the bottom, assign them to an available skill slot, and press that hotkey in battle.

Blood Golem: The Sustained Damage Dealer

The Blood Golem specializes in draining life from nearby enemies to heal. It can absorb 15 percent of the damage you would take, and if you’re healthy, it gains a 25 percent damage reduction and a 50 percent increase in damage. If you choose to sacrifice the ability, you also gain a 10 percent increase in max life.

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This means the Blood Golem can deal damage consistently over a sustained period, which is its biggest strength. Its ability to drain the health of nearby enemies to heal itself means its uptime is almost endless, allowing it to plow through enemies. Personally, I’m a huge fan of its set-and-forget playstyle because it makes things a breeze.

Iron Golem: The Crowd Controller

The Iron Golem is all about crowd control. This imposing beast performs an AoE ground slam that can stun enemies. Every fifth one causes a shockwave that deals damage to surrounding enemies, and the slam attack also makes enemies vulnerable for three seconds. If you sacrifice the ability to summon Golems, you gain a 30 percent increase in critical strike damage.

It synergizes well with Blood Surge due to the AoE vulnerable debuff, followed by the AoE nova. But while the Iron Golem deals what I believe is the most damage of the three, it’s less survivable than the others.

Bone Golem: The Taunting Tank

The Bone Golem is an expert at taunting and tanking. It can shed a corpse each time it takes up to 20 percent of its maximum life in damage, and it inherits 50 percent of your Thorns value. If you sacrifice the ability to summon Golems, you gain a 10 percent increase in attack speed.

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But while the Bone Golem’s ability to keep enemy aggro off you makes it a useful tool in certain situations, I found it to be a little lackluster in the damage department compared to the other Golems.

What is the best Golem in Diablo 4?

After trying all three Golems, I am convinced the Blood Golem is the best due to its consistent damage and healing capabilities. But while that might be the case for me, it’s important to note the best one varies depending on your play style and build. They all offer unique advantages, so there’s no definitive answer.