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Hardmode Zuk (Experienced - Necromancy)

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Introduction and preface

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This guide is targeted towards players with a strong basic understanding of the encounter and are aiming for the @Zuk Master and @Zuk Grandmaster roles, and the in-game Zuk Master and Grandmaster Timers. It is not for players attempting hardmode Zuk for the first time. The rotations used are examples and can be adapted depending on Adrenaline, Residual Soul stacks residualsoul and Necrosis Stacks necrosis. The lures generally require moving depending on which monsters are blocked prior to using threadsoffate.

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Notes:

⬥ Players should try to follow this guide as best as possible. If you find that you are slower at moving between luring positions then you should try to always be hitting an enemy while running

⬥ You should upkeep darkness and conjurearmy + commandghost at all times for a reduction in damage taken, healing and increased damage dealt

⬥ greaterboneshield and zemouregalsnexus should be used as defensives will be vital during the encounter, such as to use devo on challenge wave 15 and reflect in the conduit phase

⬥ mahj or invigaura are viable alternatives, however, they are less consistent. equilibriumaura offers consistency, cheap upkeep cost, longer duration, more conjurearmy damage, and more commandghost healing

Presets and Relics

Preset Suggestions
⬥ Necromancy

Preset Notes

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⬥ kwuarmsticks and powderofpenance used at the bank

⬥ firstnecrohandwrap and zorgothsring should only be worn when summoning conjures and when fighting Zuk tzkalzuk as he isn't poisonable nor does the tokkulzo buff work on him

⬥ Mobile mob perk is a must have on gear

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Alternatively, use Shadow's Grace shadowsgrace

⬥ Mage, Ranged or Melee Obsidian Helm obsidianmagehelm / obsidianrangerhelm / obsidianwarriorhelm can be used for damage reduction. Although it is offstyle, it can be useful for the damage reduction (especially if charged in the Fight Cauldron beforehand). This guide assumes that a hellhoundpouch familiar is used, reducing the need for an offstyle obsidian helm

⬥ A ripperpouch familiar may be used, however, the usefulness of it is limited throughout the majority of the encounter and requires micro-management with ripperscroll use and callfollower as it is prone to getting stuck behind obstacles

Waves 1-16

⬥ A visual guide to the lures used throughout the fight can be found here

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Use the panel icons (1,2,3,4,5,6...) to navigate between each wave. Challenge waves are not included.

Wave 1

(Go East) conjurearmy → lifetransfer → commandghost → (East Meleer) soulsap → touchofdeath → (Go North) livingdeath + adrenrenewal → threadsoffate → (Any North Meleer) soulsap → volleyofsouls → surge (South) + omniguard spec (Kill both bats with threadsoffate + omniguard spec) → invokedeath → commandskeleton

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Wave 2

Start North-East

(NE Ranger) deathspark + soulsap → surge (West and tc NW Ranger) + deathskulls → dive (East and tc NE Meleer) + deathspark → soulsap → (Move South) fingerofdeath → (West Meleer) deathspark → (Yt-MejKot) deathskulls → finish with basics → invokedeath → commandskeleton

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Wave 3

Start South-East

(SE Yt-MejKot) bloat → fingerofdeath → (Bat) soulsap → touchofdeath → (Move West) invokedeath → threadsoffate → soulsap → volleyofsouls → surge (East) + deathguard90 spec (East Ranger) → lifetransfer → invokedeath → commandskeleton

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Wave 4 (Igneous wave)

General pointers

To minimise time spent on Igneous waves you should aim to do 2-3 basics and have bloat and invokedeath finish off the igneous mobs. Move towards tzkalzuk while attacking the Igneous Hur (Meleer).

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Specific rotations

Ideally conjures are summoned or extended prior to the igneous mobs spawning, however, if necessary then either conjurearmy or lifetransfer as needed. Similarly, having invokedeath and commandskeleton cast before the wave spawns is ideal.

⬥ Igneous Mej: commandskeleton → invokedeath → vulnbomb + bloat → vulnbomb → soulsap → touchofdeath → surge towards Igneous Xil + invokedeath

⬥ Igneous Xil: vulnbomb + bloat → soulsap → necroauto → commandskeleton

⬥ Igneous Hur: invokedeath → vulnbomb + soulstrike → soulsap → splitsoul → necroauto → soulsap

⬥ Zuk tzkalzuk: vulnbomb + deathskulls → touchofdeath → soulsap → volleyofsouls → deathguard90 → Dismiss conjures and conjurearmy → invokedeath

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Wave 5 (Challenge wave)

lifetransfer → commandghost before the challenge monsters spawn (can do this after the challenge monsters die if preferred)

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threadsoffate → tc + soulsap → volleyofsouls → (target the two that won't get hit) → omniguard spec.

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Wave 6

Start North

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commandghost → commandskeleton → (North Ranger) deathspark → soulsap → surge (South and tc Jad) + ‎ ‎touchofdeath → vulnbomb + livingdeath + adrenrenewal → touchofdeath → surge (towards entrance) + deathskulls → invokedeath → fingerofdeath → (Bats) soulsap → deathspark → necroauto → soulsap → (Jad) fingerofdeath → surge (North after Jad dies) + deathskulls (Meleer) → finish Rangers with fingerofdeath / necroauto / soulsap → lifetransfer → invokedeath → commandskeleton

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Wave 7

Start East

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(East Bat) bloat → (North Mager) bloat → (West Bat) fingerofdeath → (NW Ranger) volleyofsouls → (NE Ranger) bloat → soulsap → (East Ranger) invokedeath → bloat → conjurearmy → invokedeath → commandghost → dive (Middle) + threadsoffate → soulsap → volleyofsouls → lifetransfer → invokedeath → commandskeleton

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Wave 8

Start East

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(East Mager) + bloat → (North Ranger) soulsap → touchofdeath → Go NW (West Mager) deathskulls → soulsap → commandskeleton → surge (East) + invokedeath → (NE Ranger) bloat → (Move behind east rock) invokedeath → (East Ranger) bloat → conjurearmy → invokedeath → commandghost → dive (Middle) + threadsoffate → soulsap → volleyofsouls → lifetransfer → invokedeath → commandskeleton

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Notes:

⬥ Ensure you do not walk out of range of the TzekHaar-Mej after casting deathskulls or you will lose the bounce

⬥ The third soulsap can be cast on any of the mobs in the middle, the TzekHaar-Yt-MejKot is often the ideal target. Ensure you do not walk too far out or else the threadsoffate + volleyofsouls will not hit everything

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Wave 9 (Igneous wave)

Specific rotations

Ideally conjures are summoned or extended prior to the igneous mobs spawning, however, if necessary then either conjurearmy or lifetransfer if needed. Similarly, having invokedeath and commandskeleton cast before the wave spawns is ideal.

⬥ Igneous Mej: commandskeleton → invokedeath → vulnbomb + bloat → vulnbomb → soulsap → touchofdeath → surge towards Igneous Xil + invokedeath

⬥ Igneous Xil: vulnbomb + bloat → soulsap → necroauto → commandskeleton

⬥ Igneous Hur: invokedeath → vulnbomb + soulstrike → soulsap → splitsoul → necroauto → soulsap

⬥ Zuk tzkalzuk: vulnbomb + deathskulls → bloat → soulsap → touchofdeath → volleyofsouls → omniguard spec → dismiss conjures + conjurearmy → invokedeath

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Wave 10 (Challenge wave)

(tc) + vulnbomb + deathspark → deathguard90 eofspec → commandghost → lifetransfer → commandskeleton

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Wave 11

Start North

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(North Mager) bloat → surge (South) → (SE Bat) soulsap → touchofdeath → surge (West) → (SW Bat) deathspark → soulsap → (Go NW rock) invokedeath → livingdeath + adrenrenewal → (Jad) touchofdeath → (NW Mager) deathskulls → (West Mager) soulsap → fingerofdeath → (Jad) necroauto → necroauto → fingerofdeath → invokedeath → dive (North) + threadsoffate → soulsap → volleyofsouls → deathskulls → (Yt-MejKot) fingerofdeath → finish with basics → lifetransfer → invokedeath → commandskeleton

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Wave 12

Start North

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(Bat) + bloat → (Move East) invokedeath → (East Ranger) bloat → invokedeath → (East Mager) soulsap → necroauto → surge (SW) → (SW Mager) soulsap → touchofdeath → necroauto → (Bat) commandskeleton → soulsap → invokedeath → dive (Middle) + threadsoffate → soulsap → volleyofsouls → invokedeath → lifetransfer → commandskeleton

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Note: Ensure the East ranger and mager are dead before invokedeath and moving to the middle to threadsoffate

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Wave 13

Start North

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(North Ranger) bloat → (East Mager) invokedeath → bloat → (SE Ket-Zek) deathskulls → surge + dive (SW) → invokedeath → (SW Ket-Zek) soulsap → touchofdeath → necroauto → commandzombie → conjurearmy → soulsap → commandghost → (South Ranger) commandskeleton → finish South mager and ranger with basics until threadsoffate cd is <3s → invokedeath → dive (Middle) + soulsap → volleyofsouls → invokedeath → commandskeleton

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Wave 14 (Igneous wave)

Specific rotations

Ideally conjures are summoned or extended prior to the igneous mobs spawning, however, if necessary then either conjurearmy or lifetransfer if needed. Similarly, having invokedeath and commandskeleton cast before the wave spawns is ideal.

⬥ Igneous Mej: commandskeleton → invokedeath → vulnbomb + bloat → vulnbomb → soulsap → touchofdeath → surge towards Igneous Xil + invokedeath

⬥ Igneous Xil: vulnbomb + bloat → soulsap → necroauto → commandskeleton

⬥ Igneous Hur: invokedeath → vulnbomb + deathguard90 eofspec → soulsap → splitsoul → touchofdeath

⬥ Zuk tzkalzuk: vulnbomb + deathskulls → soulsap → commandzombie → commandskeleton → soulsap → volleyofsouls → touchofdeath → dismiss conjures + conjurearmy → lifetransfer

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Wave 15 (Challenge wave)

disrupt + commandghost → devo → soulsap → necroauto → livingdeath + adrenrenewal → soulsap → touchofdeath → divert → soulsap → invokedeath → commandskeleton

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disrupt is used to block the first grey hit, devo + either deflectrange (green) or deflectmage (blue) are used for the next 2 hits and divert to block the final grey hit. Using livingdeath here ensures it is back in time for tzkalzuk.

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Wave 16 (Triple Jad)

Stand beside the north-west rock and kill the north-west Jad while the other 2 group

Jad 1: vulnbomb + deathskulls → soulsap → volleyofsouls → touchofdeath → invokedeath (When Jad 1 dies)

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Jad 2 and 3: threadsoffate → fingerofdeath → deathskulls → fingerofdeath → finish with basics → build residualsoul and necrosis on tzkalzuk

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invokedeath → splitsoul → commandwarrior pre Har-Aken

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Wave 17 (Har-Aken)

dive to haraken + bloat → soulsap → omniguard spec → deathspark → soulsap → deathskulls → commandskeleton → soulsap (if 5 residualsoul then volleyofsouls ) → deathspark → touchofdeath → soulsap → deathspark → commandzombie → finish with basics → dismiss conjures when haraken dies

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Wave 18 (Tz-Kal Zuk)

First cycle

Build to 100% adren pre fight by using basics on Zuk tzkalzuk while he is on his throne

⬥ Apply vulnbomb

⬥ Use Veng

⬥ Equip firstnecrohandwrap and zorgothsring

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conjurearmy → soulsap → commandghost → nat → build to 100% adrenaline with soulsap → touchofdeath → necroauto → soulsap → livingdeath → touchofdeath → soulsap → deathskulls → freedom (bleed) → divert → bloat → commandskeleton → splitsoul → volleyofsouls → surge + dive (debuff) + deathskulls → fingerofdeath → soulsap → touchofdeath → surge (slam) + fingerofdeath → soulsap → necroauto → commandskeleton → deathskulls + disrupt (big hit) → soulsap → omniguard spec → deathspark → touchofdeath → deathguard90 eofspec → volleyofsouls → soulsap → freedom

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Note: Some improvisation will be necessary as it depends on when you started attacking Zuk (and by extension when you get melee slammed) and how much adrenaline you have

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Pizza Phase

Move with surge dive between each monster to avoid the fire

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Igneous Hur: invokedeath → surge dive → vulnbomb + soulstrike → soulsap → deathspark → commandskeleton → soulsap

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Igneous Xil: invokedeath → surge dive → vulnbomb + bloat → soulsap → touchofdeath → deathspark → soulsap → conjurearmy → lifetransfer → commandghost

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Igneous Mej: invokedeath → surge dive → bloat → soulsap → touchofdeath → necroauto → soulsap

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Second cycle

Veng + livingdeath + adrenrenewal → touchofdeath + vulnbomb → deathskulls + click extra-action button → divert → splitsoul → volleyofsouls → fingerofdeath → commandskeleton → freedom (bleed) → deathskulls → touchofdeath → fingerofdeath → necroauto → fingerofdeath → surge + dive (debuff) + soulsap → necroauto → necroauto → deathskulls → commandskeleton → surge (slam) + soulsap → omniguard spec → soulsap → deathspark

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Note: Again, some improvisation is required here as it depends on when you started attacking Zuk (and where you get melee slammed in your rotation) and on adrenaline

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Conduits

This assumes livingdeath has ran out by the time you get conduits. If this isn't the case you can use an extra deathskulls before living death ends on the conduit.

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⬥ Deal with Zuk's charged attacks using the following:

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• C1 → disrupt

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• C2 → divert / res

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• C3 → reflect

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• C4 → vitality

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Conduit 1: vulnbomb + invokedeath → touchofdeath → deathspark → deathskulls → deathspark

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Conduit 2: vulnbomb + invokedeath → bloat → soulsap → commandskeleton → commandzombie → soulsap

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Conduit 3: vulnbomb + invokedeath → splitsoul → volleyofsouls

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Conduit 4: vulnbomb + invokedeath → bloat → deathguard90 eofspec → fillers to finish

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Example videos

⬥ Full Kill (12:39 with death mark bug on pillars)

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