User blog comment:DominusMortem/Advice/@comment-2154860-20140104212401

It depends on what you want to build for a necromancer, and whether you're playing with the expansion installed. If you have the expansion installed, I'd hire an Act 2 hireling and buy the highest damage 3 socket spear or polearm and construct Malice in it (which are often sold by merchants.)  It's not the magic bullet, but the Open Wounds effect and the Prevents Monster Heal are helpful. Others have had success with additional minions and a single point invested in Iron Maiden, again, with repeated trips back to town to restock your army, but it's dependent on what you want to build for a necromancer. Having a massive army is only going to appeal to those who like playing Summonmancers. (Mind you, I like playing summonmancers, but not everyone does)