Necesse is a top-down sandbox survival RPG that blends Terraria-style boss progression with colony management. You start on a small island and expand across a procedurally generated archipelago, recruiting settlers who automate resource gathering and crafting. The boss-gated progression system means each defeated boss unlocks a new crafting tier and access to harder islands. With full multiplayer support, deep crafting, and a settlement system that lets NPCs run your base while you explore, Necesse offers a compelling loop for players who want their colony to keep producing while they adventure.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness — factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melee Warrior | A | Face-tank enemies with high armor and lifesteal, clear dungeons room by room. | Void Sword, Mythril Armor Set, Iron Shield, Health Potions |
| Ranged Archer | S | Kite enemies at range, use slowing arrows to maintain distance, circle-strafe bosses. | Glacier Bow, Shadow Quiver, Ranger Armor Set, Speed Potions |
| Mage Build | A | Spam AoE spells through enemy groups, manage mana with potions, stay at mid-range. | Shadow Staff, Mage Robes, Mana Potions, Magic Damage accessories |
| Summoner | B | Spawn minions and let them fight while you dodge and support from safety. | Summon Staff, Summoner Armor, Minion damage accessories, Healing potions |
| Hybrid Tank | A | Block with shield, counter with melee, throw weapons at range when repositioning. | Demonic Blade, Mythril Armor Set, Tower Shield, Throwing Knives |
A-Tier: Melee Warrior
Melee warriors use swords and heavy armor for close-range combat. The Void Sword (dropped from Void Wizard boss) has lifesteal, making warriors the most sustainable fighters. Melee excels in tight dungeon corridors where enemies can't kite you.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Void Sword | Dropped by the Void Wizard boss, the Void Sword deals shadow damage and has innate lifesteal that heals you for a percentage of damage dealt. |
| Core Gear | Void Sword, Mythril Armor Set, Iron Shield, Health Potions | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Melee Damage, Defense, HP | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | island hopping | The world consists of numerous procedurally generated islands connected by ocean travel. |
How to Play Melee Warrior
Face-tank enemies with high armor and lifesteal, clear dungeons room by room.
Melee warriors use swords and heavy armor for close-range combat. The Void Sword (dropped from Void Wizard boss) has lifesteal, making warriors the most sustainable fighters. Melee excels in tight dungeon corridors where enemies can't kite you.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Void Sword and island hopping creates a gameplay loop that outperforms other options. Core gear like Void Sword, Mythril Armor Set, Iron Shield, Health Potions amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Clear stat priority (Melee Damage, Defense, HP) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
S-Tier: Ranged Archer
Archers use bows with various arrow types for safe damage from distance. The Glacier Bow fires ice arrows that slow enemies, giving you permanent kiting ability. Ranged builds are the safest for boss fights where melee range is dangerous.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Glacier Bow | Crafted from ice-biome materials after defeating the Snow Queen boss, the Glacier Bow fires frost arrows that slow enemies by 30% for 3 seconds. |
| Core Gear | Glacier Bow, Shadow Quiver, Ranger Armor Set, Speed Potions | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Ranged Damage, Attack Speed, Movement Speed | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | settlement building | You can build a settlement on any island by placing a Settlement Flag. |
How to Play Ranged Archer
Kite enemies at range, use slowing arrows to maintain distance, circle-strafe bosses.
Archers use bows with various arrow types for safe damage from distance. The Glacier Bow fires ice arrows that slow enemies, giving you permanent kiting ability. Ranged builds are the safest for boss fights where melee range is dangerous.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Glacier Bow and settlement building creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Glacier Bow, Shadow Quiver, Ranger Armor Set, Speed Potions amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Clear stat priority (Ranged Damage, Attack Speed, Movement Speed) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Mage Build
Mages use staves for elemental damage with AoE effects. The Shadow Staff fires piercing projectiles that hit multiple enemies in a line. Mages use mana potions heavily but clear groups faster than any other build.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Shadow Staff | A magic weapon that fires piercing shadow bolts through multiple enemies in a line. |
| Core Gear | Shadow Staff, Mage Robes, Mana Potions, Magic Damage accessories | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Magic Damage, Mana Regen, Mana Pool | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | NPC recruitment | Settlers are found in procedural dungeons or attracted by having available beds and job stations. |
How to Play Mage Build
Spam AoE spells through enemy groups, manage mana with potions, stay at mid-range.
Mages use staves for elemental damage with AoE effects. The Shadow Staff fires piercing projectiles that hit multiple enemies in a line. Mages use mana potions heavily but clear groups faster than any other build.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Shadow Staff and NPC recruitment creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Shadow Staff, Mage Robes, Mana Potions, Magic Damage accessories amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Clear stat priority (Magic Damage, Mana Regen, Mana Pool) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
B-Tier: Summoner
Summoners use minion-spawning items to create allies that fight alongside them. While minions provide free damage, they have limited AI and can't dodge boss attacks effectively. Summoner gear is harder to obtain, coming primarily from rare dungeon drops.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Demonic Blade | A powerful one-handed sword with lifesteal and bonus damage to demonic enemies. |
| Core Gear | Summon Staff, Summoner Armor, Minion damage accessories, Healing potions | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Summon Damage, Minion Count, Defense | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | boss progression | Major bosses gate each tier of progression — defeating one unlocks new crafting recipes and materials. |
How to Play Summoner
Spawn minions and let them fight while you dodge and support from safety.
Summoners use minion-spawning items to create allies that fight alongside them. While minions provide free damage, they have limited AI and can't dodge boss attacks effectively. Summoner gear is harder to obtain, coming primarily from rare dungeon drops.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Demonic Blade and boss progression creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Summon Staff, Summoner Armor, Minion damage accessories, Healing potions amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Clear stat priority (Summon Damage, Minion Count, Defense) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Hybrid Tank
Combining heavy armor with a shield and one-handed weapon plus throwing items, the Hybrid Tank can switch between melee and ranged as needed. The Mythril Armor set with a Demonic Blade provides high defense and lifesteal simultaneously.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Mythril Armor Set | While technically armor, the Mythril set is a key progression milestone providing the highest craftable defense rating. |
| Core Gear | Demonic Blade, Mythril Armor Set, Tower Shield, Throwing Knives | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Defense, HP, Melee Damage | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | farming automation | Farms can be fully automated by assigning settlers to farm jobs. |
How to Play Hybrid Tank
Block with shield, counter with melee, throw weapons at range when repositioning.
Combining heavy armor with a shield and one-handed weapon plus throwing items, the Hybrid Tank can switch between melee and ranged as needed. The Mythril Armor set with a Demonic Blade provides high defense and lifesteal simultaneously.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Mythril Armor Set and farming automation creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Demonic Blade, Mythril Armor Set, Tower Shield, Throwing Knives amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Clear stat priority (Defense, HP, Melee Damage) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Ranged Archer — the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Melee Warrior once you understand core mechanics and have access to Void Sword
- Keep a Mage Build setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Hybrid Tank for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first — it gives the biggest power spike
- Settlers automate everything — assign one to a farm, one to a crafting table, and one to a storage unit, and they'll produce items continuously. This frees you to explore full-time.
- Boats unlock the entire game — craft a basic raft as soon as you have wood planks. Exploring new islands is how you find better ores, new enemies, and boss materials.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
See our tier list for current meta rankings, or the beginner's guide if you're just getting started.
