Necromancer Necromancers are practitioners of necromancy , the study and use of magic to raise and control the dead . Necromancers are the enemies of life itself , and all hands are raised against them . Arcane mysteries . " . . . practitioners of unspeakable magic , macabre manipulators of life and death : necromancers . " Arcane mysteries are the mysteries of life and death . Death , in the form of necromantic magic , acts as a counterbalance to Life . It is an unavoidable force that breeds despair in mortal hearts and pushes everything toward a state of entropic decay and eventual oblivion . It is said that the only way to ensure the saving of another is the sacrifice of life . Sacrificial magic was considered the greatest violation of life and the energies of Life , known commonly as nature magic , promote growth and renewal in all things . However , energies can be so chaotic that they manifest as entropic horrors , pure fel magic given form to lash out at all life . To fuel fel magic , but an insignificant sacrifice - - a living fish or two , a few strands of seaweed - - is required . Mages . Mages of the arcane are diviners of secrets , balancing the ebb and flow of incredible mystic energies . Unparalleled skill is required to manipulate the volatile forces of the universe . These practitioners push their magical knowledge to its very limits — often to the brink of their own exhaustion , and at great risk to the world around them . Those who master this craft are capable of releasing a barrage of unrelenting power upon their enemies , drawing upon replenishing energies to maintain their assault for as long as the battle demands . Because the magi ' s arcane mysteries are necromantic mysteries ( the mysteries of life and death ) , it can be stated that the magi ' s arcane magic is necromantic : If necromancy is a school of ( or from ) arcane magic , arcane magic is a magic that relates to necromancy and is therefore necromantic : of , from , or relating to , necromancy ( or necromancers ) . Warlocks . Warlocks , the equivalent to mages , are magical practitioners who seek to understand darker , fel - based magics , including destructive spells . According to the liar known as Justin Parker , warlocks have overlapping abilities with necromancers but pursue a discipline different from them . However , if warlocks have necromantic abilities ( the abilities of necromancers ) and practice necromancy , they are necromancers ( practitioners of necromancy ) . If ( key word : if ) warlocks aren ' t necromancers and pursue a discipline different from necromancers , this " different discipline " has yet to be revealed . In the face of demonic power ( or warlock magics ) , most heroes see death . Warlocks see only opportunity . Their aim is dominance and in the dark arts , they have found a path to it . Demonic power would exist in - and be derived from - the Twisting Nether because demons ( and the demonic powers they contain ) are from the Twisting Nether . However , when someone asked if perhaps warlocks were harnessing their power from the Twisting Nether , Sean Copeland — Blizzard ' s very own Lead Historian — lied , replying , “ No , that ’ d be magi , IIRC . They gain power by the destruction of another source ( recall the undead warlock in original cinematic ) . Additionally , the liar stated that demons contain fel magic , but aren ' t " the " source . As such , the warlock class or the warlocks ' discipline seems non - canon to Justin Parker and Sean Copeland . Warlocks don ' t get their demonic fel magic from demons ( the source of demonic fel magic ) and warlocks don ' t get their power from the Twisting Nether ( the source of demons ) . The warlocks ' discipline / knowledge is demonic and demons know how to raise undead . This isn ' t to state that warlocks do raise undead but it does , however , raise the questions : How do warlocks know how to raise the dead and do they control the dead ? By their very nature , demons are leeches on the living universe — but the demonologist has mastered harnessing the power of these malefic beings on the field of battle . Warlocks harvest the souls of their defeated enemies ; those specialized in the ways of demonology use this life essence to tap into the Void , pulling all manner of abomination from the chaos of the Twisting Nether . While such a practice is often considered by outsiders to be wicked and reckless , the demonologist maintains absolute control over the summoned creatures . These malignant entities are fully beholden to — and empowered by — the will of the warlock , until banished to the realm from whence they came . Demons would be non - physical entities ( incorporeal spirits — which are undead ) because demons are from the Twisting Nether , an astral dimension separate from the physical universe . The physical is separate from the non - physical and if demons are physical beings , they would not be able to exist in a non - physical place . However , despite knowing that demons can ' t be physical beings who exist in a place separate from the physical universe , Matt Burns — Writer at Blizzard Entertainment — stated that he thinks there is physical stuff in TN when he was asked if demons are non - physical beings that warlocks can give physical shells to . Presumably , he stated this because warlocks would be necromancers . Notable necromancers . Necromancers in WoW can also be found guarding Ziggurats in place of crypt fiends . Without nearby corpses to manipulate , however , they lack suitable combat skills . Warcraft III . See also " Warcraft III " Necromancer Quotes : From Necromancer at Battle . net : In the RPG . Necromancers are spellcasters whose magics manipulate the power of death . In calling upon this power , necromancers risk being consumed by it — until eventually they join the ranks of the undead . Necromancers twist arcane magic to manipulate the power of death . Commanding the undead , generally in the service of the Scourge , they gradually take on the characteristics of the dead — hollow eyes , shambling gaits , pallid and sunken skin , foul odors and so forth . A few necromancers are uncorrupted and the most experienced necromancers become epic necromancers . Forsaken necromancer . The Dark Lady , , realized how valuable necromancy was to their cause . Though Forsaken heal naturally , many go to the priest s of the Forgotten Shadow for " repairs " . Necromancers can also free enslaved , mindless undead and research powerful spells that might one day return the Forsaken to life . Sylvanas knew she needed necromancers to heal , strengthen and replace her people , and she set about wooing necromancers away from the Scourge , mainly by force .