Simulacrum is a mage ability from the Necromancer specialization in Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Information

• Duration: 10 seconds
• Cooldown: 60 seconds
• Willpower on unlock: +3
• Triggers on receiving damage that lowers health to 1 or less

Notes

• While in spirit form, spells cost no mana; however, they still have cooldowns. Prior to entering spirit form, spells currently on cooldown carry over to spirit form.
• Health recovered while in spirit form, except for that gained from a very brief period before duration ends, is ignored when Simulacrum expires. See the bug sections for more info.
• While in spirit form, Revival with either the Life Ward or Desperation upgrades revives the Necromancer when Simulacrum ends with the exception that Desperation is not permanent. This gives the Necromancer an option to self-revive. See the bug sections for more info.
• Simulacrum may not work when soloing (needs confirmation).

Bugs

• Health gained from a very brief period before duration ends, can heal the necromancer back to life. One of the easiest approach is to use gear with "Heal on hit" property (e.g., Fade-Touched Snoufleur Skin) and cast spells with multiple hits (notably Energy Barrage and Chain Lightning) during that brief time window, reviving the Necromancer afterwards.
• Mechanically, Simulacrum makes you immune (even before receiving lethal damage). While it is not on cooldown, you cannot receive damage higher than your current health minus 1 (e.g., 157 current health, means no more than 156 damage taken). This means that if a Necromancer (who has learned Simulacrum) is at 2 health, enemies will deal only 1 damage to them (even if he has Barrier or Guard up). An unofficial fix for pcis available here.
  • 2 health can easily be achieved by wearing gear with +2 guard on hit and Trials. If an enemy deals 300 damage with a single hit, you're at 200 health and 2 guard, you'll take 199 damage and be left at only 3 health. Hitting an enemy twice and drinking a healing potion, with Rub Some Dirt on It trial on, will leave you at 4 health and 4 guard. 2 hits from an enemy, each now hitting for 3 damage, will leave you at 2 health. +3 and +5 guard on hit can similarly be used, but will require more hits to reach 2 health.
  • Alternatively you can fight with the sub-optimal 3 health using +2 guard on hit gear with much less preparation, enough for most fights. Simply take out your guard before a fight (aoe-friendly fire, save-load, etc.), hit an enemy once and let them hit you back, or use a friendly-fire enabled spell such as Walking Bomb or Chain Lightning at melee range. Guardian Spirit can be used protect you from further hits and give you time to build your guard.
• Triggers simultaneously with Guardian Spirit (if unlocked) when health drops directly to 1 (or lower), resulting in both effects being consumed to do essentially the same thing. The only thing Guardian Spirit does (if Simulacrum is also unlocked) is that it adds a full barrier (which is basically useless). An unofficial fix for pcis available here.
• Using Revival with either Life Ward or Desperation upgrades revives the Necromancer when Simulacrum ends. Occasionally, the Necromancer will revive but continue to be in Spirit Form, despite not looking so, and eventually be knocked unconscious.