Summoners, get in here

i find that the node that dmgs mobs when zombies die is really fun to play with.

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oldboy wrote:

PS: the node near avatar of fire is for templar summoner only, it takes too much points to reach ,not worth it just for +1 minion only

Meh, it's really not that far if you take the shortest path. Here's a comparison of the minion cluster distances from the typical main highways:

1
4
5
6 (NN one, near SW of Hex Master)
7 (the southern node, in the centre of the tree)
8 (the node in question, near Avatar of Fire)
10 (must-have NW one near Minion Instability)

It's only 1 farther than the centre node, though the center node does have an extra +damage passive. So compare it to the NN one, it's only 2 points extra. I'll gladly spend 2 skill points for yet another Zombie + Spectre.

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unsane wrote:

"

jawsofhana wrote:

This is how I am levelling my summoner.

Nice graphic.

On the off chance you don't know, there's another minion cluster, but it's a pain in the ass to get to for Templar. Just above and slightly left of the witch starting node, in the middle of the first super thick cluster. Will cost you 11 points to get another tri-node (4 more out of the way than for witch). You'd have to get to it down from your pink line, then up from the witch start.

Thanks. I didn't know, actually, but the new patch reduced it to 7 skillpoints from the pink line. :)

Using the nice image linked previously (thank you so much for that) and thanks to the skill reset, my Witch has now forgone the red and purple lines and has instead dived straight into the yellow line. I have +5 summons so far.

I'll be getting all the increased rarity/quantity things in the middle before branching back out to get ALL the +minions nodes - additional, life, and damage.

After that, who knows?

Maybe a known fact - but sadly the "minion damage" support gem seems not to count additive when used multiple in linked sockets. Or is that just a tooltip error?


Anyways, as i played through normal and the beginning of cruel difficulty i think its worth to spend some points into strength to be able to use the Str/Int Gear for some extra Armor. I use these on body, feet and (most important) a shield instead of a damage offhand. At least in hardcore league this gives me some scope for the rare cases when my energy shield is breaking...

Additionaly i want high health minions (again for hardcore reasons). They have to stay alive on high damage rare monster/bosses. At least when they explode i can be sure all surrounding enemies die too...

i really wanted a zookeeper, but until i get more info on them i dont think i will continue with them just yet.

i need more stats on them, their actual offense/defense stats like my character does. i need to see how many i have up and i need to be able to tell them to "always follow" or put them on defense vs offense AI. basically all the stuff that has been asked for already :D

im sure some/most of that is coming, but until then i only use them in limited tactical situations. i cant be bothered to recast them over and over just cuz they all decided to chase some butterfly.

Mine got minion instability, hex mastery.
So far i got 5 minion areas.
Going for nr 6 area and lvl 60 HC.
DA_Necrotic.
8 zombies & 6 spectres, having funn ( or traffic jam underground ) in merciless.

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quattro wrote:

Maybe a known fact - but sadly the "minion damage" support gem seems not to count additive when used multiple in linked sockets. Or is that just a tooltip error?

Not sure what you mean. Are you doing something like this?: 4 linked item, Summon Zombie, Increased Minion Damage, Increased Minion Damage, Increased Minion Damage? Never thought of trying that, i would have assumed it doesn't do anything.

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unsane wrote:

Not sure what you mean. Are you doing something like this?: 4 linked item, Summon Zombie, Increased Minion Damage, Increased Minion Damage, Increased Minion Damage? Never thought of trying that, i would have assumed it doesn't do anything.

I use a wand with 3 linked blue sockets.

1)I use one "Summon Zombie" gem plus one "Minion Damage" support gem -> the spell Tooltip for Summon Zombies is now extendet by a line like "45% increased damage"

2) Now i add a second "Minion Damage" support gem -> the spell tooltip remains the same, just showing "45% increased damage"

I would have assumed that this should be 90% now. The question is: Is this a tooltip error or is this a intented mechanic?


It's obvious that minion damage scaling is limited, but on lower levels (i'm around 30) a large portion of damage is done by the zombies - bumping that should help at least in cruel diff. ...

Um. You cannot apply multiple versions of the same support gem to a skill. That's not a little known fact, that has been a fundamental mechanic of the game since before 9.1.

The real question is whenever +% minion damage support is multiplicative with ALL damage dealt by minions.

Because, that way, you could, for example:

Zombies + Chaos Damage + Minion Damage to have a multiplicative effect between all 3 of em.

Heh, what would be an ideal damage dealing minion, then? I am thinking Spectre + Chaos Damage + Minion Damage + Multiple Projectiles; raise enemies for whom Multiple Projectile support is valid.

Enjoy, what is it, 7-8 Skelly mages shootin' 5 projectile volleys at once each? You'd have your own damn artillery division! Or, better yet, since Chaos now has those poison shooting guys - they are pretty fast moving AND they already have base chaos damage component! If those guys can split up their projectiles, you'd be hosting your own private demon invasion!


Another important question is which way going to produce the most efficient and fastest killing zombies? Stacking up +% life for biggest explosions, or stacking them up as Cracklings of the Starcraft fame? Or somewhere in between?