[LostCauze's 10 Aura Summoner Build] Ultimate Low Life Aura Support Summoner [1.1.0]

After many requests and comments on the build, I have decided to post one of the most OP builds in Path Of Exile. Not only can you solo any map with this build; but, it provides extreme survivability and astronomical damage to you and your party. This build is built for Nemesis, therefore, any Hardcore mode.

12 Auras is possible with this build, using up to level 2 Clarity and Leer Cast helm. You would drop the effectiveness of Alpha's Howl and would only be used to show off.

To see this build live, head over to Twitch.tv/lostxcauze

Updated: 3/7/2014
~ Added a new passive tree for the build, you go from 198% ES to 250% ES, and gain 2% to all res. You can see the new passive tree under the "Passive Tree" section.
~ Posted the current build on my 94 summoner, and a couple more builds.
~ Added a life based leveling passive tree.
~ Added a CI version of the passive tree, this is used until you get Shavronne's Wrappings.






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How It All Began

I have been playing PoE off and on since August 2012; I have always wanted to make a summoner and finally got around to it. When making this build, I leveled as a summoner—just to prove you can—and then decided to play a pure dual totem MFer. After exploring my options, and not being able to solo anything, I took charge in drawing up a new build. My ambitions were to support a party more than anyone could, all while doing high amounts of damage. This guide contains:

1. Passive Tree
2. Information
3. 1.1.0 Information
4. My Gear
5. FAQ
6. Action Shots
7. Conclusion

This is how the build came about. I have spent many hours looking over the build and improving it piece by piece. Feel free to comment below; I answer a lot of questions on my stream.


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1. Passive Tree

There are many passive trees that I have done while doing this build, here are some to help you out.

Tentative Passive Tree 1.1.0


Current Passive Tree


Leveling Normal-Merciless (Life Based)


CI Version (Before you get Shavronne's Wrappings)


Build at level 100


Less ES, Elemental Equilibrium, and Dual Curse.



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2. Information

It can be difficult to level solo as a summoner, which I am sure you have heard before, but it is doable if you snapshot BMs. You want to get the BMs from the highest area level possible; this may mean that your friends need to rush you to make this available. Doing this will ensure you that your BMs will match every area level you enter.

Auras
Once you are geared to do this build, you will have to learn how to put the 10th aura on. Nine auras with this build is very easy to achieve, the 10th aura is the one that is tricky to get on. To achieve the 10th aura do as follows:

A. Turn on all your mana auras.
B. Put any two 60 percent aura gems, along with Reduced Mana, in your Prism Guardian.
C. Turn those two 60 percent auras on, keep Reduced Mana in the Prism Guardian.
D. Enter the instance, such as a Map.
E. Take Reduced Mana out, and replace it with another 60 percent aura gem.
F. Turn on the new 60 percent aura gem.
G. Place Reduced Mana and Blood Magic in with a 40 percent aura gem.
H. Turn on the 40 percent aura gem.
I. Take out Reduced Mana and Blood Magic, place them with another 40 percent aura gem.
J. Turn on the 40 percent aura gem.
K. Place any gems you would like to level in the empty slots left behind.

This can been seen on my stream if you are having trouble figuring it out. As mentioned before, you will want to get he highest level of minions possible. While achieving this, you will snapshot your minions to provide more overall damage. With this build, you can go full support with Undying Evangelist, or provide damage with Burning Miscreations.

Bandits
Normal: Kill all
Cruel: Kill all
Merciless: Kill all


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3. 1.1.0

1.1.0 was just released, along with a new passive tree and "nerf" to BMs. This section will be used to add any new data throughout 1.1.x.

The new passive tree is a huge buff to this build (as if it wasn't crazy enough). The old passive tree at level 94 gave 198% Energy Shield, the new passive tree, at the same level, gives 250% Energy Shield and 2% maximum all resistances.

You can see the new passive tree under the "Passive Tree" section.

Invasion at the moment is insane; therefore, you will be leveling as searing bond, getting fire damage/burning damage nodes (if you choose), and trying to survive. Keep the summoner gems on you and allow then to level.

After watching hours and hours of streams, both of people leveling and in Merciless, I will be using Undying Evangelist while in groups for full support. The 60 new bosses are too unpredictable this early in the league.


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4. My Gear

This is where the build gets expensive, if you want all 10 auras. Remember that you need a lot of Dexterity and Strength to run level 20 aura gems; to be exact, you need 153 Dexterity and 151 Strength. Most of your gem slots will be taken up, and you will have minimal mana to cast anything; therefore, keep in mind how far you level certain gems. Most important pieces of gear:

I. Alpha's Howl
II. Prism Guardian
III. Shavronne's Wrappings
IV. Ephemeral Edge




The auras that I run are:

1. Discipline
2. Hatred
3. Haste
4. Anger
5. Wrath
6. Vitality
7. Grace
8. Purity of Ice
9. Purity of Lightning
10. Purity of Fire

The pots are important as well, you will want to have low Life, minion pots.

The gear you will snapshot with is as follows:



To used these gems in the snapshot, you will place the remote mine down, then detonate the mine. Once the mine is detonated, you will see another trap pop out and be placed on the ground. This is when you wait for the Sunblast Belt to take over. The belt will detonate the trap at the end of the duration and create the spectres that they are placed over. If you detonate the trap while waiting for the duration to end, you will not create a spectre.


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5. FAQ

How well do your minions do without snapshotting?
Spoiler
I have yet to try them non-snapshotted from high levels. With level 66 BMs I would not be doing any damage, if at all, in higher maps.


What happens to your build if snapshotting gets nerfed?
Spoiler
If snapshotting gets nerfed, I would run with Undying Evangelist for a full support build, until I 6L my chest, then I would run Burning Miscreations. To run solo, I would have to explore more options with the chest piece I have at that time, and check the availability of the gem slots.

As a side note here, I would attempt to use Avian Retchs, a.k.a. Birds, if Burning Miscreations were not providing enough damage form a 5L or 6L.


Why are you not going Iron Reflexes for an armour-based build?
Spoiler
I could drop Zealot's Oath and go down to IR for armour. I would have to pick up extra nodes to get the life regen/leech needed for my minions to survive. The regen would no longer help myself out, only my minions at that time. To ultimately make it more comfortable for me and provide more regen for my minions, I have decided to go as an evasion based build, which has saved me many times thus far.


Do you snapshot both spectres and zombies in Tabula? If so, do you use 6-L for spectres and 5-L for zombies
Spoiler
I snapshot both, and use the Tabula for both Zombies and Spectres. I use the 6L for the Spectres and a 5L for the Zombies.


Which support gems do you use for snapshotting?
Spoiler
Burning Miscreations:
Spoiler
Raise Spectre, Minion Life, Minion Damage, Trap, Remote Mine, and Increased Burning Damage.

Undying Evangelists:
Spoiler
Raise Spectre, Minion Life, Totem And Minion Elemental Resistance, Increased Area Of Effect, Faster Casting, and Increased Duration.

Zombie gem links:
Spoiler
Raise Zombie, Minion Life, Totem And Minion Elemental Resistance, Minion Damage or Melee Splash, and Multistrike.


Why are you not using Bringer Of Rain or a +2 Minion Gem helm for your zombies?
Spoiler
Due to the restrictions on where my gems have you be placed, I have to use my helm for my auras; therefore, I cannot raise the zombies in my helm and then place the gem in my chest, where I have space. If I did do this, they would die soon as I zoned into a new area.


Would this build be playable with Solaris Lorica?
Spoiler
It would be playable, I tested what would happen if I took off Shavs. I drop 2.25k ES, which is a huge hit to your ES. So, it is playable, but I would be careful until you get above 5k ES.


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6. Action Shots

Here are some actions shots, just for fun.


Large Version Below
Spoiler



Large Version Below
Spoiler



Large Version Below
Spoiler



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7. Conclusion

In conclusion, you will be able to run 10 auras, while still having all the greatness of a summoner. The passive tree is changeable to a certain extent, which will create variations of this build. Maps will be solo'able and parties will always want you to be with them. I will update this build for as long as I play it.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy the build.

Sincerely,

Lost

IGN: Lost_Summoner
Ign LostCauze
Stream: Twitch.tv/Lostxcauze
10 Aura Summoner Guide: http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/783756
Last edited by lostcauze on Mar 16, 2014, 3:28:06 AM
Last bumped on Apr 6, 2016, 12:25:11 PM
My main concern here is, how well do your minions do without snapshotting? I mainly play summoner, but I purposefully do not go as far as to snapshot, for the purposes of being ready when the nerf hits (seeing as they've mentioned they don't like it)
Last edited by Kyr205 on Feb 4, 2014, 9:25:01 AM
are better than sanctified flasks
stop running around with 500armour please.
drop haste and vitality
run determination
get iron reflexes
drop zealot's oath, get minion passives instead

on the long run, you end up in standard with zero armour, one way or another
check my sig
@Sampudrinker
Stream: www.twitch.tv/sampudrinker
Last edited by tehosiris on Feb 4, 2014, 9:29:46 AM
IIRC he's number 1 or 2 as far as witches go in Nemesis (I specifically asked him for his build so I could compare his to yours and other players' builds

Edit: totes, he's #2. in Nemesis. Just making mention because I'm reading your post in the tone of someone who thinks they are 100% in the right and there's no alternative.
Last edited by Kyr205 on Feb 4, 2014, 9:49:56 AM
You should probably respec the trap nodes.

Mark_GGG clarification on minion trap/mine interaction:
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/746806#p6463557

Great gear choice.

One question did you try this build without zealot oath?

Best regards.
minion stats: http://goo.gl/gQxs0w
Modifiers: http://goo.gl/jGIr8b
Zombie dps calculator: http://goo.gl/XIStJV
Last edited by Galax201 on Feb 4, 2014, 11:07:19 AM
Without snapshotting, the minions do ok.I have not tried level 78 BMs unsnapshotted. If they "nerf" snapshotting, and the damage is horrible, then you would run around with Evangelists and play full support.

Thank you for you concern about little armour, but this is the route I have chosen and has saved me many times. As a smart player, you can use your granite flask when you need that boost in armour. I know you can't use it perfectly, but often enough you get used to using it when needed/wanted. Also, another thing, I am not focusing on minions staying alive, they do that on their own pretty well; if needed I can pot them up, which I don't actually need to do very often. So, being Evasion based, having Haste and Vitality, and keeping Zealot's Oath, are what I have learned to like with this build.

People also say that Low Life builds never last as well, and they all end up on standard. So far, I believe I am doing pretty well; one day my time may come though, but I just lived through being next to a fractured porcupine in a Shrine map, to see the highlight, check out the stream.

Thank you Galax, I was told differently and read some things saying otherwise. Good source, I will look into respecing those and update the build later today.
Ign LostCauze
Stream: Twitch.tv/Lostxcauze
10 Aura Summoner Guide: http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/783756
Last edited by lostcauze on Feb 4, 2014, 3:01:12 PM
Thanks for the info Lost. I'll be looking forward to your updated build as well.
"
Kyr205 wrote:
Thanks for the info Lost. I'll be looking forward to your updated build as well.


Updated the Passive Trees, more information about the build will come and be added over time.
Ign LostCauze
Stream: Twitch.tv/Lostxcauze
10 Aura Summoner Guide: http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/783756
My next question would be, have you considered, since BM's are your main form of damage (afaik), and the dev's have also informed us that minion damage nodes do in fact increase their damage with the aura, why most summoners don't pick up the damage nodes? I mean 15% doesn't seem like a whole lot, but stacked on top of all the health bonuses, it's got to be pretty hefty...

I mean...

most builds focus on getting the health nodes to increase the damage, and they miss out on ~90% (with the new updates to summoners) increased damage for minions. As the dev's stated in the link you've recently discovered, that damage is added just like a minion damage gem. Sure, it's about 6 nodes to get 90% damage tacked on (plus 3-5 nodes to get to those nodes for yourself)... I'm just wondering what you have to say mostly because snapshotting may not be gone now, but the future may change builds based around snapshotting.
You bring up good questions and valued points. I cannot speak for other "true" summoners, but I can speak for myself and this build. As mentioned above, the main idea for this build is to provide insane amounts of support and increase your party's damage exponentially. I do not grab these nodes due to the fact that I value other nodes over them, such as the Evasion/ES nodes in the Shadow tree. In addition, I take the life nodes for minions over damage nodes because it not only increases my BM's damage, it improves their survivability.

Like you said, it does add up, and it improves all of your minions. If I did a more focused summoner build, I would take those nodes. In the past I have played around with them to increase damage; but playing in Nemesis, I have decided I need more survivability on my character. Had snapshotting been nerfed, an evaluation of those node would be taken. After listening to Chris's recent interview about summoners, I personally do not believe it will be nerfed any time soon. I could be wrong, and in that case, action for more damage would be explored.

Thank you for your questions, these are personal opinions based off playing this specific build. I will answer whatever questions you have to my best ability. I do understand I do not know every technical detail about summoners; for this reason, I have created this thread.
Ign LostCauze
Stream: Twitch.tv/Lostxcauze
10 Aura Summoner Guide: http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/783756
Last edited by lostcauze on Feb 4, 2014, 5:13:03 PM

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