[3.2] Minion Madness! 105 Minions!
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I got the idea for this build when I realized Solar Guards and Skeleton Mages were scaled with almost the same gems. This made me wonder how many minions could I fit into one build, with all of them being useful? 105 apparently. 50 Animated Weapons, 20 Raging Spirits, 11 Skeletal Mages, 10 Phantasms, 9 Zombies, 4 Solar Guards, and 1 Animated Guardian. This is necromancer taken to the logical extreme.
Build Explanation
The whole point of this build is to get kills with the bow Null's Inclination, this will automatically cast Summon Raging Spirits, Animate Weapon, and Flesh Offering. To be certain we get the kills, we have to use the helm Speakers Wreath. To scale all these minions, we use auras such as Anger and Haste. To make sure we can kill bosses, we run either The Writhing Jar, or Vaal Breach to activate our on kill effects. We use Solar Guards for Spectres, as these are scaled in the same way as Skeleton Mages.
Is this build for me?
Honestly, this build isn't for everyone. It's not yet optimized, and the optimized version would probably be a whole lot tankier and only use spectres. What I have right now is just overkill, but I think that makes it way more fun. If you've never played a summoner before, then this isn't the build for you - go check out Ghazzy's build guides. However, if you have, and want to try the same thing but turned up to 11 this is what you want. If you're a D2 Laggomancer veteran, and the experience just isn't the same for you without your friends FPS dropping to zero - then you'll love this build.
Gem Setups
Weapon: Summon Raging Spirit + Animate Weapon + Minion Damage + Multistrike + Elemental Focus, Flesh Offering This makes you summon the majority of your minions and cast Flesh Offering every kill. Note that you don't need a 6-link, as Flesh Offering doesn't need to be linked to anything else. 6-Link: Raise Spectre + Summon Skeleton + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Minion Damage + Spell Echo + Elemental Focus Yes, you give up a 6-link Minion Skill - but really you're just giving up Pierce for Skeleton Mages, and Faster Projectiles for the Raise Spectres. 4-Link: Generosity + Anger, Haste Make sure Haste and Generosity aren't linked! Then you wouldn't get the benefits yourself. 4-Link: Lightning Arrow + Summon Phantasm on Kill + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Blind This setup hits as many mobs as possible, activates Elemental Equilibrium, and ensures your Phantasms are always blinding enemies. 4-Link: Raise Zombie + Animate Guardian + Fortify + Minion Life This setup ensures you have a tanky front line of Zombies to soak up damage. It also makes sure you Animate Guardian doesn't die. Optional: Convocation, Vaal Haste, Vaal Breach, Stone Golem, Vaal Summon Skeletons, Desecrate You should have a maximum of 3 sockets left, one in a 4-link, the other two in unset rings. These are what I recommend to pick from, but it really all comes down to preference.
Gear Choices
Important Uniques
Null's Inclination This is basically the heart and soul of the build, it enables us to summon 70 of our 105 minions on a 5-link. Although, more realistically you'll probably only have 30 or so animated weapons at a time. Speaker's Wreath This makes Null's Inclination work, by ensuring that the player is the only one killing anything. Note that minions can kill things with ignite, so they will be able to kill mobs eventually because of our Anger aura. Dead Reckoning x3 These jewels make our Skeletal Warriors into Skeletal Mages, allowing us to scale them in the same links as Raise Spectre.
Recommended Uniques
Astramentis This really helps with the dexterity requirements, and gives you a little bit of Minion damage, attack, and cast speed. Null and Void These gloves are just the best source of rampage. Rampage is just really good for this build because we really want to be scaling minion damage and movement speed. Bisco's Leash This is another great source of rampage, use this belt if you can't afford Null and Void gloves. The Writhing Jar This is an instant life flask, and it spawns minions to activate our on kill effects during boss fights. From Dust This jewel is a nice QoL boost so we don't have to cast Summon Skeletons as often. Vis Mortis +1 to Maximum number of Spectres is all I really need to say. Bones of Ullr ...
Golem's Gear
Dying Breath This weapon is the reason to play Animate Guardian. This gives a good amount of damage to all your minions. Leer Cast This helmet is the other reason to play Animate Guardian. Zahndethus' Cassock When your golem occasionally blocks this will create consecrated ground, which provides regen for both you and the golem. Victario's Flight This increases your movement speed, a nice bonus.
Skill Tree
Here's the PoB: https://pastebin.com/G9p5Gnip Here's the PoePlanner: www.poeurl.com/bONx As far as ascendancy goes, Bone Weaver, and Soul Sculptor are the only necessary nodes. The last 2 points are up to preference where you put them.
Spectres
Your spectres should be Solar Guards. I tried to get a Silverback Stygian as my forth, but I can't find a way to raise both high level Guards and Silverbacks at the same time. If you can, let me know. Solar Guards are found in act 8 Solaris Concourse. Once you have the low level version, go into a high level map and desecrate until you get Solar Guard corpses, then raise 4 Solar Guards.
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPmzF_i-ZwA&feature=youtu.be This is a proof of concept video, showing me clear a T15 Balsilica map and showing that the build mechanics work. The version of the build is different in the video than this guide, because I have 6-link Shavs, but not 6-link Vis Mortis. The Low-Life version in the video gets +Purity auras, +Aura Effectiveness, -Animate Guardian, -1 Spectre, -Rampage, and -Skill Effect Duration. As you can see, my computer was not up to the task of keeping my FPS above 30. The build doesn't actually drop your FPS all that much, my computer just chose today to run even worse than usual. Alright, so that's the build. Let me know if you have any questions, or advice, or even if you think my build is stupid. Last edited by Zenog3 on Mar 8, 2018, 10:13:17 PM Last bumped on May 31, 2018, 1:25:55 PM
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Need video.
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Unfortunately, I don't think my computer could handle it lol. I could try though, just have to get the build all set up again, as I've been testing a lowlife version.
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If you can't get a video on your own, I'd recommend inviting somebody who can take a video to a party and running a map together, with them following behind you, auras and stuff turned off. This seems awesome and I'd love to see it in action!
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Loved the concept. Would also like to see a video, as it's a build I'd certainly never be able to play on my computer.
Chris Wilson took my soul
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Hey guys, just uploaded a video. Ye ask, and Ye shall receive. Sorry about the game FPS, best I can do.
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Just WOW! This looks like really much fun. I play a mage smelly build atm. My tree is very close to yours so I think I give it a try and buy the bow to test this out. Nice idea mate!
How do you deal with high Tier Map bosses or shaper etc. when there are no adds spawning? Last edited by exec85 on Mar 9, 2018, 9:04:28 AM
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I haven't tried Guardians, or Shaper, but when no adds spawn you either use The Writhing Jar, or Vaal Breach. This build has more than enough damage though, so you'll probably be fine against bosses even with just Skeleton Mages, and Solar Guards.
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Currently trying this build out. Currently level 74 and struggling in uber lab. Not a lot of health using the recommended uniques. Might drop Vis and Null and Void for rares with life. Just getting one shot too often by izaro but I'm sure it might be a positioning thing possibly. Either way this build is hella fun. Absolutely love it.
Edit: Mobility seems to be a bit of an issue. Was struggling to find room for flame dash, any input? Last edited by SaintW on Mar 16, 2018, 3:31:15 AM
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Really glad you like the build! For lab, I see you already did it - sorry about the slow response. For anyone else that might be reading this, this isn't really a build that's great at lab, your minions die to traps and you don't have much mobility or life. I would either get a carry, replace some of the unique items like Bones of Ullr with rares that have life and ES, and use a taunt totem instead of
Animate Guardian. You have plenty of damage for Uber Izaro so focus more on defense. For your question about mobility, unfortunatley with our setup and heavy skill gem usage there isn't a lot you can do. Haste helps a lot with movement speed, so I would use that instead of Hatred, as you shouldn't need more damage (Remember not to link it to generosity). I prefer Blink Arrow to Flame Dash, but that's just preference. Mistress of Sacrifice with Flesh Offering also really improves your movement speed. If you're really desperate you could drop the Bone of Ullr for boots with more movement speed. Hope you're still having fun, let me know how the builds going, as I would love some feedback! Last edited by Zenog3 on Mar 20, 2018, 11:51:45 PM
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