Need help with my build

Ok so quick explanation, I don't have a lot of time to play so I am gonna play this character next season probably until it ends. I want to play SSF HC and would like to take it as far as possible. I am not too good at this game and the last time I played was when there were still only 4 acts back in 2.0 or something so a lot of content is still new to me. I did play a little in 3.2 but only got to white maps lol.

I will play the Witch Necromancer using Zombies in 4L mainly as waveclearing trash mobs but also a bit of tankyness. Linked with Melee Phys, Minion Dam and either Fortify or Conc effect.

I will be using my 6L with Skeleton warriors, Linked with Melee Phys, Minion dam, Minion speed, maim and brutality (although wondering if multistrike might be better for something).

Using another 4L with Spectres, Golem, Minion life, Minion resists. I will be using the Diabolist spectres to cast enfeeble.

I will use the last 4L for CWDT, Imm call, increased duration, flesh offering.

The other 2x3 links I will throw in flame dash, faster casting, desecrate, decoy totem, enduring cry and clarity.

This is really on a budget with little time to play the game so i can easily farm the Tabula for my 6L. and perhaps farm a Mont grasp too if the zombies die too easily on harder content.
If there is anything that is really not needed or perhaps something that can benefit much more then by all means make suggestions and let me know.

What I REALLY need help with is deciding on the skill tree. I will give 2 of my ideas and you can tell me which is better or even give a suggestion of your own.

Tree 1. https://www.pathofexile.com/fullscreen-passive-skill-tree/3.2.4/AAAABAMDAQHcBAcEswUtBkkI9A3iES0UIBZvGmwc3CL0JKoo-iqYLJwuUzLRNZI26TkLOlg64UGHRARFR0WdR35HhUiOSU9KyEyzTblN41BHU1JUrlXGWpFfP2EhZKNlTWjyakNqrGvbbAttGW6qbzt07XfjeA15aHvDfIN9GH3SgseC5IPbhNmE74UyhWCIQIqvjxqQEZAzly2a4KIAplemrKh9qW6qxKyYtfK3PriTvKq86r02vqe_l8AawGbBBMS4yT3MvNAf02_Tj9P71fjYvdkL2sHfiuNq6-7sg-yK7w7v6_Af8h7yRffX-ej6gP4K_o8=

Tree 2. https://www.pathofexile.com/fullscreen-passive-skill-tree/3.2.4/AAAABAMDAQQHBLMGSQj0Dc0N4hEtFCAWbxo4Gj4abBzOHNwc5yL0JKonLyj6KpgrUCycMtE1kjbpOQs6WDrhPC1Bh0QERUdFnUeFSI5JT0yzTblN41BHU1JUrlXGWfNakVugXypfP2ebaPJqHmo7akNqrGvbbAttGXKpfA58g30YfdJ99YLHg1-DzIPbhTKFYIhAjxqQM5BVly2a4KIAplemrKdVqH2qxKyYrKquPq-ntz64k7yqvOq_l8BmxPbGrsk9zLzQH9OP0_vYvdkL34rjauRR6-Tr7uyD7IrvDu_r8B_yHvIv8kX31_no-oD-Cv5U_o8=

You didn't show your ascendancy choices for either of them so it's hard to make a suggestion. Are you aware that there is an ascendancy? You haven't played in a while so I'm not sure.

The only thing I can think of is if you get Mistress of Sacrifice you can do a hybrid build, life + energy shield, and get pretty tanky. You'd want the Geofri's Sanctuary and Spirit Offering for it to work right. That would allow you to get life and energy shield nodes that are close together. I would be more efficient than starting from the With, going to the Templar, Maurader, Scion, and Duelist. When you go all over the tree you have a lot of wasted nodes with just the +10 to attributes. So your character can end up really weak.

Oh I did forget to do those sorry. Updated it now.
I will be going Invoker, Bone Sculptor and flesh binder. The reason I didn't put the last ascendancy is because I am not sure if I will ever get it. But if I did probably commander of darkness.
I don't want to bother with ES because playing alone and with little time it would be way too hard to find good ES equipment

Or I could even ditch Grave Intentions/Deep Wisdom and use those points elsewhere.

Something like this... https://www.pathofexile.com/fullscreen-passive-skill-tree/3.2.4/AAAABAMDAQHcBAcEswZJCPQN4hEtFCAWbxpsHNwi4iSqKPoqTSqYLJwy0TWSNuk5CzpYOuE_J0GHQ8hEBEVHRZ1HfkeFR-JIjklPSshMs025TeNPBFBHU1JUglXGWpFboF8_ZU1o8mpDaqxr226qbzt343gNeWh7w3wOfIN9GILHguSD24TZhTKFYIhAiq-Ovo8akBGQM5LBly2a4KIAo--kOaZXpqynVah9qW6qxKyYtfK3PriTvKq86r02vqfAGsBmwQTEWMS4zLzQH9OP0_vV-Ni92QvfsONq6-7sg-yK7w7v6_Af8kX2SPfX-ej6gP4K_o8=

or I could perhaps use the 6L for Zombies, ditch skeles altogether and use double curse on hit enfeeble and vulnerability or something. and use carnage chieftain. But would the Zombies be strong enough for higher end content

The only defense you have in your ascendancy is Flesh binder with that increase in physical damage reduction, but that isn't much. The Witch isn't cheap, it's not terribly expensive but it's not cheap either. I can see your plan working but it would probably require a lot of back tracking to find the gear you need for adequate defense. I envision it just being really slow, but try it out, let us know how it goes.

I don't mind it being a little slow. I got the idea mainly from this guy (who also does a T16 Hydra):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0KbSDtlzuA

But I am also looking a little at this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7lHpwjgpr0&t=3s

So its like me just trying to mix and match from builds that I have seen on YouTube n such. I have managed to get enough Orb of regrets on my current witch so I am able to actually try it now.

I just tried 4L Zombies, 6L skele, 4L Dual curse and 4L Carnage chieftain. It's pretty good but I don't have enough sockets so it won't work. I will try 6L Zombies and Dual curse now.

I also thought that maybe Montreguls grasp is not optimal without Baron. and since my build idea doesn't revolve around Baron since it will be SSF i am going to try it. But getting the higher content to try it on has been a challenge in itself for me with little time to play (probably I am doing something wrong).

I feel like 6L Zombies would definitely be the slowest though (if I use Enfeeble + Temp Chains), after trying it I will try the 6L skeles using the Diabolist so I free up 4 sockets for things like Decoy totem, enduring cry etc

Ok so the 6L zombies are a bit too slow without the gear required and a complete change of skill tree and skills.

I have however found something really nice to use so far and have just easily done T9 maps with any mod it gave me so far.
6L Skeles. Using Diabolist to cast enfeeble and have Blasphemy/Temp Chains. This has free'd up 3 slots because I don't need blood magic for Carnage Chieftains so i put stone golem in there who never dies now since its linked with minion life and resists.

So I had room for clarity and flame dash. I didn't try enduring cry because to benefit from it fully I would need to lvl immortal call and have increased duration which I don't have the extra slot for. So I am using decoy totem for now.

So far this feels really smooth actually. If I did drop the dual curse I would probably go enduring cry and decoy totem and would imagine my defences would be a bit better. The Temp chains seem super efficient so far but the lower mana pool with MOM hurts a bit when ignited or bleeding

I haven't done a dedicated minion build. But from what I have done I've noticed skeletons are easier. You use Dark Pact on them for damage?

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0piate wrote:

I haven't done a dedicated minion build. But from what I have done I've noticed skeletons are easier. You use Dark Pact on them for damage?

I don't. Is it worth using that as extra link? I already have all skills i use though which would make it a bit difficult to add this in too.

So far from running higher yellow maps with any mod except phys reflect I have realised I need Montreguls Grasp. Other than that I am just speculating that in the red and higher red maps I will likely need the mana to be more tanky + perhaps use Bone or Spirit offering as I can see the skeletons dieing after a few attacks against them harder hitting mobs/bosses