[3.2] Melee Skeleton Necromancer

[3.2] Melee Skeleton Necromancer

This is a mini build post designed for a guildy who asked in guild chat for it.

This build is life based, with a heavy emphasis on life regen.
This build uses skeletons as the primary damage source.
A Stone golem is also used for extra life regen.
This build is VERY cheap to start, and can be improved with wealth.

Required Unique
From Dust
https://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/From_Dust

Helpful Unique
Tabula Rasa
https://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Tabula_Rasa
+1 gems is very nice.

OR
Skin of the Loyal
https://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Skin_of_the_Loyal

Or any +1 gems corrupted chest.

(An alternative to getting a +1 gems chest, is getting a crude bow with +1 gems.)
(you need a crude bow, as you need to color it 3r,2b,1g and thats hard with anything other than a crude bow.)

Gem Links
6l Skel
Summon Skel, Minion Damage, Empower, Melee Phys Attack, Melee Splash, Faster Attacks
If you want, you can swap out Melee Slash for Maim on bosses.

Helm with +2 minion mod, if you can afford it, also with 40% minion damage implicit.
Summon Stone Golem, Minion Damage, Empower, Vaal Summon Skel (or your favorite vaal skill)

You need TWO separate aura links
Hatred-Enlighten-Generosity
and
Haste-Enlighten (you can do almost any aura here, vitality is good too.)

Some sort of CWDT set up.
I use CWDT-increased duration-immortal call-phase run
(Phase run is STRONG with this build)

Other skills
Flesh offering, desecrate (level 1), Movement skill ( i am using a bow, so blink arrow)
I am not using a curse, but you could.

I am not using elemental equilibrium, but you could, and trigger it with arc.

Skill Trees

Level 10, with a jewel slot, so you can use skels right away with 3 summoned per cast.


A higher level tree 99 points spent, includes ascendancies (get skel ascendancy asap)


A 113 point tree with Iron Reflexes for easier gearing and more dex on tree.


Bandits
I went with Kraitln for 6% move speed.
I love me some move speed.
The cast speed helps defensively, less time stuck in place casting.
Oak is fine for the 1% life regen.
+2 skill points is fine too.
Your choice.

Playstyle
Plays like a totemer.
Run around constantly, only stop long enough to cast a single spell, like summon skels, then keep moving. This is your main defense, move move move.

Gear
Get life and resists on all gear.
You will need some dex on your gear for Faster Attacks and Haste.
If you can afford it, essence crafting with Deafening Essence of Fear will let you get minion speed on several slots. Minion speed helps trash clear speed a LOT. (skels will move on to the next monster pack on their own while you pick up loot.)

Jewels
Abyss Jewels, with life, and minion dmage mods.
These can be expensive, i mostly buy with only 1 minion damage mod, so its cheaper.
You need at LEAST one jewel with Minion Taunt.
Getting Minion Taunt to over 10% makes boss fights trivial, the boss ignores you and only attacks skels.


Conclusion
This build is VERY cheap to start, can be upgraded with wealth via better jewels and +1 gem 6l, 40% Minion damage implicit helm with +2 minion mod.
Melee Skeletons are INSANELY strong on bosses, they just MELT bosses.
If skels die, just resummon, no micro managing minions to keep them alive, like with zombies and spectres.

ENJOY!
Last edited by Odif on May 26, 2018, 6:23:29 PM
Last bumped on May 27, 2018, 3:22:07 PM
Well, I just not expect you to add a forum post just for my query,LOL.

Greatly appreciate your write-up though, saved yourself so much follow-up questions, :D
Thanks, I might try a Necro later. Your tree is close to how I pictured it.
Builds
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/2149153
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/2245701
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/2664371
Shaper Guide: https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/2252008
I was going to make a build post anyway, eventually, you just motivated me to do it a bit early.


I will update and improve this one, as time goes by.

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