Staff/Summoner hybrid build

Hello,
I'm playing an hybrid templar build that uses minions to add damage and survivability, but still goes in melee to smash foes with his staff. I thought I'd share it, so you could tell if you like it, or what do you think it's wrong with it.

Current passive tree:


Future (71 points) passive tree:


As you can see I went for resolute technique to be able to ditch accuracy completely, so, being without criticals, I prefer using phisical damage (since I can't get elemental effects from crits).
To make a better use of my minions I took minion instability, which I found very useful, except in maps with too many fire resist monsters.
Since I was near it on the tree, I took the hex bundle, which makes me able to cast two curses on each enemy, and makes them stick until its death.
The rest of the build aims mostly to increase survavibility, with some passive for minions, some for melee damage, and a bit of increased cast speed.

The skills I'm using are:
-Raise zombie with minion life. I try to keep 4 of them alive all the time.
-Summon skeletons with spell totem and faster casting. This is often my panick button: when I'm in a dangerous situation I drop a totem and it starts creating lots of decoys, so I can take some breath.
-Dominating blow with added lightning damage and reduced mana. I really like to take strong enemies on my side, expecially since they are empowered from my minion passives too. Could probably use some better support.
-Ground slam and Heavy strike with melee phisical damage and melee damage on full life. My main weapons, for groups and single targets, melee damage on full life is active most of the time since I have a decent amount of energy shield and use life flask as soon as I can when I am damaged.
-Vulnerability and Warlord's mark. These are my two curses, I use them almost always and they make my life a lot easier.
-Molten shell with chance to ignite. A boost to armour and a blast when it's over. Necessary when facing strong-hitting bosses.
-Clarity with reduced mana. Always active, between this and mana leech I don't need to use mana flasks.

My equipment focuses on both armour and energy shield, since I want to be able to survive in melee, but I can leave minions on the front line when I want to recharge my shield.

I had some trouble at some stages of leveling, but now it seems I'm going nicely, expecially since I took whispers of doom passive.

So, what do you think of this build? How can it be improved?
Thanks for reading, have a nice game :D
I really love the idea of this build and will create one as well. One thing I would definitely do is replace the 3 strength nodes from the start of the tree with melee and two-handed damage.

I also meant to ask what bandit rewards will you take? I'm thinking HP on normal, endurance charge on merciless. Not sure about cruel though.
Last edited by crapricot on Mar 8, 2013, 5:01:07 PM
I didn't notice I could replace those nodes, I'll definitely do it as soon as I can :)

In the bandit quests I took elemental resistances in normal and phisical damage in cruel. In merciless, I don't know if I should take the extra charge or a skill point... Anyway these choices weren't planned so much, I took what I liked the most at the moment ^^
I've extended this build to 104 points. Obviously level ~84 might not be the most realistic goal for some. However, I just want to show that there is a less wasteful path to Resolute Technique and additional minions if you decide to take the second Body and Soul cluster.

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgUBAnEC4wSzBVsI9A9UES0UTRSwFm8ZLhmFGjgabCIbJKon7SqYLJwt0jGINuk5UjowOthDY0RyRY5I50mySi5N2E5tVcZYB1j1WfNgbWKsZp5r23FNcqlzU3kDfIN82YFvgziExIhAinSLeox2jr6PRpAzkFWTB5rPm6GdgJ2uncSePKFtogCmrKcIpyunhKelqWismKyqtzG3criTuUO53bw3vTnAGsBUxYrG5836z2XQ0NSP1YvWndkL42rsOO1E7w7vfPAf8i_z3ffX-oD60g==
Last edited by crapricot on Mar 9, 2013, 11:51:34 AM

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