Lightning+Summoner witch build help and advice

Thank you GhostlightX, you've been very helpful! :)

"

GhostlightX wrote:

I use Arc linked with Faster Casting, Lightning Penetration and Elemental Proliferation = awesome. Replace Faster Casting with Mana Leech if you have mana issues. Haste aura is great too if you can run it.

I have some gear limitations so I can't use 2 support gems with Arc.. Also I have only lightning penetration and dmg supports I think.. (no mana leech and others u mentioned)I feel that my items are not yet worthy of using chrom or jewelrs orbs on them.. The only item with 3 connected blue sockets is my chest piece and I use summon zombie + minion life + minion dmg there.. My wand has +1 to lightning gems so I usually put Arc (or Spark) in there.. My gloves have red+blue so I put spell totem and Arc or summon skeletons, depends on situation..

The main problem I have now is that I entered Act 3 and I feel too squishy.. My minions get killed fast and I end up almost dead..
I don't know what to do.. I have no chaos resist and those snakes hurt bad :/
Also the monkey-looking mobs have lightning resist :P
This is why I want to go for CI.. (I need more life or chaos resist asap) But I need about 6 points to get there.. This makes me feel that I wasted some nodes in the beginning..

sounds like you are fairly new to the game.

Don't be afraid of using a few jewlers/chroms here and there to mod your gear. i would suggest to not to use any/many fusings as you will likely need them at higher levels. they are relatively hard to come by and easily wasted.

It will probably be easier and more efficient for you browse trade for items that already have 3/4L and some decent stats. alternatively browse vendors for linked items and maybe use some alterations to roll life/mana stats... good gear will come. PS. Vendors restock every time you level up

also, don't be too afraid of mucking up your passive tree. regret orbs and passive respec points do come as you play more... I personally respecced around 40 points on my ranger recently hahah....

Just have fun and accept that your first few characters will not be your best.

good luck finding those gear upgrades =)

"

CrispBiscuit wrote:

sounds like you are fairly new to the game.

^
This is correct :D

I always check vendors if nothing else, for the 3 color and connected items.. Stocking up on chrom orbs :)

I have to use str buff items cause some of my gear requires strength.. I don't have complete freedom of switching gear at the moment..

"

CrispBiscuit wrote:

Just have fun and accept that your first few characters will not be your best.

I'm aware of that and I don't expect my char to be the best, I just want my witch to survive in game :) I'll go back to Act 2 and farm more so I can beat Act 3 with less effort.. I think that's my only option right now :)

Also I'm playing 2 more chars.. Second is a ranger and the problem I'm having is that I don't concentrate enough on my main and I'm running out of stash space cause I'm keeping items for other chars.. That might not be smart..

IMO it's too much to spend 5$ to buy just a new stash tab.. They should make it that you get at least 2.. :P

"

mattc3303 wrote:

don't get the mana bandit reward the only reward worth getting for a summoner is the 40hp one from oak.

why is the resist not a better choice ?

I'm finding the summoner is a bit squishy. I managed to get the resistances boosted and that has helped considerably. I'm having less trouble now than I was with my shadow.

I ended up killing all 3.. I think getting a skill point is best..
Resist helps if u're not fighting chaos.. Later there's a lot of chaos dmg dealing mobs..
Also u can get resist easy with gear and skill points..
40 Hp is good if u're not going for CI..

Ugh.. I'm kinda struggling in Act3.. also game crashes more.. :P
Need to find some chaos resist, but it's so rare.. :/
for last 2 skill points took minion hp.. helps with explosions! :)

someth off-topic :)

I dont understand why you need so much affirmation... if you know you need more mana, then make a deal with the bandit that gives you mana! (which is what I did with my summoner cuz I wanna cram a bunch of auras on my minions).
And if you know you need linked blue sockets, either ask for gear in trade or farm/make some! Summoners should focus on the sockets/links, not the color of the gear. Find a good white piece and upgrade it to a decent blue piece... dont suffer just to use a poor socketed rare or unique piece :(

I understand you want help in understanding what is best for your build, such as best paths to take to the important nodes... how the nodes work with your build... best gems to link and gear to use... but really, I think you understand what you need and you shouldnt be afraid to act on it.
Honestly, I think if you take too much advice, you are going to mess up your character while chasing everyone else's ideals!

Now, my toon is majoring in summons, and minoring in lightning(for the shock debuff)... my first priority is to get all the minion passives, and a little mana as my gems demand. I will then get my auras with Leadership, shocks with Static Blows, probably curses with Hex Master, then greatly increase ES, and eventually decide on more life or CI.
My minions have been doing all the tanking and damage for me so I am squishy as hell, but that is just part of the build... if I wanted to be a tank, my tree would look COMPLETELY different!
I just gotta be quick to throw out those skellies, step back and shoot sparks! ;P

But from your tree, I think you are majoring in lightning and minoring in summons, and it looks good to me. Only thing I suggest to you though is to make sure that your ES is enough to survive on before you take CI (if that is what you choose to do).

Good luck!

"

jmariemj wrote:

I dont understand why you need so much affirmation... if you know you need more mana, then make a deal with the bandit that gives you mana! (which is what I did with my summoner cuz I wanna cram a bunch of auras on my minions).

I understand you want help in understanding what is best for your build, such as best paths to take to the important nodes... how the nodes work with your build... best gems to link and gear to use... but really, I think you understand what you need and you shouldn't be afraid to act on it.

Honestly, I think if you take too much advice, you are going to mess up your character while chasing everyone else's ideals!
Good luck!

I actually decided to take the extra skill point and I wrote about that few posts ago, but thx for advice. I don't have mana problems any more cause I switched some gear.. (also I now use spell totem so it takes some of mana burden off me)

Main advice I was going for is what is more important for beginners so you wouldn't struggle in game as much.. Is it minion nodes so they will protect u, hp nodes, resist or dmg to kill faster? After all info I got I kinda got the idea what I'm going for, everyone was really helpful.
I don't know why you say I'm prioritizing lightning, I took a lot of minion nodes and I'm going that way.. (took 2 hp and some ES just for sustain, chaos cuts through me like a knife through butter, that dammed poison) I just didn't take the node for second spectre cause I don't think it would help right now, it's more for late game..

Also I updated my skill tree and items, I have a little better situation now I think..
(I had a lot game crashes in Act 3 so I decided to reinstall the game and now I'll see if it got better..)

"

plasticeyes wrote:

"

mattc3303 wrote:

don't get the mana bandit reward the only reward worth getting for a summoner is the 40hp one from oak.

why is the resist not a better choice ?

The 40 HP one gets bigger with every +x% Life node you take, which should end up being a lot. Once you have all the necessary minion clusters, you just hand pick HP, ES, mana or whatever you actually need. Many of them will be Life ones, and good Life ones at that.

Also, invest in 4L for Helmet, Gloves and Boots asap. 5L chest when you can. Should not cost much to get half decent 4Ls, as many people keep a bank full of the good ones they used for a while themselves, but out-levelled. 4 links makes a big difference and gives many options.

"

GhostlightX wrote:

Also, invest in 4L for Helmet, Gloves and Boots asap. 5L chest when you can. Should not cost much to get half decent 4Ls, as many people keep a bank full of the good ones they used for a while themselves, but out-levelled. 4 links makes a big difference and gives many options.

If you look at my items you would see that I did invest in a 4L helmet :D
I'm using the >raise zombie+minion life+minion dmg+raise skeleton(or spectre)< in it..
My gloves are 2L, but red and blue and I really need that for spell totem, also they have hp boost and %find better items.. My boots are 4L, but only 2 connected.. but I think they are ok..
I'm using a shield, but what is the benefit for dual wielding wands?

I have kinda crappy chest but can't find any good ones for my class.. :(
Also I think I'm being unlucky with drops cause I didn't get ANY chaos orbs :(
I only have 1 that a friend gave me..
I have a few alch orbs, but kinda keeping them for later when I reach higher lvls..