How to make summoners deeper, more creative, fun and strategic.

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Runeword wrote:

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Shagsbeard wrote:

I'd simply like to see more options in the summoning skills... maybe things like the golems or the druid summons from D2.

the new skill coming in 1.0 to raise the armors and weapons reminds me of the iron golems in D2. looks very cool i like how you can mix and match armor pieces with it.

Yes, that's definitely a first step towards addressing the problem in the boring Summoning game. Not sure exactly how it will work, but looks promising.

I think the main problem with balancing this, is the fact that your character can also use spells and attacks himself in addition to the summons.
This is bad because it makes summoning secondary instead of primary.

If we want proper summon creatures and such, I believe we MUST have a node in the passive skill tree (Or a gem modifier) that lowers your characters damage - like:

"Allows you to summon (Incert powerful unique summoned creature) but lowers the damage you deal yourself by 50%"

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Ouroboros226 wrote:

I think the main problem with balancing this, is the fact that your character can also use spells and attacks himself in addition to the summons.
This is bad because it makes summoning secondary instead of primary.

If we want proper summon creatures and such, I believe we MUST have a node in the passive skill tree (Or a gem modifier) that lowers your characters damage - like:

"Allows you to summon (Incert powerful unique summoned creature) but lowers the damage you deal yourself by 50%"

I'd be happy with an Ancestrol Bond like drawback to be honest, just anything to make summons more fun lol.

I, for one, liked all of the OP suggestions, but I believe that until GGG address the absurdly simplistic minion AI, summoning will always be a subpar gaming experience. No game or skill tweak will change that.

Summoners do need some help in terms of build diversity and OP has a lot of creative ideas.

The main problem I see is that a lot of the concepts rely on mutual exclusion. POE does not support mutex in the way OP envisions. Keystones are the closest it gets, but even those don't seem to create the functionality envisioned in OP without some serious hoop jumping.

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PolarisOrbit wrote:

Summoners do need some help in terms of build diversity and OP has a lot of creative ideas.

The main problem I see is that a lot of the concepts rely on mutual exclusion. POE does not support mutex in the way OP envisions. Keystones are the closest it gets, but even those don't seem to create the functionality envisioned in OP without some serious hoop jumping.

I thought about the criticism to mutually exclusives and agree myself it wouldnt be a good option.

We do however - need something to be done. You can run amazingly many builds in POE. But for players that likes to play a pure summoner aka, necromancer/druid/summoner pureblood - it really is bad.

We need changes that allows Primary/Pure summoners. Unique powerful summons with specific roles that actually does damage would be great.

I really wish GGG would say if they want to make pure summoners with appropriate nodes and skillgems, or if this isnt something they want to do. Atleast we would know :(

Good ideas, they can improve the variety of sumonners. +1

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ironox2013 wrote:

Good ideas, they can improve the variety of sumonners. +1

Yay more support <3 Its right before release so I dont suppose GGG will have time for a response to this yet as they probably have alot on their minds.

I took the liberty to add some suggestions:

Note: The images are googled and for Illustration purposes only.

Raise Gargoyle

Attribute: Intelligence
Keywords: Spell, Minion
Per 1% quality: +% maximum life, +% Armor
Required level: 20
Allowed summons: 1
Skill up: Maximum HP (High), Maximum damage (Low), Maximum Armor (Medium).
Description: Raises a Black Gargoyle from the ground, which will follow you and attack enemies. The gargoyle uses enduring cry and gains endurance charges when critically hit. The Gargoyle is fueled by the summoners own life force.

Role: Tank
Balance: Prevents the player from obtaining Endurance charges and Reduces the player's maximum health by 20%

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Raise Ancient Mummy

Attribute: Intelligence
Keywords: Spell, Minion
Per 1% quality: +% maximum life, +% Area of effect.
Required level: 25
Allowed summons: 1
Skill up: Maximum HP (Medium), Maximum damage (Low), Aura Strength.
Description: Raises an Ancient Mummy from a fallen rare monster, which will follow you around and attack enemies from medium range with a wand.

The mummy has DREADED AURA which has different effect varying depending on monster type.

White Monsters: Slowing aura 7-33%, Movement speed only.
Magical monsters: Slowing aura 7-33%, Movement speed only.
Rare Monsters: Blocks out one random effect, range increases with level.
Unique Monsters: Reduces Attack and cast speed by 4-21%.

Role: Support
Balance: Prevents the player from getting power charges. Reduces the player's maximum damage by 20% due to the strain of concentration required to maintain it.

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Raise Necro Lord

Attribute: Intelligence
Keywords: Spell, Minion
Per 1% quality: +% maximum life, +% Damage.
Required level: 30
Allowed summons: 1
Skill up: Maximum HP (Medium), Maximum damage (Very High).
Description: Raises a flying Necro Lord, which will follow you around and attack enemies in melee range. It gains frenzy charges on hit. Every 3rd attack will cleave and lifeleech enemies.
Role: Damage dealer
Balance: Power always comes at a cost. Prevents the player himself from getting frenzy charges and reduces damage dealt by the player by 30%

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