Necromancer with raging skulls on dual totems - Feedback requested

I've gotten a hardcore templar to level 52 on hardcore and I'd like to check on the feasibility of my end-game planning. Noteworthy passives are intended to be Eldritch Battery, Mind over Matter, Iron Reflexes, and Ancestral Bond. Planned powers are as follows, as per a planned "necromancer" build:

flesh offering (right mouse button)
summon zombie
summon skeletons (with blind) or conversion trap (with multi-trap and increased duration)
raging skulls (on spell totem, with ancestral bond passive)
enfeeble
desecrate

+ an escape power, currently leap attack, might be lightning warp later
+ "walk" on left hand mouse button

Auras are a bit confusing for me. I'd like to have discipline (to support MOM) and clarity, as well as one or two more (either grace, for defense, or anger / wrath for offense). I'm also leveling up the 3 single resist elemental auras and purity of elements, for situational use. I don't know how many auras I can run at once, given a couple of reduced aura gems and my passive tree (given next):

31 points


74 points

107 points

Any feedback about the viability of the end game plan would be appreciated, and thank you in advance.

There are many things that go "bump" in the night. Also ...

Planned gems for powers:

5 or 6 link (chest): raging skulls - spell totem - increased duration - minion damage - melee splash or multistrike - faster casting*

4 link: summon zombies - melee splash or multistrike - minion life - minion and totem resistances

4 link: reduced mana - desecrate - grace - leap attack or lightning warp

4 link: reduced mana - clarity - discipline - anger

3 link: summon skeletons - minion life - blind

3 link: increased duration - flesh offering - enfeeble

* drop faster casting if 5 link

- all purity auras are being leveled up, for situational use
- I don't know if I'll be able to run 4 auras or not.

fist-*bump*

My necromancer is level 57 now and about to move toward finishing up Cruel difficulty, in advance of heading to Merc. He's leveling up gems as per the plan outlined earlier. I need to get him a better armor total, though, before taking on cruel Dominus.

Does the end-game build look viable / optimal?

Elbow "bump" ...

Level 58 now, better armor total, and cruel Piety went down quite easily. But, chaos resistance is -8 and cold / fire resistance are in the low 60s now, after boosting armor, so my necromancer might not be ready for Cruel Dominus.

Gear is nondescript and this is a self-found character because he's the only one I have in hardcore (all others are in invasion).

have a tritotem raging spirit build , havent tried it after spell totem nerfs but it cleared maps with ease and was super safe . totally viable

Hi

As far as i am aware only the skills on totems will do any damage if you take ancestral bond
just making sure you are aware of this.

"

Empathic_Drak wrote:

Hi

As far as i am aware only the skills on totems will do any damage if you take ancestral bond
just making sure you are aware of this.

Actually, since raging spirits are summons, you can have three totems and selfcast them too.

interesting build. but I have doubts about damage to Summon Raging spirit. As I understand you do not take aura for damage under multistrike(Anger and Wraith). Discipline and Grace in priority. As for the League invasion doubtful that totems will survive for many bosses. Yes and zombies just 3 points hardly residents. Your build is more appropriate to pass on merciles Piety, but no more. Better perhaps to casts a Summon raging spirits yourself. In 6L armor they will inflict considerable damage without any penalties.

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgAABkkIZwx9DQIQfxGWFSAWbxcvGDwY2xmFGYYZihpsGo8c3B2qHb4kqij6KaUqTSqYLOk1kjbpPydBh0NjRnFI50p9SshLSU4qVcZV1lYtWPVZbVqRW69fmGTnZp5noGqsbqpvnnC7cU108X_GgKSCHoLHgwmD24Uyh3aIQIjxj0aQM5Mnkzqaz5uhm7Wdrp3EoqOmrKcIqH2sR6x_tAy18rcxtz64k70nwBnB88M6xp7KSs5xz2XQ0NP72QvbC90N4Yjjauss6-7xdvPd9tr56PqA-tL7CfxL_MX-Cg==

I tried this build from 3 to 60% auras, if you have the mana or with one pyrity elements or pyrity fire or lighting that will give a better survival on some bosses. Auras Grace Discipline Haste or Purity or Anger or Wraith. Shield only 1000+ evasion. 6 Link - raging spirit- multistraike - melee phys damage - melee splash - faster casting or item rarity - culling strike. And need more mana regeneration for 6 link. And need more mana regeneration for this build. It minus this build. Rings amulet,three extra points . Find difficult.

To bring closure, the theory was OK, but the gear and my playing experience / skill wasn't good enough. This character died at level 58 to the exploding minions of Cruel Dominus, with that curse over his head and with me not being quick enough with the life potions.

Still, thank you for the feedback.

I've got the rebuild (just) underway.