[2.0]Rathik's NEWBIE FRIENDLY FUN&CHEAP FARMER, DPS Summoner. High AOE DMG, SURVIVAL."The Matriarch"

I'm fairly new to the game, and this guide helped me tremendously. I've tried many classes, a bunch of different builds for the past week and this build is hands down the most newbie friendly one so far. Minions eats through everything, from critters, bosses, exiles, the only exception so far is Orra Greengate starting from cruel to merciless (she's downright impossible to kill solo for me).

So, Thank You Rathik for this guide, and well done!


I'd also like to add a few tips from newbie perspective for leveling this build. Just for the record, I started out from literally zero assets to a few ex worth of assets/gear in a few days and I'm not even 70 yet :) (Idk if that's relevant to the build though, but just pointing that out so that other new players like me don't feel discouraged from trying this build).

"

musina0 wrote:

My question is posed because while they can wreck shit, singe mobs tend to eat them...
Especially in act 3; Alchemists, Fire banners, Docks, ...

So how do you go about those troubles? I know my lvl is too low for great minions so what do you propose to do?!

I used to 'feel' the same way about zombies (or minions in general) dying. But as Rathik pointed out previously, I don't really care if one or a few of my zombies dying here and there, I can just resummon them quick enough that it doesn't matter.

Few tips for leveling (I haven't wrapped up merciless yet, so my experience is limited to act 2 of merciless) :

- Minions aren't crap early levels, I've never had any issues using zombies at all since I fist put that gem on my gear, the important thing is to know that a single zombie gem without anything linked at all does, suck. So here's how I did it...

- Grab a Melee Splash gem and Life Gain on Hit ASAP. If you don't have the currencies to buy them (if you just started out) you can get a Melee Splash gem from the 3rd Act 2 quest playing a Templar and you can get Life Gain on Hit from the end of Act 1 by playing a Marauder or Duelist.

- For the first few levels, link your zombies with Melee Splash
and Life Gain on Hit. You don't even need to rely on leveling setup such as Freezing Pulse, Traps, etc. I leveled to 40 with zombies just fine (though I did use pulse up til 20).

- Grab a Spell Totem (end of Act 1 Cruel for any class except ranger) and link it with Summon Skeleton, this is your first priority after you're done linking your zombies, this is your single most important tool (imho) for leveling. This two gems alone can be used to kill literally every single boss in this game (except that stupid Orra Greengate), this combo can also be used as your panic butan, and just to add, since you'd be buffing the skellies with your minion passive nodes, your 'skel brotem' is going to be far more powerful than when used with other builds/classes. It doesn't matter if you have Minion Instability or not, grab this first two gems ASAP!

- Dump the Life Gain on Hit after you can get your hands on : (1) Multistrike gem, (2) A 3L whatever (I used a +1 to minion gems head for this) that you can use to fit Summon Zombies + Melee Splash + Multistrike. At this point, you should be able to 'not care' whether your zombies are dying or not, I'd also recommend taking MI starting from this point forward.

- Don't waste your currencies on gear, unless you're rich enough that it doesn't matter. Instead, grab these gems (by priority) : 1. Clarity, 2. Temporal Chains, 3. Vulnerability, 4. Reduced Mana, 5. Enfeeble and level them sooner than later (use your secondary weapon slots)

- After you can get your hands on a 4L or 5L for your Zombies, don't waste linking any form of lifesteal on them. Zombies are meant to die, if you prefer to have your zombies alive at all times, then you're better off with a Spectre oriented build (like seriously). Instead use the links Rathik put up on the OP.

- As for the minion damage/health vs faster attacks on your zombies, while I do agree with Rathik that minion damage's technically better, I far prefer using faster attacks mainly because it gives my zombies better responses to 'my commands', I've tried both (well actually I have all three gems trained atm), and faster attacks works better with zombies, at least for me. Faster attacks allows your zombies to apply damage better mainly due to the significant increase of attack speed, the damage boost from minion damage without faster attacks is only effective when your zombies never die or hitting the same target for a longer period of time which in most circumstances don't really happen. Even when putting MI into account.

- One of my biggest obstacles during my first few days leveling this build was the lack of strength and dexterity to level up the support gems. I found a few people mentioning to stop leveling your gems if you're lacking those two stats until you grab better gear. I disagree completely with this, leveling your gems on late gem levels are way harder (and/or more expensive) than removing points from strength/dexterity nodes, don't hesitate to grab those nodes if you need them, but don't go nuts with those nodes either, grab a dex+str amulets or something or find one or two gear that helps with this, but don't delay leveling your support gems, it'll help your minions, a lot.

Hope this helps...

Any advices how to easily kill piety at merciless?

"

dejs96 wrote:

Any advices how to easily kill piety at merciless?

Try to cap resistances.
Always have a dispel frozen flask with you. You should have a dispel frozen on you at all times anyway.
Use non totem skeletons, try to surround her with skeletons, don't just summon them in random places.

Always hide behind pillar on cold arrow phase.

Enfeeble + Temp Chains/Vulnerability.


Seriously, Piety is not a tank and spank fight.

Just avoid the cold arrows, if she goes fire form, use skeletons to block her path to you until they get aggro.

Summon your zombies again when she summon minions.

There is no timer on the fight, take your time.

"

sarahschneider wrote:

I'm fairly new to the game, and this guide helped me tremendously. I've tried many classes, a bunch of different builds for the past week and this build is hands down the most newbie friendly one so far. Minions eats through everything, from critters, bosses, exiles, the only exception so far is Orra Greengate starting from cruel to merciless (she's downright impossible to kill solo for me).

So, Thank You Rathik for this guide, and well done!


I'd also like to add a few tips from newbie perspective for leveling this build. Just for the record, I started out from literally zero assets to a few ex worth of assets/gear in a few days and I'm not even 70 yet :) (Idk if that's relevant to the build though, but just pointing that out so that other new players like me don't feel discouraged from trying this build).

"

musina0 wrote:

My question is posed because while they can wreck shit, singe mobs tend to eat them...
Especially in act 3; Alchemists, Fire banners, Docks, ...

So how do you go about those troubles? I know my lvl is too low for great minions so what do you propose to do?!

I used to 'feel' the same way about zombies (or minions in general) dying. But as Rathik pointed out previously, I don't really care if one or a few of my zombies dying here and there, I can just resummon them quick enough that it doesn't matter.

Few tips for leveling (I haven't wrapped up merciless yet, so my experience is limited to act 2 of merciless) :

- Minions aren't crap early levels, I've never had any issues using zombies at all since I fist put that gem on my gear, the important thing is to know that a single zombie gem without anything linked at all does, suck. So here's how I did it...

- Grab a Melee Splash gem and Life Gain on Hit ASAP. If you don't have the currencies to buy them (if you just started out) you can get a Melee Splash gem from the 3rd Act 2 quest playing a Templar and you can get Life Gain on Hit from the end of Act 1 by playing a Marauder or Duelist.

- For the first few levels, link your zombies with Melee Splash
and Life Gain on Hit. You don't even need to rely on leveling setup such as Freezing Pulse, Traps, etc. I leveled to 40 with zombies just fine (though I did use pulse up til 20).

- Grab a Spell Totem (end of Act 1 Cruel for any class except ranger) and link it with Summon Skeleton, this is your first priority after you're done linking your zombies, this is your single most important tool (imho) for leveling. This two gems alone can be used to kill literally every single boss in this game (except that stupid Orra Greengate), this combo can also be used as your panic butan, and just to add, since you'd be buffing the skellies with your minion passive nodes, your 'skel brotem' is going to be far more powerful than when used with other builds/classes. It doesn't matter if you have Minion Instability or not, grab this first two gems ASAP!

- Dump the Life Gain on Hit after you can get your hands on : (1) Multistrike gem, (2) A 3L whatever (I used a +1 to minion gems head for this) that you can use to fit Summon Zombies + Melee Splash + Multistrike. At this point, you should be able to 'not care' whether your zombies are dying or not, I'd also recommend taking MI starting from this point forward.

- Don't waste your currencies on gear, unless you're rich enough that it doesn't matter. Instead, grab these gems (by priority) : 1. Clarity, 2. Temporal Chains, 3. Vulnerability, 4. Reduced Mana, 5. Enfeeble and level them sooner than later (use your secondary weapon slots)

- After you can get your hands on a 4L or 5L for your Zombies, don't waste linking any form of lifesteal on them. Zombies are meant to die, if you prefer to have your zombies alive at all times, then you're better off with a Spectre oriented build (like seriously). Instead use the links Rathik put up on the OP.

- As for the minion damage/health vs faster attacks on your zombies, while I do agree with Rathik that minion damage's technically better, I far prefer using faster attacks mainly because it gives my zombies better responses to 'my commands', I've tried both (well actually I have all three gems trained atm), and faster attacks works better with zombies, at least for me. Faster attacks allows your zombies to apply damage better mainly due to the significant increase of attack speed, the damage boost from minion damage without faster attacks is only effective when your zombies never die or hitting the same target for a longer period of time which in most circumstances don't really happen. Even when putting MI into account.

- One of my biggest obstacles during my first few days leveling this build was the lack of strength and dexterity to level up the support gems. I found a few people mentioning to stop leveling your gems if you're lacking those two stats until you grab better gear. I disagree completely with this, leveling your gems on late gem levels are way harder (and/or more expensive) than removing points from strength/dexterity nodes, don't hesitate to grab those nodes if you need them, but don't go nuts with those nodes either, grab a dex+str amulets or something or find one or two gear that helps with this, but don't delay leveling your support gems, it'll help your minions, a lot.

Hope this helps...

Your are very welcome sir.

Added in external tip.

"

ScrotieMcB wrote:

There are basically four good build choices:

1) one-handed weapon caster (OP's build, except he doesn't take Necro Aegis and that is just wrong)
* Takes CI
* Uses shield with Necromantic Aegis to buff minions resistances without Minion and Totem Elemental Resistance support gem
* 6L Zombies
* 4L Arc + Culling Strike + IIQ + IIR
* does not use Hatred/Anger/Wrath

2) two-handed weapon caster
* takes CI
* 6L Zombies, Minion and Totem Elemental Resistance support gem is required
* 6L clean-up spell, lots more options
* can use Queen's Decree or a staff (rare or Searing Touch or Taryn's Shiver)
* does not use Hatred/Anger/Wrath

3) one-handed attacker
* takes EB
* Uses shield with Necromantic Aegis to buff minions resistances without Minion and Totem Elemental Resistance support gem
* 4L Zombies
* 6L Power Siphon + LMP + Chain + Life Gain on Hit + IIQ + IIR
* uses Hatred, Anger, and Wrath

4) two-handed attacker (my build)
* takes EB
* 6L Zombies, Minion and Totem Elemental Resistance support gem is required
* 6L Bow skill + Culling Strike + Life Gain on Hit + IIQ + IIR; sixth support is either LMP (Lightning Arrow), Chain (Split Arrow), or Increased Area of Effect (Rain of Arrows)
* uses Hatred, Anger, and Wrath

this was very helpful

I don't find myself using the Melee Splash effect all that often. The splash is fairly small and the mobs spread out especially when you have an army of zombies and skeletons. Am I just not seeing the splash damage?

I seem to get faster clearing speed when I substitute an Added Fire gem. Although I wonder how much added fire it adds. Does it just do the Zombies original physical damage or does it do the total physical damage? Unfortunately it doesn't effect MI, but otherwise its a great gem.

I have been using a 5S4L Chober Chaber which is great since I don't have those IIR rings, just need to save up a couple hundred fuses to 5L it. Plus a +1 Minion helm with the skellies.

why you dont use zealoths oaht in your build??

i m just wondering

"

kenji07 wrote:

why you dont use zealoths oaht in your build??

i m just wondering

With my current gear I have 3.8 life regeneration.
It's just very low for ZO to be any helpful.

If you get hit, just hide behind minions and wait fews secs until your ES regens by it self.

Not worth the skill point on my build.

If you have enough regen with auras and items, by all means, take it.
I doubt it will be enough with out any % nodes though.


If you have shavrones and can run 5+ auras, you should take it.

"

RenoR wrote:

I dont understand all the summoner arcing.

Yes, I get it, that you want to deliver shock stacks with elemental equilirium, but is it really working? I heavily doubt it.

When I see Arc with Chain I almost go lolmode. If you do NO DAMAGE with arc, you wont shock enemies. In addition summoners dont have spell damage.

No Spelldamage + 50% = no damage = no shocking


Better go pure physical summoner who casts vulnerabilty and supports minions with auras.

PS.: Oh, you mentioned in the text that its a utilty spell, sry my mistake^^

It is said that minions target enemies when you point at them or is this only working with spells?

The mouse over thing is been said but not by me.
I don't know what they are talking about, that doesn't work for me.
With Arc, they will attack the target that you are attacking.

I use Arc only as a utility spell.
You can use what ever else you want.

Watch some of my videos to see how I use it.