[2.6] Necromancer: 4 Stone Golem DPS, Using The Baron

Hi,
This 2.6 build uses 4 Stone Golems, 10 zombies and an Animate Guardian.
No srs, no Specters

This build evolved as I experimented with the new 2.6 helm, The Baron


I don't like the hassle of specters, and I wanted a build that would let me run around and not be stuck casting, so no srs. I decided to try a "Only Melee Minions" build.

As I experimented, I started with a zombies dps build, but after the zombies got wrecked by Colesseum Tier 15 boss, I tried Stone Golems as they are more tanky.
And I am loving it.

This evolution is documented in the following thread.
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1853062

This build is super strong vs bosses.
It kills uber lab Izaro in about 4 seconds.
It is a bit slow on trash killing as there is not a lot of run speed, and minions have to spend time getting to enemies.
I curretly have 638 life per second, so traps in uber lab are easy.
It's over all pretty tanky, 5 deaths so far at level 91, most of those due to stupidity.

Theory:


Game Play:


Required Uniques:

Required Jewels


Recommended Uniques


For other gear slots, just get as much strength and life on every slot, and cap your resists.
You must eventually get 1000 str, I did it by level 68, but its not really needed until you start doing hard maps.

My current gear:


Gem Links


Animate Guardian Gear:


My Level 91 Skill Tree


Bandits:
Kill all, Kill all, Kill all.
(Optional help Oak in Normal for the 40 life.)

Jewels:


Ascendancy:



Leveling

Have u considered using covenant for pseudo 7-link? Added chaos will became 19 with empower so it could be better dps boost.

You say that Tabula Rasa +1 Socketed Gems is super important, why is that?

What you think about scion version? Necr+guardian?

"

Emdezetius wrote:

Have u considered using covenant for pseudo 7-link? Added chaos will became 19 with empower so it could be better dps boost.

Any source of added flat damage is weak on a build that does very slow, very high damage hits, which is what Stone Golems and Zombies do.

If I had a +1 gem Covenant, with the right colors, I would use it.
But the bonus from +1 gem Tabula, far outweighs using a non +1 Covenant.

Edit:
Empower does not effect support gems, only skill gems, so it would only be level 15 added chaos.

"

SamBlaize wrote:

You say that Tabula Rasa +1 Socketed Gems is super important, why is that?

Using a +1 gem chest, with a Empower gem, adds +2 to final level of the spell gem.

The two extra gem levels add a HUGE amount of damage, a HUGE amount of life, increase the monster level of the golem by a bunch, which in turn helps accuracy and evade and armor.

It's just a really really big deal.

EDIT:
If all you have is a regular Tablula Rasa, I am sure it will work fine, up to a point.
My golems are level 26, without it you max out at level 24, not sure you can tank tier 15 bosses with level 24 golems, but maybe you can.

You could certainly do most map tiers without out a +1 tabula, farming for currency to buy one. They are not that expensive.

This is not a starter build, but its also not that expensive of a build.

"

BoneFaer wrote:

What you think about scion version? Necr+guardian?

Well, one would lose a bunch of +minion damage %'s, and would lose the 20% elemental resists, and the beacon of corruption, and 6% phys dam reduction, and the movement speed from Flesh Offering.

One would gain some skill points, and would be able to better access things on the tree.

It might work, but I think Necro is better.

Nice looking guide, I do have corrections to it just looking at it, please consider these and then make any changes as you see fit.

"

Note: I helped Oak in normal, but as soon as i get hold of 20 regrets, I will change that to +1 skill point, as I think at high level, 5% life is better than 40 life.

The formula for when the +40 hp from Oak is defeated by 5% life is as follows:

"

Life Formula when you helped oak:

(42 +(l12)+(s/2)+x+40)(1+p/100)

when you killed all and took 5% more life with the Skillpoint:

(42 +(l12)+(s/2)+x)(1+(p+5)/100)

with l = level, s = strenght, p = % increased life and x = life on items.

Your build has 6 easily acccessed HP 5% nodes, so they are definitely appetizing. However, it's likely given that you are running so many uniques that the flat 40hp is still superior to 5%. Your build has 181% Life and +187 life from strength from tree, with +70 to maximum life. I think it would help if you were to input your numbers from your gear and tree to verify this, however I have my suspicions that the +40hp will ultimately win out.

Your Severed in Sleep has a capitalized L in SLeep, if you care. Various other typoes throughout, give it a quick proof read.

In terms of pathing and point buy, I understand why you chose Diamond Skin, Purity of Flesh, and Cruel Prep. in some areas specifically to make up for the losses that a decent chest armour would provide. I argue that +1 tabula is actually not good, however that is an easy enough complaint to be subjective rather than objective. I do think you should list alternatives, such as covenant, skin of lords/loyal, vis mortis, etc. if you believe that others following the build might benefit from these options.

I like your choice of vuln here as a curse. Would you also consider temp chains? How about wither somewhere in the build / give you something to do?

Any thoughts on the new Spirit Offering, specifically because your build is scaling phys damage into chaos? Seems kinda good.

Finally, How high have you been able to take this character solo? Or is it only useful in high-tier content in groups?

Cheers

"

Kwitch wrote:

Nice looking guide, I do have corrections to it just looking at it, please consider these and then make any changes as you see fit.

.... I have my suspicions that the +40hp will ultimately win out.

I like your choice of vuln here as a curse. Would you also consider temp chains? How about wither somewhere in the build / give you something to do?

...I argue that +1 tabula is actually not good, however that is an easy enough complaint to be subjective rather than objective. I do think you should list alternatives, such as covenant, skin of lords/loyal, vis mortis, etc. if you believe that others following the build might benefit from these options.

Any thoughts on the new Spirit Offering, specifically because your build is scaling phys damage into chaos? Seems kinda good.

Finally, How high have you been able to take this character solo? Or is it only useful in high-tier content in groups?

Cheers

Because I have 1000 str, i get +500 life, making 5% more attractive than 40 life, i think, have not done the math, in any case the difference will not be that much.

I would love to run a second curse, but cannot afford a +1 curse Astrimonus, they are 60 exa in Standard, and I cannot afford the skill points to get it on the tree.

With only one curse, Vulnerabilty > Temp Chains in Standard. In HC Enfeeble or Temp Chains I think.
I don't use wither cause I WANT nothing to do. This build lacks a lot of defenses, its main defense is ALWAYS BE MOVING. vs bosses, i pre cast vuln totem, then run in circles the entire fight, popping flesh offeriing as needed. Movement keeps me alive. The boss damage is so high anyway. Its trash thats slow. (My movement speed, and time it takes minions to engage.)

I want unkillable tank minions, so getting them as high level as possible is important.
Any +1 gem chest would work, I just list tabula, as its cheapest, but yes, i can give more options in that section.

Spirit Offering would be great damage.
I use Flesh Offering for the movement speed, as the weakest part of this build is how fast it runs.

I don't have any maps above tier 13. So I have minimal testing above tier 13.
I did party with a buddy in Tier 15 Colessium, and he let me solo the boss, just to see how my minions did. The kill was relatively fast, and the stone golem's health never dipped below 100%. Some zombies died. I figure if I can easily solo Tier 15 Collesium boss in a 2 player game, this build can do any tier 15 map solo.
It probably can do guardians and Shaper, but I really have no idea, just guessing.

Ok, I was wrong when I thought I was done experimenting with this build.

I have made some changes, but will not update the original post until I have done more testing.

I need more movement speed!

So, I want to run HASTE aura.

Unfortunately, Hatred is just so much damage, and running both is 100% mana reserved, since i have NO reduced reserved skill nodes, and without Purity of Elements, I am not sufficiently overcaped on resists. (goal of 169%)

So, I spent some regrets!
20 regrets to change my Normal Bandits to 10% elemental resists, put a point into a 12% elemental resist node, and 2 points into Skills Use Less Mana and Max Mana nodes.

This lets me run Hatred and Haste, with a level 3 enlighten (cant afford a level 4), and have enough mana to cast a high level flesh offering, or a level 8 Vulnerabilty on Spell Totem, or ressumon a Zombie.

It costs tho!
I lost almost 500 life!
I cant use generosity on Hatred any more!

I compensated for the dps loss, by taking Minion Speed off the golem 6L, and replaced it with Faster Attacks.

Over all should be a significant dps increase, AND I move faster.
Now with Flesh offering up, i am over +75% move speed.

I tested in a 6 person map game, and I had no trouble keeping up.
When soloing, clear speed is significantly improved, by reducing time between packs.
I am concerned with the loss of Life, down to 5.8k life.
That much easier to get one shot!
If I could level twice, I will get most of that life back.

This is what my Skill tree looks like now: