Super Slow Mo! (All content! No uniques required! Perfect for new, SSF, & challenged gamers.) (3.4)

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triniparty wrote:

I updated the error to my curse math in the guide, including the picture. (You know, when you talk a lot in your guide, you have to fix lots too ;).)

nvm, just realized temporal chains cap is 75%.

hello, this may sound retarded because I'm quite new to the game but bear with me... but if I'm fighting a boss, and he kills all my zombies, and there are no bodies around to spawn zombies from, how can I replenish my zombie army?

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sooshka wrote:

hello, this may sound retarded because I'm quite new to the game but bear with me... but if I'm fighting a boss, and he kills all my zombies, and there are no bodies around to spawn zombies from, how can I replenish my zombie army?

Hey sooshka! Thanks for the question. At the beginning of the game, zombies are pretty squishy. But it doesn't take long for them to beef up quite a lot. The skill gems I have selected for the guide are very defensive for the zombies. It'll be quite rare for them to die. (Some of the end game content has some instant kill hits that everyone has to evade. As you gain experience in those battles, you'll use Convocation to get your zombies out of harm's way.)

In the occasion that they do die though, your Desecrate skill will have left some enemies on the ground for you. So if you don't have enough mana with both auras up, turn one of them off and start re-summoning your zombies. It could take some time if you don't have mana regen. (I personally didn't invest in items that gave extra mana or mana regen. I found my zombies stayed alive 99% of endgame by simply ignoring them.)

You could always have an extra Desecrate in your second weapon set (X on PC or RT and pushing down on LS on XBox) for the situations you may need it.

Does that answer your question? Let me know if it didn't or if you have any other questions. (The question wasn't retarded at all. If our zombies die, so do we. So we went defensive for a reason. It's a good question.)

Well folks, If you follow this guide to a "T" and play on standard I have good news and bad news. If you're planning on doing this build in League for 3.5, I have good news.

(I know 3.5's patch notes aren't out yet, so this is just incase 3.5's notes don't change anything for our build.)

Patch 3.4.4 improved how Change Dash looks when you use it. It's more fluid and the camera follows your movements instead of teleports to your final destination. It looks awesome. Unfortunately, the improvements are too much for my brain to handle (the original motion was better for me). As a result, on longer fights (like the Shaper or Elder) where I use the skill a lot, I have to look away from the screen a lot or I zone out/get nauseous quite quickly. So since 3.4.4, I couldn't use Convocation on time and my zombies would just die to the "one shot" mechanics.

So I've been experimenting with all sorts of combos, trying to keep the build as similar as possible, but something I can still play...for 3.5. (I think it's important to play the guides I make.)

- I really want to keep a movement skill to escape situations.
- I really want an Attack so I can attach Fortify Support.
- I really want a movement skill that can go over ledges and cliffs.
- I really Zombies to be a 6 link to save me when I'm zoning out or not looking at the screen for a moment. They're like Righteous Fire in a way...
- I really want to slow enemies so that they are embarrassed.

I checked out all the movement skills, tried them out, and there were really only two Movement Attack skills that had good range and could go over obstacles: Leap Slam and Charged Dash. Dang. Leap Slam, no matter how I use it makes me sick right away. Charged Dash only makes me sick with frequent usage. So after tons of testing, I ended up with the same movement skill: Charged Dash.

So the issue then is how do I do the ultimate bosses/long staged battles with the same defensive skill (CD gives Fortify and Enfeeble)? Well, I use CD as little possible yet I still have to use it frequently in some battles. So if I'm going to insist on using CD still, my zombies are going to die to the "one shot" hits (for me, not for you). So I needed some minions that didn't follow me around, but took aggro away from me. Something that could still take advantage of my minion nodes on the tree but not need corpses to be resurrected mid-battle. Something I could summon but had a decent duration so I could run around and do survivaly things...Oh ya! Skeletons. ;)

So I love the defense of a 6 link Zombies as my damage and defense. They're basically like Righteous Fire without needing all the life regen. I'm not replacing them. They are still my primary skill. And the more damage that skeletons deal the more efficient they are in situations where I am nauseous and looking away. Sooooo:

For 3.5 I'm getting rid of the one handed weapon and shield. I'm replacing it with a staff. We'll have a 5/6 link Skeletons, 5/6 link zombies, Hatred links, Charged Dash's links, and Temporal Chains' links.

I've been testing it since 3.4.4 came out and I'm am capable of easily doing the battles that I could no longer do after 3.4.4.

So I'm sorry for those Standard players (which I am on console), but the build is changing again. I really want it to be the same as possible throughout every patch.

Of course, 3.5's patch notes may change this, but these are my links I'm thinking for 3.5 (if you're planning ahead and such):

5/6 - Zombies-Minion Life-Minion Speed-Minion Damage-Fortify-Melee Physical
5/6 - Skeletons-Minion Speed-Minion Damage-Melee Physical-Maim-Ruthless(maybe)
4 - CD-Fortify-Curse on Hit-Enfeeble
4 - Temporal Chains-Blasphemy-Enhance
4 - Hatred-Generosity, Convocation

The tree would be the exact same but the Ascendancy nodes would be Flesh Binder (zombies), Bone Sculptor (Skeletons), and then preference.

Total Zombie(10) DPS would drop to 355'000 total but the Skeletons(11) would add 968'000 total...so 1.3million DPS with nothing equipped but a passive tree isn't that bad for a defensive summoner.

You know what? Now you know. :)

Sorry for changing it again. But Charged Dash is pretty perfect for what I like despite the improved animation. So I'm just giving those that care a heads up in case a big change like this would be an unpleasant surprise when the 3.5 version of this build gets posted.

Enjoy the rest of the league! Message lots if you have build questions :). I won't "checkout" before 3.5 is released.

Thank you for this guide! I'm sorry 3.4.4's changes created a challenge but it looks like you've found a way around them.

I've newly returned to PoE after 3-4 years away and this build is only the second one I've tried. I wanted something that was "newbie-proof" yet still felt powerful and your build has done the trick. I know I'm nowhere near endgame yet but it's amazing how powerful I feel with relatively cruddy gear.

I have one request: if you're planning to rewrite the guide to include skeletons, could you preserve the existing version from prior to 3.4.4 for those of us using the zombies-only version of the build? It's an excellent starter build and as a player who tends to stay away from doing a lot of trading I think it's great that it only takes one item larger than 4L.

Thanks again for this fun build :)

So first of all, thank you for all the work that you have poured into this guide. I saw your "ads" for the guide in the Xbox forums and decided to give it a try. It's been quite fun so far - but I now approach the (for me) fear of the death penalty zone and I was wondering about a few things.

I was going to ask about the skeleton setup on your character, but your preceding note pretty much covered that.

So far, I have not been able to get Charged Dash to fit into my play style. Too bad, because it is a such an elegant solution: movement, gap jumping, and triggers fortify/curse on hit, all for the price of a single skill slot. I find it great for jumping in to battle, but not so great for exiting stage left/right. I see that you do indeed play on Xbox too and I am curious how the PC version of the skill compares to the Xbox version - I just find that having to hold down the button to get any distance in the move leaves my character rather exposed when things get tense. At the moment I put my Enfeeble into a Mark of Submission and use Teutonic Slam to apply both it and Fortify (and Flame Dash for move/gaps). I notice that you dropped Holy Relic. I find it a big help for my choices - if the zombies are quick enough, at times when I apply TS it feels just like I am killing stuff directly.

I kept starring at my Tree and seeing all these great minion nodes that were only benefiting the Zombie Horde. So I dropped the CWDT20 and put a couple of gem slots into Spectres. At the time, they seemed more reliable than temporary skeletons, but after some reading I can see that it is going to take a real effort to fine tune them. And now I see that you went Skeleton. Perhaps I will need a Plan B. Not sure if I am prepared to toss down the shield though. But if I did, I'd really be eyeing the Queen's Escape.

The suggestion of the Delve crafted weapon turned out to be quite helpful. Took me 3 attempts to get a 75 increased minion damage roll (it's RNG and so future mileage will definitely differ).

Again, thanks for the wonderful build and great guide. As advertised, you can go far on just rares, but at the same time there are some rather juicy uniques available for those who want to put in the extra time.

Hey Katalaeia!

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Katalaeia wrote:

Thank you for this guide! I'm sorry 3.4.4's changes created a challenge but it looks like you've found a way around them.
I've newly returned to PoE after 3-4 years away and this build is only the second one I've tried. I wanted something that was "newbie-proof" yet still felt powerful and your build has done the trick. I know I'm nowhere near endgame yet but it's amazing how powerful I feel with relatively cruddy gear.

Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate it. I'm glad you came back to the game and that the build is working out for you. I'm one of those players that doesn't need a break from POE...I just can't stop playing...so it's always exciting for me when people come back and enjoy it.

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I have one request: if you're planning to rewrite the guide to include skeletons, could you preserve the existing version from prior to 3.4.4 for those of us using the zombies-only version of the build? It's an excellent starter build and as a player who tends to stay away from doing a lot of trading I think it's great that it only takes one item larger than 4L.

:) So the problem there is that I talk a lot...there’s a 50’000 character limit for posts and such and I’m pretty close to it already ;). So to accommodate your your request I’d have to make two seperate guides, one for the zombies/skeletons and the other just zombies. It’s not really a problem though, just lots of work and such. I'm totally willing to do it, but we'll have to see. I’m still experimenting with the build to see what works best. I also strongly prefer having only one 5 or 6 link as well. One of the options I have yet to try is trying Skeletons in a simple 4 link. Skel-Min.Speed-Min-Damage-melee phy(?). It’d drop their damage substantially but damage isn’t the problem with the build being just zombies anyway…

I appreciate your request and if you have more please let me know. What’ll likely happen, if I can’t decide between 2 5 links or 1, is I’ll just have the options available in the guide. But either way, I always make a new thread so that all comments are relevant to the current patch. Meaning, this link will stay untouched.

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Thanks again for this fun build :)

You’re welcome :). Thanks for the taking the time to write.


On a side note to everyone, though a 5th and 6th link greatly improve any build, don't be discouraged either. 4 links, especially minions, can be quite effective into endgame. Don't panic if a 5 link that works for you doesn't drop (or is cheap enough).

Hey AnExile_onthePath!

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AnExile_onthePath wrote:

So first of all, thank you for all the work that you have poured into this guide...

My pleasure!

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So far, I have not been able to get Charged Dash to fit into my play style...

You are correct that it isn't the an immediate escape. But keep in mind that your defense is immediately turned on when you start Charged Dash. But in terms of simply using it as an escape, one thing to keep in mind is that the skill's speed is based off of your movement speed. So really try to get 25 or 30% movement speed on your boots. You'll notice a huge difference. It also stacks well with the 40% movement speed from Quicksilver flasks. An option for escape only is finding an unset ring and putting in a low level Phase Run. Phase run casts instantly now and you can walk through all enemies at increased movement speed.

Once I got 30% movement boots and used Quicksilver flasks naturally, I found the reasons I would die would be for a reason unrelated to CD.

Let me know how it goes.

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I see that you do indeed play on Xbox too and I am curious how the PC version of the skill compares to the Xbox version - I just find that having to hold down the button to get any distance in the move leaves my character rather exposed when things get tense.

Charged Dash is one of those skills that seems to be exactly the same on both versions.
I know it seems vulnerable, but honestly I don't find I die because of CD. It's not an instant skill, but with higher movement speed I find it fast enough for me. That's me though.

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At the moment I put my Enfeeble into a Mark of Submission and use Teutonic Slam to apply both it and Fortify (and Flame Dash for move/gaps).

That's a really good setup! Do what feels the most natural. :)

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I notice that you dropped Holy Relic. I find it a big help for my choices - if the zombies are quick enough, at times when I apply TS it feels just like I am killing stuff directly.

:) I really like Holy Relic. I only dropped some of the links cause I had to sacrifice something for the second 6 link. I was surprised it did so much damage on it's own and I loved the regen it gave. (I saw that there are uniques that let you have more than one Holy Relic up at once!)

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I kept starring at my Tree and seeing all these great minion nodes that were only benefiting the Zombie Horde. So I dropped the CWDT20 and put a couple of gem slots into Spectres. At the time, they seemed more reliable than temporary skeletons, but after some reading I can see that it is going to take a real effort to fine tune them.

You don't have to make Spectres as complicated as the community does. You know my favourite two spectres (I have a Queen's Escape build on console)? The regular goat enemies that jump, or those big winged Kativa Demon things. I find they destroy and survive really well and I only chose them cause I hate them as enemies. ;) And that's without the Soul Weaver selected on the tree.

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Not sure if I am prepared to toss down the shield though. But if I did, I'd really be eyeing the Queen's Escape.

I really prefer a shield as well. I'm still considering putting 3.5's skeletons in a 4 link and only losing one set of links instead of two.

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The suggestion of the Delve crafted weapon turned out to be quite helpful. Took me 3 attempts to get a 75 increased minion damage roll (it's RNG and so future mileage will definitely differ).

It only took you three attempts? You bastard ;). Good for you. Who knows what the new values of Delve and crafting will offer in 3.5, but keep in mind that the Minion Damage mod that you could craft in Delve in 3.4 on a one hand, could roll twice as high on a two handed weapon...up to 130%!

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Again, thanks for the wonderful build and great guide. As advertised, you can go far on just rares, but at the same time there are some rather juicy uniques available for those who want to put in the extra time.

You are very welcome and thank you for taking the time to comment. Rares can easily be the most powerful items in the game, yet, some uniques are just too cool to give up :).

I'm not against uniques in anyway! I just like making builds that don't NEED them. Then if any drop, I can equip it if I like it.

Thanks again for the message. Let me know if you need anything else.

Hello Triniparty , once again , thank you for updating the build .

I'm sorry that update gave you inconvinience in usage. Can we help with posting a suggestion to bring it close to what it used to be as mtx/toggle on-off option or anything for people with issues like yours ? Where can we do that?

So, few questions: I wasn't as lucky as AnExile_onthePath but got few 1h weapons with 77% minion damage on 25-30ish attempts. One of them has some cold damage to spells , how can i check with POB or smth , how it will change my spells in general (no "socketed" word- so it's more general stat , but will it boost hatred damage or just mess my EE with CD applying elec+cold- it's not obvious to me ) . Another one has around 70% minion damage and "Auras from your Skills grant 2% increased Damage to you and Allies" (with hatred+generosity- it's around 4 % damage to allies? And is it better than just 77% flat or 77% + cold to spells).

Also i wonder , how did you get 17% life on your helmet without elder base?

Another question will be - what's the best weapon for animate guardian in our build? Dying Breath Iron Staff for a bit damage with a bit effect of curses or Kingmaker Despot Axe for culling strike to all minions (One guy said to me that it's insane )? Kingmaker is a bit pricy but there is a craft recipe.

Thanks in advance. Take care of yourself.
Good luck to all users of this build , i hope you have fun .