[3.12] [HC] [SSF] Zombies/SRS Occultist

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end-game viable? (softcore)

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dollygm wrote:

end-game viable? (softcore)

[edit; September 21, 2020] In the Harvest league my character was able to fight all end-game bosses and complete the Hall of Grandmasters (the latter with some help from Balefire).

Trying SSFHC for the first time in 3.6. Saw this guide and gonna give it a shot. One of the few, well written SSFHC guides. I'm sure I'll be messaging you to pick your brain at some point lol.


Could you maybe add some level progression passive trees? I'm sure I could wing it prioritizing life and whatnot, but that would be super helpful..

Also I assume you kill all bandits? And what pantheons do you utilize?

How viable would this build be without using Raise Specter? I don't really like having to hunt down specific mobs to raise myself.

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ruth1ess wrote:

Trying SSFHC for the first time in 3.6. Saw this guide and gonna give it a shot. One of the few, well written SSFHC guides. I'm sure I'll be messaging you to pick your brain at some point lol.

That's cool, good luck!

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ruth1ess wrote:

Could you maybe add some level progression passive trees? I'm sure I could wing it prioritizing life and whatnot, but that would be super helpful..

The plan is to add the details as I level up in Synthesis. Unfortunately, I won't have much time in the first days. For now, I just added a short description in the Leveling section, check it again please.

I'd like to emphasize on the fact that zombies and spectres are fragile early on.

You probably shouldn't even bother with spectres until Act 6. You can use some random offensive ones earlier, if you don't mind raising them now and then.

Before you get Mon'tregul's Grasp, your zombies need rather defensive support gems like Fortify, Minion Life, and Minion and Totem Elemental Resistance. Especially, burning damage just deletes them if you don't raise their resistances. Minion life leech on the tree or Ghastly Eye Jewels can help a bit.

If you happen to find some uniques, like Wraithlord or Skullhead, that can significantly change things though.

I haven't tested using Bone Offering instead of Spirit Offering early on, but I'm curious if that works better during leveling.

[edit; June 13, 2019] I tested it and it doesn't seem to be better.

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ruth1ess wrote:

Also I assume you kill all bandits? And what pantheons do you utilize?

I help Alira for resistances and mana regeneration. You can change that decision later if your gear allows you.

From the minor gods, Tukohama. In the Labyrinth you can switch to Rakalesh.

From the major gods, Solaris, but I guess Lunaris isn't a bad choice either.

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SimianChaos wrote:

How viable would this build be without using Raise Specter? I don't really like having to hunt down specific mobs to raise myself.

They're rather a significant support. You don't really need to hunt them: when you don't have them, using Desecrate in the right area will eventually spawn their corpses. When you have or just had them in your current area, it will do that too. And they aren't gone when you log out. So, you need to repeat the process from scratch only if they die and you loose the last area you had them in.

Using Spirit Offering helps a lot with keeping them alive in maps. It may be a good idea to not use Blood Magic during leveling though, at least not before you grab enough minion life nodes and level up the gems.

having fun with the build :D thx for the guide.

can you talk about the setups for srs? cyaa

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dollygm wrote:

having fun with the build :D thx for the guide.

Great to hear!

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dollygm wrote:

can you talk about the setups for srs? cyaa

Both setups have similar DPS on paper.

But first of all, the one with Immolate + Combustion is more aesthetically pleasing (single elemental damage type). Then, Combustion introduces a synergy with zombies - they will deal more fire damage to every enemy ignited by Raging Spirits.

The downside is that I think it requires a 6-link. You should also be worried if they can ignite smoothly enough in maps in which monsters have a 90% chance to avoid elemental ailments. That can be annoying to some degree, but if you give 5-6 those Spirits a second to ignite the target, it will burn in over 90% of trials anyway.

The other one is just more reliable in comparison. You can cut out the last socket or two, if you can't use them at the moment, and it still makes sense.

[edit; June 13, 2019] In 3.7 I decided to remove from the guide the first setup referred in this message, the one based on Immolate + Combustion.

What Order Do you Get your ascendancies in.
I can't imagine doing maps without Vile Bastion.
But the extra curse seems pretty important too.

I've never done a minion build before. this one looked cool. so i'm giving it a go.

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DeathSabre wrote:

What Order Do you Get your ascendancies in.
I can't imagine doing maps without Vile Bastion.
But the extra curse seems pretty important too.

I've never done a minion build before. this one looked cool. so i'm giving it a go.

[edit; September 21, 2020] The original answer was by far outdated. In 3.12 I recommend:

Vile Bastion -> Profane Bloom -> Malediction -> Void Beacon.