3.7| Stress Free PoE - SLOW-MO ZOMBIES |Clear the Atlas with YOUR Items at YOUR Pace (SSF & Co-op)
"Great post! I really appreciate it. I too am very curious about what the exact wording of these new gems are going to be, and what the wording of the existing gems may change to. Regarding Cast when Damage Taken proc'ing EE, I've played this build like that in the past. EE proc'd tons. Of course, nothing is as optimal as choosing when and where to proc EE, but I wasn't disappointed with it at all. And good call, GMP with Ball Lightning is a good choice with self casting if you're good without Fortify. Regarding the rest, I'll touch on it in my post to everyone next. EDIT: Oh right, Spectres. There are lots of defensive Spectres. Any enemy that can make those projectile shields is amazing. If we didn't need specific uniques to increase our Spectre limit, I'd have a guide FULL of big winged Kativa demons that throw stuff and also jump on you. Or goats. So awesome (but not actually defensive...so it doesn't answer your question). https://www.ForeverExiled.com/: Forever Exiled, A Path of Exile Podcast Last edited by Wrecker_of_Days#7691 on Aug 27, 2019, 1:17:35 AM
|
|
|
Possible 3.8 Gem links
5/6 - Zombies - Minion Damage - Feeding Frenzy - Minion Life - Fortify - ?
4 - Skel - Infernal Legion - Minion Damage - Minion Life 4 - CwDT1 - Ball Lightning 4 - Curse on Hit - Enfeeble 4 - CwDT1 - Flesh Off 8 - Desecrate 7 - Phase Run 3 3 - Hatred - Generosity, Carrion Golem 3 - Blasphemy - Temporal Chains - Enhance Or 5/6 - Zombies - Minion Damage - Feeding Frenzy - Minion Life - Fortify - (?) 4 - Skeletons - Infernal Legion - Minion Damage - Minion Life 4 - melee skill (w/ lightning) - Fortify - Curse on Hit - Enfeeble 4 - Hatred - Generosity, Holy Relic, Carrion Golem 3 - CwDT1 - Desecrate 7 - Flesh Offering 8 3 - Blasphemy - Temporal Chains - Enhance For leagues now, my evil twins have had a secret lab where they've been secretly trying to come up with a secret formula to make "easy to play" zombie bombs. They picture an epic slow-mo movie scene where the Necromancer is alone on the battlefield and totally outnumbered. Then the intro to Led Zeppelin's Immigrant song starts and she raises 10 zombies at once and they all start rushing forward kamikaze style. But, no can do. Zombies can have sooooo much life. Yet, the issue isn't killing them for Minion Instability, it's raising them. Even with the currently announced changes and improvements coming to minions, using zombies with Minion Instability is still too much button-pressing. Cast Desecrate, then raise ONE zombie. Cast speed on raising zombies is pretty slow. Then if you're lucky enough to be in the same location once you're done you can use the same desecrate pile for ONE zombie. Otherwise, you have to cast it again and then raise one More Zombie. It is just so slow. The only quick method that my Evil Twins have come up with is a channelling skill, linked with Cast while Channeling, linked with Desecrate, and then Zombies and supports. The problem with this is that for Minion Instability to have decent damage, you want both Minion Damage and Minion Life linked to your zombies. And that would require a six link. It's not really the guide's style to require a six link. Nor do you technically want your main skill to be a "3-link". All that to say, as much as I would love zombies to be bombs, I don't think they will be. I don't see an easy way to make it efficient. (I know all of 3.8's changes have been announced yet...but I just can't stop thinking...) I also wasn't a fan of the zombie mechanics and intellect before (the way they are...until 3.8 launches). But that was neither here nor there as it wasn't an option to change anything. The only option you had was Convocation. So for me, linking both Meat Shield AND Feeding Frenzy isn't that attractive to me going forward as that keeps their mentality, roughly the same as usual. But I'm definitely going to add either Meat Shield or Feeding Frenzy. Feeding Frenzy will likely be the choice and replace Minion Speed unless of course, they make minion speed more valuable. I find that currently, my zombies come back to me too early/often when they are attacking enemies. So the big differences between the two options I provided above are: getting Elemental Equilibrium whenever you want and getting Fortify and Holy Relic's perks as a result but needing two buttons (melee and Skeletons) to play, OR only needing one button and everything else is automatic (but no Fortify or Holy Relic). Personally, I find the less I have to do, the easier it is to survive even if other options have more defence on the paper. My personal level 90 node was always Minion Instability even though I didn't focus on it. It was "just for the fun of it" damage. So it's nice that the changes to the tree and gems make it a natural part of the build now. As Minion Instability is Fire Damage and Hatred is Cold, we'll have to use lightning to benefit from EE. So overall, the build is actually changing very little. But there's always, every League, especially this league, lots of options to reconsider. It's easy to provide people with options as well. So whether they want to include Fortify or not, or whether they want to use Meat Shield with melee or Feeding Frenzy without it, self-cast Ball Lightning... There are a few pros and cons to every option I included above. I'll likely provide gem choices in the coming guide instead of choosing one. I know it's the end of the league, but for those that still check the guide on occasion, let me know what you think (thanks walkjohn55) or what changes you would make. You might show me something I haven't thought of. Remember, 2 active buttons max. (Summoning the Holy Relic or Golem doesn't count as an active button as they are basically the same as activating an aura.) Just a side note, currently, Minion Life Support and Minion Damage Support are equal in damage output for Minion Instability. If you read this, thanks for taking the time :) https://www.ForeverExiled.com/: Forever Exiled, A Path of Exile Podcast
|
|
|
To start thank you WoD for all the time you invest keeping your builds viable with the new changes each season.
Now for the question. I understand that until all the juicy details come out changes will all be speculation but I was surprised to not see (or I missed it) no mention of changing out the stone golem for the carrion golem for increased damage. Is this just because you feel the life regen from old stone will stay superior? Depending on how it works I was thinking about how it might pair off with the meat shield support. I'm so glad they are giving some attention to minions your zombie build was first I ever played and have not found one I enjoy as much since even skipped last league to prevent zombie burnout |
|
|
Ok, first things first. When my Minion horde rolls over the ridge and begins wreaking havoc on whatever hapless monsters get in their way, the song that is playing will be the Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter ...
In summary, unless 3.8 adds stress-free Zombie summoning to the game, Zombies will not be bombing. Skeletons will always count as at least one active button because of their short life span. If you use Deathmark and/or Convocation, I expect that that is one active button (each). I wonder if Convocation would now affect Skeletons if they are set to Meat Shield (probably not, but then, why not)? Like you said, that sort of leaves a couple of options (maybe add Skeletons and Deathmark as an option?). For me, I am thinking Zombies with attitude still to be determined when the Gems get revealed Skeletons (unsure if attitude adjustment needed) Self Cast Attack (because I must bust those barrels, and efficiently too) Golem, Hatred duo, Blasphemy trio (I typically move the Skeletons into the Chest Armour at some point.) The last four sockets will break the 2 button rule: Movement Skill, Desecrate, and maybe a 2 socket Spectre-Meat Shield (currently CWDT-Offering) but perhaps without the Spectre Ascendancy. If still needed, Convocation in an Unset Ring. If the Spectres can actually defend, then I'm one step closer to attituding the Zombies. All bets are off if GGG makes Infernal Legion the League META. Formerly posted under AnExile_onthePath
|
|
"Hey Salerk, Thank you very much! I appreciate your compliments. Hopefully, you avoided Zombie Burnout. This league will be lots of fun! Hopefully, it's more stable than their last 4 releases at launch. That's a good question about the golems. I will be including the new Carrion Golem though. And as you said, it will replace the Stone Golem. I like the Stone Golem, but this Carrion Golem is WAY more beneficial to this build as you pointed out. I switched Golems in the potential gem layouts but I didn't bring it up in the description as it doesn't really impact any other potential changes. It's just going to be in there no matter what. Thanks for such a kind post. I really appreciate it. "Good music choice. I guess there should just be a Nerco playlist. Michael W. Smith's Friends should be on it, no? ;) Those are some good changes. I like seeing everyone's changes and preferences. I agree about the barrels. If you don't break barrels, you don't like loot ;). If I was to 6 link Skeletons, I'd likely go with Skeletons - Minion D - Minion L - Infernal Legion - Feeding Frenzy - Spell Totem/Minion Speed (depending on the speed of Feeding Frenzy and the degradation speed of Infernal Legion) I would guess that Convocation wouldn't coincide with Meat Shield, but you never know. "Following" isn't really a keyword used anywhere else. Maybe that'll change with the gem releases. Hopefully the gems and Ascendancy get posted soon. Thanks for the post! https://www.ForeverExiled.com/: Forever Exiled, A Path of Exile Podcast
|
|
" Just a suggestion for the 3.8 guide, Newbie section. 1. Gem levels ARE important make sure to turn off at the correct level a)Turn off Cast When Damage Taken at level 2. b)Turn off Spirit Offering at level 8 (needs to have lvl 40 or lower req to work) c)Turn off Purifying Flame at level 12 (needs to have lvl 40 or lower req to work) 2. before first fight (and after death) turn on auras, summon golem and summon holy relic These are the things that I missed this league from your guide. The info is there, but as a newb I missed it. - My PF and SO still don't fire as they are lvl 19... i more until I can turn them back to lvl 1 20% :P ) - it took a few levels for me to work out that I had to turn on holy relic >.< |
|
|
https://www.ForeverExiled.com/: Forever Exiled, A Path of Exile Podcast
|
|
" I say that looks mighty fine SIR! ;) |
|
" Yeah, curious as to the ascendancy treatment now ... |
|
|
At first I thought that we were getting more Zombies and Skeletons - then after reading the trailing text, I am not sure (if the Tree as well as Ascendancy nodes are rolled into the Gems).
And now I want to see the Gem Level progression. For example, how long (if at all) do we have to wait for that 3rd Skeleton (number of Skeletons cast at once)? I sure hope not Level 20. So Aggressive Skeletons will Dash toward targets (I guess that Aggressive Zombies will still take the high road and get there after them). Formerly posted under AnExile_onthePath
|
|
