GhazzyTV - Animate Weapon Necromancer [SC/HC - End-Game Boss Viable]

IMPORTANT NOTE:

THIS GUIDE IS NOW AVAILABLE WITH A MUCH BETTER QUALITY OVER AT: https://www.poe-vault.com/guides/animate-weapon-necromancer-build-guide

I will be answering ALL questions on that forum thread and keep all guides on icy-veins website (poe-vault.com) updated consistently every league as per usual.

All my build guides as well as other written guides can be found here: https://www.poe-vault.com/guides/ghazzy-guide-hub



This thread will no longer be updated but will leave it as it was when I did this move for the sake of nostalgia <3
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For a more detailed explanation of the build check out the video guide: Animate Weapon Build Guide Video

If you have any questions you can always come to my twitch stream to get them answered or just to enjoy the stream: Ghazzy's Livestreaming Channel

Animate Guardian Guide: https://youtu.be/JRK5AFbhd2M

NOTE ABOUT ANIMATE WEAPON POB:
PoB is currently miscalculating the dps of animate weapon due to a lot of factors, hopefully this will be adjusted soon, once done I will of course update the PoB links.
It's also not showing any damage due to CIP in the elemental version since it thinks your minions can't deal ele dmg with it which they can. It does prevent you from applying EE which we solve with a Malachai's Artifice in that version via an external source in this example being a Flame Golem. Do note that you can't have any flat added cold damage to minion damage or it would provide the Flame Golems Fire spell with cold damage and prevent EE from working properly.

High Budget Version: https://youtu.be/QOUlJGdnbYU

Impale version (main one) PoB:
Path of Building Link for the guide: https://pastebin.com/R9PL9LFC
Simply go to "Import/Export Build" > Click the "Import from Pastebin" paste the link in there, and then click "Import"

Elemental Version PoB:
Path of Building Link for the guide: https://pastebin.com/9X88pQpu
Simply go to "Import/Export Build" > Click the "Import from Pastebin" paste the link in there, and then click "Import"

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Is this build for you?

1. If you are looking for a build that destroys all end-game content with a very small budget.

2. A build that is not only viable in both hardcore & sofcore, but also Uber Atziri, Uber Izaro & Uber Elder viable, A8 Sirus and other end-game bosses.

3. High eHP with good clearing speed that is neither SRS, Skellies nor Zombies.

4. A build that offers a lot of different variations to cater to your personal playstyle.

5. If you prefer a build guide that has a video linked to it.

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Build Enabling Items:

For the Impale version the only mandatory item would be Cold Iron Point. Depending on how you'd like to play and if you're in SC or HC you want to use 1 or 2, and for a slightly squishier version but a bit faster clearing you would want to use the Spirit Guards Threshold Jewel.

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Defence & Utility

A massive army with the combination of blind & taunt jewels making enemies not even look in your general direction.

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Pantheon Choices:

Pantheon List

Major God:

- Soul of Lunaris
Basically just helps with avoiding some projectile damage if upgraded, before that I tend to use the Brine King Pantheon

Minor God:

- Soul of Shakari
When ugpraded you become completely immune to poison which I prefer.

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Skill-gems & Setups:

Animate Weapon:

- Animate Weapon, Melee Splash, Minion Damage, Impale, Brutality, Multistrike

Note:
For single target I switch Melee Splash for Melee Physical. However, I only switch this gem for end-game bosses such as Conquerors, Elder/Shaper Guardians or UE/Atziri etc etc, map bosses I kill with Melee Splash.

Auras:

- Pride, Flesh and Stone (Blood Stance), Dread Banner

Spectres:

- Raise Spectre, Blood Magic

Note:
I utilize Carnage Chieftain and Host Chieftain, the first generates Frenzy Charges and Host generates Power Charges to my minions. For better uptime of Frenzy charges you can use 2 Carnage, however using 1 of each is perfectly fine as well.

Carnage Chieftain provides Frenzy Charges to yourself but most importantly your army.
Host Chieftain provides Power Charges to yourtself but most importantly your army.

Golem:

- Carrion Golem, Feeding Frenzy, Maim

Utility:

- Desecrate
- Flesh Offering
- Convocation

Mobility:

- Flame Dash

Optional 4L below depending on your playstyle:

Ranged Animate Weapon:

- Animate Weapon, Greater Multiple Projectiles, Vicious Projectiles, Minion Damage

Note:
If you put this in an Elder helmet with socketed gems are supported by level # minion damage, you can replace that for something like Pierce for better clear speed gain.
Also note that this requires the Spirit Guards threshold jewel.

Cyclone:

- Cyclone, Fortify, Infused Channel, Life Gain on Hit

Note:
This is obviously going to slow your clear speed down but will increase your defensive stats a lot, this can also be switched around to include CWC to automate things like offerings and other things.

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Skill-tree & Ascendancy Nodes:

Ascendancy Nodes:
You start with Mistress of Sacrifice,this is due to the fact that the node leading up to it and MoS itself grants offerings affecting you as well as 70% duration for your AW. Then you grab Mindless Agression to get to Unnatural Strength. Once these are done you can either go with Commander of Darkness, or Bone Barrier. It's up to you!

Leveling skill-tree, 42 points

Leveling skill-tree, 80 points

Finished skill-tree

Notes:
Once the skill-tree is finished, just focus 100% on more jewel slots.

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Blighted Oils

In my opinion there is only one notable worth taking for this build and that is Ravenous Horde which requires the following oils: Verdant Oil & 2x Opalescent Oils.

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Leveling Tips:

You can level as Animate Weapon if you'd like from lvl 8 assuming you purchase a Melee Splash support gem (costs 1 Transmutation Orb), however it will feel slightly clunky with the combination of Ethereal Knives (costs 1 Wisdom Scroll) until you get Mistress of Sacrifice and it will be slower than the leveling tip stated below:

You can level with Freezing Pulse till you get to Melee Splash to lvl with AW or you switch at lvl 12 to Arc with Blastchain Mines and level with this till either 60-70 before you switch or till you get the first ascendancy and then switch.

Bandits:

- Kill them all, they give nothing of proper value for you.

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Gearing & Stat Priorities

What base items to use:

The base items of this build really doesn't matter as we don't care about the base defensive stats such as armour(str), evasion(dex) or energy shield(int). So instead the base items will follow the stat priority listed in this guide.
However, the attribute requirement of the items will base how hard it is to chrome (color) which will be the only thing we will think about when planing our gearing.
So, if you need 4 blue sockets in an item the recommendation is to get an item that has Energy Shield (int) base or a hybrid base which includes Energy Shield (int).

By using this chrome calculating website: https://siveran.github.io/calc.html you can easily track how hard it will be to chrome the colors you need. This YouTube playlist can help a lot for new players and also includes a few tricks when coloring items with the "wrong attribute requirements" for your build: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuu-MdPs0Af8A4e3gSsJ1xDKNNcdFwY1r


Defensive Stats:

1. Life
2. Resistances
3. Strength

Offensive Stats:

1. Minion Damage


Jewels:

For ranged Animate Weapon you'll need Spirit Guards.

Remaining jewels should focus entirely on Abyssal Jewels providing Flat HP with the combination of either added physical damage to your minions or the modifier saying "increased minion damage when you've used a minion skill recently"

I would suggest you prioritize the first 2 jewels to include a "Minion Taunts #% on hit" jewel and the second with a "Minions Blind #% on hit" jewel with preferable life rolls.


Flasks:

1x Seething Divine Life Flask of Staunching
1x w/e Prefix Life Flask of Heat
1x Enduring Mana Flask of grounding or dousing
1x w/e Prefix Granite Flask of Iron Skin
1x w/e Prefix Quicksilver Flask of Warding

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Recommended Unique Items:


Recommended LvLing Uniques:


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Outro:

This build thread is merely a rough guide to lead you in to the builds basics. If you wish to see more details about this beautiful build check out the video guide: Animate Weapon Build Guide Video

Before you start posting questions I would recommend checking the video. I am as always available in my stream!

Hope you guys will enjoy the build! Below you can access my other build guides:

Build Guides


//Ghazzy

* Reserved


Here's how you enabled Animate Weapon Module: https://clips.twitch.tv/ClearAltruisticWeaselKeepo

Build Guide is now fully functional and live, if you spot any issues, please let me know!

Also note that due to time restraints I am barely responding on the forum threads but can be reached via the following links:

www.twitch.tv/GhazzyTV
www.twitter.com/GhazzyTV

And most importantly you can always join our Discord community in which myself and many other veterans in our community are helping each other on a daily basis:
www.discord.gg/GhazzyTV

In before Cold Iron Point gets elbow dropped in 3.11

Hey Ghazzy, your PoB Link for the Impale Version ist also the Ele Version.
Wrong PoB ;)

:edit: The PoB from your YouToube Guide seems to be the Impaled Version.
https://pastebin.com/ak9pPEms

I smell a Cold Iron nerf coming, it's too strong right now.

Also really loving your Impale version of the guide! Keep up the good work!

Fixed the Impale PoB to be the actual impale PoB :P

Any directions on how to update the filter for the ranged weapons? Have looked around for instructions on the pink coloring and sounds but cant find anything.

Would love to play this build but I have never messed with the filter outside of just downloading from filterblade.

Build looks fun as hell. Good luck with the youtube stuff.

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rboll2 wrote:

Would love to play this build but I have never messed with the filter outside of just downloading from filterblade.

Hey rboll2, go on filterblade, tab "Customize" scroll down and find "optional filter modules", click on it and select "Animate weapon mode". Then click "Show" on "AW: Spirit Guards".

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Alcodowi wrote:

"

rboll2 wrote:

Would love to play this build but I have never messed with the filter outside of just downloading from filterblade.

Hey rboll2, go on filterblade, tab "Customize" scroll down and find "optional filter modules", click on it and select "Animate weapon mode". Then click "Show" on "AW: Spirit Guards".

THANK YOU!!