[3.25] Chaos Zoomancer & Minion Army Necromancer League Starter (All content - Ubers, T17, Simu)

Hello everyone!

I have made a very detailed league starter build guide for a Chaos Zoomancer & Minion army necromancer which is now available here:

https://maxroll.gg/poe/build-guides/chaos-minion-army-necromancer-league-starter

I believe this minion build is one of the tankiest minion league starters you can play this league in combination with the damage and investment.

Since it is both chaos and poison damage you still have very high damage for a rather small currency investment.

The Early setup uses an AG equipped with Asenath's Gentle Touch to help with clear speed.

If you get a couple minion poison chance jewels and a Covenant your damage will more than double if you go from a 6L rare with no poison jewels in the tree.

The patch notes has basically only been buffs for this build with a massive increase to defenses thanks to the endurance charge buff, new spectres and the change to flesh and stone.

Since you are supposed to play very aggressively with it you should gain the benefit from flesh and stone & sapped ground most of the time.

Here are a few videos of a T17 map and two Ubers that I did before the patch notes was posted.
One T16 when using a rare 6L instead of covenant.

The gear used was identical to what is being used in the PoB found on Maxroll, "Early Covenant" item setup, but with the medium budget AG double curse setup for a enfeeble curse on hit to try and get defenses a little closer to the new changes.

(Note the build will be much tankier then what is shown in the video because of the changes mentioned)

Uber Eater + T16 Map showcase with finished Early covenant setup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeO1haBNm28

T17
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W01HlGROdUo

Uber Eater
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah59cHqEq1s

Uber Exarch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uez9CSytWOM

T16 without Covenant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxNWfGlyJk4

Simu wave 14-15 with a mix of Late/Beyond items. (Can be done with only late game items and probably with Mid game as well)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d4Mt9SFbNg

It should be SSF viable (I know theres a covenant and Juju but they are not in any way something you must have to make the build work, see the 6L rare setup)

It should also be HC viable for those that want to play as a HC minion build. (Focus on getting spell suppression cap early)

PS: All guard skills are disabled in the PoBs to not over inflate max hits.

very cool!

Thanks a lot!
Is your filter in your profile especially for this build or can I use the filterblade filter as well? Are they kinda the same like yours?
Greetings

Enjoying this one so far, the max roll. level per level guide is a nice hand holder!

Can you post a list of what gem levels should be? I couldn't see it listed anywhere but it does mention some aura's should not be over levelled. Should some be base lvl 1 etc?

(Or say where its listed incase I'm blind)

Thanks

"

Liutasil wrote:

Thanks a lot!
Is your filter in your profile especially for this build or can I use the filterblade filter as well? Are they kinda the same like yours?
Greetings

I use filterblades standard config, just drag the strictness bar.

"

evilbond wrote:

Enjoying this one so far, the max roll. level per level guide is a nice hand holder!

Can you post a list of what gem levels should be? I couldn't see it listed anywhere but it does mention some aura's should not be over levelled. Should some be base lvl 1 etc?

(Or say where its listed incase I'm blind)

Thanks

There is no specific gem level for two auras Clarity & Vitality. You level them to the point where you can keep up with the mana reservation, but prioritize Vitality.
In the PoB precision is leveled to 5 with info to not level it higher. (added to FAQ as well)
Desecrate should stay at lvl 1, added this in the FAQ now.

Very cool build!

1. I see that your build in 3.25 has changed quite a bit compared to 3.24.
Looking at your high budget version PoB for 3.25 https://pobb.in/2MhEV9gqGLU9 and comparing it with your 3.24 Cold damage conversion version here https://pobb.in/jdoEeAmUYoCe I see that you are losing both dmg and ehp - can you give a bit of a view why you felt the change was neccessary compared to your 3.24 build? I ask as I had followed your 3.24 version (or was at least on the way to it) and switching to your new one would cost quite a bit, and would like to know if its worth it or not.


2. It seems now that Frostbearers (or perfect hydras) are back in 3.25 - would you say they would be a viable addition to the build vs the more supportive spectres?

3. Other people like Ghazzy seems to go now to a Chaos Inoculation build for their Zoomancers https://pobb.in/2bv9f4r4M6y8 - given the PoBs are still a bit theoretical at the moment before the builds are actually reached, do you have a view on the pros and cons of your Chaos damage variant vs the Chaos Inoculation one?

"

Peterkin11 wrote:

Very cool build!

1. I see that your build in 3.25 has changed quite a bit compared to 3.24.
Looking at your high budget version PoB for 3.25 https://pobb.in/2MhEV9gqGLU9 and comparing it with your 3.24 Cold damage conversion version here https://pobb.in/jdoEeAmUYoCe I see that you are losing both dmg and ehp - can you give a bit of a view why you felt the change was neccessary compared to your 3.24 build? I ask as I had followed your 3.24 version (or was at least on the way to it) and switching to your new one would cost quite a bit, and would like to know if its worth it or not.


2. It seems now that Frostbearers (or perfect hydras) are back in 3.25 - would you say they would be a viable addition to the build vs the more supportive spectres?

3. Other people like Ghazzy seems to go now to a Chaos Inoculation build for their Zoomancers https://pobb.in/2bv9f4r4M6y8 - given the PoBs are still a bit theoretical at the moment before the builds are actually reached, do you have a view on the pros and cons of your Chaos damage variant vs the Chaos Inoculation one?

1. The old build was very reliant on having molten shell active, without it the EHP would drop immensely and you could get one shot quite easily in some situations.
Now the build has a very high max hit without a guard skill active in the PoB.
But it still uses one to help with dangerous situations. You dont really need more than 100m sDPS at end game with the current tankiness.
Chaos also just feels like it does more damage.

2. They are not viable for this build since it deals chaos&poison damage, those are cold spectres.

3. Chaos vs Cold comparison (Cost, tankiess, dmg, minion survivability).

Chaos Early 6L rare setup vs Cold low budget setup.
Cost of items are basically identical here.
Chaos has around 4m more damage compared to cold,
Chaos is significantly tankier with much higher max hits across and Chaos has a guard skill automated with CWDT to help as well.
Chaos also has higher life regeneration vs degens.
Chaos has much better minion survivability than the cold versions minions.
Chaos has better clear speed thanks to asnenath on the AG.
It is much easier to upgrade into a massive damage increase by just grabbing some poison jewels and a covenant.
Chaos covenant setup has the same damage as cold medium budget does and is much cheaper.
Cold has 6 active buttons and Chaos has 6 active buttons.

Chaos Mid setup vs Cold Medium budget
Cost here is higher on chaos side but chaos Early covenant setup already has the same damage and is cheaper & Tankier.
The chaos Mid version has almost 3x damage than his medium cold if you have Amanamu.
Chaos is again much tankier and you have a immortal call that lasts around 3s to deal with dangerous situations.
Chaos has much better minion survivability than cold again.
Cold has 9 active buttons again while chaos has 6 active buttons.

Chaos Late setup vs Cold High budget
Here Cold passes Chaos in damage slightly but only with a lot higher currency investment compared to the Chaos late.
Chaos also uses an Aggressive minion wand to improve minion AI and that gives skeletons a charge ability.
Chaos is still a lot tankier again.
Chaos has much better minion survivability than cold.
Cold has 8 active buttons while chaos has 7.

Chaos Beyond setup vs cold Mirror tier budget
Chaos has less damage but again is tankier with a higher max hit in elemental hits plus a guard skill. The Beyond setup is much cheaper than his because of a mirror tier helmet and a mirror shield with filled suffixes.
Chaos has much better minion survivability than cold again.
Cold has 8 buttons while chaos has 7-8(Depends if you want to cast enduring cry).

Thanks for your answer.

Regarding 1: What would you say is the main influencing factor for making the build more tanky even without guard skills compared to the old Cold one?

Regarding 2: what about using a triad grip with chaos conversion? Clearing with the frostbearers or hydras feels simply a lot more comfortable to be honest.

Regarding 3: Any view on using the Chaos Inocolation builds (like Ghazys) combined with Ghost Reaver and Zealoths Oath for defences - I think your answer was more about the comparison of your new build vs Cold conversion? I realize he is still using cold conversion but I am mainly interested on the defence side.

"

Peterkin11 wrote:

Thanks for your answer.

Regarding 1: What would you say is the main influencing factor for making the build more tanky even without guard skills compared to the old Cold one?

Regarding 2: what about using a triad grip with chaos conversion? Clearing with the frostbearers or hydras feels simply a lot more comfortable to be honest.

Regarding 3: Any view on using the Chaos Inocolation builds (like Ghazys) combined with Ghost Reaver and Zealoths Oath for defences - I think your answer was more about the comparison of your new build vs Cold conversion? I realize he is still using cold conversion but I am mainly interested on the defence side.

1. The gameplay just feels a lot better.

2. Triad grip will not convert frostbearers since they are pure cold.
Hydras I think are 50/50 but again not worth doing it.
Asenaths on your AG is more than enough to improve clear as long as you play correctly with shield charging into enemies and convocating aggressivly.
If you get melee splash on a hungry loop later it will help the AG apply the curse explosions more.

3. I really do not think its worth going for CI in this build defensively.