Home / Build / [3.18] Summon Skeletons Mages Necromancer | Full Build

[3.18] Summon Skeletons Mages Necromancer | Full Build

Intro & build description

Summoner build is always a good choice as a league starter and this one is no different. Even though you need quite an expensive jewel (Dead Reckoning) as a core item, the build can map without it and quickly farm enough currency to buy one.

Dead reckoning allows us to summon Skeleton Mages instead of regular skeletal warriors. Other mechanics that make this build shine are Blessed Rebirth (Allocated on Cluster Jewels), which makes our recently summoned minions immune to damage and allows easy bossing.

For Animated Guardian setups, I recommend you to watch this video explanation.

Build Pros

  • Tanky - has close to max block, decent life pool, and armor.
  • Excellent at boss farming
  • Good map clear
  • Don't have to worry about reflect

Build Cons

  • Has a lot of moving parts (build-altering uniques, minion helm craft, Animate guardian setup), so might not be the easiest build for beginners

Passive tree(s) and Path of Building

[3.18] Skill Tree
PoB Link

Bandits

Bandits Quest Choice
Kill all bandits

Ascendancy skill points

LabyrinthsSkill point choice
Labyrinth 1Mindless Aggression
Labyrinth 2Commander of Darkness
Labyrinth 3Unnatural Strength
Endgame LabyrinthMistress of Sacrifice

Skill gem setup

Helm


Vaal Summon Skeletons

Volley Support

Pierce Support

Spell Echo Support

We use this setup in late-game helmet which has Hypothermia and Minion Damage mods on it. Before you get helm like this, use this setup in your body armor.


Body Armor


Raise Spectre

Raise Zombie

Meat Shield Support

Animate Guardian

Minion Life

Feeding Frenzy


Gloves


Flame Dash

Convocation

Steelskin

Sniper's Mark


Boots


Summon Stone Golem

Determination

Enlighten Support (Ideally LVL 4)

Tempest Shield


2h Weapon


None


1h Weapon


Desecrate

Bone Offering

Defiance Banner


Offhand weapon / shield


Awakened Generosity Support

Zealotry

Summon Skitterbots



Build uniques / Example rare gear


Tip: Click on the item to view it on PoE Wiki or to view similar rare items in poe.trade

Helmet

Rare Shaper/Elder Helmet

On the very-endgame helmet, we absolutely need 3 mods as a minimum.

1) Supported Gems are Supported by Hypothermia
2) Supported Gems are Supported by Minion Damage
3) +x to Level of Socketed Minion Gems

If you can craft +1 to maximum skeletons / zombies on the helm you are set. You can try crafting helm like that by using 2-socketed resonators with Frigid & Bound fossil combination on double influenced Shaper & Elder bone helmet.

Before you can afford to do that, any helmet with life, resistances will do the trick, just make sure you craft additional skeleton on it.

So please note that this is very endgame-focused helmet.


Body Armour

Fleshcrafter

Since our minions deal 3 types of damage, this body armour is perfect choice to ignore monster resistances.

Please keep in mind that you should avoid giving your Animate guardian chaos resistance to not instantly kill him with this chest equipped.

Before you can afford this body armour, just use regular 6-linked body armour like Vaal Regalia or Tabula Rasa.


Gloves

Breathstealer

Breathstealer if a perfect end-game pair of gloves, although quite expensive. Another perk for these gloves is that you can have an annointment on them, since this is a blight item.

An alternative would be rare pair of gloves with high life, resistances and minions deal increased damage craft.


Boots

Alberon's Warpath

Good option due to additional skeleton added.


Left Ring

Rare Ring

On rings look for generic mods like maximum life, resistances, attributes that you are lacking.

You could also craft – mana cost for non-channeling skills for extra utility.


Right Ring

Rare Ring

Same as previously mentioned ring.


Amulet

Ashes of The Stars

Great all-around amulet for the build.


Belt

Darkness Enthroned

Good & cheap belt for the build which helps us with damage scaling.

Socket 2 Ghastly Eye abyssal jewels into it with following mods:

1) At least +30 to maximum life
2) Minions deal x% increased damage if you have used minion skill recently
3) Ideally, you would want another minion damage mod like minions deal cold/fire/lightning damage


1Hand Weapon

Rare Convoking Wand

Ideally in endgame, we would want Convoking Wand with +1 to all spell skill gems and +1 to all minion skill gems mods.
We should also craft trigger socketed gems mod for utility.

Until you can get wand like that, use one with one of the mods and minion cast speed or damage mods.


Offhand

Rare Shaper Shield

Look for rare shield with Shaper influence and Socketed gems have 30% increased mana reservation efficiency mod + high life. Resistance mods are good bonuses.

Other notable shield options for the build would be Aegis Aurora or The Surrender.


Jewel

Dead Reckoning

This is the core item of the build that converts our skeleton warriors into mages.

Focus on getting this item as soon as possible.


Jewel

Fortress Covenant

Good offensive jewel that has its downside offset by Blessed Rebirth.


Jewel

Quickening Covenant

Also a good, inexpensive jewel for the build.


Jewel

Glorious Vanity

Use this jewel (Sacrificed in the name of Doryani version) later on to convert Unwavering Stance keystone into Corrupted Soul.


Jewel

Cluster Jewels

Build uses 1 large and 1 medium cluster jewel.

On large cluster jewel:

Ideally, we should be looking for 2 mods:
1) Small passive skills have 35% increased effect
2) Minions have #% increased attack and cast speed.

This mod combination is expensive, so until you can get it, use any useful notables that you come across.

On medium cluster jewel :

Look for Blessed Rebirth (Get it ASAP) and Renewal.


Flask

Flask Setup

Build uses following flasks:

1) Rumi’s Concoction
2) Life Flask with bleed removal
3) Quicksilver Flask of Adrenaline
4) Hybrid Flask
5) Granite Flask with %increased armour during flask effect



Feel free to share your thoughts/experiences/tips about the build in comments section below.

About gems

Always tries to keep up with the game, its ever-changing mechanisms and explain them in understandable manner.

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