Updated for Patch 3.12
The Best Crafty Guides by Odealo
Estimated budget: medium
Guide notes |
October 6, 2020 -Build created |
Patch 3.12 introduced new Alternative Quality versions of various Skill and Support Gems which open up new interesting build options like the following Skeleton Archer Summoner. Our recommended setup makes them fire fiery projectiles which have amplified damage when passing through Flame Wall (yet another newly added Spell Gem). Overall, this build is nothing exceptionally powerful, but if you get the Gem early on, leveling is very easy, and in the end-game, it offers very good clear speed, solid defenses, and sufficient single-target damage to take down most of the Bosses in the game. This build has its own unique theme which makes it very fun and enjoyable to play.
You can also check our other Path of Exile builds in this article: Best PoE Builds by Odealo
This is a typical Summoner type of build that relies on your Minions to deal all the damage and kill enemies. Our recommended setup should let you summon 9 Zombies and 10 Skeleton Archers, which combined should offer several Million DPS. Zombies are quite tanky, but they will provide very important buffs including Feeding Frenzy and increasing your Archer's Fire Damage via Combustion debuff. Most of the damage your Minions are going to inflict will be of the Fire Element. By using Flame Wall, you can further increase the damage of projectiles fired by Skeleton Archers. You can also use Sniper's Mark against Bosses for some extra DPS or Flammability Curse - with extra Curse from Body Armour, could potentially let you cast both. Overall, this build offers very good clear speed with tons of Projectiles firing around the screen.
For the defenses, this build offers a high Life Pool (between 5,000-6,000) and very high Block Chance - approximately 70%/50% without Glancing Blows which combined with Blood Offerring's Life Recovery on Block, makes you quite tanky even against end-game Bosses in high-level Heists.
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Leveling as a Summoner is smooth and easy. You can pick any type of Minions for that purpose, and preferably Skeleton Archers if you can afford the Alternative Quality Gem itself called Phantasmal Summon Skeletons. We have leveled up our own character with Zombies and Skeleton Archers in 6-link Ashred which makes it several Chaos Orbs for an extremely powerful 7-linked set up at the very start of your adventure.
Suggested leveling Gem setups:
Raise Zombie | |
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Raise Zombie - you will get this Gem right after you finish the first Quest and enter Lioneye's Watch. Zombies are used to tank monsters right from the start and deal a moderate amount of damage |
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Minion Life Support - core Support Gem for Zombie Minions |
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Minion Damage Support - grants more Minion Damage to your Raging Spirits |
Summon Skeleton setup | |
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Phantasmal Summon Skeletons Support - the core Spell used in this build. It will summon several Skeleton Archers with each cast which will deal massive projectile damage and offer insane clear speed |
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Minion Damage Support |
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Added Fire Damage Support - adds a ton of Fire Damage based on your Skeleton's Physical DPS. It can be granted by Ashrend Unique Body Armour |
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Greater Multiple Projectiles Support - increases the number of Projectiles greatly increasing your clear speed |
Utility Gems | |
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Anger - the best Aura for this build which adds a ton of extra damage for your Minions |
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Flame Wall - adds additional Fire Damage to projectiles that fly through it. It's not a substantial bonus but makes this build feel more complete and fun to play |
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Convocation - recalls all your Minions to your current location allowing you to progress faster through areas and making it easier to position your Archers behind the Flame Wall |
Bandits:
We recommend killing all the Bandits for two additional Passive Points
Leveling Skill Trees:
33 Points Skill Tree
Priorities: 1) Lord of the Dead 2) Enduring Bond 3) Heart and Soul 4) Death Attunement
63 Points Passive Tree
Priorities: 1) Spiritual Command 2) Redemption 3) Righteous Army 4) Gravepact 5) Constitution
Recommended leveling items:
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(20-30)% increased Mana Regeneration Rate +25% to Cold Resistance 0.2% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Mana Minions have (10-15)% increased maximum Life Minions have (10-15)% increased Movement Speed (15-10)% reduced Mana Cost of Minion Skills Minions deal (10-15)% increased Damage |
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+(20-25) to maximum Mana +(30-60) to maximum Mana (3-6) Mana Regenerated per second -(8-4) to Mana Cost of Skills 8% of Damage taken gained as Mana over 4 seconds when Hit |
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Socketed Gems are Supported by Level 10 Added Fire Damage (80-100)% increased Evasion Rating +(30-50) to maximum Life +(40-50)% to Fire Resistance Cannot be Ignited (10-15)% increased Physical Damage with Ranged Weapons -(7-5) Physical Damage taken from Attack Hits |
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+15 to Dexterity +15 to Intelligence (100-150)% increased Evasion Rating 5% increased Movement Speed (5-10)% of Damage taken gained as Mana over 4 seconds when Hit 10% increased Movement Speed 10% increased Movement Speed for you and nearby Allies |
Final Skill Tree:
115 Points Final Skill Tree - doesn't include Passives from Cluster Jewels - refer to PoB for such details
115 Points Path of Building(PoB) link
Ascendancy points:
Preferably in that order:
Pantheon:
Major God: Soul of the Brine King You cannot be Stunned if you've been Stunned or Blocked a Stunning Hit in the past 2 seconds
Minor God: Soul of Gruthkul 1% additional Physical Damage Reduction for each Hit you've taken Recently up to a maximum of 5%
[DPS] Phantasmal Summon Skeletons | |
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Phantasmal Summon Skeletons - allows you to summon Skeletal Archers that are the primary source of DPS in this build |
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Minion Damage Support - increases your Minions DPS greatly |
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Greater Multiple Projectiles Support - increases the number of your Archer's projectiles, increasing your clear speed greatly |
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Added Fire Damage Support - core Support Gem for this setup which adds extra Fire Damage based on the base Physical Damage. You should also consider getting Divergent Gem which offers additional Physical to Fire conversion |
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Damage on Full Life Support - this build utilizes Blessed Rebirth and multiple Renewal Passives which makes your Skeletons stay on Maximum Life most of the time making it one of the best Support Gems for this setup |
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Elemental Focus Support - greatly increases Elemental Damage and makes your Skeleton Archers unable to inflict ailments. This helps them not to override the Combustion debuff your Zombies are supposed to inflict |
[UTILITY] Raise Zombie (Socketed in Elder Helmet) |
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Raise Zombie - Zombies are very tanky but at the same time they deal solid Melee Damage and increase your overall DPS via Feeding Frenzy debuff and Combustion |
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Combustion Support - increases Fire Damage dealt by your Zombies, and makes them debuff enemies they Ignite, reducing their Fire Resistance |
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Feeding Frenzy Support - makes your Zombies aggressive but also grants you the Feeding Frenzy buff which increases the Speed of all your Minions |
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Minion Damage Support |
Gems from Helmet: | |
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Minion Life Support - increases your Zombie's Life |
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Immolate Support - adds a lot of extra flat Fire Damage against Ignited enemies (and most will be) |
[UTILITY] Dash | |
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Dash - recommended Movement Spell which increases your mobility |
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Second Wind Support - adds extra Dash Charge and increases its cooldown recovery speed |
[UTILITY] Convocation | |
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Convocation - recalls all your Minions to your current location and grants them increased Life Regeneration. It lets your progress faster and helps position your Archers behind the Flame Wall |
[UTILITY] Flame Wall | |
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Flame Wall - projectiles which fly through the Wall will have extra Fire Damage added, which slightly increases the DPS of your Skeleton Archers |
[UTILITY] Sniper's Mark | |
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Sniper's Mark - Sniper's Mark increases Projectile Damage dealt to marked enemies, making it the recommended Curse for this build. You can also use Flammability instead which can target more enemies |
[UTILITY] Offering, Desecrate, Wave of Conviction (in Wand which triggers socketed Spells) |
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Bone Offering - increases your and your Minions' chance to Block Attacks and Spells. Will also grant strong Life Recovery whenever you block |
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Desecrate - creates a pile of Corpses which are consumed for your Offering and to summon Zombies. It also basically guarantees you benefit from the Plaguebringer bonuses |
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Wave of Conviction - applies Fire Exposure to enemies. In order to guarantee it, it's recommended to get some Added Fire Damage to Spells on your Wand |
[UTILITY] Anger | |
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Anger - the best Aura for this build which adds a ton of extra flat Fire Damage to your Minions' Attacks |
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Generosity Support - increases the effect of your Anger Aura but makes it apply only to your Minions |
[UTILTY] Carrion Golem | |
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Summon Carrion Golem - grants your Minions added flat Physical Damage making it the best Golem for this Summoner character |
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Empower Support - increases the level of your Carrion Golem and the flat damage it adds to your other Minions |
[UTILITY] Auras | |
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Flesh and Stone - an amazing defensive Aura which reduces your chance of getting Hit and the damage you take from enemies further away when you use it in the Sand Stance |
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Clarity - you should use a low-level Clarity (between 1-5) to increases your Mana Regeneration Rate |
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Below you will find the recommended gear for this Zombie/Skeleton Archer Summoner Necromancer build. This build is based mainly on standard Rares with Life and Resistances so you can adjust the items to your current budget, however, Victario's Charity, Elder Helmet is highly recommended, and you need to calculate the quite high Phantasmal Summon Skeleton Gem cost.
We would also like to take this opportunity to invite you to visit our PoE Marketplace where you can buy and sell Path of Exile Currency with the use of real cash. Links to the Marketplace can be found on top of the page
Our recommended items will:
Stat priorities on items:
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Min. requirements: 60 maximum Life Socketed Gems are Supported by level # Minion Life Socketed Gems are Supported by level # Immolate Optional affixes: Elemental Resistances +# to Level of Socketed Minion Gems |
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Helmet enchantments: Skeletons deal 40% increased Damage Flame Wall grants 31 to 47 Added Fire Damage to Projectiles |
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Min. requirements: 100 maximum Life +1 to maximum number of Skeletons Optional affixes: Elemental Resistances Maximum Life% |
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Min. requirements: +1 to Level of All Minion Skill Gems Minions deal 50% increased damage Trigger Socketed Spell when you use a Skill Optional affixes: Added Fire Damage to Spells Minions have increased Attack Speed |
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+8% to all Elemental Resistances +(50-70) to maximum Life +(20-30)% to Lightning Resistance +11% to Chaos Resistance 20% increased Area of Effect of Aura Skills 10% chance to grant a Power Charge to nearby Allies on Kill 5% chance to grant a Frenzy Charge to nearby Allies on Hit |
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Min. requirements: 70 maximum Life 25% increased Movement Speed 70% Total Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: Chaos Resistance Attributes |
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Boot enchantment: Regenerate 2% of Life and Mana per second if you were Hit Recently 18% reduced Mana Cost of Skills if you've been Hit Recently |
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Min. requirements: 90 maximum Life 90% Total Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: Attributes Maximum Life% Chaos Resistance |
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Has 1 Abyssal Socket Has 1 Abyssal Socket 75% increased Effect of Socketed Jewels |
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Min. requirements: 60 maximum Life Minions deal 30% Increased Damage Optional affixes: Attributes Elemental Resistances Mana/Mana Regeneration Rate |
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Recommended Anointments: Ravenous Horde |
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Min. requirements: 65 maximum Life 40 Dexterity 85% Total Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: Non-channeling Skills have -# to Total Mana Cost Attributes Minions have increased Movement Speed |
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+30 to Strength +(30–50) to maximum Life +(20–40)% to Fire Resistance Minions have 10% reduced maximum Life Minions have +40% to Fire Resistance Minions gain 20% of Physical Damage as Extra Fire Damage |
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Min. requirements: 80 maximum Life 40 Strength 80% Total Elemental Resistances |
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Recommended Passives: 1 Added Passive Skill is Call to the Slaughter 1 Added Passive Skill is Raze and Pillage 1 Added Passive Skill is Renewal |
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Recommended Passives: 1 Added Passive Skill is Feasting Fiends 1 Added Passive Skill is Renewal 1 Added Passive Skill is Blessed Rebirth |
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Recommended Passives: 1 Added Passive Skill is Fettle |
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Minions deal (35-45)% increased Damage Minions have +(10-12)% Chance to Block Attack Damage Minions have +(10-12)% Chance to Block Spell Damage Notable Passive Skills in Radius are Transformed to instead grant: Minions take 20% increased Damage |
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(6-8)% increased maximum Life Adds 1 to Maximum Life per 3 Intelligence Allocated in Radius |
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Recommended affixes: maximum Life Minions deal additional Physical/Fire Damage Optional affixes: increased Minion Damage if you have used a Minion Skill recently |
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+3000 to Armour +(14-20)% Chance to Block Attack Damage during Flask effect +(6-10)% Chance to Block Spell Damage during Flask effect |
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Suggested Flasks:
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If you have any other build requests please leave that in the comments below.
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