Lightning Golem Crescendo ♫ All Content / HC Focused / Not Casual-Friendly

I am really having fun with this build. I love having my own little squad zapping everything to smithereeens.

The only real problem I am having is that you sort of have to lead. This makes you quite vulnerable at times and I can't really think of a way around that, or even some way of reducing the threat to you apart from the quartz flask. Do you think going lifebased or LL is an option to add some more defensive options?

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hamstereater wrote:

I am really having fun with this build. I love having my own little squad zapping everything to smithereeens.

The only real problem I am having is that you sort of have to lead. This makes you quite vulnerable at times and I can't really think of a way around that, or even some way of reducing the threat to you apart from the quartz flask. Do you think going lifebased or LL is an option to add some more defensive options?

Hey, glad to hear that :)

Unfortunately, there's no perfect workaround for our straggling minions, or at least not a hassle-free one. It's just a part of the territory when playing a summoner. However, there are a few adjustments you can make:

Lead by cursing
Whatever spell you choose to apply curses/EE can also be used to direct your minions. Even a spell like Orb of Storms that has virtually zero range works. All you have to do is click the spot you want the minions to go to rather than where you want the orb to be placed.

Obviously, this can be tedious to do for every single pack, but not a bad option if you know there's trouble in the next room. Note that golems might not follow your command right away if you've enhanced them with roid rage (sorry, I mean Primordial Might).

Bait and skirt
Basically approach packs with the intent of weaving around them. AI in this game is really primitive, trying to attack where you are instead of where you'll be. So instead of approaching in a straight line, get in the habit of running a slight curve to the side (this will throw off most projectile-based enemies). Then veer away at a sharp angle before the non-ranged enemies attempt to engage you (this will throw off jumpers like goatmen). Then veer back toward the side of the pack and circle around them. Here's usually where you can decide whether to move onto the next pack (since the golems may have dropped enough orbs by now that the pack will die as you walk away) or circle once more and curse (perhaps a rare mob is being stubborn).

This won't work as well in tight quarters of course, so be ready to adjust as necessary.

Switch to Enfeeble/Temp. Chains applied with Glacial Cascade
Although I recommend Elemental Weakness and Conductivity as the default (mostly because my goal is skewed toward endgame bosses with significant DPS checks), Enfeeble/TC is a fine choice. When mapping, Elemental Equilibrium already provides more than enough penetration, which makes EW/Conductivity overkill.

I see lots of builds talk about multi-layered defenses and stuff, but after a certain point, I think your best defense will always be your own awareness and judgement. Once you get used to boss fights, you'll probably start to worry more about a freak mapping mishap, since you never know when that perfect storm of mobs and mods will pop up just as you're starting to doze off :) Enfeeble/TC will give you much greater margin for error in these situations.

Use Frost Wall in your CWDT link
Can drop Vaal Lightning Trap for this.

Use a totem as bait
Consider swapping [CWDT-Phase Run-Vaal Lightning Trap] for something like [Spell Totem-Arctic Breath-GMP]. Or if you really want to annoy mobs, shift some gems around and go with [Spell Totem-Arctic Breath-GMP-Chain]. That combined with Enfeeble/TC will make it seem like the game is in slow-motion. Or just a simple Decoy Totem if you don't want to use so many gem slots.

Use a shield
5x 20/20 golems is more than enough to clear all maps comfortably. Your clearspeed will drop off a bit, but not a lot (and let's face it, if you were concerned about clearspeed, you probably wouldn't be doing this build :P).



About low-life
I could see this maybe working, but the benefits might not outweigh the trade-off in ES. Many LL builds I see really try to maximize auras and invest significant passive points to get more aura effect and reduced reservation nodes, but golem builds need those points to grab jewel slots, so it might seem like a sidegrade in the end.

If somebody put a gun to my head and told me to go LL, I'd probably drop [CWDT-Phase Run-Vaal Lightning Trap] and one Clayshaper. Then I grab a Prism Guardian, run [Haste-Grace-Anger], and try to convert all my ES pieces to ES/Evasion hybrids.

Disclaimer though, I've never owned a Shav's, so all I can do at the moment is speculate. Please let me know how it goes if you decide to try. :)

About life-based
Experimenting in the beta right now. Will post update later on.



P.S. The quartz flask I use isn't really for defense. It's my half-baked quicksilver flask :P

I really appreciate you taking the time to respond as thoroughly as you do.

I seem to remember that in Diablo 2, your minions would sort of be around you and not behind you. It gave you the feeling that you were protected, and not the one who constantly had to 'point out' where the next target was. I hope that the AI will be reworked at some point, but I honestly had no idea that you would be this dependent on Convocation to direct your fire. It feels like you need to have massive damage from your minions, to be able to rely on them to clear the 'actual threat' in the room you're clearing, for it to feel right. I certainly see the quartz flask as my first line of defense/offence. I pop this, run into a room to sort gather up the monsters and to decide if convocation is worth it or not. I usually also drop an orb of storms with a double curse setup and estimate if using a vaal skill is worth it or not. As you have described yourself, our only defensive option seems to be redirecting the attention of the monsters. This is why I believe going LL or especially Lifebased would be better.

Adding a layer of armour or evasion and possibly block would be a massive help. I expect this will be the norm i 3.0 actually. I guess you are still experimenting as an Elementalist in the beta and hope you will be releasing a tree, or an actual guide, as soon as you can. Even if Shavs does solve the issue of chaos damage, I don't see LL as the solution to our survivability problems.

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hamstereater wrote:

I seem to remember that in Diablo 2, your minions would sort of be around you and not behind you. It gave you the feeling that you were protected, and not the one who constantly had to 'point out' where the next target was. I hope that the AI will be reworked at some point, but I honestly had no idea that you would be this dependent on Convocation to direct your fire.

I know what you mean, and this might sound kinda nutty, but this is one of those double-edged swords that really defines POE I think. I actually like it in that sense. It reminds me of those classic uniques with crazy abilities tied to serious drawbacks that really make you think. Because GGG didn't design minions to automatically move with you, it opens up more potential for them to move ahead, behind, and independently of you (unfortunately the default seems to be behind :P), and also leads to the birth of gems like Minion Speed, and hopefully gems in the future like:

Martyred Minions
Your minions teleport between you and targeted enemy, gaining Onslaught and losing 10% of their life per second temporarily. If no enemy is targeted, your minions teleport to your cursor instead.
Mana Cost: TBD
Duration: 5s
Cooldown: 10s

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It feels like you need to have massive damage from your minions, to be able to rely on them to clear the 'actual threat' in the room you're clearing, for it to feel right.

If you don't mind me asking, what level are your gems currently? The golems definitely get to a comfortable (imo) level of clearing speed where you can casually stroll by with your golems in tow and the mobs generally melt in your wake. Keep in mind that this level of comfort does have its limits. You won't be able to stroll through a T15 Dark Forest in HC with triple stacked damage mods, mob ele resist, and mob life bonus with impunity (I don't know too many builds that wouldn't take at least some caution in that sort of situation tbh).

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I certainly see the quartz flask as my first line of defense/offence. I pop this, run into a room to sort gather up the monsters and to decide if convocation is worth it or not.

I can't tell for sure, since I'm just imagining through text, but maybe put off or omit the gathering part. Try to just keep on walking past until your trailing golems end up right in the middle of the pack or auto-teleport to your location first.

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This is why I believe going LL or especially Lifebased would be better.

We'll see. I have to admit, I'm not optimistic about hybrid and eventually not noticing that your health is dropping due to a chaos cloud before it's too late (considering the red globe not contrasting well against a dark background). My guess is that CI's demise is a bit exaggerated and that people will still be able to achieve reasonable levels of ES, but not the arguably degenerate levels that were attainable previously.

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Adding a layer of armour or evasion and possibly block would be a massive help. I expect this will be the norm i 3.0 actually. I guess you are still experimenting as an Elementalist in the beta and hope you will be releasing a tree, or an actual guide, as soon as you can. Even if Shavs does solve the issue of chaos damage, I don't see LL as the solution to our survivability problems.

I'll try :) I still mentally feel really new to POE to be honest. I've played off and on since Anarchy I think(?), quitting for long stretches (yep, filthy casual!). It wasn't until Breach that I really got into the game. And Legacy League was the first time I attempted Guardians/Shaper/Uber. So if anything, I should be asking advice rather than giving it. We'll see though :)

Been fiddling with Path of Building to preview 3.0 defensive setups:








TL;DR:
CI will still be viable after 3.0 ES nerfs. Hybrid Shav's setup will give you more EHP, unless you have mirror-worthy gear. Life-based isn't worth it for HC. Using a shield is still the easiest/efficient way to boost EHP survivability while you're farming for gear.

(Disclaimer: This is all just theoretical at the moment. Although I am playing the Beta, I do have a full-time job, so I don't really have the resources to actually playtest/verify these combos just yet. )


The PoB profiles linked above are populated with full sets of generic dummy items, so feel free to import and play around with them.


(Edit: Just noticed a couple pathing inefficiences in the Hybrid Shav's trees. You can squeeze a bit more EHP in there.)

Do you think it's possible to start this build with the beginning of 3.0?
Like the first build. Will I be able to go from 0 to a pharm T10 cards? To accumulate currency for the purchase of expensive Jewels?

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stick111 wrote:

Do you think it's possible to start this build with the beginning of 3.0?
Like the first build. Will I be able to go from 0 to a pharm T10 cards? To accumulate currency for the purchase of expensive Jewels?

Hey, it's definitely possible. That's what a lot of golem summoners do actually.

When you say first build though, I get the impression you're willing and have the time to play multiple builds in a single league. If that's the case, I would say there are more efficient ways for you to make currency (pizza sticks, flame golems, this dude's fireball mines, etc.). To me, Lightning Golems are more of a bossing build than a mapping build.

Since having a full-time job makes it pointless for me to push the ladder, I'm planning to take my time mostly, play it safe, and just stick with one build. My basic plan:

1) Level to 41 as a caster.
2) Grab dual Clayshapers and farm with Flame Golems for the jewels.
3) Get my gems up to 20/20 (and hopefully hit a LVL 21 Lightning Golem).
4) Switch to Lightning to farm high-tier red maps with a shield (possibly Esh's Visage).
5) Once I have Shav's and other gear set, go back to dual Clayshapers.
6) Start doing Shaper/Uber.

very nice guide with lots of info

thank you

Hey, thanks, appreciate it :)

By the way for anybody interested, I added a few more clips I had laying around to the Video section. Nothing too remarkable, just some mapping.

This build will be able to farm Shaper at 3.0 100%, without briking ane shaper set?I read somewhere that an ascendancy that make golems immune to elemental damage is no longer or something.