[3.13] Skeleton Nebulomancer | Sirus tank&kill on a <5ex budget, NO AURASTACK ! Beginner-friendly

I’m pretty new to Path of Exile, having started with Delirium League. Just as everyone, I loved the game immediately, tried tons of things and got butchered in maps ! After some reading, testing and all, I managed to reach lvl 90, kill the regular Conquerors, and even the Elder (not deathless though!), and then I met Sirus. Needless to say, he slew me again, and again. In Harvest, I managed to reach Sirus’s last phase, but then I died six times without me scratching him, and I was so upset I dropped the league.

So when Heist started, I really wanted revenge.

As you guessed, this build has been originally designed solely to beat Sirus ; after some reworking, it is now capable to tank every single skill that A8 Sirus can use, save for deatomization storms. But it appears that it is decent for most endgame content for a very, very small budget, inferior to 5 exalted all included (gear, gems, jewels) in the lowcost version.



Sirus's Meteor Maze: Did you really think this would work ?

Defensively, the build revolves around Transcendence. This keystone, granted by the Militant Faith historic jewel, makes your armour apply to elemental damage.
If you’re new to this game -if you’re not, skip to the next paragraph -, you must know that in general, elemental damage from monsters is much higher than chaos or physical damage ; this it because it is relatively easy to get 75 % resistance to fire, cold and ligthning, while doing so for chaos or physical requires much more investment. During the playthrough and early endgame, say, before T8 maps, having a decent lifepool and 75 % resistances will be largely enough to survive most encounters. But when you reach red maps, and endgame bosses, it won’t suffice AT ALL. This is why, unless you’re exceptionnally skilled, you must have additional defence layers, especially when it comes to elemental damage.
That’s what Transcendence does : when you get hit by elemental damage, resistance applies as normal ; then, the remaining damage is mitigated by armour. This order actually matters very much, as armour is most efficient against smaller hits.
The budget version of this build can stack up around 20k armour (30k with Granite Flask). Let’s do some math : (tldr : you mitigate from 70 to 90 % damage from mobs and more than 50 % from most bosses)
Say there is a monster pack, with 10 mobs dealing 2000 elemental damage each (don’t know the exact numbers, but this should not be far from baranite crusaders in red maps). With 75 % resistance, each hit would effectively deal you 500 damage, so being full hit means you lose 5000hp, barely surviving unless you have huge hp investment. And that’s not counting map mods, blue/yellow monsters and such.
With Transcendence, those 500 damage hit armour ; with 20k armour, you mitigate 400 damage, as per the formula :
mitigateddamage = damage*armour/(armour+10*damage)
here, 500*20k/(20,000+10*500)= 400
So you eventually lose only 100hp per hit, and being full hit by the whole pack won’t threaten you in any way.

Of course, as all historic keystones, Transendence has drawbacks :
- First, it reduces your maximum resistances by 5 %. In theory, this hurts quite much, but we completely nullify this by wearing the Loreweave. Loreweave’s unique mod « your maximum resistances are 76-78 % » sets the maximum values so that they can’t be modified in any way.
- Second, armour doesn’t apply anymore to physical hits, so we need to find another way to mitigate physical damage. There are not many ways to do so but endurance charges. One charge normally offers 4 % physical damage reduction, as well as 4 % elemental resistances ; we will increase this by maximizing the buff from Enduring Cry.

Enduring Cry is our main defensive skill, as it provides some life regen and endurance charges, but we’ll focus on the buff it grants : for 2 seconds, it gives an additional 2 % physical reduction and elemental resistance per charge. Enduring cry’s cooldown is 8 seconds, and the buff lasts only 2 seconds, so without modifiers, it is unreliable, but with some investment, we bring back the cd under 4s and the duration over 4s, effectively benefitting permanently from the buff. Even more, if we use the Divergent quality and with the help of some warcry nodes, we get a nice +50 % increased buff effect, so we eventually get +3 % additional bonuses from each charge. When stacking our 9 endurance charges, we hit an amazing 63 % flat physical damage reduction. This is huge, because contrarily to armour, we mitigate both smaller and bigger hits the same way. With some help from ascendancy, gear and pantheon, we can reach 86% flat pdr/90 % against lone bosses.



Shaper slam with Bone Armour up : <300 damage. Nice try Cesarius !

As our defensive build requires investments in both passive tree and gear, the offensive skills must work pretty much on their own. I originally chose physical impale Skeletons, because I had never tried them before and wanted to give them a shot, but as they were nerfed somehow in 3.13, we shall try Cold-damaging skeletons.
Cold damage largely revolves around Hatred. As opposed to other elemental auras which just add up flat damage, Hatred both gives a percent of physical damage as extra cold damage and a damage multiplier to cold damage. It shines when all base damage is physical (so you get tons of extra cold) and gets fully converted to cold, so you benefit from the multiplier on ALL damage.
This can be achieved with the unique Triad Grip gloves when all its gems slots are green.
The rest of the offense item and support focus on buffing Hatred and giving flat phys damage to skeletons.
We use Carrion Golem as support to push up damage. If you’re rich, heavily-stuffed Animated Guardian is a very solid option.
I dropped spectres because of the huge 3.13 nerf in survivability, and we can use the 4 slots to equip Triad Grip and slot in some green utility.

6L : (by order of importance, if not 6L)
Summon Skeletons
Elemental damage with attacks support (divergent quality is best option, not crucial)
Multistrike support
Predator support
Minion damage support
Melee physical damage support

Due to skeletons not being widely played in Heist, the gem was incredibly cheap to get. I bought my lvl 21, 23 % quality for 4 chaos… A bargain. Now this won’t last… Anyway, a classic lvl 20, 20 % quality is enough for every content.
You can replace Multistrike with Melee Splash damage (divergent quality is a good option) for better clear.


4L Support :
Summon Carrion Golem
Elemental Army support
Feeding Frenzy support
Raise Zombie/Animated Guardian/Minion Life support

The Carrion Golem gives a small damage increase to minions, and triggers both Feeding Frenzy and Elemental Army for a huge buff ; proc is 100 % reliable thanks to combo attack.
While levelling, some Zombies can help for clearing and having Elemental Army debuff on all mobs. Later in the game, they won’t last a second, so drop them in favor of Minion Life for better golem survivability.
Animated Guardian is a strong option even with mediocre gear, as it’s quite tough and can inflict exposure/grant feeding frenzy alongside the golem, or if said golem dies.


4L Enduring Cry
Enduring Cry (20 % quality)
Second wind support (20 % quality)
Increased duration support (20 % quality)
Flesh offering

You need to max out quality to ensure the buff from Enduring Cry is permanent (duration being longer than cooldown).
You can benefit from the support gems with Flesh Offering for increased duration.


Weapon slotting
Hatred
Generosity support
Frostbite (divergent quality is +++)

Hatred is the core of our damage input ; you want to support it with Generosity for big increased effect.
Frostbite is the go-to curse for Cold builds ; it boosts damage, but most of all, offers great chances to freeze ennemies. That’s why the divergent quality is by far the best option, granting over 50 % total chance to freeze per hit on regular monsters


Shield slotting
Determination
Fortify support
Shield Charge


You’re fine in the thick of the fight, so dashing into ennemies to proc fortify is safe. Just remember to use your move skill with « attack without moving ».
Determination gives a lot of extra armour and have some strong defensive watcher’s eye mods for late game.

You can rearrange all 6 gems in weapon and shield for colour purposes, as long as Shield Charge is linked with fortify, Hatred with generosity. However, you DO NOT want to have Determination linked with generosity ! Else you lose tons of armour.

Triad Grip gems :
Vaal Haste (lvl 8)
Dash (lvl 10-12)
Desecrate gem (lvl 1)
Precision (lvl 1)

Triad Grip has all 4 sockets locked to green for cold damage (see gear), so we have limited options. Precision is cheap, gives some critical chance and extra atk speed due to ascendancy. Desecrate allows us to cast Flesh Offering during boss fights, Vaal Haste a one-shot damage buff, and Dash is a get-out move skill while Shield Charge is more of a run-in.


Tips for autocasting :
Having an instant spell on your left click won’t slow or stop your movement in any way. It may be a way to put Enduring Cry, but you must constantly check the cooldown and move as soon as it expires, in order to keep the buff up.
Another way is some tweaky use of numpad : if you assign Enduring Cry on your numpad, use the skill, and de-activate the pad while pressing the button, it will perma-cast until you leave the zone. While in-zone, this is the most QoL solution, but beware : whenever entering a map, you must unlock numpad, cast the skill and lock it again. It’s fine when you get used, but it may take some time.
If you choose this solution, you can put Bone Armour as left click if you’re as lazy as I am !

Weapons :

The basic, budget version of the build. Redblade Banner ensures you’re constantly maxing endurange charges and gives a huge cooldown recovery boost for Enduring Cry, while Nebuloch provides armour and some chaos resistance, as well as another defensive layer against elemental damage from hit. Bonus HP from the shield is appreciated, as well.
Rolls :
You don’t need specific rolls on Nebuloch so pick the cheapest you find.
Good life rolls are a plus for Redblade Banner, but don’t overpay either early on.

Helmet :

The bonus dexterity helps gearing and the decent armour is nice, but we take it because of its unique warcry mode, boosting our movespeed and minions’ attack speed and move. As we bump Enduring Cry’s cd under 4s, the buff is virtually permanent.
Rolls :
Stats are always usefull, just as armour, but don’t overpay. Best is buying a well-rolled Deidbell and the Dying Cry prophecy to save currency.

Chest :

Loreweave
You really want the « maximum resistances are 78 % » mod ; the rest is far less important. Bonus life and attributes are always nice, but if you lack budget, just pick the cheapest 78 % max res and you’ll be fine.
Best is linking it yourself. If so, raise quality first ! 5L is enough for red maps. Eventually, you’ll want a 6L, but you should be able to farm more than enough currency with a 5L to get your sixth. Colouring is a piece of cake.

Corruption : If you can afford it, consider buying a corrupted version with the « +2 to socketed duration gems » implicit. It hugely increases damage with roughly +20 % per skeleton, and adds one to the skeleton limit, going from 11 to 12. On top of having another boy, it prevents you from destroying one active skellie when you summon the 4 last ones, so your minion wave runs smooth. However, it does cost a big deal ! Of course, the budget version uses an uncorrupted Loreweave.

Boots :

Corrupted Alberon’s Warpath with « +1 to maximum endurance charges » implicit
The corruption is paramount for this build. Luckily, noone else wants that, so the prices are low.
Rolls: %strength isn’t worth the cost, however, good armour and chaos resistance are a thing if oy can afford it.

Gloves :

Triad Grip with 4 green sockets
This is our core offensive item. Get one with minion chance to freeze as high as possible ! In general, buying one with all 4 green sockets is cheaper than self crafting, for some reason. However, if it’s not the case on this league, here is how to craft it yourself :

1) First, you have to delve a bit. Explore the first azure cavity next to the entrance, then another azure cavity, and one azurite vaulf : that will add socket crafting to your crafting bench.
2) Return to your hideout, place Triad Grip on the crafting bench.
3) Set socket number to 2 using the crafting recipe
4) Use the « at least two green sockets » recipe ; your two sockets are now green.
5) Set socket number to 3 using the crafting recipe
6) If the new socket isn’t green, Set socket number to 2 using the crafting recipe ; it keeps the first two sockets, ie the green ones, then set socket number to 3 using the crafting recipe again. Repeat until the third socket is green as well.
7) Set socket number to 4 using the crafting recipe
6) If the new socket isn’t green, Set socket number to 3 using the crafting recipe ; it keeps the first two sockets, ie the green ones, then set socket number to 4 using the crafting recipe again. Repeat until the third socket is green as well.
You’re done !

This costs way too much jeweller’s orbs when league starting, so don’t panic ! In order to get rolling, you only require not to have red gems on Triad Grip, because you trigger elemental equilibrium with fire.
On a side note, with Harvest back in, it should be super easy to off-colour TG with harvest recipes. For now I don’t know how accessible Harvest will be, but the price of off-coloured items should stay low.



Amulet :

We use an Elder amulet with « +1 to maximum skeleton » and « +5 % additional physical damage reduction » mods. If possible, try to grab some life and resists as well, or attributes if you need some. If you can’t, that’s fine !
You want to anoint Vigour onto it, for another endurance charge.
Price : varies, but count between 15 and 30 chaos. Just as the skeleton skill gem, prices are low as skellies aren’t played this league. Good news for us ! (I paid mine 30c)

Rings :

Kaom’s Ways are a must have, as they give us extra endurance charges and more than enough life regen to negate the Nebuloch’s degen.
Rolls: Aim for max life roll ; strength isn’t worth overpaying for.
Just as deidbellow, you may buy well-rolled Kaom’s Signs and upgrade them with « The King’s Way » prophecy for a much cheaper price. Count 5 chaos per ring.
(I paid mine 10c each for max life and strength, as I intended to reuse them in a melee build ; it’s absolutely unnecessary here!)

Belt :

When your resistances are maxed from other stuff, and you can use a purely offensive belt, String of Servitude with Hatred increased effect implicit is by far best in slot

In the meantime, a rare Stygian Vise is best in slot. Just as the gloves, aim for as much life as you can and, if possible, extra resistances (especially chaos). Flat armour can be something as well !
You can socket a ghastly jewel with flat life and minion physical damage. Extra mods such as resistances or life regen are welcome, but come to a much higher price.

Jewels

Cluster - Budget version



Full cluster



Other jewels

Ascendancy :
Command of Darkness, Mindless Agression, Unnatural Strength
or
Mindless Agression, Unnatural Strength, Command of Darkness
Both are fine (I prefer the first though, so I’ve capped res during acting without bothering with stuff too much)
Bone Barrier in Uber Lab : it gives us 10% physical damage reduction and more recovery to overheal Nebulochs’ degen, and offers a very strong guard skill on top of it.

Pantheon :
Major : Solaris/Lunaris
Solaris is best for bossing, Lunaris while mapping, especially when upgraded with « avoid projectils that have chained ». Mobs don’t threaten us much, though, so you can run with Solaris everytime
Minor : Ryslatha
Good sustain for long fights against lone bosses. Tukohama is a decent option as well, but I’ve found out I move too much to use it at its best.

Bandits :
Kill all. On a personal note, I find it super sad that even in a build that actively searches for physical mitigation and life regen, Oak is still too weak to be picked…

Seething Divine Life flask of Staunching
Enduring Eternal Mana Flask of Dousing
Quicksilver Flask of Adrenaline/Heat (I like Ample prefix, but not mandatory)
Granite Flask of Warding/Iron Skin (Flagellant’s is nice)
Ruby Flask of Heat/Warding (same)

Only life and mana flasks have mandatory suffixes. Note that you must run a mana flask as we have a low mana regen and no leech, but as we have well rounded defences and no need of offence flasks, that’s no big deal ; plus, it lasts quite long and has tons of uses, so we can ensure we won’t burn even in long fights.
Granite flask of Iron skin offers a big amount of armour, but if we don’t want to drop any defensive suffix, we have to forgo some move speed. Absolutely unnecessary except for facetanking even more stuff.

Sadly I can’t help much here : I’m terrible for levelling (taking 10+ hours for acting), as I love the story and always want to clear zones. So if you want to rush this, I’m not the one you should ask for.
Technically, I respec’d this build from another skelemancer (with full cold conversion and buffed hatred), AND I acted with a friend, AND it wasn’t my league starter. Yet, I do believe you can use it as a starter ; you just won’t start mapping with all defensive layers up, but that’s fine, you don’t need them in T1 maps !
Skeletons, and minions in general, have a pretty strong damage output even without support, so you must only focus on life/resistances for your acting gear. You don’t need cold conversion early on. Ideally, you should pick Elemental Equilibrium around level 70, same moment as picking Nebuloch ; before that, you can either stick to physical skeletons with Hatred as bonus damage and curse with Vulnerability, ot equip Triad Grip, with any colouring, and use Elemental Weakness as curse.

Remind that the PoB link shows estimated passive trees from act 1 to endgame; to manage them, see in the bottom left corner of the passive tree window.
PoB link: https://pastebin.com/0WcKrkS4

Act 1 :


Act 2 :


Act 3 :


Act 4 :


Act 5-10 :


Early mapping :

This is some sort of extra, you do not neet it at all even for Uber Elder or Atziri ; actually, I paid mine thanks to my first 3-mod Watcher’s Eye drop, so I beat Uber Elder without it, although not deathless, to be honest !
My current setup :
Kingmaker as weapon : gives huge damage imput to skellies plus culling strike, and you don’t mind walking into the heart of danger, so you’ll get fortify when needed
Mask of the stitched demon : immense life regen, around 10k with enough es. Never dies if not deep delving
Rare chest with « 8 % of maximum life as extra energy shield » : 10 % is better, of course, but I don’t have it for now, and frankly it’s already enough
Blood dance boots : extra life regen. I’ll replace them with Victario’s Flight when I upgrade chest with the 10 % modifier
Hunter gloves with chance to intimidate on hit : should be upgraded with a curse on hit, ideally.

I bought a 8 exalt-priced lvl 21 divergent AG for extra life, and an extra 7 exalt for Kingmaker and Mask of the stitched demon, ie the very 15 exalt I sold my watcher’s eye.

3.13: UPCOMING

3.12