[Bricked] Odif's Build Guides for Newbies: Skeleton Mage Necro

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zaferongun wrote:

Hi Odif,
i'm wondering why you're not using Fleshcrafter in this build.

"

Odif wrote:

Odif's Build Guides for Newbies: Skeleton Mage Necro
We start off as Melee Skeletons, then later transition to Skeleton Mages

I will be updating the guide for 3.22.
It looks like there are new support gems, and depending on the exact details, they may get incorporated into the build.

Hello Exiles!
Have you always wanted to try minions, but did not know where to begin?
Are you relatively new to the game?
Have you struggled in red maps with your previous builds?
Have you not even gotten to maps because you were so confused, or you did not know how to build a character?
Do you just want a league starter that will get you dominating red maps and killing endgame bosses with minimal investment?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then this build is for YOU!

First post in this thread is the main guide.
Second post in this thread is "How to level with this build, for newbies", with a LOT of detail, what gems to use at what acts, and where to get them.
Third post has general info for newbies, and some info about how minions work in PoE.
Fourth post in this build shows my simulated league start, 2 months into 3.20, complete with gear snapshots.


Why did I make this build?

Spoiler

Over the years, with new league content continually added to the game, it has gotten harder and harder for newbies to get deep into endgame, it's all just too overwhelming.

So, I made this build, a simple and cheap build, with lots of details for newbies, that will allow newbies to get deep into endgame.

All my focus is to make this build the best possible build for newbies in the game.

Experienced users can use it also, of course.

Overview

Spoiler

We start off as Melee Skeletons, then transition to Skeleton Mages after we get Dead Reckoning unique jewel.

This build is a newbie friendly, super low cost, league starter build.
It will get you deep into t16 red maps with just the currency you get on the way.)
It scales with currency.

It is NOT the strongest minion build with high end currency investment.
But you can easily transition into any other necromancer minion build, if you want to sink a ton of currency into a toon.
I am crushing t16 red maps with this build. Look at the 4th post in this thread to see the gear I am using to do it, nothing expensive.



It's a minion build, so if you don't like minion builds this is not for you.



Our main damage dealer are Skeletons doing melee physical damage at first, then later doing elemental damage after we transition to Skeleton Mages.

We use Zombies as meat shields.

We use Carnage Chieftains to generate Frenzy Charges for allies..

We use an Animated Guardian to provide buffs.

We use Vaal Summon Skeletons for Bosses and non moving events like Ritual, Blight, and Breach.

Vaal Summon Skeleton is one of the best "I WIN" buttons in the game. It is absurdly strong.

We use Sniper's Mark for extra single target dps.

We use Tempest Shield to get more Spell Block and to be immune to shock

We use Determination Aura to have lots of Armor.

We use a Pantheon Power to be immune to Freeze.
We use a combo of Pantheon Power, ring crafts, and points on the skill tree to get 100% reduced effect of curses on us, making us effectively curse immune.

We use a Stone Golem to buff our life regen.

For more block we use Bone Offering with Mistress of Sacrifice, And with a good shield can get max spell block and near max attack block..

Can I do this build in SSF?

Spoiler

SSF (Solo Self Found)
You can do this build SSF.
The starter mapping gear is all rares.
The unique jewel to transition to Skeleton Mages is obtained via a vendor recipe, so easy to do SSF.
The gear I am using to dominate t16 uses one additional unique, but it is not required, any chest with + to socketed gems will do t16.

Pros and Cons

Spoiler

Pros:
Very newbie friendly, lots of details for first time players.
Very good for "stay in place" encounters like, Breach, Blight, Rituals, etc.
Very Low currency to go deep into red maps.
Very few buttons to press.
Scales with currency.
Relaxed minion play style.
Decently tanky, minions absorb a LOT of hits, high block chance (attack and spell), good life pool, good life regen.

Cons:
You will have to play melee skels until you get Dead Reckoning, which allows Skel mages.
Can't do No Regen Maps.
Avoid Elemental Reflect maps.
Minion play style is not for everybody.
At very high wealth investment, other minion builds do significantly better. (To make it newbie friendly, I compromised a bit on DPS)
(You can always transition, use this build until you are absurdly wealthy, then transition to another build.)
Can choke your computer. 70+ minions when you pop Vaal Skeleton, can lag you, depending on your computer's strength.

Dead Reckoning (unique that allows skeleton mages)

Spoiler

This jewel transforms melee skeletons into skeleton mages when socketed into your tree with at least 40 intelligence near it. (any of top 3 slots this build uses.)

Skelton Mages use a spell, a single bolt of either cold/lightning/fire damage.
It can be supported by any spell or projectile support.

It does not effect the number of skels summoned, only the type.
The 15 limit refers to Vaal Summon skeleton, which summons more than 15 warrior skels, so only 15 are transformed.
Vaal Skel also naturally summons some skel mages, so you wind up getting more than 15 skel mages.

Dead Reckoning is made via a VENDOR REDCIPE
a 20% quality Summon Skeleton gem.
a normal, magic, rare, and unique wand.
The wands must all be of the same base type.

NOTE: Crucible trees BRICK vendor recipes.
None of the wands can have a crucible tree.

PoB link

Spoiler

Level 73, Melee Skels, Stater mapping gear, cheap AG gear, Spectres, gems level 18
https://pobb.in/wHOsAdmeJYIm
Note the over 800k dps when vaal skels are up.


Skel Mage Endgame
Level 95, spectres, AG, decent jewels, +2 duration tabula, anomalous faster projectiles
https://pobb.in/uTK9RVqcqYBv
Note the over 6.8 mill dps, when Vaal Skels are up.

NOTE: If you want leveling trees, see the below section for poeplanner.com links.

er...What is PoB?

Spoiler

PoB is Path of Building, a third party software, that lets you plan and share builds.
It is completely optional.
There will be browser based skill trees linked below.

If you want PoB, make sure you download the community fork
(google search "path of building community fork")

Ascendancy, Bandits and Pantheon

Spoiler

Necromancer Ascendancy order
Commander of Darkness --> Mistress of Sacrifice --> Mindless Agression --> Bone Barrier

Bandits
Kill All

Pantheon
Major: Soul of the Brine King
(Make sure to capture the boss that gives you immunity to freezing)
Minor: Soul of Yugul
(Make sure to capture the boss that gives 30% reduced effect of curses)
(Which boss to capture changes every league.)

Anoint for Amulet

Spoiler

Anoint Deaths Attunement on your amulet, as soon as you have a valuable enough amulet to justify the expense of the anoint. (Costs a clear, crimson and silver oil.)
See the Gear Upgrades section for what to look for in an amulet.

What is Anointing?

Spoiler

Randomly, in maps you can find Cassia, she gives you a mission to clear some corruption from the map. The mission can drop oils, which can be traded. After the first mission you can (and should) invite her to your hideout.
She has the ability to "anoint" an amulet with a Notable from the passive tree, but it costs 3 oils. Some anoints are cheap, some are expensive. Silver is the second most expensive oil, it can cost 30c at the start of a league, so its silly to anoint a 5c amulet with 30+c of oils.

We anoint Death Attunement on our amulet, and save 7 passive skill tree points.

Skill Trees (Including leveling trees)
Browser based, no third party software needed.

Spoiler

poeplanner.com links
Updated to 3.21!

43 points
https://poeplanner.com/b/DNA
(assumes melee skels)

83 points
https://poeplanner.com/b/DPl
(assumes melee skels)

117 points
https://poeplanner.com/b/DPN
(assumes skel mages)

Skills and Gem Links

Spoiler

Melee Skels

Spoiler

(Note: 5B/G stands for 5 blue sockets one green socket)
Chest (Skeletons)
Colors: 4R/2B
Vaal Summon Skeleton linked to Multistrike, Brutality, Minion Speed, (Melee Splash, Ruthless
(Supports are listed in order of importance, in case you do not yet have a 6l chest.)

Helmet or Boots or Gloves (Spectres and Animated Guardian)
Colors: 3B/R
Raise Spectre and Animate Guardian both linked to Minion Life and Meat Shield.

Helmet or Boots or Gloves
Colors: 3B/R
Zombie linked to Maim and
Feeding Frenzy and Meat Shield

Helmet or Boots or Gloves
Colors: 2B/2R
Determionation, Stone Golem, Flame Dash and Skitterbots.
None Linked

First Weapon
Colors: R/G/B
Desecrate
Bone Offering
Lifetap
All Linked.
As a HUGE quality of life, use the bench craft mod "trigger socketed spells when you use a skill." If you dont have it, you can easily purchase it.
It needs a free suffix

Shield
Colors: 2B/R
Vulnerability, Tempest Shield, Convocation.
None Linked

SKel Mages

Spoiler

(Note: 5B/G stands for 5 blue sockets one green socket)
Chest (Skeletons)
Colors: 5B/G
Vaal Summon Skeleton linked to Pierce, Spell Echo, Elemental Penetration, Controlled Destruction, Minion Damage
(Supports are listed in order of importance, in case you do not yet have a 6l chest.)
NOTE: Once you get some wealth, drop Controlled Destruction and replace with Anomalous Faster Projectiles.
It is a HUGE dps increase, but is expensive.
It is also a GREEN gem, so you will need a 4B-2G chest.

Vendor Recipe to craft Elemental Penetration Support

Spoiler

Level 20 Cold Penetration Support
Level 20 Fire Penetration Support
Level 20 Lightning Penetration Support
Replica Bitterdream unique weapon.

Helmet or Boots or Gloves (Spectres and Animated Guardian)
Colors: 3B/R
Raise Spectre and Animated Guardian both linked to Minion Life and Meat Shield.

Helmet or Boots or Gloves
Colors: 3B/R
Zombie and Stone Golem linked to
Feeding Frenzy and Meat Shield

Helmet or Boots or Gloves
Colors: R-B B/R (Determination cannot be linked to Generosity
Determionation, Flame Dash....... Zealotry linked to Generosity.

First Weapon
Colors: R/G/B
Desecrate
Bone Offering
Lifetap
All Linked.
As a HUGE quality of life, use the bench craft mod "trigger socketed spells when you use a skill." If you dont have it, you can easily purchase it.
It needs a free suffix

Shield
Colors: 2B/G
Sniper's Mark, Tempest Shield, Convocation.
None Linked

Base Gear for Starting Maps

Spoiler

Helmet with +1 to all minion gems
Even with life and resists, these are crazy cheap, 2-3 chaos early league.
If it has a free prefix, you can benchcraft +1 max skeletons on it.
That benchcraft is unlocked via Syndicate missions.
It can also be purchased if you don't have it yet.

6l chest
Any 6 link chest with the right colors.
We use 5B/G (Mages) or 4R/2B (melee skels) neither of which is popular, so even at league start, corrupted chests with these colors are cheap. If possible, life and resists.

Weapon
After you get your chest, buy a weapon that has some of the following:

"+1 all spell skill gems" or "+1 all minion skill gems"
Minion Damage
Minion attack/cast speed.

+1 gem levels is most important, but may be too expensive when you first hit maps.
Buy what you can afford.

Convoking wands have an intelligence requirement of 242, which is more than you will have, so look for Convening wands.

Optional benchcraft for weapon, that is a HUGE quality of life increase

Spoiler

A free suffix so you can craft "trigger a socketed spell when you use a skill"
Note: this craft is unlocked via Syndicate mechanic, or you can purchase the craft from a trusted crafter.
To find a trusted crafter go to the trade section of the official forums.
Here is the link to a trusted bench crafter that I have used before.
It's a Scourge SC league link, so you will need to find one in the right league for you.
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3188159

Shield
A minion sheild with chance to block attacks and some minion damage.
Ideally with +1 all minion skill gems, but these are expensive, so not starter gear.

Rings
Bone rings!
These can have minion mods on them, minion damage and minion attack/cast speed. These are the 2 mods we like. Get what you can afford.

Everything else is rares with life and resists.
You will need dex on at least one item.

Get 20% reduced effect of curses on BOTH ring (its a bench craft)
While this is optional, it is SO nice to be immune to curses.

Chaos resist is very nice, but not necessary. Try and get as much as possible, but its a lower priority than elemental resist capping and life.

It's preferable to get a stygian vice belt, it's a great place to socket in a jewel with minion damage mods on it.

If possible, get gear with armor, the more the better.
NOTE:
Sniper's Mark needs 155 dex at level 20, so you will need dex on your gear, somewhere.

What order should I prioritize for getting the above gear?

Spoiler

1) At least one minion ring
(You need at least one minion ring to cap the elemental resists of your minions.)

2) +1 minion gems helm with life and resists
Get when you start mapping

3) Minion Wand

4) Minion Shield

5) Second minion ring

Remember, in the last few acts and definitely for mapping, you need your elemental resists capped, so buying yellows to do that takes priority over the above list.

The above items, along with yellows that have life and resists is all you need to easily do t12 maps. See the UPGRADE section for gearing for high red maps.

Defenses

Spoiler

This build uses high block, both attack and spell, OK life gain on block, a good life pool, high life regen and decent armor, and defensive flasks.

Block Explained:
Note:
Bone Offering effects you at 50% effectiveness only AFTER you get Mistress of Sacrifice.
We have a Mastery that gives a 20% bonus to offerings.
Bone offering benefits from gem levels.
With a few gem levels, it is enough to get 36% attack and spell block on minions, boosted to 43% with mastery, 50% of which effects you, so 21% spell and attack block.
Bone Offering also gives you 2.4% life regen for 4 seconds on block.

Minions will absorb a lot of hits, so the defenses are fine, unless you are doing something crazy dangerous like Uber Bosses.

Keep Bone Offering up at all times, it's crucial to your defense.

Keep moving. Movement is a key defense

Flasks

Spoiler

Life flask with anti bleed/corrupted blood
Quicksilver flask (+% movespeed is nice here)
Granite flask (+% armor is nice here)
Quartz flask
5th flask can be your choice, life flask, mana flask, or another utility flask.
I like Jade for some evasion.

Flasks can be crafted with Instilling Orbs which let you automate their use.
I like putting the granite and quartz flasks with "use when full".
This can be expensive depending on the price of Instilling Orbs, so probably not something you do right away.
Instilling orbs get very cheap later in a league.

Gameplay

Spoiler

Cast skeletons on each monster pack.

Cast Curse on any Rare on Boss.
(Vulnerability with melee skels, Sniper's Mark with Skel Mages)

Quicksilver flask is your friend.

Use Vaal Summon Skeleton on Bosses and other encounters that stay in one place, Rituals, Breaches, Blights, etc.

Keep Bone Offering up at all times, it's key to defense.

Keep moving. Flame Dash to avoid danger. Defensive flasks as needed.

We get Bone Barrier as a free spell with our 4th Lab, you can put this on left click to auto cast as you move, a nice defense.

I advise turning on allied health bars.
When you see your minions start taking a lot of damage, cast Skels a few times.
We have a mastery that heals minions for 5% of their life on minion death.
Overwriting a minion when summoning counts as a minion death.
At high level we cast 4 skels at a time, that's 20% heal each cast, for each minion.

This is how we keep Vaal Summon Skeletons alive during boss fights....casting regular skels to heal the Vaal ones.

Spectres

Spoiler

NOTE!
The spectres I recommend are not necessarily the best, but they are the easiest to get.
If you want to use harder to get, stronger spectres, go for it.

We get +1 spectre from annointing.
At spectre gem level 25, we get base 3 spectres
So 4 spectres when fully geared.

We use Carnage Chieftains as all of our spectres.
They generate Frenzy Charges for allies.
Frenzy Charges give 4% more damage, and 4% attack/cast speed per charge.
Carnage Chieftains can be found in the Old Fields in Act 2.


Some advanced spectres you MAY want to try, but are not found in the campaign: Pale Seraphim and Arena Master.
Spectre info for Newbies

Spoiler

To safely raise spectres:
If you have the Trigger craft in your weapon, you will have to remove the Bone Offering gem, and cast skeletons to trigger Desecrate, as spells in a weapon with the trigger craft cannot be self cast, only triggered.

If you have Spell Echo linked to summon spectre, you must remove it prior to raising a spectre, otherwise you summon 2 at once, and the second one might not be the type you want.

If you accidentally summon the wrong spectre, remove your spectre gem to unsummon all your spectres, put spectre gem back in, and try again.

When done, put removed gems back in place.
Remove raise spectre from your castbar, so you don't accidentally over write your desired spectre with some random lame spectre.

Cast or trigger Desecrate to generate corpses.
Use the "a" key to highlight corpses, when you have the right corpse highlighted cast raise spectre.

(You may have to cast desecrate many times, as it will not be a high chance.)

FYI:
Once a spectre enters a zone, including a hideout or map, it gets added to the base pool of monster that can have corpses created via desecrate.

also

99.9% of monsters in the game, when raised as spectres, completely suck, but there are a few that are crazy OP.

Animated Guardian

Spoiler

Animated Guardians are made from gear you give them.
The gear can never be recovered.
If the AG dies, ALL GEAR IS LOST FOREVER!!!

The goal is to give the AG gear that buffs our other minions AND that make the AG very tanky, as AG death is expensive.

FYI: Gear that the AG has is locked to your toon. Swapping AG gems does not effect the gear. I.E. if you later on get a 21/20 AG gem, you can safely swap it in.

My AG gear recommendation

Spoiler

Leer Cast Helm (50% increased damage for allies)
Dying Breath Weapon (18% increased damage for allies, enemies have 18% increased effect of curses on them.)
Garb of the Ephemeral (nearby enemies cant crit, nearby allies cant be slowed below base action speed)
Gloves with Elemental Weakness on Hit Corruption (Only needed when after you transition to Skel MAGES)
Windscream Boots (lets AG cast an extra curse so it does not overwrite ours)

There are many opinions on what high end gear to get for your AG
Feel free to look at other's opinions on how to gear an AG.

Link to a Video Guide for the Animated Guardian by Ghazzy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SOX9WNAjTM

Gear Upgrades

Spoiler

Get a Dead Reckoning

The swap over to Skel Mages will require recoloring your chest, and/or buying a new one.

Then upgrade your amulet
+1 all skill gems with as much life and resists as you can afford.
Your ammy should be your first upgrade, so you can justify spending the currency to anoint it with Death Attunement

Then get Anomalous Faster Projectiles
This is a HUGE dps increase.
(Drop Controlled Destruction, this means our chest needs to be 4B-2G)

Then upgrade your body armor
Get a 6l chest with + to gem levels. I like Skin of the Loyal, but it is super expensive. A +2 duration gems tabula is very cheap. I bought one for 23c on day 6 of the league.

Then upgrade your shield
Get +1 all minion skill gems, minion damage, chance to block attacks, and anything else you can afford.

Then upgrade your weapon
Get a minion wand with (+1 all skill gems AND/OR +1 all minion skill gems) AND (% minion damage AND/OR minion attack/cast speed)
Get the best one you can afford.
Remember: It HAS to have a free suffix to craft the "trigger socketed spells when you use a skill."
If you want to put mega currency into your build, you can get a wand with BOTH +1 all skill gems AND +1 all minion skill gems, along with minion damage, and minion attack speed and a free suffix. These are hideously expensive.

Also, Convoking wands need 242 intelligence. Convening are better for us.


Helmet
Get +2 to all minion skill gems, life and resists.
Free prefix to craft +1 to number of skels and zombies.

Level 21 Vaal Summon Skeleton

Jewels:

Desired jewel mods
Life
Minion damage if you have used a minion skill recently
Minion attack and cast speed
Flat minion fire/lightning/cold damage
These can get VERY expensive, the more good mods it has, so buy what you can afford.
(Jewels need at least 2 good mods to justify spending 2 passive points to get the socket in the tree.)


Awakened gems
Only get if they are not very expensive.

NOTE:
Upgrades beyond the above mentioned might not be optimal.
Instead of investing massive currency into this build you might be better off transitioning into a minion build designed for high investment.
Like...
Kay's minion builds
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3179145
or
Ghazzy's list of minion builds
https://www.poe-vault.com/guides/ghazzy-guide-hub

Eater of Worlds and Searing Exarch Implicits on Gear

Spoiler

There are lots of good Eater of Worlds and Searing Exarch Implicits that can help this build.
The only one that I would say is near mandatory, is "increased mana reservation efficiency" on helms, with a eldritch Ichor.

For a complete list of what can go on what item slot see:
https://poedb.tw/us/Modifiers

I am confused, what are you talking about?

Spoiler

Rare helms, Chest, Boots, and gloves can be imbued with special implicits, called Eater of World and Searing Exarch implicits.
They cannot be put on uniques, or rares that have influence (elder, shaper, etc)

Putting either an Eater of WOrlds or Searing Exarch implicit on a rare, removes the inherent implicit of the rare.

You can have both an Eater of Worlds and a Searing Exarch implicit on a rare.

Eldritch Ichors put an Eater of World implicit on.
Eldritch Embers put a Searing Exarch implicit on.

Global Chat Channel for this build
type "/global 8123" in chat (without the quotes)
This will let you discus this build with others.
I will be in this channel, when I am logged in.

CONTINUED ON NEXT THREE POSTS

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BlightBoy17 wrote:

Hello there

Thanks for the build, I have few question.

I am a HC (trade) player, at least this is why i played for the last 8 leagues, and i plan to continue HC this league.
I read in one of the early comments that you don't play hardcore so you don't know how will this can peform, idk if you by now have some tips or so. (I am sure I will have to change some nodes maybe damage one for extra defenses)

My main question tho about the new support fresh meat, it seems like a nice buff for a temp summoned minions like Skeleton and SRS (I assume this build doesn't change this for skeleton in a way or another) so do you see this support having a spot in the build and going toward decent crit for them?

"

zaferongun wrote:

Hi Odif,
i'm wondering why you're not using Fleshcrafter in this build.