What would be best for the Animate to wear for defense? Should I go armor or evasion or energy shield? also I am guessing all you need on the armor is the defense and resistances right? you don't need increases minion damage or anything like that right?
Or is there armor that makes him even better?
Animated Guardian is all about how you can buff your minions and yourself, not so much about the damage he puts out himself.
For Tukohama's Vanguards, you run dual Dyadus one handed axes, because they provide a 100% burning damage buff when their target is chilled, and the one in the off hand can chill. Add in Icetomb chest, and the chill debuff lasts longer. Bringer of Rain helm and a rare set of gloves increase his survivability. Rainbowstride boots give him spell block, resists, and faster movement speed.
For Solar Guards, you run something like: Zahndethus' Cassock for consecrated ground on block, leer cast for extra DPS from your spectres, Victario's Flight for additional move speed for you and your minions, Dying Breath inreases your spectres DPS output AND buffs the effect of your curses and auras, and rare gloves, again, increase survivability.
I`m running this Items on my AG and playing Solar Guards:
How many of each?: For boss killing (Guardians and above) it's best to all Tukohama's Vanguards and at most 1x Wicker Man. This will give immense single target damage and OK clear speed. For mapping I'd recommend 1x Wicker Man and rest Tukohama's Vanguards.
All these discussions are very interesting but at the end of the day, I think it's not really a big deal. You can just switch spectres anytime you like and you do not even need lv84 spectres for all mapping. I switched around between TV and SG and even switch around abyssal jewels a lot whenever I like. Sometimes I met nice guys on global who share lv84 portals, sometimes I just go with whatever highest map I have. Again, you do not need overlevelled spectres to clear map or do bosses, the dps is absurd with 6L already.
I do not feel flame golem combo worth it, partly due to the cost, partly due to the reason I state above: you can easily run with 4xSG anytime you like and switch to 4xTV also easily and as confirmed time and again, SGs can do all guardians easily. They're just slightly weaker than TV + AG, but pure dps focus SG are extremely strong for bosses too.
You can also run 2 SG and 2 cannibal fire eaters which have insane single target and leech due to rapid cast incinerate. They use the same links and you will have a blend of clear speed and single target for maps.
Faster projectiles will make the Cannibal fire eater shoot their incinerate quite far and GMP add good coverage so they are medium ranged like Wickerman.
Ideally you would need 2 green sockets, so not the same setup as Vanguards and Wickerman, but if you have a 6 link Vis Mortis, then an extra green socket is no big deal.
Even then you can run the Fire eater with one green socket, and just use GMP for the Solar Guards
Personally I think 4 SG is strong enough for all purposes. The only reason I run 2x TV and 2x SG is that I have not got a 6L vis mortis so I need to support SG with TV's bossing power. With a 6L, 4x SG can obliterate any boss, perhaps except for shaper/uber.
Well I have seen videos of 4-5 Solar guards killing Shaper no problems
Right now in Abyss SSF with a 4 link Vis Mortis (I found it today, and Bones of Ullr yesterday!)
I have 1 Wickerman, 2 Solar guards, and 1 Vanguard - using Spectre + Minion Damage + spell Echo + GMP.
Then switch Spell echo and GMP to Ele Focus + Swift Afflcition on bosses
Works ok so far. I like having thr Wickerman around for tanking and drawing aggro, along with the zombies, but even with 10+k life the zombies always drop down to 25% health in any boss fight.
I also run 8 zombies, 1 Stone golem, and a 4 link SRS in a +1 Minion helmet, with hatred + generosity.
Once I get 150 fuses, I'll 5 link my Vis mortis or find a Tabula rasa or get enough Humility cards, which ever comes first.
The 5 link rare chest I was using before gives me a lot more life, and chaos resist, so it's a catch 22 situation here... especially with these Elder bosses having so much chaos degen...
Last edited by CoolColJ#7084 on Dec 20, 2017, 6:34:58 AM
Well I have seen videos of 4-5 Solar guards killing Shaper no problems
Indeed. But then... This isn't the guide for that setup. Ghazzy's guide is the most used guide when Solar Guards killer boss are used. IDK why guys try to shape this guide so much and spit on TV+VM. One thing is to try supporting TV+VM with some more clearspeed and new itens, other is to just fuck around saying that TV+VM are crappy and they will use SG forever.
Just move to another guide if you think so, hell. We have like 50 pages of pure hate and disbelievers.
