Stress-Free PoE w/ BONE ZOMBIES! Relax & SSF League Start-End w/ “Any” Items & 1-Button | 3.17

"

DES_Corleone wrote:

Spoiler

Yes, thanks.
Now that you mention it it comes to me again, in the guide was also listed a 4l resonator.
That is then not really worth it for me. Play mostly ssf
The two had only a level of 7x. I still gave it a try, but nothing useful came out.
May I ask a beginner question offtopic: Is somewhere displayed how much e.g. dexterity a character has without items. I only know the method to put off all items. Which is not always an option for a summoner with spectres.

I HATE Spectres, DES_Corleone. Hate them. I wish we didn't need them for damage. It's the zombie life I'm afraid. In regard to your stats without gear, there isn't anything in-game that lets you know your natural attributes. So I'll reference PoEPlanner or PoB for that info. I wish it was in-game though.

"

njdevils96 wrote:

Spoiler

awesome guide so well written ! gonna give this a go for fun wanted to thank you for making it and taking all the time and hard work . well done all involved !

That's a really kind message, njdevils96! Thanks for taking the time to be so kind. I really appreciate it. Let me know what you think if/when you give the build a go!

Hey Wrecker

Great build as always

Having a blast with your zombie build like I always do, thank you

This season is the first time I can comfortably do t16s without skipping too much and I have actually managed to see a few of the bosses which I have never before seen in previous seasons as I was always t8-t12

My biggest challenge is pacing myself , I have been sitting at lvl 93 for some time now , get to about 60-80% through the level and then decide stuff it , and try a boss I have never seen or done , and end up back to 0-10% through level again . But thats a me problem, not a build problem

The build is so smooth , was running pride/purity of elements then got a sweet piece and could run pride/purity/determination and boy oh boy what a difference it made in smoothing out some of the big hits and damage spikes

Thanks again , just had to pop in to say thank you :)

Now , just got to learn to pace myself and remember to breathe every now and again lol

"

derranged1301 wrote:

Spoiler

Hey Wrecker

Great build as always

Having a blast with your zombie build like I always do, thank you

This season is the first time I can comfortably do t16s without skipping too much and I have actually managed to see a few of the bosses which I have never before seen in previous seasons as I was always t8-t12

My biggest challenge is pacing myself , I have been sitting at lvl 93 for some time now , get to about 60-80% through the level and then decide stuff it , and try a boss I have never seen or done , and end up back to 0-10% through level again . But thats a me problem, not a build problem

The build is so smooth , was running pride/purity of elements then got a sweet piece and could run pride/purity/determination and boy oh boy what a difference it made in smoothing out some of the big hits and damage spikes

Thanks again , just had to pop in to say thank you :)

Now , just got to learn to pace myself and remember to breathe every now and again lol

Awesome, derranged1301!

I'm glad you're having such a good time with the build! And with new progress too! Nice work. I appreciate your kind praise. I'm glad the build suits you so well :).

Nice work hitting (and getting decent progress into) 93! My goal each league is 91. I've hit 92 once, and it was by total accident ;).

You're running a lot of big auras! I'm glad you found a way to make them work. They're really strong.

You're doing awesome and I'm glad your changes have worked so well for you. Nice work! Thanks for taking the time for the kind message.

Good afternoon Wrecker.

Coming back to PoE after a long hiatus, and found this guide.

MAN I’m super excited to give this a go!

I have one super simple question for you-

Is there any reason that you would have to only use the summon skeletons and not Vaal skelies?

I have a level 1 Vaal skeletons in my box I happily found, so I was curious why you didn’t add it as a side note.

If you did and I simply missed it, I’m truly sorry for the bother post.

"

KVirus70 wrote:

Spoiler

Good afternoon Wrecker.

Coming back to PoE after a long hiatus, and found this guide.

MAN I’m super excited to give this a go!

I have one super simple question for you-

Is there any reason that you would have to only use the summon skeletons and not Vaal skelies?

I have a level 1 Vaal skeletons in my box I happily found, so I was curious why you didn’t add it as a side note.

If you did and I simply missed it, I’m truly sorry for the bother post.

It's never a bother at all, you Gorgeous KVirus70 you.

Welcome back to PoE BTW! I hope you like it! It's in SUCH an awesome state. I hope you have a great time figuring out the content you like. My advice to you is to set up your Atlas Tree for FUN PER HOUR.

Your simple question is a great one. Vaal Skeletons is perfect. The only reason I don't have it as a gem in the guide is only that my guide style is about being capable with the minimum. I don't want people thinking they HAVE to have the Vaal version of the skill. I thought I mentioned it in the guide, but I maybe have accidentally cut that part.

So yes, your Vaal Skeletons is perfect :)

Thanks for your excitement and I hope you enjoy yourself. And please, ask any questions you want. Don't ever feel like you're being a bother. I'm happy to reply.

"

Wrecker_of_Days wrote:

Spoiler

Your simple question is a great one. Vaal Skeletons is perfect. The only reason I don't have it as a gem in the guide is only that my guide style is about being capable with the minimum. I don't want people thinking they HAVE to have the Vaal version of the skill. I thought I mentioned it in the guide, but I maybe have accidentally cut that part.

So yes, your Vaal Skeletons is perfect :)

I came back to POE after a couple years away and picked up this build playing standard SSF. It's been a total BLAST and I dropped a Vaal Skeletons into the mix as soon as I got one after noting your one liner in the body section of the gem link section. The best I've been able to do so far as a 4-link and am rocking this currently. I'm level 82 now running tier 6-8 maps currently with few problems.



I tried slotting Ruthless instead of Predator, but I like siccing the minions on targets and don't seem to notice less DPS.

Your build let me power through the chapters like a monster. It was awesome! Thanks!

"

Anakenandian_Nomesteturjai wrote:

Spoiler

I came back to POE after a couple years away and picked up this build playing standard SSF. It's been a total BLAST and I dropped a Vaal Skeletons into the mix as soon as I got one after noting your one liner in the body section of the gem link section. The best I've been able to do so far as a 4-link and am rocking this currently. I'm level 82 now running tier 6-8 maps currently with few problems.

I tried slotting Ruthless instead of Predator, but I like siccing the minions on targets and don't seem to notice less DPS.

Your build let me power through the chapters like a monster. It was awesome! Thanks!

That's great, Anakenandian_Nomesteturjai!

I'm glad the build is working so well for you! I love your patience while you still use a 4-link. Good for you. You'll have such a fun time as soon as you find a 5+link that suits your build. Good gem choices too! I too prefer Predator Support. I find the difference in damage between an enemy that is marked or not doesn't matter unless the enemy is a boss or beefed up Rare. So I'm on the same page with you there too.

Thanks for the post.

"

Wrecker_of_Days wrote:

Extra Info:

Gameplay (How the Build Functions When It's All Setup)

This build is really easy to play. Sooooo easy.

Quick Version: Move around and our zombies kill everything. That's it! Honestly! Everything else is automatic!

Slightly Detailed Version: This build's offence is 100% minions. We do no damage ourselves. Our defence is from Bone Armour (from our ascendancy), block chance (Bone Offering and Glancing Blows), Phasing (Withering Step), support skills (like Void Sphere and Vitality), Spectres (if you so choose), stunning enemies, having our zombies taunt, and Determination and Defiance Banner. With this build, you walk around while your zombies stun and kill everything. Just be safe. It's really easy.

Offence: Our zombies can do all content and once raised; everything else is support. Our zombies deal pure physical damage. Maim Support and Pride only help that damage. You can add other damage types if you like but if you added Brutality Support, your minions will ONLY deal physical damage. Adding any other type of damage to your minions would be lost on them. Pride makes enemies take more damage the longer they are within the Pride aura (which is large). It fills almost the whole screen (of a normal monitor/TV screen).

Defence: Bone Armour is a skill that comes from our ascendancy that is really awesome. It requires a button press for half of the skill, but as mentioned, I always forget about it and simply take advantage of the passive physical damage mitigation it provides. It's extremely strong and should be active as often as you think about it. It's considered an Instant Skill which means it has no cast time. This also means it can be cast in the middle of another animation without interruption. The button it's assigned to can also just be held down. Bone Offering gives us some pretty good block chance for almost zero investment and is automatically cast when we take very little damage. Coupled with Glancing Blows on the tree, when Bone Offering is active, we'll have 64% Attack Block and 42% Spell block (without any items equipped). Blocked Hits will give us 35% damage mitigation. Also, Void Sphere is a lifesaver when used occasionally. It'll suck all non-unique enemies to its centre while also making enemies take more damage (via the curse it applies). You'll get used to the cooldown. It's a fun occasional skill that casts automatically. Withering Step is another automatic defensive skill. It just helps us phase through enemies when we take damage.

Keep in mind, when we get hit is how we cast our Offering skill. Getting hit isn't required in this build, but when we do get hit, our defence really picks up.

Obviously your Spectres play a big role, but I have no idea what you chose to do with those.

How Minions Work:
Minion damage only increases with items, gems, or passive tree nodes that specifically increase "minion damage". If a node on the tree or mod on an item doesn't specify "minion", it won't be useful at all. So something that says, "Increases your damage by 30%" won't improve your minions' damage. In this build your character will do almost no damage, only your minions will.

Minions ARE considered Allies. So auras, nodes, or items that improve allies will benefit our minions. (Not every skill that reserves mana is an aura.)

Minions are NOT considered Party Members and will not gain any benefit from Party Member benefits.

Our minions "Attack" enemies, they don't "cast" Spells. So anything that improves minion/ally Attack Speed will help our build, but not Cast Speed (that's for spells).

Lastly, minions are their own entities. Once you bring them into the world, they attack who they want. Some minions are summoned, others are raised. Summoned minions (like the Skeletons) don't follow you but will keep attacking and chasing enemies within their attack radius. These minions have a duration. Other minions are raised, such as Zombies. They do not have a duration and will stay raised until dead. These types of minions will follow us wherever we go. They will also follow the lead of summoned minions as well.

Lastly lastly, minions don't care about you. So if you're taking damage, they aren't going to run back and help you. You have to help yourself.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Levelling

In my opinion, there are two types of "levellers" in PoE:

1. The first, is a player that knows the game well enough that, no matter the guide/build, they have no need for direction.
2. The second is a player that wants to be able to level like the person I just mentioned.

Though newer PoE players may find PoE daunting, I feel the most efficient way to learn PoE is to make decisions for yourself. I think you'll be surprised how quickly you catch on to each mechanic you start playing with. So this section won't be about holding your hand and giving you a step-by-step process. It'll guide and encourage you to choose between the pros and cons your character will constantly face...while levelling and selecting gear. I know, I know, you hate me. But maybe you'll thank me later? Maybe?

(Remember, I have some tips for new players in my One Stop Shop that'll help in the overall PoE experience that any levelling process will benefit from. Below are tips for levelling this character, not general levelling tips.)

Where to Get All the Gems You'll Need

There are two NPCs that sell all purchasable gems: the first one is Siosa in the Library in Act 3 (you have to do his quest first (the Library is connected to The Imperial Gardens)), the second NPC is Lilly Roth in Act 6 (Do her quest in Act 6).

Act 1 - Enemy at the Gate - Reward - Level 1 - Raise Zombie (1x Scroll of Wisdom)
Act 1 - The Caged Brute - Reward - Level 10 - Summon Skeletons (1x Orb of Transmutation)
Act 1 - The Caged Brute - Purchase - Level 10 - Clarity (1x Orb of Transmutation)
Act 1 - The Caged Brute - Purchase - Level 10 - Vitality (1x Orb of Transmutation)
Act 1 - The Caged Brute - Purchase - Level 10 - Withering Step (1x Orb of Transmutation)
Act 1 - The Siren’s Cadence - Purchase - Level 12 - Bone Offering (1x Orb of Transmutation)
Act 2 - Intruders in Black - Reward - Level 16 - Desecrate (1x Orb of Alteration)
Act 2 - Sharp and Cruel - Reward - Level 18 - Predator Support (1x Orb of Alteration)
Act 2 - Sharp and Cruel - Purchase - Level 18 - Increased Critical Damage Support (1x Orb of Alteration)
Act 2 - Sharp and Cruel - Purchase - Level 18 - Melee Physical Support (1x Orb of Alteration)
Act 3 - Lost in Love - Purchase - Level 24 - Pride (1x Orb of Alteration)
Act 3 - Sever the Right Hand - Reward - Level 28 - Raise Spectre (1x Orb of Chance)
Act 3 - A Fixture of Fate - Reward - Level 31 - Meat Shield Support (1x Orb of Chance)
Act 3 - A Fixture of Fate - Purchase - Level 1 - Ruthless Support (1x Scroll of Wisdom)
Act 3 - A Fixture of Fate - Purchase - Level 14 - Vulnerability (1x Orb of Alteration)
Act 3 - A Fixture of Fate - Purchase - Level 16 - Defiance Banner (1x Orb of Alteration)
Act 3 - A Fixture of Fate - Purchase - Level 24 - Determination (1x Orb of Alteration)
Act 3 - A Fixture of Fate - Purchase - Level 28 - Maim Support (1x Orb of Transmutation)
Act 3 - A Fixture of Fate - Purchase - Level 31 - Arrogance Support (1x Orb of Chance)
Act 3 - A Fixture of Fate - Purchase - Level 31 - Feeding Frenzy Support (1x Orb of Chance)
Act 4 - Breaking the Seal - Reward - Level 34 - Summon Chaos Golem (1x Orb of Chance)
Act 4 - Breaking the Seal - Purchase - Level 34 - Void Sphere (1x Orb of Chance)
Act 4 - The Eternal Nightmare - Purchase - Level 38 - Cast when Damage Taken 2x (1x Orb of Alchemy each)
Act 4 - The Eternal Nightmare - Purchase - Level 38 - Hextouch Support (1x Orb of Alchemy)
Act 6 - Fallen from Grace - Purchase - Level 38 - Brutality Support (1x Orb of Alchemy)

(Let me know if you see any errors in the list.)

Which Quests to Do?
- I suggest doing every quest in the game. It doesn't take too much longer and you'll get some nice bonus gear to help the SSF process. For those that just want to rush to the Endgame, here's a link to all the quests that give Passive Points as a reward. You don't want to miss those.

Bandits
- With the Bandits in Act 2, I kill them all for the extra 2 skill points. You, of course, do what you like.

The Lord's Labyrinth
- Here's a list of all the lab trials for the first three labyrinths (the trials for the fourth lab are found randomly in endgame maps).

How to Level the Build
What Skill(s) Should I Use
- Our main skill, Raise Zombies, is available right away. They don't really have the survivability to be efficient right away so I like to use Summon Raging Spirits (SRS) or Summon Skeleton. You'll want to keep a mana flask for SRS. Feel free to use SRS/skeletons until any point in the game, just be sure that you're levelling the build's gems too.

Once your zombies hit around gem level 11 they start to be able to hold their own. I've found that Zombies-Minion Damage-Summon Phantasm is a great 3 link to level with.

This build is really easy to level.

Passive Tree
- You can honestly go in any direction you like. The main points to the tree are: life nodes for you, minion nodes, the Glancing Blows Keystone, and the Sovereignty cluster (so we can run all of our auras). No matter the direction you choose, if you pick all nodes as they come across without skipping any, you'll have a very balanced character as you level. There really isn't a wrong way to go. There isn't anything wrong with getting any major nodes early or later on.
- If you have to be told what to do in order to progress ;), progress on your tree like I progress my maps; "hug the right wall". There's no reason for it though. I just like turning right :).
- Another thing to consider is that some major nodes won't become relevant right away. It'll take time for the build to come together. So there isn't a reason to rush to a node (except for maybe the mana reservation efficiency nodes) until your gear and gems are all set up nicely.

Gear
- Gear is so easy here. Minions only benefit from terms that specifically say Minion or Ally, and most of those mods don't drop while you're levelling, only in the end-game. So you're really only looking for gear for yourself that has better life and resists than what you currently have equipped. It's really that simple. High-five for minions!

Endgame Mods to Avoid

At the end of the game, the levels (maps) you try and clear will have random modifiers (mods) allocated to them. There are A LOT of mods that can go on a map.

This build should only avoid maps that roll Physical Reflect and No Mana Regen.

Some other map mods might be inconvenient, but they won't be impossible to run. For example, I HATE maps that lower my recovery rate of anything. You don't have to avoid it for this build, but I try to anyway.

You'll learn your personal preferences the more you play. If you hate dying, pay attention to map mods. Some maps may look innocent, but the mods combined together may be a killer combo. Some mods are fine for mapping but are deadly because of the boss in the map. You'll learn over time if you're not apathetic. Also, just a heads up, if you don't like re-rolling maps, you may need to modify your playstyle slightly for each map based on the mods rolled on a map.

Media (Videos/Filters/Tools/Links/Social Media)

- Here's BONE ZOMBIES 3.17 Example Video.
- My YouTube channel shows my most recent Path of Exile sessions.
- My broadcast channel. Twitch keeps the last 14 days worth of broadcasts. I don't always play awake, but I'd rather play than not :).

Filters:
- I make my own filters AND YOU ARE REQUIRED TO LOVE THEM! Just kidding...but they are awesome. They will make looting a MUCH more relaxing experience. They only filter gear. So if you don't want to miss out on ANY currency these are perfect for you. One filter is guide specific (it only displays gear relevant to all my guides) and the other is a global filter for any build. The filters are progressive. So you don't have to worry about switching filters when you want gear to get more strict. It does it for you! Details for each tier of each filter are within the filters themselves. Both the "Guide Specific" and the "Everyone" filters are available on all platforms. If you click "Follow" next to the filter that you want, it'll automatically load to your filter list in-game when you login! And it automatically updates upon each login as well!

Social:
- Forever Exiled - A Path of Exile Podcast is a PoE podcast hosted by both Tagz and myself. We talk about everything Path of Exile...and only PoE. If you're looking for a podcast run by casual gamers but lovers of PoE, feel free to check it out!
- My Twitter. I only use my twitter account to give updates on PoE stuff like my guides and filters. I don't use Twitter for anything personal. So if you want updates about when guides are done or filter corrections have been updated, feel free to follow.

Software and Build Links:
- PoEMate - My primary build planning tool. It's mobile. (If the link doesn't work in your area, just search PoEMate in your mobile store. Hopefully, it's available in your region. Every league it's updated faster than any other tool I use.)
- PoEPlanner's link. (Follow it for automatic updates (if I make any changes).)
- I don't use Path of Building, but everyone else seems to. You can download PoB here and use this 3.17's Pastebin: https://pastebin.com/0H9RThyK.

Curiosity:

Change Log

More damage and more Defence! Nice, right?

- The passive tree changed a bit to accommodate a little min/maxing for accuracy, damage, and masteries. (Thanks for your feedback last league!)

- Stun is still in the build, but I removed Stun Support.
- The last 2 supports for Zombies are now optional. Players can choose between Brutality, Increased Critical Damage, Skeletons, and/or Predator.

- Skitterbots was removed and replaced with Determination and Defiance Banner
- Minion life was removed from Spectres to accommodate the extra aura I added (hopefully the Spectres I like to use weren't part of the spectre group that GGG cut the life on...)

- I removed Culling strike and added CwDT to the Void Sphere link
- I modified the gem levels of utility skills so they weren't costing as much mana (again).
- Replaced the Carrion golem with the Chaos Golem.

Without Items:
- The build's damage with the spectres I use (gaining both power and frenzy charges) went from 450K DPS to 1.2M DPS
- Our physical damage mitigation went from 12% to 74%

All in all, some solid improvements! Let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by again!

Build History

3.16 - Stress-Free PoE w/ BONE ZOMBIES! Relax & SSF League Start-End w/ “Any” Items & 1-Button | 3.16

3.15 - Stress-Free PoE :-) | BONE ZOMBIES: No Required Items, 1-Button Play, SSF League Start-End | 3.15

3.14 - Stress-Free PoE! BONE ZOMBIES: No Required Items! 1-Button Play! SSF League Start-End! 3.14

3.13 - Stress-Free PoE! BONE ZOMBIES: No Required Items! 1-Button Play! SSF League Start-End! 3.13

3.12 - Stress-Free PoE! BONE ZOMBIES: No Required Items! 1-Button Play! SSF League Start-End! 3.12

3.11 - 3.11 - Stress-Free PoE! SLOW-MO ZOMBIES: No Required Items! 1-Button Play! SSF League Start-End!

3.10 - 3.10|Stress-Free PoE| SLOW-MO ZOMBIES |Use Any Items You Want|1 Button Gameplay|Easily Customizable

3.9 - 3.9| Stress-Free PoE - SLOW-MO ZOMBIES |SSF the Atlas w/ 1 Button & Any Gear|Dungeon Crawl PoE!

3.8 - 3.8| Stress Free PoE - SLOW-MO ZOMBIES |Clear the Atlas with YOUR Items at YOUR Pace (SSF & Co-op)

3.7 - 3.7| Stress Free PoE - SLOW-MO ZOMBIES |Clear the Atlas with YOUR Items at YOUR Pace (SSF & Co-op)

3.6 - Stress Free PoE| SLOW MO ZOMBIES |ANY Items Work|Easy/Relaxing Play|Easily Clears the Atlas [3.6]

3.5 - Slow Mo Zombies! (No Uniques Needed|Relaxed Playstyle|Easy to Gear|Anyone Can Play|All Content)[3.5]

3.4 - Super Slow Mo! (All content! No uniques required! Perfect for new, SSF, & challenged gamers.) (3.4)

3.3 - Super Slow Mo! (No uniques required! Made for new, physically challenged, & SSF gamers.)(3.3)

3.2 - 3.2 - Wrecker of Days - Super Slow Motion - Explained and Designed to Take New Players to the End

3.1 - 3.1 - SRS - Super Slow Mo - Cheap (5C) (Perfect for new players, poor players, and endgame players).

Replies:
Awesome! So if you have any questions about the guide or build, let me know and I'll respond the best I can. Don't feel embarrassed or shy. Ask anything you like. It's easy to miss/overlook details in the guide or on the wiki. Likely someone else wants to know the answer too :). Plus, I may have missed putting something valuable in the guide.

A Few Things to Note:
- I'll reply to questions and comments related to the posted guide, not to personal modifications. I have no problem at all with people changing the build up and "making it their own". I even partially design the guides to be easily accommodating in that sense. BUT in PoE, small changes are big changes. It may not seem like much, but the chain reactions of any change to a build (both in the theoretical sense and its impact on actual gameplay) are always farther reaching than we think. I don't want to miss something in my advice on changes you're making if I haven't played with it in-game myself. So I'm not trying to discourage you from trying things out or making it your own by any means. Just do so at your own risk. If it doesn't work out for you, just revert back to the guide and you'll be dancing :).

- I likely won't have time to evaluate characters (sorry!). I'll do what I can but it may not be feasible sometimes. Hopefully, the gear and levelling sections along with the tips in the One Stop Shop are helpful enough so you know what to look for on your items and how to improve them.

- Feel free to respond to other players' posts! The more that's out there, the more we learn. Please be kind, respectful, and theoretical (not a Know-It-All) when helping others out. I will happily respond to questions but please note that I have multiple guides and I'd like to respond to each poster equally. I’ll do my best to get back to you as quickly as possible but set your expectations that I'll respond to each guide once a week. Also, I have to remind myself all the time that everything in real life should always be more important than Path of Exile :(. So I'll try to respond when I can (cause I want to!) but only when it's appropriate to do so.


The End:
Here's a list of my other guides if you're interested :).

OH! Don't forget, to support GGG by buying a skin for all your favourite skills you use. They last forever, you look rad, and it keeps PoE going too :).

Double OH! I make a new thread every league for every guide I do. So all the comments, questions, and answers you read are all relevant for this current expansion. (At the end of a league I post links in the previous guide to guide players to the newest rendition of the build.)

Tripple Oh! Please let me know if you see any errors. I'll fix them as soon as possible!

K. Done. Happy gaming :).

"

PlatuN194 wrote:

Spoiler

Oooops!

Hey, PlatuN194!

Anytime someone accidentally replies by quoting a whole post, it's normally because they were looking for something in regards to how a guide is laid out or how something guide-related was done.

I'm happy to answer any questions if you still had some.