Making a Summoner

[NotSoKoolAid]

Making a Summoner

Hey, i was planning on making a summoner, because im hearing they arent half bad as i thought. I've had issues with using one, because i wont survive without my summons. My questions are: what skills should i use my points on, like going toward golems or skeletons, how should i use my stat points (without maxing block, ive already read arguements on that, and i know i dont need), and how should i use my summoner in general? It's a lot to answer, but i would greatly appreciate any opinions people have. It's better than just making decisions on my own. My only conditions are that i would like to not have to depend on using specific items or have to depend on my merc.

Thanks :thumbsup:

 

[bruticus]

hi! welcome to the necro forum. lots of knowledgable types here for any summoner build you can imagine.

here's a link to the stickied thread for necro build guides:
http://forums.diabloii.net/showthread.php?t=366742

and here's a link to one of the most popular necro summoner builds, the Fishymancer:
http://forums.diabloii.net/showthread.php?t=349093

the Fishymancer is a great build - very safe, very easy way to get into necromancers. fun to play, and pretty powerful too. pretty much any necro with this build will be able to solo hell baal.

the "official" build is done pretty early (maxing Raise Skeleton, Skeleton Mastery, Corpse Explosion, and points in Amp and other curses), leaving plenty of room to customize.

typically, people pump Dim Vision for safety, Raise Skeleton Mage for elemental damage (and the ability to solo uber), and so on. when you're at level 75-80, you'll have more questions about what specific skills to bump.

good luck!

 

[Forbiddian]

Maxing CE is unnecessary, I don't know why everyone pressures people into wasting all of their points. There are a bunch of people in the hardcore graveyard who read the guide and died because they didn't have bone armor and got gg'd by any random physical enemy.

20 pts toward Bone Armor=300 hps.

 

[LokiNya]

I like a high Corpse Explosion. I often solo cows with my level 80 Trang-Oul necro, and it is awesome with a full army of skeletons, mages and the 10 cow revives I get from the one point I put in it.
When one cow dies you can teke everything else with CE.

I don't use bone armor and never died... but I play softcore... so when playing hardcore I think I'd take it, just to be safe. ^^;

Also very important: your act 2 offensive mercanary from nightmare.

 

[Moe the Barkeep]

Maxing CE is unnecessary, I don't know why everyone pressures people into wasting all of their points. There are a bunch of people in the hardcore graveyard who read the guide and died because they didn't have bone armor and got gg'd by any random physical enemy.

20 pts toward Bone Armor=300 hps.

Well, thats hardcore.

My summoner never dies, unless I teleport into a mob, which is no big deal in softcore. I maxxed CE and I love it. Awesome range and killing speed.

 

[Forbiddian]

Yeah, but softcore players seem to expect everyone plays softcore. Hardcore players only expect sc players shouldn't die.


The guide should really come with a disclaimer for HC players, because maxing CE is so unnecessary (but probably the best investment if you can eat a few deaths now and then), and Bone Armor adds so much survivability.

 

[JayhawkFan]

Maxing CE is unnecessary, I don't know why everyone pressures people into wasting all of their points. There are a bunch of people in the hardcore graveyard who read the guide and died because they didn't have bone armor and got gg'd by any random physical enemy.

20 pts toward Bone Armor=300 hps.

1 pt bone armor and 20 pts bone wall=320