[2.6] Hybrid Baron Summoner Nercomancer (Zombie Focused)

Hey everyone, Tibasu here with a written guide for my Hybrid Baron Summoner Necromancer

TL:DR? Here's a Video Explaining the Basics


Budget?
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This build can be done on a budget if you go for the Life version of this build using rares instead of uniques. The uniques used aren't expensive at all, but at the start of a league, you may not have them as quickly as you want


Pros & Cons
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Pros:
-Tanky
-Can actually make use of skeletons
-Not clear speed meta
-Pretty cheap

Cons:
-I don't use spectres so not clear speed meta
-Zombie AI is a joke at times
-Probably won't be doing guardians or Shaper without tons of practice and time


Build Information
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This build focusing on using the new Summoner Helm, The Baron and 2 Violent Dead unique jewels to put the focus on zombies

This helm opens up a new type of summoner build, one that stacks tons of strength. This mean's you'll end up very tanky in terms of Life pool, but thanks to the other stats on the helm, you get a few extra zombies, your minions get a bit more life, they all become powerful physical attackers and your zombies will leech life for you if you manage to hit the 1k strength bench mark, which isn't too difficult.


Clearing Maps with zombies is only possible with 2 Violent Dead jewels because it actually means zombies can use an area skill. Using melee splash would cost a link and normally zombies don't slam often

There are many ways to stack strength and to scale it, but this build focuses on using 2 other uniques that benefit from strength as well.


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Geofri's Sanctuary will give you flat energy shield based on your strength. This is useful for 2 reasons, the energy shield is scale along side your strength meaning you're gaining flat life from the strength with energy shield at the same time, and energy shield can be recovered without using flasks. Instead of having to spend portals for more flask charges, you can resummon your zombies to recover them then rely on your energy shield recharge keeping you alive. Just make sure you run out of danger anytime your energy shield gets low. You also get Zealot's Oath from the chest piece which helps keep your energy shield up.



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Shaper's Touch
Does a few things that are nice for this build. The main thing is scaling your energy shield even higher based on strength. I was able to hit 4828 Life and 6264 ES with my current set up despite missing both life and energy shield on a few pieces and not using discipline. You also get a lot of flat mana meaning you can avoid mana on gear and also have just enough unreserved to resummon your minions as well as constantly summon either skeletons or summon raging spirits to direct your zombies.


Could I Just Use Rare Gear?
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Other than the helm, yes of course! Rare gear will make it easier to cap your resists and give you 2 slots for 40-50 strength. You'll be able to hit 1.2k strength a lot easier with rare gear meaning you have your zombies leeching to your life pool as well as 12 zombies (Or 6 with mon'tregul)


Mapping?
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I've been able to do pretty much all map mods up to T13 (I still don't have any T14 or T15 maps...) including bosses on a 5 link with Minion Life and no damage auras. I doubt you will be able to do guardians or Shaper since you need quite abit of DPS for those fights plus your zombies will be taking tons of damage and resummoning them during a fight is a pain, but if anyone has experience with this, let me know if it's possible.

Map Mods to Avoid?
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Chain and No Regen are the only things that are really bad. No regen is possible and I have done it, but you'll need a mana flask and you have to pay attention to how much you use your mana which is just annoying. Reflect might be a problem, but I never bothered trying since I didn't want to waste any maps. Totems is slightly annoying too if you get unlucky and have tons of Allies Cannot Die totems show up since zombie AI is a joke, but still doing of course.


Uniques
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Required:
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The Baron (Duh)
Geofri's Sanctuary (For this Version of the Build)
Shaper's Touch (For this Version of the Build)
Alberon's Warpath (There is no reason to not use 18% Strength boots that cost an alc)
Violent Dead let's your zombies slam 90% of the time, making them able to actually clear a map
Brawn Crimson Jewel let's you multiply your strength by a lot, 6% per jewel slot at max rol. Might not be possible to hit 1k strength without a few but I don't math


Useful Uniques
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Mon'tregul cuts your zombies in half but makes them tanky and powerful. I think it's the best choice after some testing
Astramentis gives up to 116 all attributes (Max roll) which is helpful in every way. A rare amulet does offer resists, life and energy shield however
Queen's Escape means you give up strength/life/ES on a shield but your zombies will move so much faster and you get an extra one. Without it, you'll want Flesh Offering up 100% of the time to not hate your life
Severed in Sleep/United in Dreams might be interesting since your minions do so much physical damage but I wouldn't bother with this type of build
Femur of the Saints makes you a niche build. +2 to your zombies in a 6 link is pretty nice plus attack speed for them as you summon more and more skeletons. If you find space for spectres then you get an interesting build
Grip of the Council is decent when paired with Queen's Escape since the movement speed penalty won' be noticed and the gloves do offer abit of strength. 20% extra cold is pretty nice too since our minions are mostly physical
Doon Cuebiyari offers 50-70 strength in the weapon slot. You can then socket a lightning skill to use Elemental Equilibrium and get a decent amount of power with iron will


Leveling
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I leveled using zombies and skeletons because I had 2 Violent Dead jewels and a Queen's Escape. Since these are pretty cheap, you can do the same, or just level as Summon Raging Spirits

11 Points
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Rush to first jewel socket and put in 1 Violent Dead (If you go for Non-Hybrid version, then either go through the int nodes or the mana regen)http://poeurl.com/bexx


22 Points
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Grab the second jewel socket for the second Violent Dead, then grab MoM for easy tanking while leveling http://poeurl.com/bexA


37 Points
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Go through the Templar area grabbing strength, life, and into the Scion Life Square. You can start using The Baron as soon as you have it. Skip the jewel socket for now. You'll use it for Brawn jewels but you need to make sure you have enough intelligence first http://poeurl.com/bexE


50 Points
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Grab the Minion Nodes above Templar and near Scion http://poeurl.com/bexE


73 Points
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I recommend grabbing strength to reach the extra zombies thresholds. Most strength nodes are close to life too, so you can grab some if you feel too squishy http://poeurl.com/bexQ


91 Points
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Grab the jewel sockets and fill them with Brawn Jewels. Make sure you still have the intelligence to use your gems. By now you can drop MoM and pick up some extra minion nodes on the right side of Witch and Might above MoM http://poeurl.com/bexO

From here there are a few things you can do. Simply grab Life or Energy shield, get Champion of the Cause under Duelist for abit more aura radius or get Elemental Equilibrium if you want (Cast Arc, have Hatred and Added Fire on minions) Some life nodes are close to 1 point 20 strength nodes. Unwavering Stance is very close if you hate stuns that much too.


My lv88 Tree
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http://poeurl.com/beym
I'm putting this build to rest at this point because I want to work on my Non-Crit Glacial Hammer character. I have no idea what I would get if I were to level past 90 except maybe more life to counter chaos damage


Gear
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This is my Hybrid set up with 4828 Life and 6264 ES. Use rares with ~50 strength if you want to go pure Life. For your amulet, you can also use Three Rats for 14-16% attributes, but finding a really good one might cost quite abit. Your choice of weapon will depend on your play style and what other minions you decide to use. I when with Mon'tregul because I wanted to focus on zombies


Links
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Zombies
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Melee Physical > Minion Damage > Faster Attacks > Minion Life > Added Fire

Multistrike would cause the zombies to lock in place when using normal attacks, and also doesnt work with their slam. I use faster attacks because the slam is abit slow, but if Flesh Offering is up, then the speed is alright so you can replace it with Added Fire or Minion Speed. I didn't notice a difference when using Increased Area of Effect


Commanding Zombies
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Zombie AI requires you to tell them what to attack or they kinda stand around 70% of the time, so you'll need something that let's you direct them to packs or bosses.

(Inside The Baron)
Skeletons/SRS > Minion Damage > Melee Physical > Multistrike

Skeletons let you easily drop them somewhere and have your zombies run to that spot. SRS are more for if you just want to hold right click and let your minions do their own thing. Both work but offer different styles. Multistrike is used here because it doesn't matter if these minions are locked in place since they are used just to direct the zombies and extra single target

If using Doon Cuebiyari
Arc/Ball Lightning > Curse on Hit > Elemental Weakness/Enfeeble/Temp Chains

Lightning skills to activate EE then using added fire and/or hatred on your zombies for extra damage. The Curse on Hit is just extra damage or to help your zombies live longer during sketchy map mods


Auras
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These are based on personal preferences
Hatred for more Damage
Haste for quicker clear
Vitality for longer living zombies
Purity of Elements if you aren't elemental capped or for heavy elemental damage maps
Clarity so you can quickly summon skeletons/SRS


Other Gems
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Convocation for easy zombie grouping
Desecrate
Flesh Offering > Increased Duration should be up 100% of the time
Spectre of your choice


Ascendancy
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I went with Necromancer for a few reasons. Commander of Darkness makes it easier to cap resists on both your zombies and you as well, as well as just extra DPS. Mistress of Sacrifice helps you run faster and cast skeletons/SRS quicker and Spirit Eater is again just more damage. Last 2 points can go to Flesh Binder for more Phys defense or Beacon of Corruption for extra chaos resist and the occasional Caustic Cloud during hard fights. I would go with Beacon as my last 2
Last bumped on Apr 6, 2017, 12:16:29 AM

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