Chuck and LHWhat do you think of this build idea for a Necro hybrid totem / xbow (just the basic idea). Concept:
* The 1.2 patch made it possible to make totems survive without investing in Nightwalker.
* Instead use Rathma's Chosen. This will require many fewer skill points.
The basic idea is to use the totems for cover (and offence), since the necro himself is very safe "under" the totems after using Bend the Shadows. So build as a xbow necro but divert points to:
* 1 point in each totem (or just Death's Fury, see below).
* Max Rathma's Chosen as the level 90 skill (instead of Death Ward in the xbow necro or Jinn in totem).
* 1 Point in each skill down to Bend the Shadows. maybe all the way to Talon's Hold since xbow uses that and Bane.
* 1 point in the Skeletal Flayers for Bend the Shadow. Possibly 1 more for Rampagor for a bigger target.
Some of this largely as LH's totem necro guide but using Rathma's Chosen and the totems would be Death's Fury (and maybe Howling).
It's also possible to build this with a totem bias. Just carry a crossbow to use Death Shards. An honourific maybe so it can have MOs and perhaps no need for Fragmentation Shot, just use Sacrifices, Death Shards and Boneyard/Funeral Pyre (except Death Shards is based on weapon damage?). There are probably many variants possible giving different bias to the various options including things like Dragonfire Oil.
The rest is as per Chuck's xbow necro #38 The Arsonist. Shaving points out of somewhere to get the few points needed for the totems as above.
It is possible to further minimise the totem points by only having 1 point in Death's Fury totem and creating 5 of those to hide under. When the xbow side buffs fire damage this will also buff the totem. Howling totem may be nice for crushing blow though. It may depend how many skill points can be spared from xbow side.
is this workable do you think? You gentlemen know the game much better than me and would know best how to optimise the options and itemise the character at each stage. If you think it would work then please feel free to expand it into a full build.