Summoner Necro skill build and item advice

[patrick_pkl]

Hi all,

Thinking of trying out a summoner necro with a focus towards clearing rifts e.g. k3k, duncraig, fauz.

What would you advice in terms of skill build? I've got

Satanic Mantra

Satanic Mantra
(Necromancer Summoner Set)

Till We Have Heaven In Sight
Through Death's Veil
Lend Me Thy Light
Archangel Dark Angel

Set Bonus with 2 or more set items:
+75% to Summoned Minion Life
+200% to Summoned Minion Attack Rating

Set Bonus with 3 or more set items:
+2 to Necromancer Skill Levels
+50% to Summoned Minion Damage

Set Bonus with complete set:
+3 to Necromancer Skill Levels
+1 to Maximum Necromancer Minions
+25 to Void Archon
+17 to Dark Power
+100% to Summoned Minion Life
+50% to Summoned Minion Damage

,

Iron Shard

Iron Shard
Raptor Scythe (Sacred)
Two-Hand Damage: (223 - 280) to (401 - 470)
(Necromancer Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Strength: 1439
Item Level: 105
Strength Damage Bonus: (0.16 per Strength)%
Ethereal
Mega Impact
When Iron Golem Consumes This Item:
+20% Deadly Strike
+20% Crushing Blow
+160% to Iron Golem Damage
10% Chance to cast level 10 Spike Rush on Melee Attack
Adds (31 to 50)-(201 to 230) Damage
(101 to 150)% Bonus to Attack Rating
+(100 to 140)% Enhanced Damage
+(1001 to 5000) Defense
Decrease Maximum Life -20%
5% Reanimate as: Random Monster
Requirements +250%
Socketed (6)

,

Grim Visor

Grim Visor
Wand (Sacred)
One-Hand Damage: 35 to 36
(Necromancer Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 249
Item Level: 105
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.06 per Dexterity)%
Grim Vision: Aura Level Increased by 5
+(1 to 2) to All Skills
+(0 to 1) to Maximum Necromancer Minions
+50% Damage to Undead
+(31 to 60)% to Summoned Minion Life
+(11 to 25)% to Summoned Minion Resistances
+(101 to 150)% to Summoned Minion Attack Rating
+(1001 to 2500) Defense
(21 to 25)% to Vitality
-2 to Light Radius
Requirements +50%
Socketed (2)

,

King's Desire

King's Desire
Grim Wand (Sacred)
One-Hand Damage: 39 to 44
(Necromancer Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 172
Item Level: 105
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.06 per Dexterity)%
Veil King: +25% Total Damage
Night Hawks: +10% Total Damage and +2 Extra Hawks
+(1 to 4) to Necromancer Skill Levels
25% Cast Speed
+50% Damage to Undead
+(16 to 30)% to Summoned Minion Damage
+100 to Strength
+(501 to 1000) to Life
Physical Resist -5%
Socketed (2)

- Which summons are advisable to max?
- And which of the ultimate skills to take? Jinn, Veiled King, or Rathma's chosen. They all seem good but I guess Jinn goes more with abyss knights.
- When it says hawks synergies are grim vision aura and evocation aura, does that mean they carry the aura even if blood skeletons or rathma's chosen is not summoned?

Also, any idea what type of necromancer build these items are for?

Storm Focus

Storm Focus
Bone Wand (Sacred)
One-Hand Damage: 37 to 40
(Necromancer Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 170
Item Level: 105
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.06 per Dexterity)%
+(4 to 6) to Necromancer Skill Levels
+(50 to 100) Spell Focus
30% Cast Speed
+50% Damage to Undead
+(20 to 30)% to Lightning Spell Damage
-(20 to 30)% to Enemy Lightning Resistance
+(30 to 40)% to Summoned Minion Life
Maximum Lightning Resist +2%
30% Gold Find
Socketed (2)

,

Bottled Will-o-Wisp

Bottled Will-o-Wisp
Preserved Head (Sacred)
Defense: (2430 - 3037) to (2600 - 3250)
Chance to Block: 2%
(Necromancer Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 436
Item Level: 105
+(3 to 4) to Necromancer Skill Levels
-20% to Enemy Lightning Resistance
+40% to Summoned Minion Life
+(100 to 150)% Enhanced Defense
Maximum Elemental Resists +1%
Lightning Absorb 10%
Socketed (4)

it seems like its for totem necro but why the minion life? (which i understand doesn't boost totems?)

Hand of Rathma

Hand of Rathma
Wand (Sacred)
One-Hand Damage: 35 to 36
(Necromancer Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 166
Item Level: 125
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.06 per Dexterity)%
+1% Maximum Elemental Resists per Totem of that Element
+1.5% Physical Resist per Resurgence Base Level
Orb Effects Applied to this Item are Doubled
+50% Damage to Undead
-33% to Enemy Elemental Resistances
+(76 to 100)% to Summoned Minion Damage
+5000 Defense
Socketed (2)

again seems like its for totem necro but why the minion damage?

Thanks in advance!

[ixvid_]

I think +%minion life and damage is for empowering your Jinn's, since they are the most optimal reward skill for totem necro. Funny, I have both of those items (storm focus and bottled wisp) and was asking myself same question, if not for totem necro (but why only stormeye focus ?) than mayby some Oskil lightning spell?

[Istaryu]

Hand of Rathma

Hand of Rathma
Wand (Sacred)
One-Hand Damage: 35 to 36
(Necromancer Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 166
Item Level: 125
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.06 per Dexterity)%
+1% Maximum Elemental Resists per Totem of that Element
+1.5% Physical Resist per Resurgence Base Level
Orb Effects Applied to this Item are Doubled
+50% Damage to Undead
-33% to Enemy Elemental Resistances
+(76 to 100)% to Summoned Minion Damage
+5000 Defense
Socketed (2)

again seems like its for totem necro but why the minion damage?

The Sentinel's Sorrow

The Sentinel's Sorrow
Gargoyle Head (Sacred)
Defense: (3333 - 3750) to (3957 - 4452)
Chance to Block: 2%
(Necromancer Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 443
Item Level: 120
-1 to Maximum Totems
Minion Damage Also Increases Your Spell Damage at 50% Efficiency
+(3 to 4) to Necromancer Skill Levels
-15% to Enemy Elemental Resistances
+(140 to 170)% Enhanced Defense
+(75 to 150) Life Regenerated per Second
Regenerate Mana +15%
Elemental Resists -30%
Socketed (4)

I think +%minion life and damage is for empowering your Jinn's, since they are the most optimal reward skill for totem necro.

I don't think it is. Veil king is the best choice imo, its a big boy tank. Also see above.

[ixvid_]

I don't think it is. Veil king is the best choice imo, its a big boy tank. Also see above.

I still prefere Jinn's for elemental pierce. Still, what's with the storm focus and bottled wisp lightning spell/pierce bonuses? How can be utilized?

[patrick_pkl]

Thanks for the insight into the items!
I guess it helps for lightning totem since totems inherit pierce/spell damage. Makes more sense to give tri-element spell damage/pierce for all totems though.

Any thoughts on the best summoner necro skill build and ultimate skill for clearing rifts?
Guessing for summons I have two options, either hawks or abyss knights? Abyss knights seem like the way to go for rifts with the bigger AOE than hawks?
For ultimate skill, I guess I go Jinn if I max abyss knights. Whereas Rathma's chosen if I choose to go hawks?

[Diaco]

Abyss Knights + Jinn for farming
Hawks + rathma's chosen for bossing

[patrick_pkl]

Abyss Knights + Jinn for farming
Hawks + rathma's chosen for bossing

Thanks. If I understand physical to elemental conversion mechanics on abyss knights, they still benefit from physical damage boost through skeleton's aura or bloodlust right? The bonus physical damage is applied, then converted correct?

[patrick_pkl]

Abyss Knights + Jinn for farming
Hawks + rathma's chosen for bossing

I've been playing a bit with Jinn + Abyss knights, and I'm wondering if you think rathma's chosen is still better overall with Abyss knights compared to Jinn's?