Summoner builds need a change.

Summoner builds in this game are very bland. The whole concept revolves around using the minions for everything, no real background casting, just focus on casting minion support spells and wait for them to do the job. and Minion Instability being something almost no summoner uses also doesn't help.

We could use a MI gem, or a support gem the allows linked minion gems to not be affected by MI that way Summoners could use their zombies as tanks and Skellies as sacrificial suicide units. something to make the summoner builds more interesting.

Because i highly doubt we will be seeing any ranged or caster summons outside of the Vaal Summon Skeletons.

But that would be something I would also like to see. A caster based minion gem that summons elementals to your side that fire additional projectiles with reduced damage in sync with your casts. In turn the gem can not be used while ZOmbie, Skelton gems are equipped. A summon for each elemental type.

Maybe a Skeletal Archer skill gem that can't be used with regular skeleton minions so the player has to choose between the two.

Whatever it may be something needs to change with how summoners work or allow for more variety in summons and summoner builds. Becauase as i said up top the summoner builds are just too bland right now.

"

DexterMorganBHB a écrit :

Summoner builds in this game are very bland. The whole concept revolves around using the minions for everything, no real background casting

Casting curses and Arc to trigger Elemental Equilibrium, re-summoning minions, using minion potions, re-positioning your minions with a mine, etc... it can be a rather active playstyle. You can also build differently, e.g. add in Detonate Dead.

All I got out of that was "I don't like this build, so you should change it".

Here's a thought. Quit playing characters you don't like.

That is still the bland i am talking about though. Why not have something where the minions boost the player and not just the other way around. just a little more variety. especially to the minion types the straight melee is so boring. making some skeletal archers, and not just from the vaal gem either would still be a nice improvement.

"

Shagsbeard a écrit :

All I got out of that was "I don't like this build, so you should change it".

Here's a thought. Quit playing characters you don't like.

Then you weren't reading it through. I was talking about making more variety to the summoner. I don't play this build anymore because i find it boring but i am a fan of summoner builds so it would be nice to see some more variety. especially from a game this open to build customization.

though the title of the thread certainly sounds other wise that was my poor choice of words for the title. But really I don't think the current summoner set up should change just again add more variety to the summoner build possibilities, so we get more variety in end game possibility.

"

Mivo a écrit :

"

DexterMorganBHB a écrit :

Summoner builds in this game are very bland. The whole concept revolves around using the minions for everything, no real background casting

Casting curses and Arc to trigger Elemental Equilibrium, re-summoning minions, using minion potions, re-positioning your minions with a mine, etc... it can be a rather active playstyle. You can also build differently, e.g. add in Detonate Dead.

Yupp, my Summoner Witch may be more active than my Melee Groundslam Marauder that actualy only smashes endlessly onto the, well, ground. XD
To keep my fragile Summoner alive, I have to move alot, recast Skelly Totems, cast dual curses, support Minions with my Arc to trigger shock stacks and guide their attacks I also use Flesh offering to boost Minions even more, actualy alot to cast for an "passive" build. :)

People who think you have to do nothing as Summoner in PoE may actualy never played one. And if they found it boring, they may have not played it very efficiently. I find my Melee charas more boring compared to my always busy Summoner.
But maybe this is just my hyperactive play style, who knows. ^^

I think OP has a fair point.

I'm playing a summoner at the moment.

Early game is very poor.

Minions have too low life, even with minion nodes and minion life gem.
The only early access to a damage boost is from Wrath, but you have to sacrifice not taking skeletons.
Have to mostly rely on your own spells for damage. I recommend firestorm, storm call, or freezing pulse in that order.

Mid to late game (60~ish).
I've not had a problem with minion survivability after a certain point. Minion regen nodes, leech nodes, and resistances are enough to keep them alive almost indefinitely.

Ability to use 2-3 specters is great, although it's a hassle to setup constantly.
Never used snap-shotting, although I have an idea for GGG to make it easier.

Only problem is having to purchase gems really, and maybe finding better survivability gear. I had capped resistances no problem on merciless.

Actually, mixing it up with a summoner might be the only viable straight-up no-tricks honest-to-god hybrid out there.

Got a spectral themed char in low maps, spectres, spectral throw, animate skills, very poltergeist-flavored. Works decent even with crap gear but I kinda self-limited it too much with going crit staves just for variance sake and animate skills are very situational at best.

Making another one semirange summoner right now, this time made for power and useability. At least they're pretty fun to play, beats watching your pet kill stuff or just spectralthrowing or groundslamming your way to the top.

i think that most limiting to summoner builds is.. summons AI

current mobs are stupid - to put it mildly. this leaves little to no choice regarding playstyle, mob selection (spectres) and ultimately - build

there is a hidden potential of Dominating Blow + summoner hybrid however it is RIDICULOUSLY expensive passive and manawise (albeit - i have working 6L DB on MANA!)

but after playing to 83 with summoner and to a bit with DB there is one sad fact: after certain minion count your effectiveness remains steady due to inability of your crowd to get to the targets

while it is obvious for 50+ dominated minions it is surprisingly similar with just 10 typical summons.

aside from that - summoners are one of the most complex 'concepts' out of all poe characters. have all the tools and methods available and id start searching for issues/solutions elsewhere

ive leveled my glacial hammer guy as a hybrid - summoned 3L zombies up to around lvl 50 when he managed to stay alive alone. that was a great help (i refuse to 'level to 60 with ST and always level with the 'target' build)

ps. get rid of the snapshot already!!