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May 25 2025 05:59pm
The Story

I'm currently in A2 Hell mode at level 79 with my Summoner Necromancer. Hardcore Single Player /P8.

I wanted to switch up the vibe of the necro a little bit and use the A5 Merc, but I'm getting to a point to where everything is just taking foreverrrrrr to die.
I'm not sure that I will complete hell mode with current setup.

My Gear
Carin Shard Wand
Boneflame Shield
Lore Helm
Stealth Armor ( I know lmao )
Nice rare ammy with +1 necro skills
Resist Gloves
Resist Boots
Resist Belt
Resist Rings
Annihilus


Merc Gear

Dual Grief
VGaze
Hustle Armor



Two Questions.

1) Is putting my GMB Faith into the Iron Golem a bad move? I've heard of him poofing randomly..

2) Are Revives worth spending the skill points on? I've just been rocking with Skellys.



Having 10 skellys also sometimes prevents my barb from killing with the pack. That's why I'm nervous about adding revives to the mix as well.

The GMB Faith for my Iron Golem would help the skeletons and my barb kill faster, but would it really be that life changing in the end? I know I won't be able to get that Faith Bow back!!

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May 25 2025 10:15pm
Not sure about the iron golem faith.

Revives are generally not worth it. Other than for increased survivability, and fun factor.

Just max the skeletons, use act 2 offensive merc for might aura, and use amplify damage or decrepify. Clay golem i find best, high level, slows monsters n bosses to a crawl.

Making skellies tougher involves more +skill points. It just goes slower until you get better gear. Do diabloruns in nightmare, quest bugged.
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May 26 2025 12:33am
How do you already have enough runes for dual Grief and a Faith gmb but lack so much on the Necro? :o I assume that this is some NG+ run with item from previous runs, since you also have access to Anni.

I am by no means an expert, but I'm currently doing a single player necro run that you can find here. My 2 cents:

  • On players 8 your summons are pretty much just meat shields, they will never really do any proper damage (except maybe Urdars crushing blow on bosses). Revives are okay to use, but you will need a huge zone for them (e.g. cow level) to spread out properly, or have to be able to constantly reposition them on top of each other (i.e. teleport). Maxing raise skeleton + skeleton mastery is more useful.
  • Corpse explosion is still going to be your main damage source, but unfortunately it doesn't scale with the player count, so the explosions will do damage based on the mob's "/players 1" health. Amplify damage + later an Infinity will boost that a lot.
  • You should invest in thorns aura, either by using an Act 2 mercenary, or by using an Edge runeword bow on your necro (Tir+Tal+Amn 3 socket missile weapon, the base can be vendored from normal Charsi/Fara): using amplify damage on monsters and having thorns on your summons will dish back way more damage than what the summons would have done on their own.
  • Dim vision curse is great to use against ranged mobs that wreck your army without you benefiting from Thorns (i.e. archers, souls). You can either skip them, or teleport on them.
  • If you really want to include fanaticism for some reason, you should use a Hustle (Shael + Ko + Eld) weapon either as the iron golem (which might die easily on hell without BO from CTA and/or maxed golem mastery, but atleast you're not losing a Faith) or on the mercenary. If you decide to switch to a thorns mercenary, you can equip the Hustle yourself. I am currently using a might aura mercenary with a Hustle thresher and Edge bow on my necro.
  • Get a teleport charge staff! This is very important with a summoner, as your summons may block each other or your mercenary, may wander around, may attack lower priority targets etc. Leave the weapon on your switch and do single teleports to regroup your minions. You can buy a teleport charge staff from as early as normal act 3 Drognan.
  • Clay golem is usually the way to go, but I prefer fire golem, because its damage taunts nearby mobs. For example, hell diablo can be surrounded by your summons and everytime you resummon fire golem, he will start smacking it and finish himself off in a few hits with amplify+thorns. Clay golem slows mobs, and slow mobs will do less damage per second and will take less damage per second from your Thorns. This will be a lot more useful once the character is decked out in endgame gear, but that's also when iron golem starts becoming worthwhile.

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May 26 2025 06:02am
If you’re going to iron golem for fanat, just use a hustle weapon
Don’t waste the runes for faith
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May 26 2025 08:54am
If you’re going to iron golem for fanat, just use a hustle weapon
Don’t waste the runes for faith


Hustle is only a level 1 fanat. I considered that too but I think a lvl 1 fanat wouldn’t provide much change.


Not sure about the iron golem faith.

Revives are generally not worth it. Other than for increased survivability, and fun factor.

Just max the skeletons, use act 2 offensive merc for might aura, and use amplify damage or decrepify. Clay golem i find best, high level, slows monsters n bosses to a crawl.

Making skellies tougher involves more +skill points. It just goes slower until you get better gear. Do diabloruns in nightmare, quest bugged.


Skeleton, skelly mastery and golem mastery are all maxed. I can have 12 skelly atm. They just don’t do enough damage atm.


How do you already have enough runes for dual Grief and a Faith gmb but lack so much on the Necro? :o I assume that this is some NG+ run with item from previous runs, since you also have access to Anni.

I am by no means an expert, but I'm currently doing a single player necro run that you can find here. My 2 cents:
  • On players 8 your summons are pretty much just meat shields, they will never really do any proper damage (except maybe Urdars crushing blow on bosses). Revives are okay to use, but you will need a huge zone for them (e.g. cow level) to spread out properly, or have to be able to constantly reposition them on top of each other (i.e. teleport). Maxing raise skeleton + skeleton mastery is more useful.
  • Corpse explosion is still going to be your main damage source, but unfortunately it doesn't scale with the player count, so the explosions will do damage based on the mob's "/players 1" health. Amplify damage + later an Infinity will boost that a lot.
  • You should invest in thorns aura, either by using an Act 2 mercenary, or by using an Edge runeword bow on your necro (Tir+Tal+Amn 3 socket missile weapon, the base can be vendored from normal Charsi/Fara): using amplify damage on monsters and having thorns on your summons will dish back way more damage than what the summons would have done on their own.
  • Dim vision curse is great to use against ranged mobs that wreck your army without you benefiting from Thorns (i.e. archers, souls). You can either skip them, or teleport on them.
  • If you really want to include fanaticism for some reason, you should use a Hustle (Shael + Ko + Eld) weapon either as the iron golem (which might die easily on hell without BO from CTA and/or maxed golem mastery, but atleast you're not losing a Faith) or on the mercenary. If you decide to switch to a thorns mercenary, you can equip the Hustle yourself. I am currently using a might aura mercenary with a Hustle thresher and Edge bow on my necro.
  • Get a teleport charge staff! This is very important with a summoner, as your summons may block each other or your mercenary, may wander around, may attack lower priority targets etc. Leave the weapon on your switch and do single teleports to regroup your minions. You can buy a teleport charge staff from as early as normal act 3 Drognan.
  • Clay golem is usually the way to go, but I prefer fire golem, because its damage taunts nearby mobs. For example, hell diablo can be surrounded by your summons and everytime you resummon fire golem, he will start smacking it and finish himself off in a few hits with amplify+thorns. Clay golem slows mobs, and slow mobs will do less damage per second and will take less damage per second from your Thorns. This will be a lot more useful once the character is decked out in endgame gear, but that's also when iron golem starts becoming worthwhile.


This is my 6th character to complete. I have some gear laying around from other walk throughs.
Thorns aura seems like a cool idea I didn’t consider. I may see if that helps more.
I had no idea CE worked like that on /p8!! Very good to know. Thank you
Does the lvl1 fanat really make a notable difference? The stats of lvl 1 don’t provide much in comparison to faith. Hence the questions asked lol.
I do need to find tele charges some way. I also have CTA on switch, I forgot to add. Was hoping to find an ammy with the charges but I guess it’s still doable.
I like the fire golem idea for taunting the enemies. My Barb currently does the same thing but it removes my curses here and there.
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May 26 2025 04:16pm
U can't do iron golem from bow. Bow is not metallic item.

If u want fana more than 1 lvl - make golem from beast.
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May 26 2025 04:45pm
U can't do iron golem from bow. Bow is not metallic item.

If u want fana more than 1 lvl - make golem from beast.


Just off the cuff, but could his A5 merc hold Grief + Beast (if it is a weapon) instead of making Iron Golem?
____

@ OP ... some good advice has been given, I am not much of a necro player, I stick with clay Golem / Skellies normally, amp + CE on occasions. Not sure if it helps, but if I recall Vigor is an Aura for a weapon (not sure if bow or other) and increases the movement speed of all you minions, if on a bow, maybe have in inventory and switch after CtA (think that is BO) etc.

Just a different approach.

This post was edited by izParagonzi on May 26 2025 04:46pm
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May 26 2025 07:57pm
...*cough cough* ... Teleport.. *cough cough* ...

:rofl:
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May 26 2025 10:21pm
...*cough cough* ... Teleport.. *cough cough* ...

:rofl:


:lol:
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May 26 2025 10:47pm
...*cough cough* ... Teleport.. *cough cough* ...

:rofl:


:lol:


Insightful, reading comprehension gets you a-head in life.

Level 79, Act2 Hell, Single Players Hardcore P8. I can see confusion with merc gear and all that, maybe no spare Enigma in stash? Maybe on other Single player character(s).

Oh well... great insight.
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