Source
r/PathOfExileBuilds•
Febris

Build Test / Theorycraft - Flaming skellies

Theory

Hello all, I've been roughly following this build as I've been leveling, while trying out some new (to me at least) combinations. Now I understand I'm still far from the endgame here, at about lvl60, but still this build feels much stronger and faster than several others I've ran in other leagues. I really enjoy it so I'm interested in getting it to the next level.

The build is a tanky summoner type, but my focus now is getting off script because I find myself absolutely melting everything in the most unexpected way and I'd like to understand just exactly what is going on so that I can have a picture of what to expect out of this build, and how to maximize it.

The build started out as a rather mind numbing process of keeping zombies alive and grabbing loot as they cleared screen (rather slowly for my liking), but somehow evolved into a napalm fueled skeleton spam fest that I can't quite understand.. the damage seems to be overwhelmingly made by the fire dot from infernal legion, but I can't understand how it can be so high..

I don't think I'm using any particularly game breaking passive combination, but I'm very confused about what the gear interactions are with my current gem setup.

I'll provide more details as required, but for now I'll keep it as simple as I can..

  • 4L skeletons with melee splash, infernal legion, and combustion
  • 3 Spectres (ranged, no mob buffs for skellies), Carrion Golem, and Holy Relic
  • Triad Grips with 4B (zombies link) : 100% physical to lightning on minions
  • Ashcaller, Cloak of Flame, and Mokou's Embrace for fire damage and dot buffs.

I suspect Melee Splash is doing mostly nothing here, and would probably be better to use Burning Damage. Any ideas?

Edit : POB build here, think I didn't forget about anything. The rest of the flasks are regular diamond / silver. Not relevant since I barely use them.

Posted Mar 31, 2020, 2:22 AM UTC · edited

110
SymruinGaming•

Currently I am running this build with double Earendels Embrace and Minion Instability with a 4 link red Triad Grip, basically I spam summon my "tactical nukes" skeletons with double From Dust jewels and as much minion life as I can find on the tree, it's been a heck of a lot of fun levelling so far but admittedly it is a little clunky, using Skeletons, Combustion, Fire pen, infernal Legion, Minion Life and enhance for memes, unsure if I'm min maxijg it correct but it's currently working okay, have thought about the skitter bot ring with flammability but unsure yet😂 how have you found it so far

2
FebrisOP•

I'm really enjoying the mechanic overall, but I really can't point the finger at what exactly is doing all this damage.

My suspicion is on the ignite dot, and not the life burning damage from infernal legion. It certainly isn't coming from the minion's attacks because the damage torrent is really smooth and even over all mobs around them.. I'll have to progress a bit farther, into map bosses at the very least, to make a few tests since everything else just melts far too quickly for me to measure any difference. I doubt changing Triad Grip to 4R will add anything interesting for now, but I'll probably set up a CWDT combo there eventually when I need to squeeze the damage from the other minions (for now they're mostly working as bodyguards).

For gems I'm using only one yellow with 16% minion damage and 4% extra fire dot. Are you running Minion Instability? I'm considering it since none of the other minions seem to drop enough hp to be at risk for now, and that might be useful for bosses..

1
SymruinGaming•

Swarms of righteous fire minions effectively? It is hella memey which is always a good thing 😂

1
Barrywize•

Minions have a deceptively high life pool, and it scales drastically with skill gem level. Additionally, if you’re running infernal legion that burns your skellies for 40% (?) of their max HP, but they have 75% fire resistance, then they’re only burning for 10% hp per second but still doing their full damage. Additionally, I am unsure if the burning effects overlap.

I did a similar build last league and found it fantastic for leveling/clearing Acts 1-10, but found great difficulty in the end game, struggling to clear yellow map bosses. (white-> yellow -> red -> final bosses)

If you do manage to make it all the way, I thought of using the “To Dust” unique jewel to summon more skeletons at once, and maybe running Dark Pact or something to further boost their area of effect.

Edit: I also ran Warp Lightning to hit enemies with lightning damage, so with Elemental Equilibrium, enemies would have -50% Fire Resistance

1
FebrisOP•

I am unsure if the burning effects overlap.

If you mean the same infernal legion damage (the napalm) from multiplie skellies, I'm pretty sure it doesn't. When fighting mobs with resists I don't see the damage double when I summon two packs instead of one, for example. The damage increases but I think it's because of either the burning dot or the extra melee. Resistances on the skellies make them last longer with no great (if any) effect on the damage they do, I tested it with Purity of Elements.

I can see the build having a rather low plateau in potential since the minions scale mostly with gem levels but since this seems to be based on the burning effects, it might be possible to squeeze something more from it with the right gear. I'm not too keen on using the jewel you mention because of the cooldown effect. I usually run up to a screen full of mobs and drop skellies on 2 or 3 spots at a time, while the other minions clear any stray mob or small pack, so I feel like the cooldown will slow me down a lot. And since apparently the extra skellies don't stack up the damage linearly, I don't think it's worth it.

1
Barrywize•

That’s a good point, it would restrict your clear instead of helping.

Another thought on Elemental Equilibrium, there’s a unique ring called Malachai’s Artifice, you can put a lightning/ice golem in that to make it cause Elemental Equilibrium instead of having to cast a spell yourself. Depends on your resists of course.

1
Chiliconkarma•

Please consider sharing the build with Pob, it is difficult to answer without.

1
FebrisOP•

Edited up top with link.

2
Chiliconkarma•

Ok, I'm getting old, it took me a while to deal with that site.

I can't see any ways to purely scale off of the burn, it doesn't overlap and scaling it seems futile when it comes to killing bosses.
That doesn't mean that it is worthless endgame, but I'd stick with the baron build you're currently on and scale minion life for max Minion instability. The burn can potentially help clear trash.

You're scaling off of fire damage, I'd get an all red triad grip and ball lightning / storm brand + curse on hit + flammability + ele. weakness. to trigger elemental equilibrium.

Perhaps you should try Earendel's embrace?

1
FebrisOP•

Yeah sorry, the site seems to be fast enough to make your own build but I noticed as soon as I finished everything that loading it takes a while.

I'm very suspicious of the damage listed in the site.. it really doesn't feel like the Spectres are doing more damage than the skeletons, but it seems to be what the calculator says (maybe I'm just missing something). Where would the burning effect show up, in the skeletons skill or the infernal legion dot?

I'd get an all red triad grip and (...)

That's the plan for the next step, probably around lvl80 when mobs begin to last more than a second or two.

I'm not playing SSF only because I'm playing with my GF, but I'm completely out of the trade game here.. I really can't explain it, but I can't stand the whole currency system in this game. I'll get by with as little trading as I can get away with.

Thanks for the feedback, it gave me something to think about.

1