Basic summoner build topic

Petoften · June 15

I play a summoner - for a while, back to the 'use necropotence because max magicka sets pet power' period. Played him more then.

Now, I'd like to check in on a couple suggestions. First, I like to just find 'good gear', much like necropotence used to be. Majicka, of course. Things I can make a nice set of or farm in dungeons.

I like a casual play - I enjoy that I can sort use one attack button, let the pets attack, and use ultimate on bosses. I'm open to say, a good skill to use at start of battle and keeping up. I kind of like that pets use up other keys and no backbar. In light of that, are there any suggested skill(s) for those one or two to consider?

A question like this sort of needs a level - I think a good level is 'prepared to start trial'. He's done some starter trials, but that would open a lot of other things involving trial gear etc. So I think 'ready to start trials' is good, from craft/dungeons, where he's sort of set of things like veteran dungeons and to start thinking about maybe some initial trials.

It's probably ok to include mythics - he's a scrier, though I don't prefer to look up farming and that's probably needed.

I haven't really learned about grimoires yet and that is probably useful. He uses Bastion as a companion and should probably check on that too.

Turtle_Bot · June 15

Are you looking to use sub-classing (or "multi-classing as it actually is), or keep your character as a pure single class character?

There are 3 mains lines that include summons, all from different classes, but can be combined with multi-classing:

Animal Companions - is a Warden class skill line, that has the bear ultimate (permanent summon).
Daedric Summoning - is a Sorcerer class skill line, that has 2 permanent pets (scamp and twilight).
Gravelord - is a Necromancer skill line that has multiple summons, but unlike the warden bear and sorcerer summons, the necromancer summons are not permanent so will have to be re-summoned.

As for a build itself, there are a few "summoner" sets, but unfortunately most don't grant anything that would stand out compared to simply running regular "non-summon" gear.
If you want to add more summons through gear sets, there are things like:
- aegis caller (temporary air atronach that deals AoE DPS)
- mad tinkerer (temporary summon that deals a burst of damage and stuns enemies in a line)
- engine guardian monster set (gives random sustain or healing, but no damage)
- maw of the infernal monster set (summons a daedroth that deals damage over time)
There's also sets that buff summons specifically like:
- ritualist (increases the damage summons deal, but not by enough to be worth running over generic sets that buff everything, not just the summons).
If your base class (selected at character creation screen) is Sorcerer, the class script paired with banner bearer scribing ability might be an option to allow your summons to heal you whenever they deal damage. Nice option for solo play, not really useful in organized groups with dedicated healers.

There's no need to specifically focus just magicka since hybrid builds are the way to go now (just pick the strongest morph/gear that fits your build, no matter if stam or mag and focus stam or mag on your main spammed ability).

Depending what class you are, if you want to delve into multi-classing, 1 bar or 2 bars, etc. I would recommend the following as a starting point:
- If one bar, then oakensoul ring mythic is a good starting point, it gives many buffs including all the basic buffs (brutality, sorcery, prophecy, savagery and resolve) while equipped at the cost of disabling the back bar.
- The skill lines to go for (if multi-classing) would be the 3 outlined above and slot twilight (flappy bird from sorc), scamp (from sorc), bear ultimate (from warden), skeletal mage (necromancer) and 2 other abilities. Blighted Blast bones (necro) or shulks (warden) are summons themed abilities with short durations that will need more frequent recasting, or simply run other abilities of your choosing in these 2 slots.
- Other gear, depends how you want to build, for more summons, aegis caller (trial set) is some nice AoE damage and ritualist does buff all of your summons (but nothing else), or you can simply run generic buff sets or proc sets.
Some Notes, mostly for solo play:
- Wardens deep fissure (shulks morph) will be nice for major + minor breach, less important in trial groups where the tank/supports should be providing that debuff already.
- There are a couple of sets that interact with companions iirc, but idk the names of the sets.

BasP · June 15

Have you considered using a Heavy Attack setup with pets? Something like this, but with the Maw of the Infernal monster set for an additional pet?

You could add an additional permanent pet to that setup by swapping the Sorcerer's Dark Magic skill line for the Warden's Animal Companions skill line, and use the Warden's Bear ultimate. In that case you could also drop Daedric Prey for the Warden's Subterranean Assault skill for a non-permanent summon.

Or, another option for a HA setup would be to incorporate the Assassination skill line instead of the Dark Magic skill line, and use a skill setup similar to this (but with the Charged Atronach ultimate instead of Power Overload for a temporary pet).

Zodiarkslayer · June 15

I think a heavy attack build with Oakensoul and subclassing at least Animal Companions and then either Assassination or Grave Lord works best.
I switch between Lightning Staff and Restoration Staff for AoE and Single Target respectively.
I still recommend equipping a defensively oriented skill like Ward or the use of some Restoration skills.

For this gameplay, I recommend Sergeant's Mail and Oakensoul, ofc, but also one more pet set. I went with Maw of the Infernal, because it is the biggest damage and now also gets buffed again by the Daedric Prey skill (wasn't in the pts patch notes). I have one more ability option, which is always better than having no options at all.
Also, this lets me use two pieces of Trainee and Willpower, for extra Maxmagicka and Health.

One of the advantages of subclassing into AC and GL is the availability of all those debuffs that come with it. Together with Ward and the pet's abilities it makes for a well balanced build, capable of tough SOLO play and still being group capable.

When everything is up I have three permanent pets, two summoned and one companion.

tsaescishoeshiner · June 16

Normal trials are considerably easier than veteran DLC dungeons as far as DPS required.

Building on the above suggestion, a heavy attack build typically needs a source of Off Balance on your bar for solo/small group play. If you use an Oakensoul heavy attack build, one skill should provide it (like Wall of Elements).

I'd also consider an Arcanist with Oakensoul. Fatecarver is similar to heavy attack builds but more interesting and at least different, and it only takes 2-3 skills, so you could use your two sorc pets, Fatecarver and Cephaliarch's Flail all on one bar. (Ceph Flail is stamina and typically preferred, while Runeblades is either stam or mag.)

In case you don't know, everything now scales with the higher of your max stam or max mag and weapon/spell damage have essentially been combined. That includes pets.

Petoften · June 16

Thank you very much for the helpful replies, the first one especially stands out for its breadth.

My summoner doesn't want anything to do with necromancy.

The bear pet seems like a nice idea, but I think that needed using it for ultimate, and I like the big pet ultimate.

I also need to consider what are best traits and enchants. Lot to look at above.

eurillian · June 20

Easy setup.

Tide Born and Orders Wrath, both craftable.
Maw monster set and Maeltrom 2hd (optional) back bar, weapon damage enchant.
Tide Birn Lightning Staff, Precise, Flame enchant.

Thief Mindy, all Stam

Sorc: Daedric Prey, Volatile Familiar, Twilight Matriarch
Assassin: Killers Blade
Warden: Sub Assault
* for Aoe spam, replace staff with dual daggers, both charged, poison and flame enchant, replace prey with whirling blades

Back bar: Relentless from assassin, daedric weapon from Summoning, optional Stampede

You can play as 1 bar or swap to the back bar every 15 sec if using stampede.

Try it out.

Zodiarkslayer · June 21

Petoften wrote: »

... My summoner doesn't want anything to do with necromancy ...

I can understand that. But you don't need to summon undead.

Only one ability needs to be equipped and then be active to make use of all passives.
One can easily use Grave Yard for that. No skeletons necessary, just grave stones. 😅

Petoften · June 22

Thanks. He doesn't even want that necromancer, though.

He actually has maw of the infernal and order's wrath already; I see the suggestion for tide-born, but is necropetence good?

I see the thief mundus stone suggestion, he's using the mage now. Not sure what 'all stam' means, he's majicka.

He gets a nice heal from twilight matriarch restore; also has volatile familiar of course.

I see the suggestions for sub-classing; still looking at sorc skills, using crystal fragments for main spam, with daedric prey; also have regenrative ward. Still checking on traits/enchantments, see the suggestions above.

Petoften · June 22

Isn't inferno staff my best staff since it's single target damage, and I saw restoration staff mentioned but isn't that for heals?

Petoften · June 22

For jewelry, should I get arcane or bloodthirsty?

BasP · June 22

An Inferno Staff buffs DOTs and status effects, whereas a Lightning Staff buffs Direct Damage and channeled abilities. Generally speaking, the Lightning Staff will work better for most setups (including yours I think, since Crystal Frags deals direct damage and I believe the pets do too).

Bloodthirsty would be the best trait for your jewelry, Divines would be best for the body pieces and a Precise staff would probably be best.

The Thief Mundus increases your critical chance, which would most likely outperform the extra Magicka you now get from the Mage.

Necropotence isn't that great of a set, truth be told. Tide-Born Wildstalker, on the other hand, is an S-tier set for builds that deal mostly direct damage. I think it's worth crafting for sure.

Petoften · June 23

Thanks, I went with Tide-born. Disappointing news about the inferno staff, I mixed up inferno and lightning and made inferno, and need to make a lightning.

Petoften · June 23

Majika enchants for armor?

BasP · June 23

Petoften wrote: »

Majika enchants for armor?

Yup.

Petoften · July 2

What do you think of the Robes of Destruction Mastery set?