Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Commander of Darkness, Mindless Aggression, Unnatural Strength, and Bone Barrier. The legacy Anima Stone jewel is recommended in standard because it allows you to summon an extra golem. Also the Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery are important for increased mana reservation efficiency so that you can use the recommended reservation skills. Some of the reduced mana cost nodes will also be needed for the high mana cost of Summon Raging Spirit. Make sure and take all of the nearby minion offensive nodes and a healthy amount of the nearby life percent nodes for survival.

 

Defensive Layers

The Commander of Darkness ascendancy gives you, your minions, and your allies 30% increased elemental resistances, 30% increased damage, and 3% increased attack and cast speed for each aura skill. With the Bone Barrier ascendancy you will also have 10% physical damage reduction, 1% of damage dealt by your minions is leeched to you as life, and your minions will have 40% of maximum life as extra maximum energy shield. This build also has an army of melee minions to take the damage for you with the strong defensive advantage of being able to use a shield.

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Gems

 

Weapon (3-link)

Steelskin

Empower

Precision

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Shield (3-link)

Raise Spectre

Feeding Frenzy Support

Culling Strike Support

 

Armour (7-link)

Summon Raging Spirit

Awakened Melee Splash Support (use Chance To Poison Support here until your jewels give a 100% minion poison chance)

Awakened Minion Damage Support

Awakened Melee Physical Damage Support

Awakened Multistrike Support

Minion Speed Support

Added Chaos Damage (from The Covenant body armour)

Note: You can also use Awakened Unleash Support in the place of Melee Splash Support for a faster wind up for your damage.

 

Helmet (4-link)

Summon Skitterbots

Dread Banner

Clarity

Enlighten Support

 

Gloves (4-link)

Summon Carrion Golem

Summon Lightning Golem of the Hordes

Awakened Minion Damage Support

Minion Speed Support

 

Boots (4-link)

Raise Zombie Of Slamming

Minion Life Support

Summon Phantasm Support

Empower Support

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Ring (1 Socket)

Despair

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Reservation Skills

Summon Skitterbots should be used to apply Shock and Despair with the Profane Proxy unique ring. Level 25 Envy is used to increase your chaos damage and is received from the Severed In Sleep weapon. Clarity gives high mana regeneration and is needed for the high mana cost of Summon Raging Spirit. Precision is selected to increase the accuracy and critical strike chance of your minions. Dread Banner should also be used to give your minions a chance to Impale, increased Impale effect, and lowers the accuracy of nearby enemies. Precision and Dread Banner can be used once you have the mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery and a leveled Enlighten Support to lower the mana reservation cost of your skills.

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Gem Notes​

1. Steelskin is the recommended guard skill for this build because Immortal Call requires you to use potions more often and Molten Shell requires very high armor to be effective.

2. Summon Lightning Golem of the Hordes allows you to summon two extra golems for a total of two Lightning Golems and a Carrion Golem. The Carrion Golem gives minions added physical damage and the Lightning Golems cast auras that add lightning damage to the attacks and spells of your minions.

3. Chance to Poison Support should be used to give your Raging Spirits high added chaos damage and a 40% chance to poison until you can get a full 100% chance for your minions to poison from Ghastly Eye abyss jewels. 

4. Raise Zombie of Slamming does more damage than Raise Zombie and should be used if you have enough minion defenses to keep the zombies alive at all time. It's also recommended that you link a Minion Life Support and a level 4 Empower Support to your zombies to increase their damage and greatly increase their survivability.

5. If you would like to try out an alternate summoner build that focuses on summoning mage skeletons you can also check out the Vaal Skeleton Mages Summoner Necromancer Guide here Vaal Skeleton Mages Summoner Necromancer Guide.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Severed In Sleep 

This weapon gives level 25 Envy which is an aura that increases your chaos damage and gives minions 29% increased chaos resistances, minions have a 60% chance to inflict Withered on hit, and minions have 5% to critical strike multiplier per Withered debuff on the enemies.

United In Dream

This budget option gives level 25 Envy which increases your chaos damage, minions have 29% increased chaos resistances, minions have a 60% chance to poison enemies, and minions recover 10% life on killing a poisoned enemy. This weapon can be used before you can afford two abyss jewels with minions have a 15% chance to poison and a Darkness Enthroned unique belt.

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Shield

Rare Minion Shield

Look for high life, energy shield, +1 to level of all minion skill gems, increased minion damage, and resistances, and you can optionally add increased cast speed at the crafting table.

 

Armour

The Covenant

Gives socketed gems are supported by level 29 Added Chaos Damage, 30 intelligence, 10% increased life, and skills gain a base life cost equal to 100% of base mana cost. The life cost isn't noticeable at all once you have a large life pool. You should also eventually go for a The Covenant with a +2 to socketed minion gems corruption once you have enough currency.

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Helmet

Rare Helmet

Look for +2 to all minion skill gems, high life, +1 to maximum number of Zombies/Skeletons, and resistances. You can also go for an energy shield base or a Bone Helmet for a 20% increased minion damage implicit. Legacy Bone Helmets in Standard are better and can have up to a 40% increased minion damage implicit.

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Belt

Darkness Enthroned

Darkness Enthroned

This belt has two abyssal sockets and up to 100% increased effect of socketed abyss jewels. You should socket two abyss jewels in it with minions have a 15% chance to poison enemies which ends up giving you a 60% chance for minions to poison enemies. You can get the other 40% with Ghastly Eye abyss jewels on the tree or by linking Chance to Poison Support to your minions.

Before you can afford the belt and abyss jewels you can use the United In Dream budget weapon for an additional 60% chance for minions to poison enemies.

Stygian Vise

When using the United In Dream budget weapon you should try and look for a Stygian Vise with high life, an abyssal socket, resistances, and optionally increased life percent. You should also use 20 Fertile Catalysts on the belt to increase its life bonus.

 

Gloves

Rare Gloves

Look for gloves with increased minion damage, life, resistances, and if you can afford it +2 to level of socketed minion gems. You should also add increased minion damage and chance to suppress spell damage using Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors.

Crafting Gloves

You can look for a +2 to level of socketed minion gems fracture (permanent golden modifier) and use Deafening Essences of Fear which gives up to a 30% increased minion damage modifier until you get a tier one life roll with the modifiers you need.

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Boots

Rare Boots

Look for +2 to level of socketed minion gems, high life, strength or dexterity, resistances, increased movement speed, and optionally spell suppression. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll a chance to avoid elemental ailments and increased buff effect granted by your Carrion Golems. You can purchase a +2 to level of socketed minion gems fracture and roll Deafening Essences of Envy to guarantee chaos resistance until you get the modifiers you are looking for.

 

Amulet

Rare Amulet

Look for an amulet with +1 to all intelligence skill gems, high attributes, high life, energy shield, and resistances.

 

Rings

Profane Proxy

This ring makes Summon Skitterbots apply the socketed curse (which will be Despair), has up to 30% increased cold and lightning resistances, and gives +3 to the level of the socketed curse gem. You should also use 20 Prismatic Catalysts to increase its resistances.

Rare Bone Ring

Look for high life, energy shield, increased minion damage or minion attack and cast speed, minion movement speed, and resistances. You can optionally add reduced mana cost. You should also use 20 Fertile Catalysts to increase its life bonus.

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Tattoo (Standard Only)

Honoured Tattoo of the Wise

This tattoo can replace a 30 intelligence node on the tree to give +1 to Level of All Intelligence Skill Gems.

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Utility Flasks

Rumi's Concoction (legacy is better)

Gives 1500 armour, a 12% increased chance to block attacks, and a 6% chance to block spells. The legacy version has much higher block chances. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when it has full charges.

Jade Flask (legacy is better)

Gives 1500 evasion and can have up to 60% increased evasion as a second modifier. Legacy Jade Flasks can have higher increased evasion. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Quartz Flask 

Gives Phasing and a 10% chance to suppress spell damage. You should roll Bleeding and Corrupted Blood immunity and use Instilling Orbs until you automatically use the flask whenever you are Bleeding.

 

Anointment

You should anoint your amulet with Prismatic Skin for 2% increased maximum elemental resistances at Cassia using a Silver Oil, Golden Oil, and Golden Oil.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: Steelskin Buff Can Take 45% Increased Amount Of Damage

Gloves: Commandment of the Grave

Feet: Regenerate 2% of Life Per Second If You Have Been Hit Recently

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Bandits

The best bandit to help in Act 2 is almost always Alira because she gives 15% to all elemental resistances, 20% increased critical strike multiplier, and 5 mana regeneration per second.

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Pantheon

Soul of Solaris is the best major Pantheon power and gives 6% reduced physical damage taken when only one enemy is present, a 20% chance to take 50% less area damage, 8% reduced elemental damage taken if you haven't been hit recently, take no extra damage from critical strikes if you've been hit with a critical strike recently, and a 50% chance to avoid elemental ailments from critical strikes. Soul of Abberath is the best minor power to help maintain energy shield and gives 60% less Ignite duration on you, makes you unaffected by burning ground, and gives 10% increased movement speed on burning ground.

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Leveling Gear

 

Weapon

The Blood Thorn

A great level one staff with a 30% block chance that curses enemies with Vulnerability when you block.

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Armour

Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa is a great offensive level one chest armour that has six linked white sockets which allows you to link any color gems together for much higher damage at an earlier level. You can also purchase a Tabula Rasa with an increased damage corruption which also requires level one for fairly cheap from the trade site.

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Helmet

Goldrim

An excellent level one resistance helmet that has up to 40% to all elemental resistances and 10% increased rarity of items found.

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Gloves

Lochtonial Caress

Level one gloves that give up to 15% increased attack speed, 15% increased cast speed, and a 15% chance to generate an Endurance, Power, or Frenzy charge on kill.

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Boots

Wanderlust

Level one boots that give 30% increased mana regeneration rate, 5 dexterity, energy shield, and 20% increased movement speed.

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Amulet

Tear of Purity

Tear of Purity requires level 5 and gives level 10 Purity of Elements which increases your elemental resistances for a 50% mana reservation cost. It also has up to 20 to all attributes, 40 to life, 10 to all resistances, and 30 intelligence.

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Rings

Perandus Signets

You can use two Perandus Signets at level one that each give up to 65% mana regeneration, 65 mana, 2% increased intelligence for each unique item equipped, and 2% increased experience.

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Flasks

Quicksilver Flask

This flask can be used at level four for 40% increased movement speed and can have increased movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Silver Flask

This flask gives Onslaught which increases your attack speed, cast speed, and movement speed as early as level 27. It can also have increased movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Granite Flask

This flask will help you survive by giving 1500 armour and can have high increased armour as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

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Leveling Gems

Summon Raging Spirit is your endgame skill and should be used once you reach level 4 with Raise Zombie. Raise Spectre can be added in at level 28. Make sure and pick up a Steelskin gem once you reach level four and have 16 strength for a defensive guard skill. Dash also requires level four and should be used as your travel skill at early levels.

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Upgrades

The Dying Breath staff can be used at level 13 for 18% increased damage for nearby allies and minions, 18% increased effect of auras, 18% increased cast speed, 18% increased maximum mana, and 18% increased effect of curses. The Carnage Heart amulet can be switched to at level 20 for up to 56 to all attributes and 20% to all elemental resistances. The Clayshaper weapon can be equipped at level 41 to give golems high added physical damage and gives you an extra golem. Many of the items in the section above last until the midgame where better items will become available.

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And that's all for the Raging Spirit Guide! For more about Path of Exile you can view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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