Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

E

Enzio

New member
Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

So I'm starting a 2 player game with a friend of mine, who's gonna rock out a summonancer, and I'd like to get a druid through the game; I'm wondering what would be a good spec to compliment the Necro, who doesn't seem to have that many weaknesses. I'm guessing some form of caster, as that would allow me to take down the things he'll have a few problems with later on faster. Windy or Fire if it goes that route? Also any suggestions for our mercs? We'll both be playing completely untwinked. Am I on the right track thinking caster? I know realistically I can do pretty much whatever I feel with and the necro can solo the game naked, but I like to contribute :P

Thanks all!

[Also posted this in the MP thread, but there's not much traffic there...]
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

A fire druid would not be bad. Since he has the meatshields already, you could sit back and play as a caster.

You could also play as a summon druid. HoW will add to the skeleton damage with fanat aura.

You could play as a shapeshifter as well.
 
I think the only thing I wouldn't do is a full summon or a poison build, just because there will already be lots of meat shields.

Fire is a nice second damage type. Fury Druid would be great because everything will be amped anyways.

Wind Druid would also rock as you will get better damage with tornado due to amp. You also get an additional type of damage with hurricane.

A spirit will be a nice addition to any build, but I would stay away from any of the vines as the necro wants corpses.
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

So really anything I feel like playing, just don't destroy the corpses... or do, cause I do enjoy messing with my friend :devil:

Is there any secret to successful casting in D2? I always feel like I'm going to be OOM constantly, do I stack up on mana steal and try to melee (this sounds like a terribad idea, even to me as a newb to casters), or am I just chugging mana ports ad naseum?
 
One of you should use an insight on the merc, assuming you are using RWM. You will likely have blue lips until you can get insight.
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

Fissure is not a bad way to get to level 29. This thread, post #24 in particular may be of interest when it comes to leveling.

As far as build goes, summoner is pretty much self-sufficient. He could use some help with getting the first corpse (Maul, Fury, Fireclaws or something powerful & elemental) and it's nice if you can tank enough so that you can run head first into all situation and the necro follows.

CE is half-fire and Amp takes care of almost all the monsters in the game, so I wouldn't put too much thought into the whole PI issue. I mean, it's neat if you can tear through PI's a bit quicker, but it won't matter much.

You'll be most useful the second you cast HoW. That's the best thing you can do, I'd max that no matter what else you do.

For early levels mana problems only Mana Per Kill equipment will help. 1.07 MPK ring is best (and can be equipped at the insane level 2), but one of the runes has MPK too, I'm forgetting which one.
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

I could go the bear route and tank for him. I'd been ignoring that cause I didn't think we'd need extra melee, but hopefully I'm a little smarter than Golem AI >.> <.< >.>

Fire claw bear could be a good match, especially for getting those first few corpses...
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

I am eagerly anticipating your writeup from Maggot's Lair and Arcane Sanctuary, if you indeed opt for dual summon squad :D

As far as the efficiency of druid summoners goes, know that 1pt in Fury, Werewolf, and Lycanthropy with a low-end weapon like Windhammmer is about equal (damage-wise) to maxing the summons. And that's only if you deck him with caster gear scraping out +skills from every single piece including his underpants. Amp will help, obviously, but the same holds for melee druids.

As for necro, his only offensive skill that counts in CE. Getting the first corpse is a necessary evil, which gives rise to the variety of necro builds, out of which the skelemancer is relatively cheap (in terms of skill points) and self-sustaining one (most PIs are breakable with amp), making him semi-attractive for SP. However, pretty much any build of any other class (including the lamented druid summoner) can fetch a corpse much faster.

Moral:
good MP necro = utility curses that help your teammates, maxed out CE, rest in backup if your ally goes physical, otherwise irrelevant
good MP drood = maxed Oak or How, dedicated caster or melee build of your choice

Windy is imo your best bet when untwinked. If you want to get through Normal quicker, go fire (Fissure) and respec later.
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

Pretty much the only weakness of a summoner, especially until he has alot of crushing blow for his merc, is boss killing. Any fast hitting melee build with some crushing blow and decent hitchance will be good for that role. Fireclaws bear and a fury wolf will both do fine. Only downside is that you'll feel useless for most parts where CE from your friend do 99% of the killing. However, that goes for almost any build accompanying a necro at players 1 or 2 settings ;)
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

1 pt HoW is suffiecient. it's survivability doesn't increase enough per point to be worth it.

A physical melee build would be best for taking advantage of the necros amp and his might merc. personally i love bears, big single target damage for focusing on bosses and champs.

fire spellcasters are very cool and will be more powerful with amp adding to their physical dmg.


also cool is a rabies wolf. the way the mechanic work it'll spread amongst the enemies fighting the skellies killing off their regen and doing lots of dmg. and you can have fury for backup
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

So essentially I can do whatever I want. I hate decisions :P Thanks for all your help everybody; I'll try and chronicle our adventures every night we manage to play, but it'll be my first time so no promises on it being a good write-up :P
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

essentially yes. if i had to recommend something it'd be the werebear.

the writeup sounds like itd be fun
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

Well, slight delay on the chronicle - turns out the ladder resets in a day or two, so we're gonna start over on the ladder when that happens. So new tactic: I need to know what the fastest boss killer is (fill in that weakness of the summonancer) - doesn't necessarily have to be a druid, either, I just need some hella boss smashing. Maybe time for a new thread? I don't wanna clutter up the forums though
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

oooo make a fanatic zealot. then get all the CB you can find. fanaticism affects his skellies and cb drops bosses like they are hot.
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

Fanatic zealot would be amazing, the fanaticism would be great for the skellies, and with decent gear you could kill bosses extremely quick. The only issue would be physical immunes, as even broken by amp they would be somewhat slow. Which leads me to...

Javazon. Maybe not the best option, but an interesting one. Between lightning fury and corpse explosion you would destroy all crowds, and charged strike is the single fastest boss killer in the game. Plus they are more fun than zealots.
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

corax said:
oooo make a fanatic zealot. then get all the CB you can find. fanaticism affects his skellies and cb drops bosses like they are hot.
Click to expand...

Yep, your standard fanatic zealot + your standard fishymancer is a pretty good combination. I ran this combo with my brother (well, I was actually a smiter, but play style is similar) and it was very effective. Necro provides crowd control and powers up everyone with amp, Zealot is free to focus on high priority enemies (mummies, uniques, champs, act bosses) while powering up the skellies with fana.



 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

I'm intrigued by the Javazon idea. How is mana dealt with from their perspective? Stack leech and jab when you get low on mana? Or just blue-lip it all the way through?
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

blue lip til insight.
 
Re: Best Druid spec with a Summonancer?

Enzio said:
So really anything I feel like playing, just don't destroy the corpses... or do, cause I do enjoy messing with my friend :devil:
Click to expand...

Okay, here's the "messing with my friend :devil:" build:

Raven (overwrites most curses)
Summon Dire Wolf (they eat non-skeleton corpses)
Carrion Vine (it eats corpses)
Solar Creeper (it eats corpses)
Arctic Blast (sometimes shatters corpses)
Hurricane (sometimes shatters corpses)

Only problem with this build: probably pretty weak PvP while being pretty strong in getting your summonmancer friend to go hostile on you. ;)



 
Log in to Reply / Create Site Account
Remove Ads - Go PurePremium

Latest posts

Back
Top