Going to make mf summoner

[MercenaryKnight]

My main question is are revives really needed I usually liked the idea of reviving monsters like bosses minions and stuff like that but whenever I go fight baal or somebody tough the skels live and revives die. Should I just max skel warrior mage mastery and put 1 point into revive or should I max revive and go pure summoner. Also what curse should I use decrepify? Also with the slow bug curse do you really need holy freeze merc cus I noticed holy freeze doesnt slow bosses so would it still work with a might merc instead?

[Slipin]

Revives are a joke in 1.10, they have some use as a meat shield, but the only useful ones are monsters with CB against bosses. Go skellys/mages.
decrep is good, but most of the time I find myself using amp. HF mercs are not the best for summoners, and skellys greatly benefit from might.

[Raging_Wulf]

For some reason I find that my revives survive longer against act end bosses (especially diablo) than my skellies... but then again, the necro I have was built a 'lil strange but anyway.

[MercenaryKnight]

Ok so Might merc and skels/mages but are mages really even needed? Most of the time when i tested em out in single player the mages got owned really fast then the warriors did.

[Mad Mantis]

Mages aren't needed. They are personal preference. For those of us who know how to use them and don't mind an extra bit of management, they are invaluable tools. For those that do not know how to handle them, they are just bad meat(less) shields.

[Astrocreeper]

I use 1 point each in revive and decripify, w/ 20 in mages, skellies, and corpse explosion. I use decrep only on act bosses, baals minions, high coucil etc. The rest I use amp damage. I have 1 point in dim vision for gloams. With + skills you will have all the revives you need. I believe my necro has about 10-12 revives in full MF gear depending on weapon switch.

You misewell use a might merc. No sense in holy freeze unless you plan to melee.

Revives are good for Hell Baal. He has lots of hit points, especially if you set the game to players 3-8. Revive those big ogre looking dudes near waypoints in act 3 durance, act 2 palace cellar, or act 4 river of flame. If you can't find them, use the big tree dudes that hang out somewhere near entrance to bazaar or lower kurast. I guess these revives have crushing blow or something simular. Just 4 or 5 of them will take Baals hit points off in large chunks at a time. If you just use your skellies, Baal takes forever and ever, esp when approaching players 8.

Also, give your merc a good weapon with crushing blow, such as a hone sundan. I find this can easily cut down hell boss fights by 30 seconds or more.

With bosses, revives and crushing blow are key for speed and MFing. Put at least one point in and get some + summoning or + all skills items.


Astrocreeper

[Raeff]

I have to say that one very under utilised is attract. It is a true one point wonder (three in you count the prereqs). It can turn the tides in the natsy battles, you know the ones, 3 named groups in hell with stuff like might and fanat auras. Just cast a few times around the monsters and while the don't do much damage to each other, your skellies and mercs get free hits on what would otherwise rip them apart.