Skeleton Damage (doesn't add up?)

[kylelee]

Hi,

I don't understand the math behind the skeleton damage. According to Arreat Summit, level 20 skeletons do 37-39 damage. Even with maxed Skeleton Mastery, they only do additional 40 damage. So with both skills maxed, but no additional +skill items, skeletons do 77-79 damage. Furthermore, their attack rating bonus is only 305 (level 20). Most monster's defense ratings are around 2.5k in hell. How do they hit anything in hell? Am I missing something, or does the damage go way up at higher levels? Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to kill anything beyond normal difficulty.

Also, I've noticed that in Fishymancer's Guide, he describes the summoner as one of the safest build. Just how much increase in life do skeletons get at nightmare and hell difficulties? Wouldn't bone wall work better? Thanks.

[Fluffballer]

Sounds like that data is out of date. Level 20 skeletons with level 20 SM have 559 life and do 124-127 damage. Over level 20, they become extremely tough. Add in a might merc and amp damage and they're a bone wall of death.

Skeletons also are the same level as your character, so they get the normal bonus to hit monsters lower level than them/you.

[the boss]

You totally missed the plus+ skill part which summon skillers and shako, etc can bring skeleton level at 30+ or even 40+

[Mad Mantis]

According to Arreat Summit, level 20 skeletons do 37-39 damage. Even with maxed Skeleton Mastery, they only do additional 40 damage.

Welcome Newcomer to The Darkness. Grab a brew (http://www.lgl.bayern.de/de/left/fachinformationen/lebensmittel/warencodes/_images/bier.jpg) and feel free to raise some corpses.

With just maxed RS Skellies will do only that damage. Add maxed SM and they’ll suddenly do 124-127, courtesy of the +Damage from SM and the %ED inherent in the RS skill. Add in some +skills, a Might Merc and Amp and you’re looking at about 1k damage per Skellie. Get really good gear and the damage will get even better. The AR they have is incredible.

For correct info on Skellies’s stats take a look at this site (http://tph.tuwien.ac.at/~gottwald/necro_pet_calculator.html) and this site (http://diablo2.ingame.de/spiel/skills/calc/index.php?char=nec&lang=en).

[Myrakh-2]

And, compared to bonewalls, skeletons have big advantages:

- they actually kill monsters
- they heal when they take damage, so they hardly ever die
- they don't time out (although they can randomly disappear)
- they actively pursue monsters in range
- they don't block your progress
- they follow you around

In addition, anything that pierces skeletons will also pierce bonewalls.

Bonewalls don't do any of the above, they just sit there being in the way, which must be the most braindead kind of "help" I've ever seen. Even with my bonemancer I preferred the "1 point" skeletons and revives for protection.

[DyetCoque]

What are all the factors that go into calculating the skellie's damage?

Might = 2x damage?
Amp Damage = 2x damage?
RS 30: Damage 328-331
SM 30: Damage + 60

So is it 328-331 +60 = 388-391 x2 = 776-782 x 2 = 1552-1564?

Do amp and might stack like that?

All that times 12 skellies spits out a whopping 18624-18768 damage for just my skellie horde. Add in the 5 mages and the 8 revives and whoa baby!

EDIT: OK, actually looked at the previous links. Total nublar here, sorry for not RTFA.

-DC

[Mammel248]

What are all the factors that go into calculating the skellie's damage?

Might = 2x damage?
Amp Damage = 2x damage?
RS 30: Damage 328-331
SM 30: Damage + 60

So is it 328-331 +60 = 388-391 x2 = 776-782 x 2 = 1552-1564?

Do amp and might stack like that?

All that times 12 skellies spits out a whopping 18624-18768 damage for just my skellie horde. Add in the 5 mages and the 8 revives and whoa baby!

EDIT: OK, actually looked at the previous links. Total nublar here, sorry for not RTFA.

-DC
Amp only does 2x dmg on monsters with 0 DR. Monsters w/ higher DR will have a larger multiplicity. (50 DR -> -50 DR = 4x dmg)

Really good Summoners can solo the whole game, yes, even Uber Trist.My Summoner has lvl 47 Skel + Mages + 27 Revives (17 Skels, 17 Mages). Nothing beats him, except Iron Maiden :starry:

[kylelee]

Thanks guys. I'll give it a shot.

[kylelee]

Welcome Newcomer to The Darkness. Grab a brew (http://www.lgl.bayern.de/de/left/fachinformationen/lebensmittel/warencodes/_images/bier.jpg) and feel free to raise some corpses.

For correct info on Skellies’s stats take a look at this site (http://tph.tuwien.ac.at/~gottwald/necro_pet_calculator.html) and this site (http://diablo2.ingame.de/spiel/skills/calc/index.php?char=nec&lang=en).

Thanks Mantis. That's pretty darn useful site.

[MikeFord]

I am currently level 81, but without any luxury gear my SM/SR is 25/25 and NOTHING kills my skells very fast, but without the might merc the can really grind slowly against some monsters. In a full hell level cow game they can stand up to a good sized pack, but they wear down about one skell per 30 seconds. Together with Sorc or Zon, my skells do fine holding back the cows while the other players kill them. Same for Baal runs etc.

Missle attackers is what stinks. I haven't done it yet, but seriously thinking about going back to my old habits of maxing DV and spamming it.

[Utilitarian]

I used to think that might aura's multiplied the skeleton damage, but the skeletons already have edam%. So instead of 200%ed from a might aura TRIPLING the damage, it really only increases the final damage 20-40% depending. I've found that Blessed Aim Mercs are much better, considering u can always use Amp or Decrep(Preferred by me) to up the damage. Or if ur rich, u can plop a Pride Polearm onto ur merc. NOT TO MENTION, there are usually zealers/smiters/hdins/wolfdruids/other people's merc's auras boosting the damage anyway. Get some consistency out of ur minions and go with Blessed Aim...pump points into CE and u can clear out any area of the game(maybe not maggot lair...lol)...especially with a good merc.

When using a Might merc with maxed RS/SM and +20 skills, you boost the damage from 601-986. This requires a lvl95 Might merc!!!!!!!

To max a Blessed Aim Merc's effectiveness, you need only bring him to 75!! In addition, it increases their AR from 1211-5207!!!!!! This helps keep enemies in stun lock until they submit to the superior skill of your minions' bony blades. As they are in stun lock, your merc is demolishing a single monster....CE....Boom. Demolishes a weaker monster...CE...Boom...Done and Done. Slap a pride polearm onto your merc, and increase the damage from 601-1179!!!!!(assuming it's lvl 20 conc). REMEMBER....when your skellies aren't connecting....they are being connected in their bony jaws.

[Stompwampa]

I used to think that might aura's multiplied the skeleton damage, but the skeletons already have edam%. So instead of 200%ed from a might aura TRIPLING the damage, it really only increases the final damage 20-40% depending. I've found that Blessed Aim Mercs are much better, considering u can always use Amp or Decrep(Preferred by me) to up the damage. Or if ur rich, u can plop a Pride Polearm onto ur merc. NOT TO MENTION, there are usually zealers/smiters/hdins/wolfdruids/other people's merc's auras boosting the damage anyway. Get some consistency out of ur minions and go with Blessed Aim...pump points into CE and u can clear out any area of the game(maybe not maggot lair...lol)...especially with a good merc.

When using a Might merc with maxed RS/SM and +20 skills, you boost the damage from 601-986. This requires a lvl95 Might merc!!!!!!!

To max a Blessed Aim Merc's effectiveness, you need only bring him to 75!! In addition, it increases their AR from 1211-5207!!!!!! This helps keep enemies in stun lock until they submit to the superior skill of your minions' bony blades. As they are in stun lock, your merc is demolishing a single monster....CE....Boom. Demolishes a weaker monster...CE...Boom...Done and Done. Slap a pride polearm onto your merc, and increase the damage from 601-1179!!!!!(assuming it's lvl 20 conc). REMEMBER....when your skellies aren't connecting....they are being connected in their bony jaws.


skellies don't have a problem connecting anyways...i'd rather stick with the might merc and get the extra umph into the damage.
Once i get a pride for the merc and a beast for me, i'll be really rockin out.

[RTB]

Utilitarian: Check the second link Mad Mantis gave, skellies have more AR than you think.

[Utilitarian]

I checked it the first time.....made a reply showing how the %to hit was as low as 65% for some monsters in act 5 hell at lvl 99 with 40/40 skels.....then i found another forum stating the same thing....with the same link....but couldn't get to it to make sure....i tried and tried, then i became a genius and typed the url into google, went to the cached page, punched in even lower stats and the AR was over 3k!!!!!! hahahaha....free might aura here i come! Thanks for the info guys...wouldn't wanna miss out on free ed%

[Sszark]

Forget Might, get a Thorns mercenary and AD the enemies. Things die fast. And when you're cursed, it's even better. Ever seen Hell Mephisto strike one of your minions, only to instantly remove 20% of his lifebar? It's like a Static Field that doesn't scale.

When I get my 21 Thorns Bramble, I'll redo my summoner and get Might. But if I had a choice between the two I'd use Thorns.

[the boss]

Aura stacking and Plus skill stacking is the only way to gain more minion damages and stats

[Baranor]

I am currently level 81, but without any luxury gear my SM/SR is 25/25 and NOTHING kills my skells very fast, but without the might merc the can really grind slowly against some monsters. In a full hell level cow game they can stand up to a good sized pack, but they wear down about one skell per 30 seconds. Together with Sorc or Zon, my skells do fine holding back the cows while the other players kill them. Same for Baal runs etc.

Missle attackers is what stinks. I haven't done it yet, but seriously thinking about going back to my old habits of maxing DV and spamming it.

Just spam attract on the missile guys, and they'll go and bother each other. Or confuse.

I use a thorns merc and amp btw... works like a charm cause the amp maxes out the thorn damage. AllI want is one monster in specifick to die while the rest suffers a lot of general damage, and KABOOM-BOOM-BOOM problem solved.

[Baal]

How the F are some of you people getting 30+ in skills?

I've got 24 in RS and SM and thought that was good. Then I'm seeing people saying they have 40 in both? How the hell do you get that high? I wasn't aware you could get eq with so many +skills on them.

[Stompwampa]

How the F are some of you people getting 30+ in skills?

I've got 24 in RS and SM and thought that was good. Then I'm seeing people saying they have 40 in both? How the hell do you get that high? I wasn't aware you could get eq with so many +skills on them.

It requires a lot of gear, and a lot of charms.

I'm at lv 27 SM, RS and RSM with pretty cheap gear:

Trang Amor = +2 summons
Spirit Sword = +2 all skills
Necro Head = +2 Necro Skills
Skiller Charm = +1 Summong Skills

I have an amulet i could wear to get an extra point, and I could gear up the full trand set and gain 3 more, but I kill just fine with what I have...

In order to get even higher numbers, you would require:

Amulet = +2 or +3 to skills, pending on amulet preference
Torch = +3 Skills
Anni = +1 Skills
Rings = +1 skills each
AoKL = + lots of skills (can't remember how many)
up to 9 Skiller Charms = +1 summoning skills each


all of that together can give 20+ or more to skilles...making for some very nasty skeletons....

[terpfan]

aokl +5
shako +2
ammy +3
armor +2
boneflame/darkforge +3
2 rings +2
arach belt +1
marrowalk +2 mastery only
anni +1

so you could have +22 skellie/+24 mastery without any gcs, unless i'm missing something..
torch +3

[AnimeCraze]

I've got 24 in RS and SM and thought that was good. Then I'm seeing people saying they have 40 in both?24 (ie. you have +4) is considered low on caster. Just a spirit, lore, and +1 ammy already gives that much, and they are dirt cheap. Most budget casters have at least +6~8 skills. Try looking at the cheap runewords and trade pgems for uniques. Gamble ammy as well.

[beor the old]

With my really cheap gear, I have 30 Raise Skelly and 31 Mastery (boo +1 Marrows, but I got 'em for 4 pgems so can't gripe), and my skellies do 315-317 base, 12 skellies total. With Might and Amp, we're probably talking 1k+ per skelly. That's not too shabby there.