Lord of Mages/ Poison nec

[droc]

just wondering, if this seems like a viable build (max poison nova and synergies, and full army of skelly mages with maxed SM) build can be completely finished around 99

* = pre req

20 psn nova
20 psn exp
20 psn dagger
1 teeth*
1 ce*

~20 SM
1 RS* (will be useful as somewhat of a meat shield w/ +skill items)
~20 RSM
1 clay golem
1 golem mast
1 summon resist

1 amp*
1 weaken*
1 terror*
1 IM*
1 LT*
1 Decrep*
1 LR

Obviously you cant quite max everything because this is over the 111 skill points or whatever it is that each character can obtain, but you can get very close by getting 18 SM and RSM

I'd plan on using LR (for my mages and nova) and an act 2 HF merc using infinity (for my mages). i figure that id have more than enough -% enemy resist to break any immunity in hell. ill hit my 125% fcr and 86% fhr breakpoints and have enough dext for max block by the time i complete this build...all stat point invested either into dext or vit, none in str or nrg. i plan on using mp nigma, rare circ (+2, 20 fcr, str, res all, hopefully a soc or two), crafted +2 fcr ammy, death's web (2/2/50+, with +5/-5 psn facet) or a white wand with +3 nova, +3sm or rsm, homon, trang gloves, soj and fcr ring (or 2 fcr rings with multiple mods), arach probably, treks or rare trip res, fhr boots, with cta and spirit on switch. ideally 20/xx N torch and 20/xx/x anni along with 7-9 pnb skillers...maybe some summon GCs instead with enough fhr mods to allow me to hit break point. although i am very far from completing this build in terms of gear, i think it can be a very powerful pvm as well as pvp (as long as i can play him correctly).

my biggest problem is that i dont know the specs for Mage damage, or the amount of life they'll have with a 30+ mastery and 30+ skill level. if anyone can help me out that'd be greatly appreciated.

anyways, just tell me what you think. Thanks!

PS if you have any of the gear i listed, such as a N torch with 20 stats or an anni with 20 stats, let me know!!

[BryanM]

I used Poison Nova once on a minion build. It was a'ite, a bit more fun then pushing corpse explosion endlessly.

Mages are generally regarded as way inferior than the basic skeletons currently for some obvious reasons

*Amplify damage > Lower Resist, and requires less skill points to get.
*Higher damage and life.
*Might mercenary.
*Items with built-in concentration/fanaticism aura.

As far as I know, there is no way to boost Skeleton Mage's damage, only lowering the resistance of the enemies with Lower Resist/Conviction. So there is no multiplicative effect (i.e.- Amp damage will double their damage that's already more than doubled by the gobs of buffs already on Skeletons).

The Arreat Summit has had the specs on Mages (http://www.battle.net/diablo2exp/skills/necromancer-summoning.shtml) for quite awhile now.

Basically, their life only increases from points in Skeleton Mastery and Oak Sage (?). At level 20/20, most types of mages will do around 120 damage. 30/30, around 250.

[kykle]

im pretty sure fanaticism makes mages shoot faster

[phillol]

this fanaticism debate has always seemed fishy to me. on arreat summit fanaticism only increases party damage but not party attack rate correct? at least that's the description i'm getting when i read up on paladin offensive auras.

and btw droc, i thought you were rating this type of build when you had the thumbs down icon next to the threat title, which I would agree with, mages are just too crappy. after 95 levels of necro experience in this ladder, they are simply too crappy. would be better to go skeletons to counter those poison immunes that cant be broken by infinity+lower resist with physical damage. it sounded good in theory to do what you had in mind, but in the field mages simply suck too much, something I hope blizzard would address, as well as fire golems and golem damage in general.

[Ava]

this fanaticism debate has always seemed fishy to me. on arreat summit fanaticism only increases party damage but not party attack rate correct? at least that's the description i'm getting when i read up on paladin offensive auras.Fanaticism gives the complete IAS bonus, the complete AR bonus and half the damage bonus to a party.

[BryanM]

For the golems to come close to the offensive power of skeletons, they would have to shoot rockets at everything on the screen.