New Build, need idears/input

[Knarlfist]

This far into a game this old, people start looking for something new to try and keep things fresh. In fact, it's not uncommon for people to try builds that are harder to play on PURPOSE. I guess, just to see if it can be done.


I would really love for us to all get together and theorycraft a way to make a build viable, that absolutely no one tries and writes off before the discussion can even be started: namely, the never-used "Blood Golem". Keep in mind, no one said this has to be the most efficient players-8 screen clearer, but rather just something new to try for players that have tried everything else. Let's get real here... people try naked HC chars, melee sorcs, fully untwinked only self found item chars, etc. There has got to be something workable with this never used Golem.

I was thinking some interesting mix of the newest Runewords and Auras granted by them, perhaps a mix of items that could help offset any potential Life loss (massive +Replenish? along with Prayer Merc and Insight, etc?), and possibly also not even a Necro.... maybe another class that could much better synergize a workaround or deal with the Life loss, while using something granting Blood Golem charges. For instance a Pally could conceivably self-synergize a massive Prayer Aura, and along with the correct items keep his life up while having an almost invincible Golem - welp, I should say at least in theory.

Here is where the fun comes in, let some idears fly!



p.s. Death Runeword is the 1st possible item for any thoughts on making a build that is non-necro. Has BG charges on it. edit: hmmm, Bloodmoon Unique does too... and has +Life per kill, to further offset any life loss.

[Knarlfist]

2nd Post, I decided not to edit since I want to keep the original request separate, from an actual build idea that might start a debate.


Pally with synergized Prayer. Using a Pally as opposed to Necro might give more flexibility in staying alive while still being able to kill, perhaps with a 1pt Smite and tons of crushing blow?

I was thinking: HotO and Exile, Fortitude on armor. Use a weapon on switch to cast your Golem. If the amount of life restored by a synergized Pally can far exceed what can be attained from a Prayer merc + Insight, then that frees up the merc's aura for something either more offensive or defensive. Perhaps either Might or Holy Freeze.

So far this build will grant a lvl13-16 Defiance Aura combined with a 20% chance for lvl15 Chilling Armor when struck, which should really help survivability along with other Pally skills like Holy Shield and maybe a 1pt Salvation when the attention of magic fire is on you and not your Golem.

The actual gear for merc is up for debate if Prayer+Insight is not used, I'm sure any standard setup to grant high dmg and survivability would be fine, or perhaps throwing on another aura that might help aid the Golem and hence the build.

Anyone else getting some thoughts? I guess my main worry would be, is using gear with Replenish mod at all efficient enough to consider, or might +Life per kill be better, or will just going the +skills route on all gear work better by synergizing your main Prayer skill into the stratosphere?

edit: guess I should read up more, there is always a deal breaker. I guess Prayer doesn't have a synergy, altho it can help other auras. Sadly I don't ever play Paladins, or I woulda known this. Would this make it better to have the merc grant the Prayer aura with Insight, and allow more flexibility in the skill selection for your Pally, making him both more of a killing threat and tougher to boot?

[DH Amazon]

I was thinking: HotO and Exile, Fortitude on armor. Use a weapon on switch to cast your Golem. If the amount of life restored by a synergized Pally can far exceed what can be attained from a Prayer merc + Insight, then that frees up the merc's aura for something either more offensive or defensive. Perhaps either Might or Holy Freeze.

I think that Golem dies when you switch to main weapons.

And without Golem mastery, those low lvl golems have very low life (around 600 life in hell).
So Necro build is your only viable option. Necro's blood golem has life up to 5k. And as 1-point wonder with good items, its life is around 2.7k (Glay has 7.3k life with same items).

Actually I don't even know what that golem does, or why is that creature hard to keep alive as normal tank.

[Knarlfist]

Actually I don't even know what that golem does, or why is that creature hard to keep alive as normal tank.

I don't know exactly why either... at first I thought it might be the low defence, but then I checked the stats on Clay Golem and the def stats are similiar.

I imagine the main reason people will never use Blood, but use Clay alot... is that the %slow will keep them alive against a single target/dangerous monster, and according to web descriptions Clay Golems "heal themselves".

Obviously the amount and/or speed they can heal is comparable to any benefit a Blood Golem can obtain from their nature, making it a normally worthless choice.





Back on point, assuming you are right and we have to go Necro, then does that lead us to tons of Replenish gear and Prayer Merc + Insight? I don't know of any way to help the Golem regen life unless the Prayer aura helps him, so a fact of life with this build would be expecting to take dmg to main char, and offsetting it enough thru stat mods.

Sounds like a Summoner Necro variant, but with 20 into BG, GM, and perhaps Fire Golem? "The Blood Golem's life drain is now based completely on its own attack" "Furthermore, if it is affected by a damage return ability like Thorns or Iron Maiden, the life drained is based off of its attack rather than how much damage the enemy attacker did to it."

The second quote is written clearly, but my brain is fried atm, I don't see the best way to capitalize on the Golem's dmg in order to produce the highest life return.

[Ed from Russia]

place a prison around the golem to keep him alive.

[Mad Mantis]

BG's have the least amount of life of all Golems and thus the slowest regen. They need their life steal to stand a chance to tank stuff. They are inferior tanks and thus not used much.

Clay is almost indestructible and fantastic against single targets. IG can have many mods. FG has his attraction and damage aura and the highest base damage of the Golems. All the other Golems have a definite perk. BG doesn't.

That being said, if you do want to use him you need to get his damage up. If he does connect he needs to do some damage. Get a Might Merc. He needs it.