PvM 1.13 ExplosionMancer guide

[zabu]

Alright. Decided to play BNet.

I have some questions.

This build is less safe compared to a skellimancer right? This explosionmancer has no tank! CG yes but only one..

Also, especially vs boss, this is slower whereas fishy can have many skellies attacking the boss?

So, I just want opinions. What is better for a starting character? This explosionmancer or fishymancer? I am afraid in Hell my bone spear dmg will be too small...

[zabu]

I am wondering between this and skelliemancer.

In multiplayer I am afraid bone spear will simply do too little damage.

Plus with fishy, you have many tanks and great damage vs bosses as you have multiple skellies hitting bosses.

But I want to hear your opinions

[Namtar]

Bone skills do work, even with mediocre equipment, but they deplete mana rapidly and don't offer walking shields in the form of an army of skeletons. I'd think that a skeleton-focused build would be the easiest and most reliable archetype for an untwinked necromancer. That's not to say that a bone/explosion necro wouldn't work for someone starting out, but the advantages would be outnumbered by the disadvantages.

[Black Lotus]

I am wondering between this and skelliemancer.

In multiplayer I am afraid bone spear will simply do too little damage.

Plus with fishy, you have many tanks and great damage vs bosses as you have multiple skellies hitting bosses.

Dont go this build if this is your first necromancer. The stat/equip described here is more of a fun build.

The point is, every necromancer ends up by clearing areas with corpse explosion, thus all the [effective, non-fun] PvE necrobuilds differ in the way they're making "the first kill" - an initial corpse to start CE chain with.
Most necrobuilds use act2 merc for that. This build involves spending 60+ points in bone spear to kill first thing on level, uh. Might be good until you get enigma, with enigma merc kills are obviously better.

[Namtar]

The point is, every necromancer ends up by clearing areas with corpse explosion, thus all the [effective, non-fun] PvE necrobuilds differ in the way they're making "the first kill"

Corpse Explosion chains can still be fun. And while it's not generally as fast as Corpse Explosion chains, synergized Poison Nova with a decent Lower Resist clears pretty effectively, far more easily than some skills that are perfectly viable in PvM.

Oh, and in case it wasn't already obvious, as a summon-focused necromancer, one still maxes Corpse Explosion. I'd say it's the most important skill for a summoner to max, alongside Raise Skeleton and Skeleton Mastery. After those three, I'd also max Raise Skeletal Mage. Since they aren't as useful as the warriors, skeletal mages get a bit of a bad rap, but really, it's more pets and they do elemental damage and soak up some of the damage that might ordinarily kill the other skeletons. And nothing else is worth maxing anyway (Golem Mastery is decent, but probably not worth maxing on anything other than an Iron Golem specialist).

[crawlingdeadman]

This build is less safe compared to a skellimancer right? This explosionmancer has no tank! CG yes but only one..

Bone prison and Bone wall are fine tanks. IMO, they make better tanks since they dont have stupid AI to worry about. Your prisons and walls wont wonder off while you get smacked around.