Path of Exile Witch Support Summoner Guide

Path of Exile Witch Support Summoner Guide by Covert

I would like to point out that this build is not a DPS build. Anyone who is wanting a DPS/summon build should go somewhere else.

Here is a link to my passive skill tree (im currently lvl 64 so have 7 lvls to get there)
Disco Witch (Not Working)

The summoner is a niche build, often ridiculed and judged by glass cannons and tanks alike. In most ARPGs (including POE up until 0.9.7) a summoner could hope to get to the end of the medium difficulty, then have their summons slaughtered by the masses. Post 0.9.7 POE has opened up a lot of new doors for the summoner in the form of auras.

The fact that auras can stack is great and the cost you pay for them atm seems fair. This summoner is built around auras and their benefits for minions and yourself.

To keep these auras going and be able to cast spells is no mean feat, you will need to take a lot of + mana nodes. I also took a lot of mana regen nodes and have a natural regen of 72 mana per second with my main attack (ice nova + culling strike) taking 45 and my curses taking 50ish. Having no need for mana flasks opens options such as diamond or granite flasks as well as resistance flasks if you are low on resists.

Currently I am using 5 auras: Anger, Hatred, Wrath, Clarity and Discipline (with purity socketed as well for those elemental damage users), these auras are your bread and butter.

Additional to auras you will be using 2 curses to increase your DPM (damage per minion). For my build I use Elemental Weakness and Vulnerability, I also have Temporal Chains socketed for protection.

To back up your minions you are going to need a spell or attack. The problem being that you need to stay close for the auras to stay active, as such I decided on ice nova + culling strike.

With this build you will end up with 8 Zombies, 5 Spectres and 16 Skeletons. You will need them all.

Passive Skills

If you have played a summoner before then this will be of no use to you.

Go straight for Lord of the Dead, the + spell damage on the way will help you get through normal quickly. After that head up to the mana globe and take all the +% mana nodes. By the end of that you should have at least 3 auras running easily.

Next head up to Whispers of Doom, having 2 curses is awesome you will see. Besides you are still in normal/cruel nothing will touch you.

After that head for Minion Instability this keystone is great, then head down to the extra mana/reduced mana cost by the templar tree.

After that you are free to do what you want. I filled up the minion circle then went for the increased aura AOE.

Leveling/Strategy

Normal: I’m not going to bother with this normal is a walk in the park.

Cruel: I’d say the same for Cruel also.

Ruthless: Remember to stick behind your minions, cast curses and have fun. Ruthless was easy for me.

Merciless: Things get harder now, minions don’t last as long. You will struggle if you have not invested in the + minion passives yet.

Chaos: Your build should be almost complete by 60, you can go in earlier (I went in at 58) but it carries risk. Chaos is hard only if you make it hard, use skeletons as shock troops to provide distraction until the Zombies arrive. Minion AI is still flawed currently which makes it harder than it should be.

Quest reward: Helped Oak 3 times killed all 3 once.