League Start Holy Relic Necromancer Mirage
Start as a Witch and commit to the Necromancer ascendancy. The core idea is to make your minions the frontline: relics and tank spectres absorb hits while your trigger skill or projectile clears and damages. This playstyle is intentionally low‑stress. You position, you summon, and you let your minions do the heavy lifting. Early on, use cheap minions like skeletons or spectres to clear while you gather currency and sockets. As soon as you can slot the Summon Holy Relic gem and support it with Minion Damage, Minion Life, and Minion Speed, you transition into the relic‑centric setup that defines the build. Keep Convocation and a movement skill on your bar; these two abilities are the backbone of survivability and minion control.
Leveling and gem progression
Leveling is straightforward and forgiving. From level one to the mid‑20s, use Summon Skeletons or Raise Spectre depending on what corpses you find. Skeletons are cheap and fast to cast; spectres can carry you if you find strong early corpses. Prioritize socketing Minion Damage and Minion Life as soon as you can. At level 28–38, aim to pick up Summon Holy Relic and a basic support cluster: Minion Damage, Minion Life, and Minion Speed. If you find a trigger support or a support that automates targeting, add it to your main link to reduce manual aiming. By level 60–70 you should be running your full relic setup with an Animate Guardian or tank spectres to anchor fights. Keep Desecrate and Raise Spectre available for special encounters where extra bodies help, but otherwise let relics remain permanent to maximize uptime and efficiency.
Passive tree and ascendancy priorities
Your passive tree should prioritize minion life, minion damage, and minion utility nodes that increase area of effect, minion movement, or attack speed. Necromancer ascendancy choices should focus on nodes that increase minion survivability and grant buffs that scale with minion life or count. Early ascendancy pickups should be the ones that grant minion defenses and life; later nodes that buff minion damage or grant utility are excellent follow‑ups. Invest in life nodes for your character only to the extent necessary to survive mechanics; the minions will take most hits, but you must not be one‑shot by map mechanics. Jewel sockets are high‑value: small jewels that add minion damage and life are cheap and effective, while a large cluster jewel that grants minion survivability and damage is a major long‑term power spike.
Core gear priorities and tiers
Gear focuses on four main stats: + to minion gems, minion life, minion resistances, and minion movement/attack speed. Early league starters should buy cheap rares with life and resistances and prioritize any item that grants +levels to minion gems. Mid‑tier upgrades include high‑roll jewels that amplify minion damage and life, and a wand or shield with minion bonuses if affordable. Endgame gear aims for a high‑quality weapon or shield that grants minion bonuses, a large cluster jewel for minion survivability, and several high‑value jewels that push minion life and damage into comfortable thresholds. Your own resistances and life are secondary but necessary; minions tank most damage, but you must survive boss mechanics and avoid instant death.
Gem links and socket layout
Your main link should be Summon Holy Relic supported by Minion Damage, Minion Life, and Minion Speed. If you have access to a trigger support that automates firing or triggers on minion attack, include it to automate damage application. Keep Convocation in a separate slot to reposition minions during boss mechanics and to rescue relics that are about to die. Animate Guardian or a tank spectre should be in its own link to act as a dedicated meat shield for bosses that focus minions. Use a utility link for auras and curses; Blasphemy paired with Despair or Vulnerability can be powerful if you have the reservation to support them. Keep a movement skill and a defensive instant heal or utility skill on your bar to handle dangerous map mechanics. Socket colors and item bases matter less than the stats you need, but prioritize items that allow you to fit the main link and Convocation without sacrificing essential resistances.
Playstyle and positioning
This build is about positioning and patience. Let your relics and spectres move forward and draw aggro while you stay behind them. Use Convocation to reposition relics when a boss or pack targets them, and use Animate Guardian to soak focused damage. For mapping, move through packs slowly and let your minions chew through enemies; the build excels at clearing large groups because minions can tank while your trigger skill applies damage across the screen. For single target, keep relics between you and the boss and use your trigger to focus damage on the boss while the minions absorb telegraphed attacks. Avoid replacing minions mid‑fight unless you need to swap to a tankier spectre for a specific boss. If minions die frequently, prioritize minion life on gear and jewels and consider adding a second Animate Guardian to increase soak.
Flasks, pantheon, and utility
Flasks should be chosen for mobility and emergency survival. Carry a movement flask for repositioning, a life flask for emergencies, and a utility flask that grants resistances or reduces elemental damage taken. A flask that grants increased movement speed or removes bleeding is useful for avoiding mechanics that punish minion‑centric play. For pantheon, choose defensive options that reduce the damage of big hits or mitigate elemental bursts; the goal is to survive the occasional mechanic that bypasses your minions. Keep a flask that can be used to remove curses or status ailments if you encounter maps that apply debilitating effects to minions. Utility gems like Desecrate and Flesh Offering can be situationally useful, but the core of your survivability is minion life and Convocation.
Mapping strategy and speed
Mapping with this build is methodical rather than frantic. The strength lies in sustained clear and map control. Approach packs with your minions in front, use your trigger to apply damage, and reposition with Convocation when necessary. For maps with mods that increase minion damage taken, carry a minion‑resist jewel or swap to a map that is friendlier to minions. If you encounter a boss that targets minions heavily, summon an Animate Guardian and use Convocation to keep it between you and the boss. For speed, use movement skills and a high movement flask to traverse empty map corridors quickly while leaving minions to clear rooms. When pushing for map completion speed, balance leaving minions to clear with occasional manual targeting to avoid wasting time on low‑value packs.
Bossing tactics and advanced encounters
Boss fights require a slightly different mindset. Keep relics and your Animate Guardian between you and the boss, use Convocation to reposition minions when the boss targets them, and use your trigger to apply focused damage. For bosses with mechanics that target minions specifically, use movement and Convocation to keep minions alive while you dodge telegraphs. If a boss has phases that punish minion clustering, spread your minions out with Convocation and use a secondary spectre or guardian to soak hits in different positions. Use flasks proactively to avoid being one‑shot by a boss mechanic that bypasses minion tanking. If a boss has unavoidable mechanics that kill minions en masse, be prepared to resummon or to rely on your own defensive flasks and movement to survive the phase.
Jewels and cluster jewels
Jewels are where the build scales dramatically. Small jewels that increase minion damage and life are cheap and effective early on. Mid‑tier jewels that add minion resistances or increase minion attack or movement speed are excellent for mapping. A large cluster jewel that grants minion survivability and damage is a major power spike and should be a long‑term target. When shopping for jewels, prioritize those that increase minion life and damage, and consider jewels that grant additional minion utility such as increased area of effect or minion attack speed. Cluster jewels that add minion life and minion damage to nearby passive nodes are particularly valuable because they amplify the effect of your passive tree investment.
Budget progression and shopping list
Start with cheap rares that emphasize minion life and resistances. Pick up small jewels that add minion damage and life as soon as possible. Mid‑tier purchases should include a high‑quality weapon or shield with minion bonuses and a few mid‑roll jewels that increase minion life and damage. Save for a large cluster jewel that grants minion survivability and damage; this is one of the most impactful purchases you can make. If you want to min‑max, import a PoB and tune your jewels and gear to hit the desired minion life and damage thresholds. For most players, a modest investment in jewels and a single high‑quality weapon or shield will yield dramatic improvements in clear speed and bossing.
Common pitfalls and fixes
Maps that increase minion damage taken or apply minion‑specific debuffs are the primary threat; avoid them or carry a minion‑resist solution. Over‑investing in player‑only defenses reduces minion scaling; balance your survivability with minion buffs. Replacing minions mid‑fight can be costly because new minions take time to ramp up; only replace when necessary. If your minions die frequently, prioritize minion life on gear and jewels and consider adding a second Animate Guardian or a tank spectre to anchor fights. Watch for map mods that spawn monsters with minion‑shredding mechanics and either skip those maps or adjust your jewels and flasks accordingly.
Endgame tuning and PoB targets
Endgame tuning focuses on maximizing minion life and damage while maintaining enough reservation to run useful auras and curses. A top‑end setup includes a high‑roll weapon or shield with minion bonuses, a large cluster jewel that grants minion survivability and damage, and several high‑quality jewels that increase minion life and damage. Keep Convocation and Animate Guardian for bossing, and tune your auras and curses to maximize damage and survivability. If you want to push high‑tier maps, consider adding a second Animate Guardian or a tank spectre to increase soak and reduce the chance of mass minion death. Use PoB to set concrete targets for minion life and damage and to simulate boss fights before committing to expensive purchases.
Play examples and situational decisions
In a typical map clear, you enter a room and let your relics and spectres move forward. You position behind them and use your trigger to apply damage across the pack. If a boss appears that targets minions, you immediately use Convocation to reposition relics and summon Animate Guardian to soak. If a map has a mod that increases minion damage taken, you either skip it or swap in a minion‑resist jewel and a defensive flask. When you see a rare pack with dangerous mechanics, you kite while your minions hold aggro and use flasks proactively. These situational decisions are what separate a comfortable mapping experience from frustrating deaths; the more you practice, the more intuitive these choices become.
Final strengths and weaknesses
The Holy Relic Necromancer is forgiving, powerful, and scalable. Its strengths are a forgiving league start, excellent clear speed, and strong single‑target when properly supported. Its weaknesses are maps and mechanics that specifically punish minions and mechanics that bypass minion tanking. With the right jewels, a tank guardian, and a sensible mapping strategy, the build becomes a durable and powerful minion king that can carry you through Mirage 3.28 content and beyond.
FAQ
What makes this a good league starter? This build is forgiving because minions tank most damage, it requires modest currency to begin, and it scales well with jewels and a single high‑quality weapon or shield. You can clear maps quickly while learning mechanics, and you can invest gradually in jewels and gear.
How do I handle maps that increase minion damage taken? Avoid those maps early or carry a minion‑resist jewel and swap in minion life jewels. Use Convocation and an Animate Guardian to reposition minions and reduce mass deaths.
Do I need to swap gems for bosses? Minimal swaps are required. Keep Convocation and Animate Guardian ready. For some bosses you may want a tankier spectre, but most fights are manageable with your relics and guardian.
What are the most important stats to buy? Prioritize minion life, + to minion gems, minion resistances, and jewels that increase minion damage and life. Resistances on your own character are secondary but necessary.
How do I improve single target? Keep relics between you and the boss, use a focused trigger, and invest in jewels and a high‑quality weapon or shield that grants minion bonuses. Animate Guardian and Convocation help maintain minion uptime.
What should I do if my minions die often? Prioritize minion life on gear and jewels, add an Animate Guardian, and consider a second guardian or tank spectre. Avoid maps with minion‑shredding mods and use Convocation to reposition minions.
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