Chains of Command Viodforge
Necromancer Build

Updated for Patch 3.28

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It's a build that uses very specific Chains of Command Body Armour that grants you the unique Skill - Animate Guardian's Weapon. You can put a very powerful weapon on your Animated Guardian and then summon over 10 copies of it to fight for you. Voidforge seems like the best choice. It's a relatively powerful weapon for its price, the favorite of many Attack builds. It grants 700% of random Elemental Damage based on the Physical Damage of the Attacks. It encourages us to gain a lot of base Physical Damage for our Animated Weapons, so it can then be multiplied by seven. Our character can use The Winds of Fate for added Physical Damage via Rallying Cry for AG's Voidforges, but the way more popular option is to simply wield a Foulborn Severed in Sleep for the extra Crit Chance for Minions (very hard to get). These weapons normally spawn when your Guardian kills something, but by equipping it with Gravebind Gloves, he will take the credits for all the kills.

We're using more Unique items to enhance the build further - Ancient Skull for Critical Strikes, Corpsewalker to spawn Corpses, and Leash of Oblation (optional) as Minion Crit builds on a Necromancer will benefit from all the Offerings. Investing in Critical Strikes seems like the best idea with Assassin's Mark and a few extra passives to improve Minions' Crit Chance. The downsides of the build, often discouraging players, are its suboptimal survivability and the tendency of the weapon-minions to die too quickly. We can mitigate these problems with a few adjustments. The most important is the Block Chance from Bone Offering and Skills or passives. You can go for the 75% cap with passives like Enigmatic Defence, Withering Barrier, and Rumi's Concoction Flask. Select the Enfeeble Curse instead of Punishment to lower incoming damage. The build may lack Armour, so if that's the case, swap Haste for Determination and get Energised Armour Jewel. Your Minions are heavily fortified against Hit Damage with Fortress Covenant Jewel, Decay Ward Notable, and Feasing Fiends Notable for Leech, which is important as they do take a lot of Chaos DoT from Ancient Skull. We also attempted to automate the build as much as possible. The only Skills to use are Cyclone, one Mark, and one Hex Curse (with proper items, you won't even need to cast the Enfeeble nor Elemental Weakness Hex Curses).

For the 3.28 update, we've included many more optional items (many of them foulborn) and adjusted the choices wherever they were outdated.

You can also check our other Path of Exile builds right over here Odealo's Crafty Guides - Full List

1. Gameplay

Upon entering a new area, use Writhing Jars to spawn the first Animated Weapons. If there is only one boss in the area, get at least three of these Flasks to get enough weapons. When moving around, use Cyclone. It will trigger various Offerings for more Damage, Movement Speed, and Block Chance. For even more damage, you can use Rallying Cry. Your Curses are Assassin's Mark and Enfeeble (or Punishment). Elemental Weakness should be cast automatically. Your Animate Guardian will grant the other Minions Feeding Frenzy and apply Exposure on enemies. For Auras, use Hatred, Generous Haste (or Determination), and Precision with Purity of Elements for Resistances. For a Guard Spell, select Molten Shell.

2. Build's PROS & CONS

3. Leveling tips

The build requires a lot of Uniques and very specific Rare Items, so the transition from a leveling build to this is abrupt. You need to already have your items ready before the ou switch. Remember to have your Animated Guardian Skill Gem at level 20. If it dies, you lose the items. Follow our Witch Leveling Guide using Minions up to the character level 90. Pick anything you're familiar with - Raging Spirits, Skeletons, or Absolution. These don't require any expensive or specific items.
 

Bandits:

When dealing with the bandits, kill all of them for two extra Passive Skill Points.

4. Final Skill Tree, Ascendancy Points, and Pantheon

Final Skill Tree:

102 Points Final Skill Tree (doesn't include Unique or Cluster Jewels)
121 Points Path of Building (PoB) link

Ascendancy points:

Preferably in that order:

1. Commander of Darkness
2. Mindless Aggression
3. Bone Barrier
4. Prolonged Servitude (Catarina Bloodline)

Pantheon:

Major God: Soul of Arakaali: 10% reduced Damage taken from Damage Over Time

Minor God: Soul of Ryslatha: Life Flasks gain 3 Charges every 3 seconds if you haven't used a Life Flask Recently; 60% increased Life Recovery from Flasks used when on Low Life

5. Final Gems links

[DPS] Animate Guardian's Weapon setup socketed in Chains of Command
	Minion Damage Support - Grants more Damage, but lowers Minion's Maximum Life.
	Multistrike Support - Allows Minions to attack more times per swing but reduces their damage slightly.
	Melee Physical Damage Support - Use for more Physical Damage, very important with Voidforge.
	Increased Critical Strikes Support - Increases Crit Chance for your Weapons. If it's not needed, replace it with Ruthless.
	Elemental Damage With Attack Support - Grants more Elemental Damage with Attacks for your Minions.
	Increased Critical Damage Support - Increases Critical Strike Multiplier for the spawned Weapons.

[UTILITY] Cyclone Offering setup
	Cyclone - Cyclone is a Channeling Skill that allows you to move around. It slows you down.
	Cast While Channelling Support - Spells listed below will trigger in sequence every fraction of a second.
	Bone Offering - Use it for Attack and Spell Block Chance for you and your Minions. Divergent one grants more Block Chance. If the Offering Skills don't affect your character, use Withering Step here instead.
	Flesh Offering - Use it for Attack and Cast Speed for you and your Minions, The Divergent one is excellent for even more Attack Speed. If your Minions can be affected only by one offering, use Molten Shell here instead.
	Spirit Offering - Grants a lot of Crit Chance and Crit Multiplier. It's the most importan Offering.
	Purifying Flame - It creates Consecrated Ground. If you don't have enough Mana, which may be an issue, use Inspiration Support here instead.

[UTILITY] Curse and Rallying Cry and setup
	Rallying Cry - It adds Attack Damage sourced from your Weapon to your Minions. Up to 20% of it with around 250% increased Buff Effect. If you use Severed in Sleep, you don't need that Skill.
	Assassin's Mark - Hits against an enemy with the Assassin's Mark are more likely to be Critical. Such an enemy also takes increased Damage from Critical Strikes.
	Enhance Support - Increases the Quality of linked Skills. Can be replaced with Arcanist Brand and 3 Curses.
	Enfeeble - Enemy afflicted with Enfeeble deals less Damage. It can be cast automatically on-hit as Gloves' Corrupted Implicit. You can swap it for Punishment if you prefer to deal more damage.

[UTILITY] Animate Guardian setup
	Animate Guardian - The Minion that should wield the Voidforge. Check our Animated Guardian guide to learn more, and see the next section of this guide to check which items to give him.
	Minion Life Support - Guardian has more Maximum Life. You can't let him die.
	Elemental Army Support - Your Guardian will apply Exposure on Hit. It's the best way to apply all three Exposures, but you can also do it with Starlight Chalice.
	Feeding Frenzy Support - AG will grant your other Minions Feeding Frenzy for 10% more Damage, 10% increased Movement Speed, and 10% increased  Attack and Cast Speed.

[UTILITY] Automation setup
	Automation - Linked instant Spells are automated.
	Withering Step - If you're using Severed in Sleep, invest in Withering Step to instantly inflict more Withered debuffs.
	Convocation - Use to recall your minions to you, in case they can't keep up.
	Steelskin - Mitigates incoming hit damage for a brief moment. Can be replaced with Molten Shell if you have high Armour.

[UTILITY] Reservation setup
	Haste - Haste increases Attack and Movement Speed for your Minions.
	Purity of Elements - Gives you immunity to all Elemental Ailments and some Resistances.
	Tempest Shield - It grants some Spell Block Chance and Shock immunity.
	Enlighten Support - Linked Skills reserve less Mana.

[UTILITY] Hatred sourced from Corrupted Anathema
	Hatred - Hatred adds Cold Damage sourced from Physical Damage, and grants more Cold Damage. You have no sockets left so pick up a Ring with one, or better yet, get it as a Corrupted Ring Implicit. It's not that important; it requires a lot of Reservation Efficiency from the Impossible Escape - leave it for the finishing touches.

[UTILITY] Elemental Weakness sourced from Corrupted Gloves or Hunter's Rare Ring
	Elemental Weakness - Lowers all Elemental Resistances as you deal all kinds of Elemental Damage. This Curse you can apply yourself via Gloves Corrupted Implicit or Hunter's Rare Ring Suffix or cast it manually.

6. Gear Setup

There are a lot of Uniques you can use; almost all of them you definitely should. We recommend wearing only one Rare Ring that should provide you with Resistances and Dexterity. Corrupt the Uniques that are Cheap - the Unique Helmet, Ring, and Gloves can get you some powerful effects. The remaining Chaos and Elemental Resistances with Dexterity should be gained from Jewels or other rare items. After that's settled, increase your Minions' Crit Chance, Attack Speed, or add Physical Damage to their Attacks. You should also take care of their defenses - you cannot allow your AG to die. Weapons will die often unless you invest in their Block Chance and Life Recovery/Life Leech. The AG setup is - Voidforge, Mask of the Stitched Demon, Doppelgänger Guise, Gravebind, and Legacy of Fury.

Our recommended items will:

1. Cap your resistances 
2. Give you enough DPS/Life to start mapping successfully

(Helmet) Ancient Skull - Makes your Minions less durable, but more Aggressive and damage-oriented. Your AG has to have a lot of Chaos Resistance or Life/ES Recovery to withstand the Whispers. For the Corrupted Implicit, seek the 90% Reservation cost for socketed Skills, and socket your Auras here.

Minions deal (15-20)% increased Damage (150-200)% increased Armour and Energy Shield Minions have (40-20)% reduced maximum Life Minions have (15-25)% increased Movement Speed Minions have 50% increased Critical Strike Chance per Maximum Power Charge you have Minions can hear the whispers for 5 seconds after they deal a Critical Strike

(Weapon) The Winds of Fate - It is the weapon we would recommend. It has high base Damage to improve your Rallying Cry and doesn't allow you to deal damage with Non-Critical Strikes.

+18% Chance to Block Attack Damage while wielding a Staff (700-800)% increased Physical Damage +100% to Global Critical Strike Multiplier 75% of Physical Damage converted to a random Element 25% of Physical Damage Converted to Chaos Damage Maximum Critical Strike Chance is 50% Non-Critical Strikes deal no Damage

(Weapon) Foulborn Severed in Sleep - With the Unnatural Strength passive, your enemies will pretty much always have 15 instances of Withered on them, meaning +75% Crit Multiplier. The Foulborn version also grants +5% Crit Chance.

40% increased Global Accuracy Rating Grants Level 25 Envy Skill Minions have +29% to Chaos Resistance Minions have +5% to Critical Strike Chance Minions have +5% to Critical Strike Multiplier per Withered Debuff on Enemy

(Off-hand) Rare Shield - You have to have a Shield with a high Block Chance, Resistances, and Maximum Life. Life Regeneration is also good.

Min. requirements: +90 to Maximum Life +40% to Elemental Resistances Life Regeneration high Block Chance Optional affixes: Attributes Chaos Resistance

(Body Armour) Chains of Command - It has the built-in Skill which the build is based around. Your Guardian, wearing Gravebind Gloves, will summon Voidforges whenever an enemy dies (including worms from Writhing Jar). They will last for 20 seconds, which is enough. The sockets don't have to be linked.

Trigger Level 20 Animate Guardian's Weapon when Animated Guardian Kills an Enemy 10% chance to Trigger Level 18 Animate Guardian's Weapon when Animated Weapon Kills an Enemy (150-190)% increased Armour and Energy Shield +(60-90) to maximum Life Animated Guardian deals 5% increased Damage per Animated Weapon Animated Minions' Melee Attacks deal Splash Damage to surrounding targets Animated Minions' Melee Attacks deal 50% less Damage to surrounding targets You cannot have non-Animated Minions

(Boots) Corpsewalker - We have no time nor sockets to cast Desecrate. Corpses are used for Offerings and to gain Life from the Disciple of Kitava, but if you can't afford to wear them, switch to Rares with Resistances and Attributes.

Triggers Level 20 Corpse Walk when Equipped (80-120)% increased Evasion and Energy Shield 25% increased Movement Speed For each nearby corpse, 1% increased Movement Speed For each nearby corpse, Regenerate 8 Life per second

(Gloves) Rare Gloves - Use regular Gloves with Maximum Life, missing Attributes, Chaos, and Elemental Resistances. It's hard to come up with good unique gloves for this build.

Min. requirements: +90 to Maximum Life +40% to Elemental Resistances Chaos Resistance Optional affixes: Attributes Minions deal increased Damage Life Regeneration

(Belt) Leash of Oblation - Use this Belt to gain all the Offerings' buffs at the same time. Your Minions could use all of them, while the Bone Offering is great on the character due to the Mistress of Sacrifice.

+(25-40) to maximum Life +(15-20) to all Attributes +(50-70) to maximum Life You can have an Offering of each type Offering Skills have 50% reduced Duration

(Belt) Foulborn Soul Tether - Try Foulborn Soul Tether with instant Leech. Leech is provided by Bone Barrier. Immortal Ambition introduces an alternative way to regain Energy Shield.

(15-25)% increased Stun and Block Recovery +(20-40) to Intelligence (8-12)% of Leech is Instant Immortal Ambition

(Amulet) Ashes of the Stars - It's the best choice, as you will greatly benefit from the extra Quality of some of your Skill Gems.

+(10-16) to all Attributes (5-10)% increased Experience Gain of Gems +1 to Level of all Skill Gems +(20-30)% to Quality of all Skill Gems

(Amulet) Uul-Netol's Vow - This one is also excellent due to the extra Socket for the Ruthless Support Gem, and potentially a lot of Resistances.

Has 1 Socket Socketed Support Gems can also Support Skills from Equipped Body Armour +(-30-30)% to Fire Resistance +(-30-30)% to Cold Resistance +(-30-30)% to Lightning Resistance +(-23-23)% to Chaos Resistance

Recommended Anointments: Charisma Replenishing Remedies Champion of the Cause Decay Ward

(Ring) Rare Ring - Use Bone Rings to enhance your Minions, Unset Rings to fit in an extra Skill like Flame Dash or Convocation, or a regular Ring with the Resistances that you need the most. If you use Rare Gloves, you can gain the Elemental Weakness Curse on Hit here.

Min. requirements: +60 Maximum Life +45% to Elemental Resistances Chaos Resistance Missing Attributes Optional affixes: Minions deal increased Damage Minions have increased Maximum Life, movement Speed, or Attack Speed Curse Enemies with Elemental Weakness on Hit (Hunter's Suffix)

(Ring) Anathema - As we plan to apply three Curses, this Ring will be important. If you don't, use a regular Rare Ring.

+(15-25) to maximum Energy Shield +(30-40) to Intelligence (10-15)% increased Cast Speed (10-20)% chance to gain a Power Charge when you Cast a Curse Spell Your Curse Limit is equal to your maximum Power Charges

(Jewel) Rare Jewels - Use Ghastly Abyss Jewels with added Physical Damage to your Minions' Attacks. Add to that some Maximum Life for your own character and whatever's missing.

Recommended affixes: Attributes Maximum Life Resistances Minions deal # additional Physical Damage Minions have #% increased Attack Speed Minions have +#% to Chaos Resistance

(Jewel) Elegant Hubris - Elegant Hubris could transform some of your notables into Slum Lord: Minions deal 80% increased Damage, or get you some Block Chance. The second reason to wear it is for Supreme Ostentation with  Caspiro's variant to ignore Attribute Requirements.

Commissioned (2000-160000) coins to commemorate <Cadiro • Caspiro • Victario> Passives in radius are Conquered by the Eternal Empire Historic

(Jewel) Large Cluster Jewel - Feasting Fiends and Vicious Bite would be fine for both damage and survivability of your Minions. Later on, after you can spend more Skill Points here, get a Cluster with 12 passives, each of them with 35% increased Effect. Such Jewelry is expensive.

Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Feasting Fiends 1 Added Passive Skill is Vicious Bite Added Small Passive Skills also grant: Minions have 3% increased Attack and Cast Speed Attributes Resistances

(Jewel) Kitava's Teachings - Your Life Recovery is weak. Use this Jewel to Recover 5% of Life and Mana every second. It only requires a corpse.

Adds Disciple of Kitava

(Jewel) Impossible Escape - Get the variant with Supreme Ego to acquire Charisma and Replenishing Remedies for Reservation Efficiency and more Life Flask Charges.

Passive in Radius of <Keystone> can be Allocated without being connected to your tree

(Jewel) Fortress Covenant - Increases the Damage and Block Chance of your Minions. You can socket it in the Cluster Jewel Socket.

Minions deal (35-45)% increased Damage Minions have +(10-12)% Chance to Block Attack Damage Minions have +(10-12)% Chance to Block Spell Damage Notable Passive Skills in Radius are Transformed to instead grant: Minions take 20% increased Damage

(Jewel) Watcher's Eye - Chaos Resistance while you have Purity of Elements is the only mod worth going for on a Watcher's Eye.

(4-6)% increased maximum Energy Shield (4-6)% increased maximum Life (4-6)% increased maximum Mana <Two or Three random aura modifiers>

(Flask) The Writhing Jar - It spawns enemies that you or your AG can destroy to create the first few Animated Weapons. It's the most useful in boss arenas with no enemies around. Another way to spawn enemies is with a Squirming Terror Ring.

Instant Recovery (75-65)% reduced Amount Recovered 2 Enemy Writhing Worms escape the Flask when used Writhing Worms are destroyed when Hit (20-10)% reduced Charges per use

(Flask) Starlight Chalice - Use only if you cannot afford to spare a Gem Socket for Elemental Army in your AG setup. Exposure is important.

+200 to Ward Restores Ward on use (20-30)% increased Charge Recovery Inflict Fire, Cold and Lightning Exposure on nearby Enemies when used (20-30)% increased Effect of Non-Damaging Ailments you inflict during Effect

(Flask) Rumi's Concoction - You may want to use this one to cap your Block Chance at 75%.

+1500 to Armour +(8-12)% Chance to Block Attack Damage during Effect +(4-6)% Chance to Block Spell Damage during Effect

Other suggested Flasks: Quicksilver Flask with increased Movement Speed Silver or Basalt Flask with reduced Mana Cost of Skills or Life Regeneration

If you have any other build requests please leave that in the comments below. We are always open to suggestions and constructive feedback.

Pictures used in this article are the intellectual property of Grinding Gear Games.