Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict - Top Minion Builds for Patch 0.3.0

Do you love commanding a legion of undead minions while letting them do the heavy lifting in battle? If grinding through hordes of monsters yourself feels exhausting, then summoner builds in Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict are perfect for you. Patch 0.3.0 has brought some incredible minion options that can tackle everything from corrupted T15 maps to T4 pinnacle bosses with ease.

Minion builds in PoE 2 are often categorized as “easy to start, hard to optimize.” Getting into summoning builds is accessible even for beginners, but fully upgrading your army requires some investment. If you're looking for PoE 2 Currency to boost your minions, don't forget to check out our PoE 2 Currency Store, which offers amazing discounts and freebies.

Below, we dive into the top summoner builds you can try in Patch 0.3.0.

Why Play Minion Builds?

The appeal of summoner builds in PoE 2 is simple: minimal micromanagement. While you may occasionally need to use command skills for bosses, your minions largely do all the work. Early bossing potential might be modest, but once you invest in your minions, their damage output can be devastating.

Before diving in, remember that minions require a resource called Spirit. Check out our PoE 2 Spirit Guide for details on gathering and managing this essential resource.

Top Summoner Builds in PoE 2 Patch 0.3.0

1. Raging Spirits Infernalist

The Raging Spirits Infernalist is perfect for players who love bombarding enemies with fire damage. This build revolves around three primary minion skills: Skeletal Arsonist, Skeletal Sniper, and Raging Spirits.

 Skeletal Arsonists: Main damage dealers, inflicting massive fire damage.

 Raging Spirits: Summon using fire-based skills like Flame Wall and Ember Fusillade.

 Skeletal Sniper: Mainly for its poison cloud command, enhanced by Corrosion to break enemy armor and amplify minion damage.

The Infernalist ascendancy is ideal for beginners due to its easy access to Spirit through Beidat's Will. Meanwhile, the Infernal Hellhound applies Fire Exposure, boosting your minions' damage further. Use the Muster Support Gem to gain 7% more damage per different minion type—summon at least one of each for maximum effect.

Alternative minions, like the Vaal Guard (Bomber) from Utzaal, can replace the Skeletal Arsonist for faster attacks if your PC can handle the graphical load.

Summary: If you love spammy, high-fire damage builds, the Raging Spirits Infernalist is for you.

2. Frost Mage Lich

For players focused on bossing, the Frost Mage Lich excels in dealing heavy cold damage. This build uses two Frost Mage setups:

 Mapping setup: Primary damage dealer.

 Bossing setup: Optimized for single-target damage.

Key tactics include Frost Bomb for Cold Exposure, Pain Offering for burst damage, Convalescence for energy shield recharge, and Sigil of Power to boost minion damage in AoE.

Use the Muster Support Gem to maximize your minions' effectiveness, including:

 3x Skeletal Frost Mage (bossing group)

 1x Skeletal Storm Mage (Shock support)

 2x Skeletal Warrior (from Rattling Sceptre)

 1x Skeletal Cleric (revival)

 Spectre: Terracotta Soldier (low Spirit cost)

Upgrades like Sunsplinter (+3/+4 to Cold Skills) and Ventor's Gamble (up to +20 Spirit) can significantly increase damage.

Summary: A Frost Mage Lich offers immense cold damage with excellent survivability—perfect for pinnacle bosses.

3. Skeletal Sniper Ritualist

The Skeletal Sniper Ritualist became prominent after Skeletal Arsonist costs increased. This build focuses on long-range precision damage and provides a unique feature through Ritual Sacrifice, granting powerful random monster modifiers.

Advantages of the Ritualist include:

 Ability to wear three rings via Unfurled Finger, maximizing Spirit and damage options.

 Synergy with Bones of Ullr for reduced Spirit reservation cost.

 Potential to take Chaos Inoculation for extra survivability if energy shield ≥ 3,300.

Command your minions with Pain Offering and other buffs for devastating results.

Summary: The Skeletal Sniper Ritualist is a high-skill, high-reward build that excels at mapping and competent bossing.

4. Skeletal Storm Mage Lich

The Skeletal Storm Mage Lich is a versatile build covering offense, defense, and survivability. Key points include:

 Necromantic Conduit: Boosts all minion damage with additional chaos damage.

 Eternal Life: Prevents death if at least one point of energy shield remains.

 Optional Heroic Tragedy (Olroth): Converts keystones for better evasion and survivability.

This build uses two setups:

 Primary damage with support gems like Muster, Feeding Frenzy, and Elemental Focus.

 Shock setup for additional crowd control.

Gear such as Rattling Sceptre, Primate Talisman, and Sunsplinter (+4 Lightning Skills) maximize minion effectiveness. Bossing rotations involve Sigil of Power, Conductivity, Pain Offering, and Voltaic Mark to maintain buffs and debuffs.

Summary: The Skeletal Storm Mage Lich dominates both mapping and bossing, making it an all-around powerhouse.

Best Summoner Builds in PoE 2

Whether you prefer fire, ice, or lightning, Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict has minion builds that fit every playstyle. Which minion build will you summon first? Share your favorite strategies in the comments! Need gear or upgrades? Visit our PoE 2 Items Store for currency, unique items, and minion-supporting gear to power up your army!

MMOexp POE 2 Team