Is there summoning? Is it good?

[Pizzarugi]

Title

I think I asked this over a year ago and while I recall you folks giving me an answer, I don't remember what it was and enough time has passed that I expect a balance pass or few has also applied so whatever knowledge I may have been given at the time may no longer be relevant.

Does the game have summoning and is it good? To clarify, is it possible to make a sort of dedicated summoner build, or are the minions like a tertiary damage source and you're still expected to dish out most of it?

[theworld]

Originally posted by Pizzarugi:

are the minions like a tertiary damage source and you're still expected to dish out most of it?

This.

[Suzaku]

Minions are mostly supplementary for damage, but pretty good at taking threat and tanking a few hits for you. They made it so you can summon minions more reliably since all unholy skills inflict "condemn" causing the target to spawn a minion when killed, but they're still short-lived as they only last a few seconds.

[Pizzarugi]

Originally posted by Suzaku:

Minions are mostly supplementary for damage, but pretty good at taking threat and tanking a few hits for you. They made it so you can summon minions more reliably since all unholy skills inflict "condemn" causing the target to spawn a minion when killed, but they're still short-lived as they only last a few seconds.

So it sounds like they're not good for bosses who don't have adds then?

[Formous]

Originally posted by Pizzarugi:

Originally posted by Suzaku:

Minions are mostly supplementary for damage, but pretty good at taking threat and tanking a few hits for you. They made it so you can summon minions more reliably since all unholy skills inflict "condemn" causing the target to spawn a minion when killed, but they're still short-lived as they only last a few seconds.

So it sounds like they're not good for bosses who don't have adds then?

That's right, but the Unholy skill that fires a projectile has a jewel that makes it toss 2 shots instead, which can give 2 skeletons. This skill summons when your spell hits, while the ward of the damned still summons based on being hit.

[Suzaku]

Originally posted by Pizzarugi:

Originally posted by Suzaku:

Minions are mostly supplementary for damage, but pretty good at taking threat and tanking a few hits for you. They made it so you can summon minions more reliably since all unholy skills inflict "condemn" causing the target to spawn a minion when killed, but they're still short-lived as they only last a few seconds.

So it sounds like they're not good for bosses who don't have adds then?

Depends on the ability. Corrupted Skull throws a projectile that summons a minion on hit, and Ward of the Damned summons skeletons for blocking attacks with it, so it's not that hard to keep minions up. I also just unlocked a jewel to modify my dash that heals and resets the duration of my summons.

Not to mention that condemned enemies take 15% more damage as well. Playing unholy can be quite fun and effective.