Mages worth it?

[A.D.]

Hello, I'm a first time poster here but I usually browse these forums while I'm not busy at work for the past ... 6 months, anyways I just recently reinstalled Diablo II and I notice alot of the new summoner guides are maxing skele mages. I haven't played in 1.11 very much, so I was curious as if they were buffed a bit. I checked out the Arreat Summit to see skelemages damage tables, and they still seemed quite low (poision mages being exceptionally worthless.. If i read right they do about 1 damage a second for like 500 secs).

Anyways my builds are usually a poor mans, I cant justify spending money on D2 and I don't have the time to loiter around free rooms or haggle with people, so my skills rarely go beyond 25 when totally maxed.

So nowadays are mages used as meatshields? I've been using 10 CE as my main killer on other builds (50% fire/50% phys + amp damage will usually hit for 75% of a baddies health, granted no immunes) so my merc usually scores the first kill, and then after the first CE it's child's play.

I guess I just want to know everyone's take here on skelemages, I'm at level 50 and have invested no points into mage or CE yet so before I begin NM cows/Baal I need a good sense of direction.

[Bartender]

You sound like a nice guy, try getting some more posts then try the freebies section in trading, I don't know about the summoners, just giving you a heads-up. Oh yeah, Welcome to d2sector.net!

[Bloodangel26]

any guide that recommends maxing mages should not be taken too seriously...because mages themselves should not be taken too seriously...

[A.D.]

Yeah, that's pretty much what I guessed. I suppose I'll try the CE/Tanking Golem with xtras into bone armor. Thanks bloodangle & bartender.

[Bloodangel26]

no prob...i am not sure what ce/tank golem build you are talking about it, but it doesnt sound like it is worth the time to me...gl with it if you make it

[ggkthx]

Welcome to BlizzSector first of all^^

well i remember CE/Golem combo back in classic... boy was that ownage... AMP+Blood Golem+CE yep=)

well first of all it depends wether you want to become a PvM or PvP necromancer...Most PvM i see go with pure summon/Revive and PvP goes with Poison And Bone. that's as far as i go into helping unless you verify which one you want to be -.-

[Crimson_Brilliance010]

Excuse me ,but I have to interject. What's CE?

[Bloodangel26]

CE= corpse explosion

[Crimson_Brilliance010]

AH that makes sense. But did that own in pvp or pvm i only see that working in pvm because in pvp where are you going to just find corspes to just blow up

[MasteroftheMoon]

For a summoner i personally wouldn't go mages.

The idea for a summoner (in other cases i can be wrong) is for PvM and when doing hell there is a lot of Immune to... so i would go: 20 skele, 20 skele mas, 20 revive, 10-20 golem, 1-10 golem mas, 1 amp damage.

But w/e you feel is right.

[ggkthx]

That would be pure summons... where's all the CE gonna come from, i say you screw those skeletons and get: blood golem, iron madien/amp, CE...^^ ohh yeah just like a classic build =)

BTW the iron madien is for you blood golem...and AMP right before you do CE

[MasteroftheMoon]

Or you can do that, both are fairly effective

[Siluru]

Usually if you are maxing Skeleton Mage you are also maxing Skeleton Warrior, and putting decent amount of points into Revive. If otherwise do NOT max Skeleton Mage because alone they are not as effective. If you want meatshields go with Skeleton Warriors and Revives as they are more effective than Skeleton Mages tenfold.

[Bloodangel26]

NEVER max revive. its such a waste. AT MOST 5 pts. with your gear even 1 point should turn into at least 7 revives. all adding points does is give you more revives and after around 7 they get awfully hard to keep track of along with the 15 skeleys you should have