Phantasm Necromancer League Starter

3.29 Update

Soulwrest Necromancer was my League Starter in 3.28 and got GIGA QoL Buffed in 3.29. Coloring Soulwrest was the biggest hurdle, costing 450 Chromatics on average. With 3.29 Socket Color changes, all we need is any 6Link, quality is not that important, and we are GOOD! Cheapest ever to get going. Congregation Support turned out to be insanely powerful, especially when combined with Umbral Army, turning this Build into a proper Speed Mapper with fully automated Clear.

I had this build fully assembled on Day 3, with the only exception being no Aul's Uprising (Envy), which wasn't necessary for Boxes farming. Most items I was able to get at the end of Day 1. The Dark Monarch (Summoned Phantasms) was 1 Divine early into Day 1 and quickly dropped to Chaos Prices on Day 2 and Soulwrest even with the additional Attention on the Build was a 1 Chaos Item, 5 Chaos, if well rolled

I can say with 100% confidence this was my best league starter yet, and the only Reason I am not playing it again in 3.29 is that I plan to run Legion Day 1, one of the few mechanics this Build is weak at.

This build is going to be extremely powerful at the League Mechanic and Abyss, which I expect to be 2 of the best Early Strategies going into 3.29.

Mana-Infused Staff has some potential, but we need the Masteries, so I don't see it fitting in quite yet.

Last major potential Upgrade in 3.29 will be corrupted Soulwrest with Multiple Projectile for the clear Soulwrest for even better Clear. Only good Single Target Corrupt is 10% Quality to socketed Gems, it's neat but not a hard requirement.

Build Overview

Summon Phantasm Summoner has been a Sleeper Build for Leagues now, but it is finaly time for it return to glory. Last played or heard of by most players was back in Expedition League 3.15. There it was played as a Cold Conversion Paper Defense Bosser. Now it returns as a Tanky Allrounder, capable of Killing Pinnacle Bosses and Zoom through Maps.

Build around the Core Unique Soulwrest and utilizing the Necromancer Unnatural Strength for Chaos Conversion and 'free' Wither allows Summon Phantasm Support to become a Poison Applying Machine.

While retaining an actual proper Defensive Package this time between Block Cap, Life Leech with Bone Barrier and Divine Shield for Energy Shield Recovery. On top of sitting at ~4k Life and ~2k ES. This build leaves nothing to be desired in terms of survivability.

The Primary Reason to start Soulwrest Phantasm over other Minion Builds is the unique Property of Soulwrest. It does not require to be 6-Linked, just Socketed. All Support Gems socketed into it apply to the Trigger Level 25 Summon Phantasm on Corpse Consumption. Making it incredibly cheap to "6-Link".

Buffs compared to Last Time it was 'Meta'

In 3.19 Unnatural Strength got changed to give Unholy Might, which grants full Physical to Chaos Conversion and free wither Apply

In 3.24 Bone Barrier got changed to give Minion Damage leeched as Life and Mindless Aggression to grant flat More Minion Damage

In 3.26 Soulwrest got double buffed, raising the innate Summon Phantasm from Level 20 to Level 25 and doubling the Flat Physical Damage

It also greatly benefits from Eldritch Implicits added after 3.15 and 3.26, The Dark Monarch (Summoned Phantasms)as it didn't really need any other Minions.

Trade Budget

Assuming this build doesn't explode and everyone plays it, everything we need to get going is going to be giga cheap and the luxury upgrades (outside Progenesis) should also be a lot cheaper compared to other Builds and their Items.

SSF Viability

This Build is technically SSF Viable, all Uniques can easily be selffarmed including Soulwrest. It is a fairly common Unique and can be target Farmed with Alone in the Darkness Divination Cards, which have a 1/4 Chance to return a Soulwrest.

The Darkness Enthroned and Ghastly Eye Jewel can be farmed from Abyss, which also drops the Alone in the Darkness Divination Card. (Amanamu's Gaze also, but bit rarer)

The Dark Monarch (Summoned Phantasms) Helmet and Aul's Uprising (Envy) can be technicaly target farmed by killing their respective Pinnacle Bosses, however are much more niche drops, though not required for the build to work. Elegant Hubris (Caspiro Supreme Ostentation) is the only thing that would require a different Build to farm effectivly.

Mapping

Weapon Swap to Mapping Setup (by Default X Key)

1. Channel Cyclone and move through the Map
2. Move with Leap Slam if no Enemies around
3. Use Frostblink if needing to Dodge or Reposition

Bossing

Weapon Swap to Single Target Setup (by Default X Key)

1. Pre Summon 80% of all Phantasm by channeling Cyclone
2. Apply Predator Support Signal Prey
3. Apply Despair
4. Continue to Summon Phantasm Support by channeling Cyclone
5. Press Vaal Haste whenever Ready

Survivability Layers

• Hybrid Life & Energy Shield Hit Pool (~4k Life & ~2k Energy Shield)
• ~20k Armour & Divine Shield
• Capped Block & Spell Block (with Bone Offering & Mistress of Sacrifice)
• • Recover 2% of Life & Es on Block (Staff Mastery), all Physical Damage blocked counts at 100% of Damage for Divine Shield
• Molten Shell
• Conditional Less Damage taken from Flesh and Stone and Infused Channelling Support
• 10% less Physical Damage taken from Bone Barrier
• • also 1% Minion Damage leeched as Life (with 21-44 Phantasm that is a lot)
• 5 Endurance Charges (20% Less Damage Taken)
• 80% reduced Critical Damage taken (Mastery & Passive Point mix)
• Recover 5% of Life & Mana every Second (if Corspe nearby from Desecrate from Disciple of Kitava Kitava's Teachings)

Phantasm

Soulwrest summons 1 Phantasm for each Corpse Consumed. The Phantasm is a Minion that uses a Physical Spell Projectile, which always pierces. Per DB Entry, they also have a physical default Attack, however the Spell has no Cooldown, and the Phantasm always uses the Spell.

The Phantasm will inherit all Supports socketed into the Soulwrest, they do not have to be linked!

The Minion Limit by default is 11. If supported by Summon Phantasm Support the Limit of the Soulwrest Phantasm increases instead of summoning Seperate Phantasms. A level 21 Summon Phantasm Support increases the Limit to 22. If using a The Dark Monarch (Summoned Phantasms) the Limit increases to 44.

By using Unnatural Strength the full Damage of the Phantasm converts to Chaos Damage.

If using a Soulwrest in both you Weapon Set 1 and Weapon Set 2 and supporting both withSummon Phantasm Support, it is possible to Weapon Swap without the Phantasm despawning. They also dynamically use the Supports used in the current Soulwrest.

It cannot be supported by Enlighten Support, Enhance Support and Empower Support and it's Level cannot be increased with +1 to Minion or all Spell Skills.

To generate the Corpses, a Desecrate can be used, and the most effective way to consume them is with Bone Offering. This can either be automated with a Arcanist Brand or Cyclone + Cast while Channelling Support.

Amanamu's Gaze

Amanamu's Gaze is the current best Way to get Damage over Time Multiplier on your Minions. It counts all Ghastly Eye Jewel on your Character. Both on Tree and Gear. So it includes Jewels socketed in a Darkness Enthroned for example.

Covenant Jewels

Fortress Covenant and Quickening Covenant grant Bonus to your Minions but come with a Downside. Due to the behaviour of Radius Jewels and Cluster Jewel Sockets, the Downside can be completly ignored and it can be used for only it's upside.

02.03.2026 | Initial Writeup