SummonerCore requirements
The advanced setup is A, and the budget setup is B.
- Summons
- Ravens · 2 wolf types · bear together
- Spirit
- Heart of Wolverine 20
- Cast rate
- A 115 / B 110% ≥ 99%
- Resistances
- 75% fire/lightning resistance
Attributes
Total attributes with equipment · hard points shown separately
| Strength | A·B 156Total · meet requirements on both main and swap |
|---|---|
| Dexterity | A Total 35 · B DefaultEquipment requirements only · no maximum block |
| Vitality | All remaining pointsAfter meeting Strength and Dexterity requirements |
| Energy | 0 hard pointsMana potions and Insight |
Attribute calculations and equipment changes
Strength
Do not rely on an item's own Strength to equip it initially, and meet requirements on swap too. Invest only the shortfall after accounting for Enigma and confirmed charm bonuses. Meet 91 Strength before equipping Sandstorm Trek without its own bonus; likewise, meet 65 before equipping Jalal's Mane without its own +20 Strength.
Dexterity
Do not spend additional points to reach 75% shield block. A's Flail requires 35 Dexterity; B's Crystal Sword has no Dexterity requirement. Recheck weapon requirements when changing equipment.
Vitality
Fight behind your mercenary and summons, investing remaining attributes in life. B follows the same principle.
Energy
Use mana potions and Mana after each Kill early on. After switching to A without Insight, keep carrying mana potions. Spell damage cannot steal mana.
Skills
Level 90 · 101 hard points
Main skills and synergies
Prerequisite · support 1 point each
Includes 12 quest points; equipment skill bonuses are excluded. Unlisted skills have 0 points. A and B use the same allocation.
Investment order
Raven; unlock Summon Spirit Wolf at level 6, then at level 18 Summon Dire Wolf and 
Heart of Wolverine, then Summon Grizzly at level 30. 
Oak Sage receives only 1 prerequisite point.
- Raven 20
- Summon Grizzly 20
- Summon Dire Wolf 20
- Summon Spirit Wolf 20
- Heart of Wolverine 20 in that order. Give each summon 1 point as soon as its level requirement is met.
Equipment skill bonuses and allocation notes
The table and image show 101 hard points; gear bonuses are separate. Raven's damage synergies use hard points, while passive bonuses between wolves and bear also include skill levels from gear.
A and B use the same base allocation. Changing equipment alone does not change the tree.
A·B Shared · Level 90 complete allocation
Open this allocation in the simulator ↗
Equipment
A / B: compare modifiers and replacement requirements.
| Slot | Advanced A | Budget B | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | A Runeword Heart of the Oak | B Runeword Spirit | B provides damage and enemy resistance reduction; make up resistances with the amulet and charms |
Weapon choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsFlail with 4 sockets +3 to All Skills · 40% Faster Cast Rate · 30–40 all resistances B · Setup requirementsCrystal Sword with 4 sockets +2 to All Skills · at least 25% Faster Cast Rate | |||
| Shield | ARuneword Spirit | BRuneword Spirit | Both require 156 Strength · the shield has no inherent fire resistance |
Shield choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsMonarch with 4 sockets 35% Faster Cast Rate · +2 to All Skills B · Setup requirementsMonarch with 4 sockets At least 25% Faster Cast Rate · mana and Faster Hit Recovery | |||
| Helm | A Jalal's Mane | B Runeword Lore | B loses skills and survivability · make runewords in empty ordinary/superior bases |
Helm choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsClass skills and survival modifiers · socket a rune for missing resistance B · Setup requirementsCap with 2 sockets +1 to All Skills · lightning resistance | |||
| Armor | A Runeword Enigma | B Skin of the Vipermagi | B travels on foot · replace the lost 30% Faster Cast Rate before switching to Enigma |
Armor choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsMage Plate with 3 sockets Teleport · +2 to All Skills · Strength per level B · Setup requirements30% Faster Cast Rate · 20–35 all resistances | |||
| Gloves | A Trang-Oul's Claws | BTrang-Oul's Claws | Maintain the shared cast rate |
Glove choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirements20% Faster Cast Rate · casting support B · Setup requirements20% Faster Cast Rate | |||
| Belt | A Arachnid Mesh | B Nightsmoke | B obtains 20% Faster Cast Rate from armor |
Belt choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirements20% Faster Cast Rate · +1 to All Skills B · Setup requirements10 all resistances · mana | |||
| Boots | A Sandstorm Trek | B Aldur's Advance | B strengthens fire resistance · A needs fire resistance charms |
Boot choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirements20% Faster Hit Recovery · 40–70 poison resistance B · Setup requirements40–50 fire resistance · 40% Faster Run/Walk | |||
| Amulet | A Mara's Kaleidoscope | BRare Druid amulet | B prioritizes missing fire/lightning resistance over skills |
Amulet choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirements+2 to All Skills · 20–30 all resistances | |||
| Ring 1 | A The Stone of Jordan | BRare caster ring | B Fixed 10% FCR · B Minimum total 110% |
Ring 1: choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirements+1 to All Skills · mana | |||
| Ring 2 | AThe Stone of Jordan | BRare resistance ring | If total Faster Cast Rate is short, B ring 2 should also be replaced with 10% Faster Cast Rate |
Ring 2: choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirements+1 to All Skills · mana | |||
Mercenary and weapon swap
| Slot | Advanced A | Budget B | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercenary | A Act 2 Might  The Reaper's TollRuneword Treachery Andariel's Visage(Ral) | B Act 2 Prayer  Runeword InsightRuneword Treachery Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest | Maintain aura range and mercenary survival |
Mercenary detailsDeveloping an Insight mercenaryUpgrade the Insight mercenary to an ethereal elite polearm to improve first-kill damage. Use Ral in Andariel's Visage to offset its -30 fire resistance; Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest can be equipped from level 66. A: when switching to another weapon, prioritize retaining its aura or enemy resistance reduction. | |||
| Weapon swap | A Runeword Call to ArmsCrystal SwordRuneword SpiritMonarch | B Staff with Teleport charges | A Battle Command → Battle Orders; B is for escaping dangerous areas |
Swap detailsCharge managementMonitor Teleport charges and repair gold. You lose shield resistances while holding the staff, so do not land in the middle of enemies. | |||
Upgrade order
- Obtain an Insight mercenary and +skills gear
- Raise summoning skill levels, including Raven
- Maintain 99% FCR with Heart of the Oak and Arachnid Mesh
- Use Enigma to regroup the army
- Add Call to Arms, The Reaper's Toll and Summoning charms
Playstyle
- Preparing to farm
A: cast Battle Command, switch to primary gear and summon Raven, Spirit Wolves, Dire Wolves, Grizzly and Heart of Wolverine, then cast Battle Orders. Keep each type at its maximum count and reapply Battle Orders after replacing summons. B starts by preparing summons without warcries.
- Ordinary packs
Resummon the bear in front of dangerous enemies and replenish Ravens near your intended target. Stay behind the summons; A uses Teleport to regroup stragglers.
- Bosses
Summon the bear near the boss to tank and replenish Ravens when their attack counts run out. Keep the mercenary on the same target so Decrepify lands.
- Handling immunes
Use Spirit Wolves' cold damage and The Reaper's Toll's Decrepify against physical immunes. B waits for cold wolves to finish them and avoids physical/cold dual immunes.
- B Farming areas
Choose areas where you can fight from behind summons, such as Nightmare Baal and the Hell Pit. Resummon the bear ahead in narrow passages; do not advance alone before the mercenary catches up.
- Transition requirements
You can level with summons from level 1 without a separate respec. After unlocking Grizzly at level 30, always maintain all four offensive summon types together.
Mechanics and notes
Which summons can coexist
Since 2.4, Spirit Wolves, Dire Wolves and Grizzly can coexist. Only one of the three spirits can still be active; Heart of Wolverine is the default.
Ravens and auras
Resummon Ravens directly to replenish their attacks. Do not apply an identical Fanaticism/Might multiplier to every summon. The Heart of the Oak base setup raises the summoning skills themselves, including Raven.
Damage roles
The bear and Dire Wolves deal physical damage; Spirit Wolves deal cold damage. The mercenary's Decrepify lowers physical resistance and does not directly strengthen cold damage.
Value of summoning skill gear
Wolves and bear share passive Attack Rating, defense, life and damage bonuses, so summoning gear improves several traits together. Do not combine this calculation with Raven's hard-point synergies.
Strengths, limitations and farming style
Strengths
Maintain four offensive summon types together.
Rebuild the army without corpses.
Limitations
Continually replenish Ravens and regroup summons.
Slower in higher-player games and physical-immune areas.
Additional variants
Survival spirit
Exchange exactly 19 points: Heart of Wolverine 20→1, Oak Sage 1→20. This alternate allocation chooses life within the same 101-point total.
Beast Fanaticism
Beast on the player can support bears' and wolves' physical attacks, but loses +3 All Skills, 40% FCR and resistances. Rebuild the helm, amulet and rings together to retain the base 99% FCR.