MF Necro advice

I am mfing with a summoner having 453mf/+12 prebuffed skeletons(32). I switch my blackhand key (yeah i dont have arm yet) with a dual ist alibaba after summoning skeletons.

I don't really have any complaints about kill speed, untill I go into games with 3+ players, 3 player games are acceptable but still slower than i'd like.

Using Infinity on my merc, while wielding alibaba i have level 15 amp, 30 CE.

Would it be worth lowering my mf to increase kill speed, or keep my mf high while maintaining an "acceptable" kill speed?

I normally mf in two player games using my warcry barb on my laptop as a "buffbot". I haven't been having very good luck with mfing, I kill at a reasonable speed and have 450+ mf. Doing both boss runs and random killing in high level zones.

Also, what's the average mf value of a mf hammerdin? 250?|||i would go killing speed over max MF since runes don't matter with MF|||necs killspeed is pretty independent of gear.

with a decently kitted merc and liberal use of amp + ce, your killspeed is pretty high regardless of how much +skills kit you're carrying.

case in point: my goldfind skellynec build.

minimal +skills and still clears out whole areas very quickly.|||http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/s...d.php?t=758633

300-400 mf is fine for me.

Its an optimization problem. I don't have the internal workings to support a real equation, but basically, there's a point on the curve for every class and build where you start seeing diminishing returns.

The BIGGEST effect on how many good items you will find assuming you are @ 300+ mf is how many people are in the game. Much more so than additional magic find.

If you are single player, I would maximize how quickly you can run areas while maintaining 300+ magic find. For a necro that's stupid easy.

Shako with topaz

Enigma

war travs

Gheed

Chancies

Right there you have @ 270-290 depending on quality.

Add in a couple nagels, some charms found along the way and you're well over 300.

Put a baba on switch and you're over 400 (only use that for the bosses or for once you've reached eldritch/shenk/thresh/pindle/baal/pits/etc...

If you find its too slow, carry your cube around and fill your inventory with summoning gcs. I've run with level 42 skellies and they are just ferocious. All that really matters is getting a body on the floor for a necro though. After that, you're killing with CE and your minions mop up the stragglers (assuming any exist).

The best thing you can actually do to speed up the first corpse is make sure your merc is using a lot of crushing blow. Infinity + guillaume's + CoH is a good setup I think for most situations. I don't even bother with infinity OR coh and I do just fine.

However, I disagree that +skills isn't really important for necro summoner. I'm always amazed every ladder how much trouble a necro can get into before he's really fleshed out. Yes, he breezes through the game (after normal diablo or after the horrible skelly archers and cats on arreat area one) more easily than just about any other character, but its not like you can shut off your brain like people say.|||mephiztophelez & Zarniwoop

Thank you for your suggestions, I've read a lot of your threads/posts here and have been trying to follow you both for the past two weeks.




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http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/s...d.php?t=758633

Put a baba on switch and you're over 400 (only use that for the bosses or for once you've reached eldritch/shenk/thresh/pindle/baal/pits/etc...




I'm now using AoKL + homunc to summon skeletons/mages then switching to 2xist baba + homunc for my entire killing time. Do you suggest I continue doing this, or keep my AoKL on for the increased CE radius and extra skeleton?

Also, if I can get a beast easilly would it be worth using?|||don't bother going with a Beast weapon. the damage/second output increase is pretty bleagh regardless.

if you're happy to wep switch just to summon, go wild. personally, i don't bother.

remember, most of your damage is from Amp + Corpse Explosion, not from the skellys. most of your non Amp+CE damage is from your merc.

the skellys are really just a meat shield imho. the do a little damage, but more importantly, things attack the skellies instead of you.

i've said it before and i'll say it again: the core skelly'nec build is so strong you can solo your way to Guardian status, NAKED. gear is more or less optional. +skills gear is purely optional. a little extra +skills is nice, but certainly not mandatory. chasing extra +skills gear is, imho, a waste of resources.

if you read my goldfinder guide, my only +skills come from a torch, my one +summon/Goldfind skiller and my non-up'd Homonculus.

i get an army of 10 skellies along with Merc and Gumby, which is plenty imho.|||Beast = massively overrated.

Keep using your baba on switch. I also tend to not bother after a while but that's largely because I run a lot of areas in one game. But, statistically, you're better off using the baba.

You can always resummon any skellies that die due to lesser skills from mf switch when you move to the next area.|||Quote:








Beast = massively overrated.

Keep using your baba on switch. I also tend to not bother after a while but that's largely because I run a lot of areas in one game. But, statistically, you're better off using the baba.

You can always resummon any skellies that die due to lesser skills from mf switch when you move to the next area.




My thoughts exactly, I just wanted to double check because I am having the worst luck recently.

Thank you both, I'll just keep plugging away!|||One thing about magic finding - its streaky.

I know they say that's a myth, but its not. I've gone entire ladders with almost nothing.

Then out of nowhere I'll find 150 hrs worth of wealth in a month (granted one of those items was worth 120 by itself).

There's no such thing as constant incoming value unless you're a botter.|||Quote:








There's no such thing as constant incoming value unless you're a botter.




err, i disagree.....

i found e-wealth pretty consistently during ladder three by keyrunning* and socky-item hunting like a loon.

in the current ladder (even though i'm on NL), i'd go back to that basic wealth-earning principle: run for D-Keys and clear Hell Cows for runeword shells.

a kick/trap'sin is my 'toon of choice for such things. just be sure and get rid of ALL your MF gear.



*mind you, this was before i published my Nihlathak 1.0.1 guide and gave away all my secrets..... d-key's markedly depreciated in value after i published that guide.......