Although I haven’t tested this build out and not skilled in pet builds, lately, I’ve been thinking about a build for a Vitality based Conjurer that utilizes on Hellhound considering its buffs and the Briarthorn and its items overall getting heavily nerfed. It is a vitality based build that while mainly for necromancers, but in this case, it’s for conjurers.
Introduction
The Lost Souls set while mainly used for skeletons, it has bonuses for Hellhound. Hellhound received some buffs in 1.1.9.1 for some items and 1.1.9.2. I think Hellhound and its items will be buffed even more depending on future patches if 1.1.9.2 indeed comes out.
Items
I mainly use green items on pants and belt and the medal, since I geared it toward high SR levels. They have more prefixes and suffixes than the usual purple items. Here are some of the reasons why I put the items there. I won’t say too much considering most of the info I explain here are self explanatory:
Lost souls Set: It’s for the Hellhound overall and having one extra Hellhound. Also it includes Vitality damage which is the main source of DPS.
Mythical Necrolord Shroud: Primarily for the vitality damage from the Aura skill. Also it gives good affixes for survivability for pets.
Mythical Marrow Band: Since Hellhound and Briarthorn deal physical damage, get as much physical damage into vitality damage in there. It’s debatable if you put Mythical Spiritbinder Glyph on there considering its proc towards extra vitality damage. Initially I considered putting in 2 Spritbinder rings, however, a player made a great point towards using Marrow Bands since Hellhound and Briarthorn and Primal Spirit deal physical damage.
Fleshwarped Archive: Gives extra damage and support to Hellhound while giving extra affixes. In 1.1.9.2, it seems that the caged souls suffix will be replaced from Blight Fiend to +2 to Ember Claw which is decent.
Pants and Belt: For the extra prefixes and suffixes for the player and pets. The belt also has +1 skills to Occulist as well. Also, it gives pierce resistance for pets which is difficult to get in items. I put the ideal prefixes and suffixes to have.
Medal: I put in a green Halion crest for the extra attack speed to Hellhound and also giving 6 more seconds to Primal Spirit. Again, ideal prefixes and suffixes for this one. You could go with Overseer for more crit damage and slow resist towards Hellhound and Briarthorn or Beastcaller’s Talisman for extra physical damage considering its big boost for Hellhound in 1.1.9.2
Relic. Mogdrogen’s Ardor for +1 to skills primarily considering Bysmiel’s Domination seemed to have a nerf. it’s debatable if you want to use Primal Instinct for having extra single target dps.
Boots I put the boots for pet speed overall. Otherwise, you could use Fiendflesh Greaves or Deathwalker’s grace for survivability
Components and Augments: I geared it toward high SR levels. Seal of Resonance for CC reduction towards the player, for that it can be a difference for SR. Otherwise, you can go with Seal of Might if pets don’t survive as much. Also, pet resistances for the rings and amulet
Skills
Max Hellhound, and put in Ember Claw for aoe and Hellfire for survivability. I took out infernal breath since it doesn’t seem as useful of a skill for me personally. I also considered it for dealing with Crate of Entertainment boss which is catered toward single target boss. Note: Ember Claw will not be +11, but +13 considering the change to Caged souls suffix
Summon Familliar: I put it in there for as a support pet and I like all the pets in there. But you can take it out and put points in Mogdrogen’s pact for more physical damage or Ember Claw for aoe.
Devouring Swarm: For vitality resistance reduction toward enemies.
Devotions
The usual pet ones such as Sheperd’s Crook for dps. However, I put in Dying God for more dps and geared towards vitality damage. Ulo is used for resistances and dispelling buffs from enemies.
Potential negatives
It seems that it doesn’t give as much DPS in that build. However, I will need to give it a shot when I have more money and crystal to spend it on changing devotions and skills. Also, the pierce resistance for pets in this build is not good. Also, the aoe dps may not be ideal as well.
Here’s what the item gear would look like ideally:
Grimtools