I’m curious as to whether or not while maybe major content patch’s are finished, they should make another or revise an existing pet set that focuses on aether damage considering every damage type is covered other than aether.
I think an existing pet set, say Diviner, that changes on aether damage would be interesting considering that damage type isn’t looked at as much.
If they do make a new SR set either in a major content patch, I’m guessing a set revolving around conjure primal spirit considering every other pet is covered and with the helm, amulet, offhand, and medal as the supporting bonuses.
“everything” aether pets would need is Aethereach gloves to have vitality dmg converted to aether dmg for pets on them
this would allow you to do aether pets with beastcaller or ex lost souls, not locking you into a mediocre pet set like diviner (pers opinion)
new sets at this point of the stage in game’s dev is probably unlikely, too many/big items changes on existing items might not even happen (tho we can cross our fingers)
that said, i would totally welcome more/new sets etc to play a round with, i just don’t think it’s likely to happen, got a feeling Z might soon put all his spreadsheets to the side and consider GD balancing a finished task (go 1.1.9.3!)
Pretty much this is the only hurdle whenever I’ve looked at Aether pets that involve Necro - you can pick up Elemental/Physical->Aether for pets and your Skeletons, Blight Fiends and Reap Spirits all still have that side Vitality damage (and Acid for the Fiends but it’d be weird to only have conversion for them/that). Soul Harvest as well remains Vitality for pet damage.
Aether pets with a focus on Shaman should be mostly fine though - Briarthorn, Primal Spirit and Mogdrogen’s Pact get full converted, you can also opt for a pure Aether Chillmane Yeti and pure Aether Swarmlings too. You do miss out on converting Blood Pact though. There’s a beginner guide for that here:
And TPOM did Aether pets Vindicator awhile back here:
Occultist pet focus looks mostly ok as well - Familiar and Storm Spirit can be converted to Aether. Hellhound’s Physical and Fire also gets converted, on Hellfire, the flat Fire does too. Only the Chaos damage on Blazing Death, Hellfire, Ember Claw and Infernal Breath remains. That said though, I think Shaman is more suited for Aether pets than Occultist is.
Currently, aethereach only converts elemental damage to aether, there should be more items that convert other damage types as well (although Baka mentioned one weapon that converts physical too). However, there should be more items for this as well. If we’re still thinking about using a pet build that uses Aether, I’m thinking Bysmiel set would be a possible fit considering its an elemental set and at least 80% damage is converted. However, the DPS might be low considering it lacks items and you would have to use different devotions.
Diviner set was a possible example that changes to aether considering there are buffs in 1.1.9.2 and Necromancers have aether damage as one of their main sources. But I’d be surprised if other sets such as Conjurer or Ritualist would use aether.
thing is, that doesn’t apply to pets
Necro RR is a giant pita to apply, on an archetype where you’re trying to not get hit by having your pets tank
as Baka mentioned soul harvest is vitality dmg, reap spirit doesn’t do aether dmg but still has big part vitality dmg with cold converted into vit on Diviner, skeletons do majority vitality dmg
aside from generic %all dmg pet buffs there is not really anything in Necro that supports aether dmg for pets, which is also why i suggested/asked to get about 50%(or more if possible) vit->aether dmg conversion on Aethereach gloves
this would make soul harvest useful even on non skele pets, it would make aether reap spirit decent, possibly in spite of even using diviner, would even dip into making bloodpact a little useful for a ritualist or conjurer derp (potentially)
there is just so much vitality “lost” in necro on a Necro aether pet, there are what, 2 types of pet dmg conversion into aether? Elemental on Aethereach gloves, and physical on Warden’s Judgment.
aside from most necro pets having minimal physical dmg, you also don’t get any acid conversion on blightfiend. Making skele Mages and t1 skeletons the ones benefiting the most, - keeping in mind without some derp using Warden’s Judgment also locks you out of Lost Souls set to actually boost skeletons.
Without that vit conversion there is just nothing that really helps aether dmg for pets on Necro side. And regardless of which way you then try to approach it on Occ or Shammy you will always, at best be, a 1 RR mastery, with a giant pita of RR application, Spectral Wrath and widow being a nightmare respectively
i truly think the best way to handle it would be conversion on Aethereach gloves including Vit-Aether, since it would then start to take advantage of actual necro stuff, while not locking you into 1 set or out of every set
!)