Can You Have Two Golems in Path of Exile? A Comprehensive Guide to Golemancy
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Yes, you absolutely can have more than one Golem active at a time in Path of Exile (PoE). While the base game restricts you to a single golem, strategic investment in specific skills, Ascendancy passives (especially the Elementalist), and unique items can significantly increase your golem limit, allowing you to command a small army of these elemental constructs. Let’s delve into the world of golemancy and explore how to maximize your golem count.
Understanding the Golem Limit
By default, a player is limited to having only one Golem active at any given time. Summoning a new Golem will automatically despawn the existing one. This limitation is hard-coded into the base game mechanics to prevent early-game power creep and encourage strategic investment into golem-centric builds. However, Path of Exile is all about breaking the rules, and the golem limit is no exception.
Increasing Your Golem Count: A Step-by-Step Guide
There are several methods to increase the number of golems you can summon concurrently. These methods can be combined to achieve an impressive golem army, dramatically enhancing your character’s power and survivability.
Ascendancy: The Elementalist
The Elementalist Ascendancy class is the cornerstone of any golem build. This class offers several powerful passive skills that directly boost your golem count and empower your golems:
- Golem Commander: This notable passive grants +1 to maximum number of summoned Golems. This is the core of any multi-golem build and a must-have for any Elementalist specializing in Golems.
- Elemancer: This grants buff effect of your Golems is increased by 50%, and you are immune to elemental ailments if you have at least one golem of each element summoned. This powerful notable further bolsters the buffs provided by each of your golems.
Unique Items: Primordial Jewels
The Primordial Jewels are essential for any serious golem build. These unique jewels synergize to provide a significant boost to golem strength, utility, and even count:
- Primordial Harmony: Grants increased buff effect of your Golems and increased Golem damage. Stack multiple jewels for maximum effect.
- Primordial Might: Grants your Golems increased movement speed and attack speed when you have at least one golem of each type summoned.
- Primordial Eminence: Grants increased Golem life and increased life regeneration to your Golems.
These jewels significantly enhance your golems’ survivability and damage output. Strategically placing these jewels within your passive tree is crucial for optimizing your golem build.
Weapon: Clayshaper
Clayshaper is a unique mace that grants +1 to maximum number of summoned Golems. Dual-wielding these weapons effectively grants +2 to your golem limit, a significant boost for any golem-focused build. This allows you to field more golems earlier in the game without requiring other investments.
Skills: Summon Stone Golem
Though seemingly obvious, remember to include Summon Stone Golem, Summon Flame Golem, Summon Ice Golem, Summon Chaos Golem, and Summon Lightning Golem skill gems into your build. Leveling up these gems and supporting them with appropriate support gems is critical for maximizing their effectiveness. Gems like Minion Damage, Minion Life, and Elemental Army all contribute significantly to your golems’ damage and survivability.
Passive Tree Investments
While the Elementalist Ascendancy and unique items are crucial, don’t underestimate the power of strategically placed passive skills on the passive tree. Look for nodes that grant increased minion life, minion damage, and minion movement speed. These passives cumulatively contribute to a more resilient and powerful golem army. Golem’s Blood is a notable passive skill that grants increased maximum life and additional life regeneration.
Optimizing Your Golem Army
Once you’ve increased your golem count, the next step is optimizing their performance. This involves selecting the right golem types for your build, equipping them with appropriate support gems, and strategically managing their placement in combat.
Choosing the Right Golems
Each golem type offers unique benefits:
- Flame Golem: Excellent for ranged damage and clearing packs of enemies. Their fire projectiles can ignite enemies, dealing additional damage over time.
- Ice Golem: Provides high single-target damage and can chill or freeze enemies, slowing them down and increasing your survivability.
- Chaos Golem: Offers physical damage reduction and increased chaos resistance to both you and your minions. This is particularly useful for mitigating chaos damage, which can be a significant threat in certain areas.
- Stone Golem: Provides life regeneration and taunts enemies, drawing their attention away from you. This golem is excellent for tanking and survivability.
- Lightning Golem: Provides increased cast and attack speed.
The ideal combination of golems depends on your overall build and playstyle. For instance, an Elementalist focusing on fire damage might benefit from combining Flame Golems with Ice Golems (converted to fire damage) to maximize their elemental damage output.
Utilizing Support Gems
Support gems dramatically enhance your golems’ capabilities. Some essential support gems for golem builds include:
- Minion Damage Support: Increases the damage dealt by your golems.
- Minion Life Support: Increases your golems’ survivability.
- Elemental Army Support: Increases the elemental damage of your golems and can apply elemental ailments to enemies.
- Feeding Frenzy Support: Grants your golems increased attack speed and makes them more aggressive.
- Meat Shield Support: Causes your golems to taunt enemies and protect you from damage.
Experiment with different combinations of support gems to find the optimal setup for your golems.
Strategic Placement
In combat, strategically positioning your golems can significantly impact their effectiveness. Consider using the Convocation skill to teleport your golems to your location when they become separated or are in danger. This skill can also be used to reposition your golems to target specific enemies or protect you from incoming threats.
Golemancy and the Path of Exile Community
Golem builds have always held a special place in the Path of Exile community. Their unique playstyle, combined with the satisfaction of commanding a horde of powerful minions, makes them a popular choice for both new and experienced players. The Games Learning Society embraces innovative gameplay approaches that utilize the features of the game, and golemancy is an excellent example of that.
You can find numerous guides and discussions about golem builds on the GamesLearningSociety.org website and other Path of Exile forums. These resources can provide valuable insights into optimizing your golem build and tackling challenging content.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Golems in Path of Exile
1. What is the maximum number of Golems I can have?
The theoretical maximum is quite high, achievable with significant investment. Realistically, you can aim for 6-8 golems with a well-optimized build.
2. Which Golem is the best for DPS?
The Ice Golem generally offers the best DPS due to its high single-target damage and chilling capabilities.
3. Which Golem is the best for survivability?
The Stone Golem is the best for survivability, thanks to its life regeneration aura and ability to taunt enemies.
4. Do Golem buffs stack?
By default, buffs from multiple of the same Golem don’t stack. However, the Elemancer Ascendancy passive allows buffs from golems to stack.
5. How much life do Golems have?
Golem life varies depending on gem level, support gems, and passive tree investments. Path of Building (PoB) is a valuable tool for calculating your golems’ exact life total. Stone Golems tend to have more base life.
6. Can I convert Golem damage?
Yes, you can convert Golem damage using support gems like Cold to Fire Support or Physical to Lightning Support. This can be particularly effective when combined with the Elementalist Ascendancy.
7. How do I improve my Golems’ AI?
Unfortunately, Golem AI is somewhat limited. However, you can use the Convocation skill to reposition your golems and target specific enemies. Feeding Frenzy Support also helps to make them more aggressive.
8. Do Golems benefit from my aura skills?
Yes, Golems benefit from aura skills that affect minions, such as Hatred (if you convert golem damage to cold).
9. Are Golem builds viable for endgame content?
Yes, with proper investment and optimization, golem builds can be highly effective for tackling endgame content such as maps, bosses, and the Simulacrum.
10. What is the best way to level a Golem build?
Start with Summon Raging Spirit or another minion skill until you can reliably summon golems. Focus on acquiring the Golem Commander Ascendancy passive as soon as possible.
11. How do I deal with elemental reflect?
Elemental reflect can be dangerous for Golem builds. Consider using items or passive skills that grant immunity to reflected damage, or focus on dealing non-reflected damage types (like chaos).
12. Can I use Golems to trigger skills?
Yes, you can use the Cast When Damage Taken support gem with certain Golem skills to automatically trigger them when your Golems take damage.
13. What are some alternative Ascendancy options for Golem builds?
While the Elementalist is the most popular choice, the Necromancer Ascendancy can also be viable, focusing on minion survivability and damage.
14. How do I scale Golem damage in the late game?
Scaling Golem damage involves a combination of increased minion damage, elemental damage, critical strike chance, and critical strike multiplier. Optimizing your gear and passive tree is essential for maximizing your Golems’ damage output.
15. Where can I find more information about Golem builds?
Path of Exile forums, Reddit (r/pathofexile), and YouTube are excellent resources for finding guides, build showcases, and discussions about golem builds.
Conclusion: Embrace the Power of Golemancy
Golem builds offer a unique and rewarding playstyle in Path of Exile. By understanding the mechanics of golem summoning, optimizing your passive tree, and utilizing the right gear and support gems, you can create a formidable army of elemental constructs that will conquer any challenge the game throws your way. So, embrace the power of golemancy and embark on a path of elemental mastery!