Problem:
There are limited options to invest in minion-related stats on player gear, meaning that their base stats have to be inflated to compensate. This leads to most minion builds caring too little about itemisation, and also limits the potential to scale high-end minion builds with better items.
Solution:
Lower minion base life and damage, but provide more ways for players to invest into minions on their own gear, allowing minion damage and survivability to each be higher than previously possible for a character with strong items.
The damage and life scaling values for minions have been adjusted. This affects all minions other than Raise Spectre, though the damage of Animate Guardian, Animate Weapon, Blink Arrow and Mirror Arrow minions is also unaffected as they gain base damage from items instead. Generally speaking, minion life and damage is unchanged in the very early game, roughly 30% lower in mid acts, roughly 20% lower at level 20 of the minion skill, and roughly 10% lower at level 30 of the minion skill. The base life and damage of minions that are not associated with skill gems have been adjusted to counteract these changes, except for Raised Spiders from Arakaali’s Fang.
The level of monster created by the Raise Spectre Skill has been lowered, though remains unchanged at gem level 1. It now creates a level 70 monster at gem level 20 (previously 72), and level 76 monster at gem level 25 (previously 77).
Added a new Ring base item type: Bone Ring. This Ring has an Implicit Minion Elemental Resistances modifier, and can roll Minion-related modifiers.
Bone, Ivory and Fossilised Spirit Shields are now found with a Minions deal increased Damage Implicit modifier (previously increased Spell Damage), and can roll Minion-related modifiers.
As a result of these Implicit modifier changes, the Manastorm Unique Shield is now a Lacewood Spirit Shield, and the Kongming’s Stratagem Shield is now an Ancient Spirit Shield.
Added two new Wand base item types: Calling Wand and Convening Wand. These base types are level 20 and 50 equivalents of the Convoking Wand and can roll Minion-related modifiers. Some of the new Minion-related modifiers have been added to the available pool for these Wands, and some existing modifiers have been adjusted and/or made more common.
Helmets can no longer roll +1–3 to Level of socketed Minion Gems. Instead, they can now roll +1–2 to Level of all Minion Skill Gems. The Vendor Recipe for a Helmet with a +1 to Level of socketed Minion Gems modifier has been replaced with a new recipe. Happy hunting!
It is now possible to obtain +2 to Level of socketed Minion Gems as a Corrupted Implicit modifier on Helmets, Body Armours, Gloves and Boots.
Ghastly Eye jewels have had their modifier pool updated.
The Indomitable Army Notable Passive Skill no longer has “Minions have 15% increased maximum Life”.
The small Passive Skills in the Grave Intentions cluster now provide “Minions have 8% increased maximum Life” instead of “Minions have +10% to all Elemental Resistances”.