Overview
This build works well, with inexpensive gear options while remaining viable. He is a strong early ladder option in which you can’t depend on accumulated wealth and stashed items. Likewise, he can be viable in Hardcore using the right gear selection. The varied damage sources imply that he won’t want to use Sunder Charms to stay effective and won’t have to offset negative resistances. As a PvM Character, your effective clear speed is going to be on par with higher-cost builds and can require considerably less optimization to stay effective (because of Corpse Explosion damage scaling separately from skill or gear investment).
The emphasis of the build is on life, mobility, powerful bone attacks which are rarely negated, corpse explosion, curses to amplify damage, and summons to do something as a shield and supply additional physical damage.
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Attributes
Enough strength and dexterity for the selected gear, the remainder in vitality.
Skills
You possess some autonomy here, based on your preferred playstyle. A summon primary build will afford more tackiness to minions and therefore more safety. However, it'll lack the initial clear speed of the bone primary build. Summon primary is usually recommended for Hardcore.
Bone Tree
There are three primary bone attacks you can choose from. Teeth, Bone Spear, and Bone Spirit. If you are Bone Primary, it is usually recommended you invest 40-60 points within this tree. If you are Summon primary, max one bone spell and invest some points in necessary prerequisites. Invest one in all other synergies (Bone Wall and Bone Prison).
Curse Tree
One point each inside your desired curse(s). Amplify damage necessitates the least skill investment (just one point) and offers ample damage amplification for minions, and corpse explosion as well as your mercenary. Decrepify and Dim Vision can offer additional safety for Hardcore.
Summon Tree
Your remaining Skill points are going to be used on Summons. A Golemancer build might be viable but isn't recommended like a single Golem won't be as effective as dispersing damage. An Iron Golem will, however, be part of an aura. 1 Point in Revive, Skeletal Mages, Golem Mastery, each Golem, and Summon Resistances. Next max Skeletal Mastery, then Skeletal Warriors.
Iron Golem Aura
Insight - This is going to be a cheap option that ought to alleviate the want to use mana potions.
Pride - This can be considered for any high-cost build, and in which you are not utilizing an A2 Pride mercenary.
Bramble - Another viable option providing a thorns aura for your army when you're not by using this on an A2 mercenary.
Gear
Helm:
Shako - Best overall caster helm where FCR isn't required
Crown of Ages - Best defensive selection for Hardcore
Amulet:
Maras - Best for softcore and Hardcore (FCR isn't required with this build)
Weapon:
Heart from the Oak - Best overall caster weapon for Bone Primary build
BeastZ - Best minion buffer for Summon Primary build
Bone Wand - A strong offensive-orientated selection for Bone Primary build
Rings:
Bul Kathos is usually recommended. Stone of Jordan is viable.
Shield:
Spirit Monarch - The best standard caster option otherwise opt for max block
Homunculus - A strong max block option
Darkforce - A good overall option
Stormshield - The best defensive selection for Hardcore (note: you cap out at 50% damage reduction, that is something to bear in mind if also utilizing Crown of Ages).
Armor:
Enigma - The strongest selection for any game mode, offering teleport repositioning for the army, in addition to arguably the strongest general buffs from armor options.
Vipermagi or any other + skill armors that offer defensive stats can be viewed as budget options.
Gloves:
Trang gloves - These offer useful cold resistances, along with a curse buff, in addition to FCR. While FCR isn't crucial to this build, it may offer some additional speed when teleporting.
Bloodfist - A great defensive option offering FHR and life.
Boots:
Sandstorm Treks / Marrowwalk / Waterwalks / Shadowdancer (max block) / Rare Tri-res are viable options based on your needs.
Switch:
Call to Arms / Spirit Monarch standard switch.
Charms:
Annihilus / Torch / Gheeds (optional) / Sunders (not advised)
Poison and Bone Skill GCs (Life Desirable) - Bone Primary Build
Summoning Skill Gcs (Life Desirable) - Summon Primary Build
Life / Resistances / Faster Hit Recovery, Small Charms
Mercenary:
Note, you need to avoid freezing abilities around the Mercenary like Ice Arrow or Holy Freeze given they shatter corpses and stop them from getting used for Corpse Explosion. The Chilling Armor effect of Fortitude is negligible and doesn't prevent it from being a viable option. Additionally, if you're utilizing an Iron Golem for the aura, and/or self-wielding aura things like Beast, then keep in mind that the same auras don't stack (I.e. Faith and Beast)
Option 1: A1 (Fire Arrow)
Weapon: Faith GMB (The +skills you can roll on GMBs now affect Mercenaries in D2R)
Armor: Ethereal Fortitude / Bramble
Helmet: Ethereal Anda riel's / Vampire Gaze
Option 2: A2 (Might / Defiance / Prayer)
Weapon: Pride / Infinity (for enhanced CE damage) / Insight
Armor: Ethereal Fortitude / Bramble
Helmet: Ethereal Anda riel's / Vampire Gaze
Skill Rotation:
Ensure Bone Armor and Warcry effects are active all the time, including in your army. Curse, and get rid of the first enemies together with your Bone Spells. A single kill inside a packed group should permit you to chain CE the rest of the packs, as the army offers an alternate damage source. Use Revives on larger front-line minions.
Conclusion
The variability afforded with this build is because of your primary damage dealer (CE) requires no real skill investment. As such, customizing your build won't hurt your efficiency out of the box the case with every other D2R build. Playing around with various options, or carrying switch gear is usually recommended to find your sweet spot for the preferred playstyle. You won't be punished for not having expensive gear, though teleport lost from not equipping Enigma can be viewed as a major drawback for mobility and clear speed if your teleport charge item isn't used instead.