I am doing something similar to the Lazy Necromancer build: Summon Bone Golem, Summon Skeletal Mage, Dread Shade; either Summon Wraith or Summon Skeleton; Volatile Zombie or Bone Curse.
It’s those last two skills I am debating on, especially before and after Aaron’s Will. After Aaron’s Will but before a perfectly rolled one you obviously use Summon Skeletons. After a perfectly rolled Aaron’s Will you use Summon Wraith. How about before Aaron’s Will?
Similarly, I am debating between Volatile Zombie and Bone Curse. With Bone Curse, I am eyeing Barbed Construct for +150% Damage and 135 Damage Reflected. Bone Curse has a 12% Kill Threshold and triggers on every hit from your minions. It also synergizes with Dread Shade.
Volatile Zombie is a tried and true staple summon that offers 16% Kill Threshold and 0.8% of your maximum health per explosion, and armor shred.
My gut tells me to go Wraith and Zombie before Aaron’s Will, Skeleton and Bone Curse after Aaron’s Will, and Wraith with Bone Curse on a perfectly rolled Aaron’s Will. There is a possibility that going Summon Skeleton + Bone Curse is the way to go from the beginning, I’m unsure if the volume of hits from skeletons is enough to push it over the edge, and whether Skeletons would be too fragile with Bone Curse.
Summon Skellies
Summon Mages
Volatile Zombie
Dread Shade
Bone Curse
It really depends on the type of “gameplay” theory you have for your Necro:
a) Do you plan on casting Dread Shade on Volatile Zombies? Or you plan to cast it on one of your Mages/Skellies with the skill node that prevents health loss (i.e. make it a permanent buff)
b) Will your minions be ranged or melee or both? And do you need Bone Curse to keep enemies away from you by slowing them etc?
I am building very similarly at the moment, and I chose all ranged minions (all ice), with Dread Shade acting as permanent buff. So no need for Bone Golem. But I do need Bone Curse for survivability.
However if I stick strictly to the question you asked… Bone Curse or Volatile then I think the answer is Volatile because in almost any “plain” Necro build, Volatile is going to be your biggest source of damage. It is certainly going to bring more damage to the table than Bone Curse will, but BC delivers great enemy control.
Summon Bone Golem
Summon Skeletal Mage
Volatile Zombie
Bone Curse
Dread Shade
Forgetting a moment about Bone Curse’s damage threshold in that case, is Bone Curse better than Summon Wraith?
Fwiw, I am still in the leveling process, only level 60. I’ve been doing Bone Curse and Wraith, and it has been reasonably smooth so far. Actually feels like less clicks than Volatile Zombie.
Personally I have had a huge success with Cold Crit Skeletons & Bone Golem. I go 7-10 archers depending on gear and passives, 5 mages, and 1 bone golem (cold). I get every cold node and additional projectile in those 2 trees.
You can go Bone Curse for more damage, or Rip Blood with % intelligence heal with + health per orb. Helps yo8ufocus targets and heal a lot. Helped me a ton wity bossing to heal up
