Patch 0.4 has everyone gawking at Mercenary numbers, but the real shocker is what the Witch feels like when you lean into minions again. I rolled a fresh Lich and lived in maps for a week, and the new AI is the part nobody's describing right. They don't just "behave better" now—they actually move like they've got a plan. You'll notice it fast in messy fights, and it makes the whole build feel less like babysitting. And yeah, if you're browsing upgrades or even just checking prices on path of exile 2 currency, it's worth knowing summoner gear is in a weird spot right now.
What Changed In Real Play
Before this patch, you'd drop into a dense T16 and watch your army do the wrong thing on repeat: stacking into one target, eating obvious ground effects, lagging behind while you kite. Now they spread out, swap targets quickly, and don't sit in damage like they're AFK. That single change makes the build feel smoother than any "+damage" buff ever could. Even when a rare rolls nasty mods, the fight doesn't spiral. Your screen stays readable, and you're not constantly repositioning just to get your minions to cooperate.
Build Swap That Actually Worked
I started with a typical Spectre setup, but it got awkward once maps got crowded. So I switched into a hybrid Skeleton swarm. Skeletons in the six-link with Multistrike and Feeding Frenzy is the core, and I wouldn't cut Feeding Frenzy even if you're tempted. The aggression matters. In the helmet, I run utility Spectres with Deathmark so you can pin down chunky rares or annoying elites on demand. The big spike came from "Echoes of the Abyss." That chaos conversion on crit isn't a cute bonus—it's the reason bosses suddenly feel like they're missing a phase.
Why It Feels So Safe
The surprising part is how stable it is defensively. I grabbed Unyielding Command early for the minion life multiplier, because dead minions equals a dead you. I'm sitting around 5k life and 2k ES, and Bone Offering pushing block is doing heavy lifting the whole time. It's not a zoom-zoom mapper like Sorceress, but it's consistent. I ran a long chain of blight-ravaged maps without that dreaded "one mistake, you're done" moment. You can play a little tired, a little sloppy, and it still holds.
Gearing Pressure And The Real-World Shortcut
Prices are the annoying part. Coming Calamity is sitting in that "do I really want this" range, and minion pieces in general are getting scooped fast. I've been funding upgrades through Delirium mirrors, slow and steady. Still, I get why some players look for a shortcut when they just want the build online for weekend boss runs. If you do decide to buy currency or items, a marketplace like U4GM is the kind of place people bring up for quick delivery and convenience, but you've gotta weigh that against your own risk tolerance and how strict you want to keep your account.
