Summoners in Path of Exile often rely on their minions to absorb damage, but this doesn't make the player invincible. In higher-tier content, both you and your minions need tailored defense strategies. This guide shows how to stay alive while commanding your undead army.

While your minions are your first line of defense, enemies that use AoE, ground effects, or targeted attacks can easily reach you. That's why summoners need to run defensive auras such as Determination (for yourself) and Purity of PoE Currency Elements (for ailment immunity).

Resistances must always be capped. Many summoner builds invest more into offensive minion nodes and neglect self-defense. This leaves them vulnerable in late game content. Craft resists on rings, shields, and belts to keep your caps even when cursed or exposed.

Energy Shield is a great secondary layer. Many summoners use hybrid Life + ES setups with Necromancer ascendancy, which synergizes well with offerings and bone barriers. Aim for at least 2k ES on top of life to absorb incidental damage.

Use movement wisely. You may not need to fight up close, but bosses like Sirus and Shaper will directly target you. Keep Flame Dash or Phase Run ready to reposition during danger phases.

Minion survivability matters too. Use Meat Shield support, Fortify support on Animate Guardian, and minion life nodes to prevent mass death. When your minions die, so does your safety buffer.

Flask setup can include Granite or Quartz to reduce damage and phase through mobs. Don’t rely solely on minions to block your path. Additionally, summon decoys like Skeletons to distract enemies from your actual character.

Pantheon powers such as Soul of the Brine King (for stun immunity) or PoE 1 Currency Arakaali (for DoT mitigation) are particularly useful in chaos or poison-heavy maps. Your minions won’t die to chaos, but you will if you ignore it.

Summoners must think of defense not only for themselves but their army. When both stay alive longer, the gameplay becomes smoother, allowing you to scale offense more confidently.