Core Keeper Summoner Build Guide: Best Armor, Weapons, & More

Many hands make light work, especially in the subterranean world of Core Keeper. Solo players and those playing in multiplayer Core Keeper servers can enlist the help of summoned minions to help increase their survivability. However, building a summoner can be tricky, especially after seeing the different equipment available for this build. So, keep reading as we help you have the best summoner build in Core Keeper.

The Core Keeper Summoner Build: An Overview

The Core Keeper summoner build generally requires players to use summon weapons. Wielding these special equipment lets you summon minions. Note that each player can only summon one minion at any time, unless otherwise stated. So, attempting to summon another minion will despawn the existing allied creature. As of Version 1.0, players can summon three minion types in Core Keeper: the Bat, Skeleton, and Jellyfish. Each creature has unique behavior and stats, which are the following:

Bat

• Summon Weapon: Tome of the Dark
• Damage: 33 to 39
• Mana: 36
• Durability: 100
• Item Level: 2
• Behavior: Shoots small projectiles at nearby enemies.

Skeleton

• Summon Weapon: Tome of the Dead
• Damage: 74 to 90
• Mana: 63
• Durability: 100
• Item Level: 11
• Behavior: Strikes nearby enemies with short-ranged attacks.

Jellyfish

• Summon Weapon: Tome of the Deep
• Damage: 60 to 72
• Mana: 66
• Durability: 100
• Item Level: 12
• Behavior: Orbits around the player, dealing contact damage to hit enemies.

Players should also prioritize in activating and building the following skills and talents to maximize their summoned minions’ efficacy in combat:

• Summoning: +0 to 50% minion damage
• Ferocious Creatures: +4 to 20% minion attack speed
• Critical Command: +4 to 20% minion critical hit chance
• Trickle Down Arcana: +10 to 50% minion damage based on the player’s magic damage
• Longing for this World: +10 to 50% minion lifespan

Best Armors for Summoner Builds in Core Keeper

The full release of Core Keeper has been generous to players interested in making summon builds. In particular, the survival sandbox title now allows users to search for and equip different armor sets to boost traits related to summoning minions. The best armor sets for the summon build in Core Keeper include the following:

Witch Doctor Armor

The Witch Doctor Armor Set only requires a player to be at least level 3 to wear all of its components, making it the ideal armor set for beginner Core Keeper summoners. These armor pieces are the Witch Doctor Hat, Witch Doctor Vest, and Witch Doctor Jeans. Wearing the entire armor set grants the player with the following stats and effects:

• Max Health: +27 to 175
• Armor: +9 to 45
• Max Minion Count: +2
• Minion Lifespan: +9 to 31%
• Minion Attack Speed: +31.5%
• Set Effect: +31.5% minion attack speed

Chieftain Armor

Explore the map, and you’ll eventually reach the Clay Caves. Doing so lets you gain the chance of finding each piece of the Chieftain Armor Set in this biome, provided that you’re at least level 5 at this point in the game. This Core Keeper summon build armor set consists of the Chieftain Headdress, Chieftain Tunic, and Chieftain Shorts. Wearing the entire set also lets you summon additional minions, bypassing the game’s limit for this feature. Additionally, you can take advantage of the following stats and effects:

• Max Health: +43 to 160
• Armor: +30 to 86
• Max Minion Count: +1
• Minion Damage: +6.1 to 19.5%
• Minion Attack Speed: +11.5 to 43.8%
• Set Effect: +2 maximum minion count

Corrupt Warden Armor

The Corrupt Warden Armor Set lets you summon the same number of minions as when you’re wearing the complete Chieftain Armor Set. However, wearing this complete Core Keeper summon build armor set greatly boosts your summoned minions’ damage output, making your party a force to be reckoned with. Ensure that you’re at least level 10 to wear the Corrupt Warden Armor Set.

• Max Health: +125 to 238
• Mana Regen: +2.5 to 4.8 per second
• Max Mana: +61 to 117
• Max Minion Count: +3
• Minion Lifespan: +17 to 29%
• Minion Damage: +19.9 to 35.6%
• Set Effect: +15% minion critical hit chance

Grim Armor

The Grim Armor Set is perhaps the best armor set for a character using the summon build in Core Keeper. Wearable at level 16, this particular armor set grants the player to summon up to four minions to the field. Additionally, it provides a considerable boost to different stats, including maximum health, mana, mana regeneration, and minion damage.

• Max Health: +143 to 170
• Magic Barrier: +59 to 69
• Magic Damage: +6.8 to 8%
• Max Minion Count: +4
• Minion Damage: +17.4 to 20.4%
• Max Mana: +50 to 59
• Minion Lifespan: +20 to 23%
• Mana Regen: +4.8 to 5.7
• Set Effect: Minion damage increases by +48% of the player’s magic damage

Best Weapons for Summoner Builds in Core Keeper

As mentioned earlier, three weapons exist for the summon build in Core Keeper. Each weapon and the minion you can summon with it has its distinct pros and cons. That means that the best summon weapon is generally a subjective matter and typically relies on the user’s unique playstyle. In particular, choosing the Tome of the Dark to summon bat minions technically lets you summon miniature flying turrets. Doing so lets you stay reasonably safe from enemy melee range without reducing DPS. However, the damage output per summoned bat is mediocre at best. On the other hand, the skeleton minion summoned by the Tome of the Dead is a great damage dealer. However, the tradeoff is that the summoned minion must walk to the enemy to damage the hostile NPC. The skeleton will then be vulnerable to attacks from opponents while walking. Finally, there’s the jellyfish minion that you can summon with the Tome of the Deep. Albeit it’s not the most powerful minion, it can provide a defensive “shield” that deals contact damage to hit enemies. This can be useful for late-game players, especially when paired with armor sets like the Grim Armor Set, since these pieces of equipment allow you to summon multiple minions.

Best Accessories for Summoner Builds in Core Keeper

Various accessories are available for the summon build in Core Keeper. Some of the best necklaces and rings you can find in the game for this character build include the following:

Soul Medallion

• Item Level: 17
• Effects: +1 to max minion count and +9 to 10% minion critical hit chance

Polished Gold Crystal Necklace

• Item Level: 13
• Effects: +19 to 26.9% magic damage and +20.1 to 28.5 minion damage

Soul Lantern

• Item Level: 12
• Effects: +6 to 8 blue glow and +32.1 to 50.9% minion attack speed

Vicious Ring

• Item Level: 11
• Effects: +22.3 to 36.7% minion damage

Puppet Ring

• Item Level: 10
• Effects: +1 to max minion count and +24 to 45.6% minion attack speed.

Tips & Tricks

Having the best armor and weapons for the summon build in Core Keeper are only parts of the recipe to become the best summoner in the game. So, here are some additional tips and tricks that can help optimize the efficiency of this particular class:

• Swap weapons. You don’t need to continuously hold a Core Keeper summon weapon to maintain the summoned minions. Instead, swap to a different weapon after summoning minions to increase DPS.
• Equip pets and summon minions. Core Keeper pets can help turn the tides of battle in your favor. Thankfully, pets and minions can exist in the field simultaneously.
• Force targeting. Summoned minions generally only attack the enemies that you’re attacking. So, you can direct your minions’ firepower on specific NPCs for a strategic approach in dealing with them.