Critical State of Minion AI and Summoner Mechanics in PoE2

The current state of the Necromancer/Summoner archetype is fundamentally hindered by AI logic and a punishing Spirit economy. As it stands, the mechanical friction makes the playstyle significantly less competitive than other meta builds.

​1. Pathing and Environmental Obstruction

​Minion pathing remains a major bottleneck. Summons frequently get stuck on small environmental assets or fail to navigate doorways. Furthermore, ranged minions lack the line-of-sight logic to reposition when an obstacle is between them and the target, often resulting in zero DPS as they fire directly into walls.

​2. Aggression and Target Acquisition

​The "leashing" behavior is too restrictive. Instead of acting as a frontline, minions often prioritize following the player’s exact coordinates, forcing the caster to act as the primary meat shield. Without a direct command or the player taking the first hit, the AI often remains passive during boss encounters.

​3. Survival and the Spirit Economy

​Minions currently lack any inherent "avoidance" logic for stationary traps or ground degenerations. This would be manageable if resummoning were viable, but Spirit costs are prohibitively high. * Proposed Fix: A baseline 25% reduction in Spirit costs is necessary to allow for reactive gameplay when minions inevitably die to unavoidable mechanics.

​Essential Quality of Life Changes:
​Re-introduce Convocation: A dedicated skill is required to reset minion positioning and clear pathing bugs.

​RTS-style "A-Move": Implement a bindable command to allow minions to engage enemies while moving, rather than wandering aimlessly.

​Survival Instincts: AI should be tuned to prioritize moving out of high-damage ground effects when not actively attacking.

​If PoE2 aims to make the Summoner a viable endgame archetype, these core AI and resource issues need to be addressed before the end of Early Access.