I play Crusader raids a lot, and the Light Summon setup is my go‑to when bosses drag fights out. I’ll say this plainly: summon-heavy Crusaders deal steady damage while you handle mechanics. In my experience that consistency wins raids more often than flashy burst builds.
⚔️ Light Summon Crusader — short overview
This build leans on Summon Phalanx and light-enhancing items so your avatars keep hitting even when you have to move. I’ve noticed it’s especially useful in long boss phases where uptime matters more than single bursts. We found that positioning the avatars early makes a big difference (more on why below).
Why this works
Summons act like autonomous teammates: they take pressure off your positioning and let you focus on survival. Honestly, that means fewer wipe risks in messy mechanics. There are exceptions—for very short, burst-only windows other classes can outdamage you—but for sustained fights this build is reliable.
🛡️ Essential skills and what to pick (and why)
Prioritize Summon Phalanx. Use legendaries that turn your summons into consistent damage sources. Consecration helps control space and magnify light damage. Draw and Quarter gives you fast repositioning and occasional extra hits on adds. I prefer Spinning Shield for extra light damage when it matches my gear.
Be careful: some legendary effects change how you play. Sacred Chain makes Consecration chase enemies, so you cast ahead of predictable boss movement. Sivket’s Advantage turns Draw and Quarter into more of a damage tool than just mobility. These adjustments change your rotation—so adapt.
Recommended loadout (simple)
- Primary: Summon Phalanx (with Spinning Shield legendary where possible)
- Consecration (Sacred Chain)
- Draw and Quarter (Sivket’s Advantage)
- Spinning Shield / Condemn as utility
- Ultimate: Wrath of Heaven
📊 Legendary gems — priority table
| Rank | Gem | Priority | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bottled Hope | S | Big damage window after Ultimate; coordinate timing. |
| 2 | Seeping Bile | S | Adds steady damage over time that stacks with sustained builds. |
| 3 | Phoenix Ashes | A | Resurrect + damage bonus; useful in risky raids. |
| 4 | Blood‑Soaked Jade | A | Life return that helps long fights. |
| 5 | Chip of Stoned Flesh | A | Damage reduction can save a wiped raid phase. |
We found secondary slots work well with Ca’arsen’s Invigoration (cooldown) and Berserker’s Eye (crit). Depending on your group, Everlasting Torment is a fine alternate. As of November 25, 2025 those gems remain meta staples in sustained setups.
⚡ Rotation and practical rhythm
Opening: cast Summon Phalanx at max range so avatars run in and engage immediately. Then place Consecration on the boss and use Draw and Quarter for safe positioning. Activate Spinning Shield for extra light damage.
During steady phases you’ll refresh Phalanx roughly every 8–10 seconds and recast Consecration when the boss shifts. Keep Spinning Shield on cooldown. Prioritize summons—if they fall, your DPS falls fast. This doesn’t always work if the boss teleports constantly; adapt.
- 0–15s: Summon Phalanx, Consecration, reposition, Spinning Shield.
- Sustained: Refresh Phalanx on cooldown, maintain Consecration, use mobility sparingly.
- High mobility: Refresh Phalanx first; delay Consecration until you can land it.
// simple rotation pseudocode
if fight_start:
cast(SummonPhalanx)
place(Consecration)
use(DrawAndQuarter)
use(SpinningShield)
loop:
if Phalanx_near_expire: cast(SummonPhalanx)
if Consecration_off_cd & boss_stable: place(Consecration)
use(SpinningShield) on cd
🎯 Gear, stats and paragon notes
Focus gear on Summon Damage first, then All Damage and Crit Chance. Life and Armor Penetration are useful for survivability and damage vs. armored bosses. Put most paragon points into a damage tree that boosts summon effectiveness, then spread some into survivability—no surprises here.
Quick stat list:
- Summon Damage — main multiplier for Phalanx
- All Damage — universal increase
- Critical Chance — raises effective output
Counterintuitive tip: sometimes lowering raw summon stats in favor of cooldown reduction yields higher sustained DPS because you get more active Phalanx uptime. Sounds odd, but we tested it in multiple raids and it held up.
💎 Advanced tips and common mistakes
Understand how Phalanx AI targets: they hit the closest enemy. Cast near the boss to force engagement, or pre‑place if a phase is about to start. Bottled Hope’s 12‑second buff is best used in coordinated windows—talk to your raid leader before you pop it! (Yes, coordination matters.)
“Pre-position your summons. It’s simple and effective—trust me.”
Common errors: letting Phalanx expire during big windows; wasting Draw charges; misplacing Consecration; popping Ultimate at the wrong time. Avoid those and you’ll already be ahead of many groups.
Controversial take: Bottled Hope gets too much blind praise. If your raid doesn’t stack buffs, Seeping Bile can outperform it over a long fight. Fight me? Well, discuss it — I like debate.
Final notes from me
To be fair, this build won’t outburst every single class in every patch. It shines where fights last and mechanics force movement. Practice the timing, coordinate gem windows with your team, and prioritize keeping your summons alive. Honestly, that’s where wins come from. Good luck — and hey, drop me a message if you want a replay review!
