Originally Posted by
Lysah
Only passives that say they work for minions work for minions, sadly. Also, spell echo does work with SRS, but it only helps you summon them faster. It is still one of the best gem choices, however. Most people run SRS + echo + melee splash (swapping out to multistrike for bosses) + minion damage, melee physical I believe for 5th link though it's starting to come down to various preferences there. Gem slots are definitely a huge concern for summoners, it's a shame but it's another way to balance the game.
Ascendancy is good, it's just free strength for your character. Don't be fooled by the Necromancer, however, the bonuses to zombies and spectres are honestly mediocre. What necromancer does give you, though, is the ability to make flesh offering affect you, which is extremely awesome for SRS casters. My build was an occultist, using wicked ward + soul strike quiver to have near instant and permanent ES regeneration and an extra curse from the other passives.