Unarmed Cyclone Destroyer (HC) (12-15 Chaos start up build)

https://poebuilder.com/character/AAAAAgEAe4zG2FhjPfyMz_ZIXz8UIO8OUEfkURo-8i9-4nk56dXBBHloC2F4Db6KAdyE2Ud-vTZlTb6n

You want to go for Master of the Arena and Resolute technique right away. I leveled with Static Strike on a 2h weapon until about 25, then switched to Facebreakers and IB. Optionally I picked up Revelry in the duelist area to help with mana costs until i had enough life/life regen to Blood Magic my cyclone. Be sure to be leveling all your gems even if you're not using them yet.

https://poebuilder.com/character/AAAAAgEAe4zG2FhjPfyMz_ZIXz8UIO8OUEfkURo-8i9-4nk56dXBBHloC2F4Db6KAdyE2Ud-vTZlTb6nL8zBgraKYuyE73Tteu8FLWBLfLgpLmebrj534zwtcqnE9vcyfNnqGM9-dqytjQ==

Start filling in armor and life nodes, switch to cyclone with blood magic attached and you DEFINITELY should have a good pair of Facebreakers in tow by now (780%+).

https://poebuilder.com/character/AAAAAgEAe4zG2FhjPfyMz_ZIXz8UIO8OUEfkURo-8i9-4nk56dXBBHloC2F4Db6KAdyE2Ud-vTZlTb6nL8zBgraKYuyE73Tteu8FLWBLfLgpLmebrj534zwtcqnE9vcyfNnqGM9-dqytjV4TQKDAv6mVDPesrxuXMk5M_69saPLwH6IABLPAZp_f73w8BcRYns3SIVWpagGXtMautz7-Cti98kWmVzrhMZ7-jzWS

At this point you want to start thinking about going up to get your radius bonus from Templar tree, fill in all the +Block nodes you can, get the scion life wheel, and keep your armor rating at 50% while doing so. You can spec out of Revelry, and any dex nodes you needed to get along the way (Riposte is VERY dex hungry)

https://poebuilder.com/character/AAAAAgEAe4zG2FhjPfyMz_ZIXz8UIO8OUEfkURo-8i9-4nk56dXBBHloC2F4Db6KAdyE2Ud-vTZlTb6nL8zBgraKYuyE73Tteu8FLWBLfLgpLmebrj534zwtcqnE9vcyfNnqGM9-dqytjV4TQKDAv6mVDPesrxuXMk5M_69saPLwH6IABLPAZp_f73w8BcRYns3SIVWpagGXtMautz7-Cti98kWmVzrhMZ7-jzWS8kGCB9l8AeenMLyf_EsUTRv6OlKkGbYsJd8YkSfV8awcp1OlDF8Y14KbmjuQVScv7DgaOClP5CIabONqFm8kqjbp

This is the gravy - The bulk of the build has been completed, you'll find the damage is adequate if not very good by now (no more need for +phys nodes), you should have attained 5k health, kept your armor rating at or above 50%ish, and basically pick up armor and health nodes as you see fit. It's all about keeping that survivability up now!

5Link = Cyclone>Melee Physical Damage>Added Fire Damage>Life Gain on Hit>Blood Magic
(Once your Cyclone can hit for 12k, AND you have 4% life leech on gear/passives - switch LGoH to Conc Effect. It'll give you around 7k more DPS and you'll be leaching over 85 life per hit with 5%)
4Link = Reduced Mana>Hatred>Herald of Fire>Tempest Shield
4Link = Reckoning>Riposte>Melee Physical Damage>Added Fire Damage
4Link = CWDT(1)>Increased Duration(max)>Enduring Cry(5)>Immortal Call(3) {In that order}
3Link = Warlords Mark>Vaal Haste(Optional)>Blood Magic

If you manage to get a 6 Link, I would add faster attacks. I added Vaal Cyclone two nights ago because...Vaal Cyclone. I had an extra spot and nothing to do with it. It works wonders on +pack size. DOESN'T work wonders on "elemental" bearer blue packs :(

Just a note here: The Abyssus is THE damage increaser here. It cost me 4c at level 60 when I could equip it, and the "% extra physical damage taken" isn't as scary as it looks, even in Hardcore. Some smart fellows did the math and it's not all that bad. Honestly at level 79, with permanant granite up, I haven't felt it from physical yet - though Obelisks with the lightning whip has almost ripped me twice while cycloning into them. Also note: the Elemental damage mod on my Rustic was on there when I bought it - it does NOT increase unarmed elemental damage, so don't go for it if you can avoid it.

Just go for Phys damage on jewellery/life/resists on gear, move speed is very important for cyclone as it reduces your move speed while in motion. Get a shield with as much +block as you can, anything under 28 isn't worth having. I believe the max for a straight armor shield is 26 base with +6% max mod roll.

Many people scream MEGINORD's MEGINORD's! But I honestly can't see myself losing the life roll and resists on my belt. We are already 3 items short for resists and 2 items short for life. Get one at your own risk, between Meg and Abyssus, i'll take Abyssus every time

Q: What should I quality?
A:
Vengeance first, it adds 10% to the chance to proc.
Then Riposte adds 20% damage increase
Melee Physical Damage adds another 10% each to your damage whith quality
Herald of Ash is another 15% damage
Cyclone adds 20% increased AOE which is always a nice touch, but not necessary

Q: Why not get Iron Reflexes and run Grace?
A: It's possible to run this, and it's not that far from our path, however all the gear I got as I leveled up is Armor only, and though Evasion shields can have higher block, it didn't seem worth 5 points when I could use those 5 points to go up towards Purity of Flesh for more life and chaos resist. This is a Hardcore build, survival is important. This is a preference though, if you found a shield with EV or Arm/EV, and 36% block, it might be worth it. As for running grace, I'd have to take out Hatred, and without hatred I lose too much DPS to effectively clear in single 'swings' through rooms.

Q: Why no Meginord's Girdle?
A: I explained this in the Gear section above, but it's really a preference. If you can hit 5k life and above with it, and cap your resists - go for it. But your life is going to be hell trying to do that with just Jewellery and a chest/shield. It's true it would add a LOT of DPS, but a 24% sash with defensive stats just seems better for HC.

Q: Why Tempest Shield?
A: 4% extra block. Nuff said

Q: Physical Reflect?
A: No problem. I ran a few 18% phys reflect maps last week and I never had any scary moments. So long as your putting Warlord's Mark on the room prior to going in, you won't have any problems. Cyclone actually isn't the scary thing here, it's the 'on hit' abilities. Without Warlord's Mark, if all three of your 'on hit' abilities clear a phys reflect room - that's a lot of incoming damage. Also, run 2 Granite Flasks of warding (you don't need 'of armor' with this build) and keep em running 24/7 so long as there are mobs around.

Q: What's this builds biggest weakness?
A: Player error. Cyclone can breed laziness and laziness can have you go into a pack without checking mods and get you in a sticky situation. Twice I've had close calls with Obelisk mobs, as well as large packs that put Fire/Ice novas on the ground. They're hard to see and 10-15 of those things going off under your feet can put a dent in your health or outright kill you with damage mods. NOTE: Yea, they did kill me. Follow my advice!

Q: Who are you?
A: I'm nobody. Just an avid fan of POE since Nemesis came out, and finally found a build worth documenting.

Q: What about Unwavering Stance?
A: Unwavering is an option to help with desync, but in my experience, even 5% evade can help tremendously. My On Hit abilities were going on enough where i felt that I didn't need it. The ONLY reason i wanted to put it in, was to make sure my abilities went off - but they went off as soon as they were off CD pretty much through a whole map.

Q: How did you RIP?
A: "Insert element" Bearers + Vaal Cyclone. I KNEW that this would kill me in the end, and I'm not a fan of alt F4, so when i Vaal cycloned a HUGE group of mobs in a Strand map, and saw Storm Bearers were right next to me, I knew I'd die. There were 10-14 of them and all the circles stacked up below me, when Vaal cyclone ended i was furiously trying to run out of the circles but I knew it was the end. It was a proper end, and I had so much fun with this toon I'm not even sweating it. I feel like this toon reached his potential and i got to enjoy it. Now i'm doing SRS.