[1.3 HC] The Blasphemer - Armour based Reaver (6.4k life / 38k armour / 20k dps @ lv90), 7 ex budget

Most builds seem to be ignoring armour, which I feel is often overlooked just because there is the notion that it doesn't scale as well. It has diminishing effects against bigger hits, but I'd rather take the big hits and have it do reduced damage than dodge 90% of them only to get killed when it actually hits me. Based on some rough calculations, at my current stats, armour is actually better at protecting against physical 1-shots than a lightning coil would be, by a few hundred life.

Plus, this build is more consistent in that it doesn't have an Achilles heel map mod, something like -resist / ele weakness for RF / coil, no curse for dual curse prolif, etc.

Offense

Defense (no granite)

Defense (w/ granite):

The DPS is nothing crazy, but for a cheap budget 5L build it's alright. A 6L, better weapon, and blood rage frenzy charges can probably push to 30k.

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgQAAecEhwSzBS0NzQ48FE0UcRXsFm8YkRjXGjgaVRuqG8gb-hynHM4kqiXfJy8ppStQL8wxnjJONug26TpSOuE8LT0PQKBDMUZpR35M_01GTeNOKlOlWfNeE2BLYSFi7GMXZKNlTWaeaPJyqXTtdqx673zZggeE2YTviO2K8I-ZkFWbLZ_fogCkGaZXqfqsqq9stiy2Qbc-uR28n702vqfAGsBmwL_BB8GCxBXEgsT2xq7KkM9-137Yvdl84e_jaulG6hjvfPAf8kHyRfcy-Ov60vxL_gr-VP6P
Not sure how leveling would go since this was after a respec. I imagine a natural development along the path would work.

Oak - Oak - Kill all, pretty standard melee.
Another potential approach is Oak - Oak - Oak, grabbing end charge nodes on tree and either self casting EC or IC.

5L - Reave + Multistrike + Melee Physical Damage + Conc Effect (20% first) + Faster Attack
3L - Reduced Nana + Hatred + Determination (we have enough armour such that Grace / Determination gives similar amounts, but Determination scales Granite & Molten Shell much better)

CWDT can be done the traditional way with 1 4L or the way I have it set up:
4L - CWDT (7) + End Cry + Enfeeble + Arctic Breath (frost ground slows everything, and with the amount of increased AoE on tree it's rather large)
4L - CWDT (20) + Molten Shell + Immortal Call + Inc Duration

The traditional way frees up another 4L which can be something like this:
Vengeance + Reckoning + Melee Physical Damage + Blind

Everything else is more or less utility skills. Perhaps some vaal skills for extra burst, movement spells, self cast end cry, etc. I use a culling cyclone with IIR/IIQ since I mostly solo.

4ex - 5L Carcass Jack
1ex - 280+ dps 1 hand sword
2ex - lioneye's remorse (or ~1400 ar/ev rare shield that's probably better), gems and misc rares. This is a rough estimate, I feel like with crafting it's rather easy to get decent rares. Most of mine were self found, which are rather mediocre but get the work done.

Well it's kind of similar to playing the evasion builds in that most hits don't really register. It's more consistent since I'm always being hit for small amounts and quickly regaining it vs the spiky nature of non-armour builds that will occasionally get smacked for a good chunk of their life.

Some things still hurt, but with the granite up even the really hard ones (Poorjoy's whipper crit with vulnerability on me, Colonade Kole with damage mod, etc) aren't scary and can be tanked.