[2.0 Theory build] BM Crit Flame Totems

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nebunelux wrote:

Here is my tree.

Tree has quick access to some more totem nodes(Shamanistic Fury) and cast speed(Mental Rapidity and Nimbleness). It can also be converted pretty easily into a self cast crit <any spell> build.

It's a lot better to start as a witch when building a spellcaster.
Starting as Marauder, gimps you very hard in the beginning.

How do you guys feel about jewel sockets? Should we be chasing them around the passive skill tree?

Can't see your tree, it just shows me a few starting points off which.

The benefit of going marauder is the giant life pool you start with, and easy access to BM + Ancestral Bond (pretty much the 2 main keystones that run the whole build.)

The nerf to FT shouldn`t be a big deal. It only makes leveling a little harder, but in the end the damage is the excact same.

Could this build utilize shockwave totems instead? Seems to be more effective now that you cannot shotgun flame totems with GMP.

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renroval wrote:

Could this build utilize shockwave totems instead? Seems to be more effective now that you cannot shotgun flame totems with GMP.

Yes, you just need to switch the tree around and drop all the elemental stuff. Something like this.

You would use Increased area of effect for a support gem. SWT is all about radius boosts.

Keep in mind that swt is 1% less crit chance and is not always really good in groups since it can knock things around - unless you are use the unique gloves that reverse knockback.

I decdied to just level up a new character in the tempest league with FT instead of respeccing my old marauder.

This is my tree so far.

And my gear.

A lot of my gear is dumpster. I've noticed though that Added X-Y elemental damage to spells is HUGE for Flame totem dps. It's going to be a requirement in the end-game crafting mods. It's almost so good that i am considering not using a shield at all, since I don't think you can roll it on shields - but the defenses would be really nice (I would like the block chance, honestly.)


Sitting @ level 49 atm. with 2k life and 1k tooltip dps with Iron Will + FT + Faster Casting + Faster Projectiles linked.

Havne't switched to BM yet, was going to wait until i get some more regen - I am doing fine with a level 11 clarity and a hybrid pot atm.

I make an update on my progress.
Started as a Witch rushing Ancestral Bond and Blood Magic.
It seemed a very good idea on paper but 15 points only for BM and 35% life it's a bit too much. Big mistake.
Especially since mana and mana regen is so easily available on nodes that have other stuff.

So I ditched the whole BM idea.
I respeced about 14 points and this is where I am now at 55.

Cruel Malachai was nearly impossible with 1.7k Life. I know it's utterly low, but I can cull him :)
I got a bit over 100% rarity(with the gem) which is pretty noticeable on bosses.


My plan with this character was to MF a bit until i can get some 5Ls and then transition pretty easy into a cold crit caster. I will need regrets as I spent all my respec points on the stupid BM idea.

BM is good if you go Marauder non-crit.
For crit FM Witch, BM is very sub-optimal.

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nebunelux wrote:

I make an update on my progress.
Started as a Witch rushing Ancestral Bond and Blood Magic.
It seemed a very good idea on paper but 15 points only for BM and 35% life it's a bit too much. Big mistake.
Especially since mana and mana regen is so easily available on nodes that have other stuff.

So I ditched the whole BM idea.
I respeced about 14 points and this is where I am now at 55.

Cruel Malachai was nearly impossible with 1.7k Life. I know it's utterly low, but I can cull him :)
I got a bit over 100% rarity(with the gem) which is pretty noticeable on bosses.

Gear

My plan with this character was to MF a bit until i can get some 5Ls and then transition pretty easy into a cold crit caster. I will need regrets as I spent all my respec points on the stupid BM idea.

BM is good if you go Marauder non-crit.
For crit FM Witch, BM is very sub-optimal.

BM is really only doable if you have a large life pull, if you are not using a life-leech or lgoh build. I have 2.4k hp atm, at level 53, as a marauder.

These days, it seems best if you are a witch/shadow to go hybrid or pure ES, since you don't have as many life options - unless you are going into duelist from shadow.

I'm trying a very similar build to yours, after playing a non-crit FT and finding the damage to be insufficient for my liking. It's going great, my damage has way more potential than non-crit and I haven't felt any less survivable.

lvl55
3.0k HP
2.6k DPS on FT w/ 3 Power Charges




Having to run Astramentis still to keep up with Dex for GMP/Faster Proj, but should probably find a way to have it on other pieces soon.

One thing I'm not sure about is whether to run Flammability or Assassin's Mark. It's very hard to judge which of the two curses gives more dps output. I'm leaning towards Assassin's for overal performance, but Flammability probably does a better job at shocking large HP mobs. What do you think Edzilla?

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Nupss wrote:

I'm trying a very similar build to yours, after playing a non-crit FT and finding the damage to be insufficient for my liking. It's going great, my damage has way more potential than non-crit and I haven't felt any less survivable.

lvl55
3.0k HP
2.6k DPS on FT w/ 3 Power Charges

Having to run Astramentis still to keep up with Dex for GMP/Faster Proj, but should probably find a way to have it on other pieces soon.

One thing I'm not sure about is whether to run Flammability or Assassin's Mark. It's very hard to judge which of the two curses gives more dps output. I'm leaning towards Assassin's for overal performance, but Flammability probably does a better job at shocking large HP mobs. What do you think Edzilla?

Looks very nice.. I just hit 65 myself, slow transitioning to crit myself on my tree. Still haven't went BM yet, since I don't have a 5link or a clear mind jewel yet. Here's my current tree, and my gear .

im at 3k life as well, with 3.4k dps after summoning a totem (with Shaman's dominon.) Don't have a power charge setup going yet.

It's slowly improving :P Should be farming merc aquaducts soon to hopefully get some upgrades, might grind felshrine too for the 6 link chest card, but I kind of want a coil or belly. I'm still unsure if I want to go dual dagger or use a shield. I'm not sure how our defenses will be in maps, even with endurances charges / coil and 180+ life. I'm still afraid of the 1-shot D:

I'm using Flammability atm. I think it's better until you can stack a bunch of crit from gear / the passive tree. The biggest benefit you get some Assassin's mark is the crit multi. The little bit of extra crit chance is not that big of a deal. So i would suggest using it once you can get to about 30% chance to crit with flame totem. Otherwise, Flammability.

Edit: About the dex problem, I was lucky enough to roll a nice jade with + dex and life from an alch. But i am also using 2 dex nodes atm, I could drop one tho for now if I wanted to - but we will probably have to keep 1 up in the final tree, unless you run astrametis like you are. If Astrametis is incorporated into the build, might replace the crit chance gem with Iron Will, for the 6 link setup, since they buffed Iron will. It will need some testing!

Hey, looks like pretty solid build, probs gonna try it coming 1 month league.
2 things tho - have you thought about using Searing Touch or +3 6l staff (and perhaps Kaom's armor) instead of double Void Battery and Infernal Mantle? Batteries are pretty expensive and damage from Searing/Kaom would make up for less crit (I think). You could also grab crit strike chance with staff cluster near Arcane Potency cluster, 130% crit chance and some crit multi for 5 points
Also, have you considered skipping some of Shadow nodes (Blaze-included) for jewel slots? Even pretty cheap 5-6% life 10% fire/totem/elemental damage (let alone 7% life 20% damage) jewels would probably do much more than 18% life 28% fire damage. Ignite chance is nice, but it doesnt transfer to shock chance with Three Dragons, does it? Plus with crit chance that high we should be critting all the time anyways.

And finally

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Edzilla wrote:

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renroval wrote:

Could this build utilize shockwave totems instead? Seems to be more effective now that you cannot shotgun flame totems with GMP.

Yes, you just need to switch the tree around and drop all the elemental stuff. Something like this.

You would use Increased area of effect for a support gem. SWT is all about radius boosts.

Keep in mind that swt is 1% less crit chance and is not always really good in groups since it can knock things around - unless you are use the unique gloves that reverse knockback.

Do you think that would work? Shockwave totem looks pretty fun too and is nice change when everybody is running flame totems but... I think youd need to skip Blood Magic keystone to run Hatred/Herald of ash, I think those 2 are just too good to skip when using physical build... unless you have somebody in party to run Hatred for you.