[2.1 Video Guide] Crit Magma Orb Guide - Dropping Bombs! [SC Build & Atziri Viable]

Awesome concept. I've been working on a crit magma orb build as well.

All of this is pure theory, but i wanted to try a crit pledge of hands build. if that fails, i'll probably just go with divinarus + raithpith combo.

Tree


Gear Considered

As fun as this build is, i do not believe that it is HC viable nor that it competes with other "Meta"-builds like poison arrow. Awakening has introduced a new act and new monsters which force players to be even more careful and defensive - this build is offering not enough defensive options to survive those new dangers (especially on HC!).

Magma Orb has a very long cast time and a few % in cast time are not enough to change anything, you are eating a lot of damage, because you can't move as fast as scion's or ranger's with arrows and their nearly non-existent cast time.

I do not see, how this build is viable to kill the last boss of act 4 alone on merciless without deaths. There is a lot of damage you have to suffer, eating up your energy shield & eating up your only source of "mana" at the very same time. Magma orb is an expensive spell, the energy shield regeneration is not working in close quarter boss fights & your life regeneration to refresh you energy shield is not enough. When your energy shield fails, you eat 30% more damage + you can't do any dps yourself.

This build does insane dps & you can clear champion groups with ease, if you are able to cast at them, without being in fear to get insta-killed. But other spells like flameblast are simply better at doing the same tactic, they offer 100% dps at long range with short cast times (=reducing risk to die), while magma orb is a mid-range spell with an option to do long range damage + a very long cast time.

Flasks + life (without regeneration) + 2 spells as your only defensive sources are leading to deaths and there is nothing you can do about it.

The build is fun, magma orb is an amazing skill, but it suffers the same negative aspects most caster builds are suffering right now: they are outshadowed by bow-skills (poison arrow / tornado-shot) & melee-skills like sweep / cyclone.

After playing this in hardcore to 66 (until 1 shot dying to Kole) I want to repeat that having a granite flask is 100% required for this build to avoid death, particularly after you spec EB and hit A3M

can this build work properly with pledge of hands?

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Eleney wrote:

can this build work properly with pledge of hands?

I wouldn't suggest it, at least not for a HC build. A shield can be a very strong defensive bonus =)

could you also use LMP or GMP?

if so what would you 4l,5l,6l be?

thanks!

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HannibalK1ng wrote:

could you also use LMP or GMP?

if so what would you 4l,5l,6l be?

thanks!

I don't advice that. LMP/GMP will simply reduce your damage. The explosions from the extra projectiles doesn't overlap. If you want more AoE then the "increased area of effect" support gem is better =)

doryanis invitation will make the gameplay way smoother. I just added and the build really took off

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DaisyBlue wrote:

doryanis invitation will make the gameplay way smoother. I just added and the build really took off

Nice. Would try it if it wasn't expensive as hell in warbands. Did you spec into Ghost Reaver or are you running it as is?

How do you sustain your life considering you took Zealot's Oath? Do you just go of if flasks?