[2.0] HerCoCules | A HC CoC wand build of Herculean proportions

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Slamdancer wrote:

You should really get quality on your gear.. shield boots gloves helmet..

Also, you have low life %, but your life is quite decent, so i suspect your tree looks a bit different? I am running a CoC build with wands as well in Tempest, good to see more people enjoying the fun :)

I know I should, I just keep crafting better gear, and I keep running out of scraps =3

I believe my life % is around 150-175% and my armor sits around 9k ish. Not 100% sure been working hella hours and haven't had the chance to jump back in for an update.

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Mordgier wrote:

What do you think of the variation that I am following.

It's extremely tanky, I like it! However you lose out on unwavering stance, which is a must for me, and you lose a bit of DPS by going Templar tree instead of Witch. Otherwise it looks good, glad it's working out for you =)

Good point about unwavering stance. Didn't realize I was so close to it.

It's possible to get it and even more defense nearby:
Build

Keep in mind - this gives you SIX jewel sockets, so I get a lot of DPS out of jewels that give spell damage when holding a shield and flat damage.

Found this build when I was looking over CoC builds and found it interesting. When I saw the passive skills tree you posted I almost fell over laughing (in a good way, trust me). I also noticed in your leveling section you said to go frost nova and fire totem for leveling and thought I would suggest a slightly more costly though imminently much more satisfying method of leveling especially when you consider the type of build (ranged, destroy things quickly).

Now the part I was chuckling about in the passive tree is that the right side is SO similar to a build I made that just absolutely blasts its way to 50+ with ease. No, annihilates, is more like it. Lightning arrow + a couple of cheap uniques is all you need. If you're willing to use some of the many respec points they give us, you can go to 60/64 without trouble and still outkill most every other build you party with.

I know this was intended as a budget build or fresh start thing, but the league has been going long enough that the 2 essentials are very easily affordable and plentiful.

EDIT: I further realize that this is an HC build thread, but an awful lot of folks from Standard/warbands are going to try this build out, and that said these comments of mine are meant for FAST painless alternative for SC leveling, not the SAFE and generally slower HC route.


What you need:
Storm Cloud, unique long bow
Static Electricity unique jewel (1-92 added lightning damage the way I take points there) For the early game this is better than another link , and it affects all your attacks. Pop that jewel in and watch your dps nearly double.

Both of these regularly list at 1c. IMO, a piece of equipment that can legimately be used for 50-60 levels is worth a lot more but most folks think storm cloud is worthless for some reason. More fools they! Pay the 1c and grin all the way to 60. 4L is very viable, 5L is somewhat overkill but fun as hell if you can manage the mana costs. There is no need whatsoever for a 6L in leveling with this unless you want it as a cheaper option to a 5L in which case shell out the 18-20c for tabula.

Luxuries:
Wanderlust, unique wool shoes (cannot be frozen +20% move, cold res)
Lochtonial Caress, unique iron gloves (+10-15% att spd, awesome)
Fairgraves Tricorne, unique tricorne (cannot be shocked, lightning res)
Hyrri's Bite, unique sharktooth quiver (stats, IAS, LGOH, best early quiver, bar none)
Briskwrap, unique strapped leather (big defense boost, move spd, cold res)
Karui Ward, unique ammy (move spd, accuracy, stats)
The Ignomon, unique ammy (ele damage boost, evasion, fire res)
None of these will be used past a1 except perhaps the quiver. If you ask around, a lot of folks have a few of these lying around and will be happy to get an alch or a couple chance orbs for them, or if their stash is nearly full they may simply give them away!

You do NOT need the luxuries, they are just that and can be substituted as needed/wanted. This is essentially my starter kit for every new character I make (way, way too many). I just keep them on a single page and they are ready for when I get bored and start a fresh toon. That gear, and a barrage with faster att and LGOH gem will let you face-tank everything but Dominus, and a4 bosses in normal. Most of these items are SO common you can hardly sell them. Some are regarded as worthless, but not by me. They leave much to be desired, BUT they are enough to get you through a1 with no real issues.




I also use some elreon jewelry to lower costs, nothing spectacular it but let's me go 5-link w/o guzzling mana. I don't use a tabula, in all reality, 5 or 6L is a lot of overkill till it's needed endgame.

I do a fairly standard linking I think.
act1: LA/SA/or Barrage -> added lightning ->LMP/(added cold for SA/barrage) -> LGOH (use stun if you have mana issues)
act2: LA -> LMP -> WED -> added lightning -> added cold (solo)/ Faster atts(party). I run Herald of ice/lightning
act3: sub in mana leech gem if needed in a 5 or 6 link (library quest). I run wrath/HoL at this point.
act4: LA -> GMP -> chain -> WED -> added lightning or mana leech if you swap out your elreon accessories.

If you still have mana issues, try a 2 mana gain on hit jewel in your first jewel slot.

I am not trying to derail anyone into an LA build, just trying to give an alternative to leveling totem/nova. I did the totem thing till it nearly drove me to quit the game, I liked it at first and it slowly dawned on me that I bloody well hate it. I used to think that totem/nova/firestorm leveling was OP. Try this as a start though, and you'll see that LA-GMP-chain-WED + Storm Cloud simply wreaks havoc in the early game (<60). Add in 40-50% total run speed and things get bloody ridiculously fast, I doubt you go back to totem leveling after trying it. (except perhaps for new leagues)

EDIT: Decided to start a char and transition to CoC later on. I used my passive skill tree listed earlier and the gear I listed with the addition of added lightning damage jewelry. Just some dps numbers:
act2 start 190 dps, adding WED and static elec jewel took it to 400+ dps
act2 end 800+ dps
act3 lvl 30, 1300 dps LA (tooltip), 900 dps Barrage (tooltip)
act4 lvl 38 before gem transition, 1500 dps LA
after going to LA/GMP/chain/wep/mana leech - 650 dps and literally twice the kill speed as before.
lvl 44 adding crit nodes and working more of the dps portion of your skill tree 900+ LA. That is enough to kill any pack of non-rares before a cast of firestorm or whispering ice touches a single critter (in a full party too). I am hoping to get lucky and manage to 5L my volls before getting to 60ish and finishing my transition.

been doing this build in 1Mo league...

only pain in the a** problem is, popping 3 greens on volls devo...

just one more, while its good defense by using shield, i think its ASP is too low, so instead, i'm using dual wand.

and related question, since i cant popping 3 greens on volls, i'm stuck with some magic 5L eva+shi armor, and to produce more power charge, i have to rely on either assassin mark, which is why i have to use arc, because otherwise, HoT wont strike to curse, hence, another blue socket where either to Arc B or PcOC.

so confusing here bro..

any good idea maybe.?

btw, its very good build, i'm starting to liking it over my cycloner...

man i'd love to see a more expensive equipment version of the build.
can anyone put something together please ?