[2.0] Yordle's CI Bow Witch

How viable is non-crit version?

Seems to lose quite alot of crit/multi as it's use two unique in the amulet/quiver slot which is the main source of crit/multi

I have a level 70 witch that has yet to be respecced and would love to use this guide to build her up. What do you think is a good level to switch over to CI?

Very good guide & ideas here Yordle! I'm likely gonna use your guide as a basis for my char in the next HC temp league, with the exciting new bow skills and all :)
Me being a DPS junkie, I'll probably not stick to Darkscorn forever. It is a great starting weapon though. And like you, I love Incandescent Heart. However every time I try to implement it, I have to concede that - in the end - the 81 allres isn't worth it over the loss of base ES, compared to a rare chest. I've been using it on my current Mjölner CI tank for a bit, but I am losing around 3K ES compared to a mid-tier pure ES chest; in the end, that 3K extra ES is just the better defense really. On top of that, you don't scale IH's Armour at all. You do have 100% increased evasion rating from tree and dex though, so I dare say a well-rolled Carnal Armour will be better than IH for this spec. Especially since we are based on leech and fast-recharging ES, which needs us to NOT get hit. Evasion just fits the bill better here IMO.

As for your tree, I'm a bit annoyed that there is no good way to pick up King of the Hill; and I like my crits. Maybe possible to compensate by taking the shadow power charge and the one from bandit, but then you'd have to reliably have ass mark up OR use PCOC regularly.

So, still undecided about what changes I'm gonna make; I do love my CI chars though and it is high time I play a bow char again :)

cheers mate

Edit: I'm most likely gonna run with an since I hate chill/freeze, and its mana leech should come in handy vs single targets.

Edit 2: I've made this tree based on yours, for use with since I dropped one last night :D
https://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAwMA34rpAkuuGyXZW20ZIvQRUGwLNbmTJ6crvop_xu-IytOhLxGW-Te0DJOVBx4OSNfPRnHquq0zlS4N0V3ySbGDCQ18Gdfw1WNDfjNw1W-eYENJUY_6pJGJ05ykbj3sGNDQE55wUocTvoAsv19qjDYqC3cHFdflGfPqhq60OLVIVmP79QYjbWyZmpeXH0HndFWFNj3rY0V8Ax7bGujWpcvssBEvFr8QeyLqBbWMC746wzqNv7l8m7UqOFFHhMXnVDB8N9Q-zyT9fyvtP73m_9451Hb3MfqgnxvIz93xih1P

The jewel socket next to "Nullification" is for a Static Electricity jewel; and this can be done as both witch and shadow. Any input welcome :)

Can anyone update this?

Possible LVL~90 Tree :


Can be done either as Witch (Occultist) or Shadow (Trickster for Defense/ Assassin for Offense). This build gets 275% inc./15% more ES from the tree alone, so even with Inc. Heart and without a Shield this should reach ~7k ES easily, which will start to recharge in <0.5 sec with Soul Strike.
Witch & Assassin start are more Power Charge orientated and could pick up the Shadow PC nodes.

Damage-wise I could not test this build, just from skimming over the build I get too around ~400% inc. Damage (before charges). The problem here is the low base damage of the Bow, which will be the limiting factor in higher map Tiers.

Items will likely stay the same as OP stated, Inc. Heart, Darkscorn & Soul Strike are the core of the build. Auxium could be used if you have enough resists elsewhere. You can potentially drop Eye of Scayula if you go with Occultist (Stun immunity on Full ES), altough its still risky in >T12-13 maps.

Skills/Links are personal preference, but anything without damage conversion should be king (SA/TS/RoA), the only thing worth switching in, if you have the room for it, is a Poison gem which profits from the ~70% chaos damage we get from the tree.

Everything else in OP's post should be up-to-date as far as I can tell.

As I've been wanting to try a Bow Witch this build seems very user friendly. Thanks for sharing. For my attack I'm toying with the idea of using EK with Darkscorn. Using chaos & physical passives/gems to scale poison/chaos damage.