Preparing for Delve HC - Easy 2m+ DPS with flasks + Tanky for HC - Optimized skill tree for endgame
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Update on 25 August - Initially wanted to convert this to Poison - but realized how hard it is without Chaos damage conversion. Will try to think of something to see if it is possible
Update on 24 August - I have decided to go for a Totem Arc build (Glacial Cascade if Arc gets nerfed) as league starter. Will continue this build 1-2 weeks into the league. Updated on 22 August - Optimized the skill tree for level 100 for more DPS - not going for the By the Blade nodes and instead using Claws of the Pride and From the Shadows nodes. Will be using this build for upcoming Delve league on Hardcore. Hopefully any skill tree change in 3.4 will not affect this. Updated on 19 August - Character died to Racecourse reflect. A real pity, I played really badly there. Stayed in Standard to try out end-game bosses to see the limit of the build. HC Flashback Incursion Champion Reave/Blade Flurry - Cheap and Very High DPS Boss Killing Videos on Standard
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End-game Bosses
Normal Shaper (Deathless) Uber Atziri (One death) Normal Atziri Xoph Guardians Maze of the Minotaur Tier 16 (Deathless) Maze of the Minotaur Tier 16 with Enfeeble (Deathless) Pit of the Chimera Tier 16 (Deathless) Lair of the Hydra Tier 16 (Deathless) Forge of the Phoenix Tier 16 (Deathless) Tier 15 Kitava Lava Lake Tier 15 (Very lucky) Carcass Tier 15 (Physical Reflect, one death from reflect) Tier 14 Colesseum Tier 14 Tier 12 Racecourse Tier 12 Castle Ruins Tier 12  Introduction Made this build for the HC Flashback Incursion league after my self-cast arc died at level 91 from random crab popup from ground in a Tier 12. I can say that this build is probably the second most fun build I have played in this game - the most fun being the self-cast arc build which recently died. I have tried out Vaal Double Strike for this build already and Blade Flurry does much better during boss fights (at least with this build). Build Idea Pros - Super high DPS (Currently 6th Stage Blade Flurry 1.56mil DPS with flasks up and 850k without flasks up) - Very agile playstyle - Relatively cheap (most expensive piece is Loreweave and stat stick) and doesn't take much to scale the DPS to higher levels - Tanky due to Fortify, Dual-wield block, Loreweave Resists, Armour/Evasion and Phys Damage Reduction mechanics - Can do any content in the game Cons - Melee build - CANNOT run Physical OR Elemental reflect - Blade Flurry requires some precision when doing single target DPS - Need to switch in and out of gems when going from map clear to boss-killing - Really fast map clear, but still slower than Blade Vortex and Arc builds Detailed Explanation
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Varunastra is the core idea of the build. The physical damage, attack speed, critical chance, critical multiplier related skill nodes that this weapon allows us to get is absolutely ridiculous.
With Might of the Meek added to the jewel slot near the Shadow Tree, the attack bonuses from the dagger and claw nodes are magnified which scales our damage to broken levels. Soul Raker also conveniently offers us the Life Leech and Mana Leech needed but it is a pity that we cannot take advantage of Blood Drinker due to the need for Might of the Meek. The immense attack speed we get also offers a very agile playstyle which I very like - it is similar to the self-cast arc playstyle. Excluding the jewel slot needed for Might of the Meek, we have 3 jewel slots available and I would prioritize as follows: Life > Crit Multiplier > Resists. We have 6 gear slots to fill in our resists which should be plenty - however it might be more difficult to balance this with getting in damage mods. Champion Ascendancy also offers tankiness which we need in HC and due to the fact that we only get 192% increased max life from skill tree (excluding jewels). Even without a 6-link, the DPS is already crazy high. Update on 22 August - no longer going for the By the Blade nodes - and instead using the From the Shadows and Claws of the Pride nodes for more DPS Skill Tree
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New version (Finalized with more DPS and only 1% less increased life) Level 100 Skill Tree
Note: If you have no problem balancing the resists, you can unspec out of Alira and get 2 more passive points - to either allocate to get more life or get more DPS by getting a major DPS node. This newer version offers much more creative options as the pathing is nearer to more unallocated life nodes / DPS nodes. Path of Building Stat Screenshot
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 Old version (1% more increased life but less DPS) Level 100 Skill Tree Path of Building Stat Screenshot
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 Gem Links
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Body Armour
Vaal Reave - Melee Physical Damage - Multistrike - Increased Area of Effect - Elemental Damage with Attacks - Physical to Lightning Blade Flurry - Melee Physical Damage - Maim - Concentrated Effect - Elemental Damage with Attacks - Physical to Lightning Main Hand Whirling Blades - Faster Attacks - Blood Magic Off Hand Summon Ice Golem - Ancestral Protector - Minion and Totem Elemental Resistance Support Gloves Vaal Haste/Grace - Increased Duration Boots Cast When Damage Taken - Immortal Call - Increased Duration - Enfeeble Helm Leap Slam - Blood Rage Herald of Ash - Hatred Current Gear
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You do not need high-end items like these to begin reaching 1 million DPS. However this is one of few characters that I actually liked playing so I invested quite a bit into it. I might start stacking more crit multi in my gear (or craft some steel rings) so that the DPS could scale to 2 million DPS - however balancing the resists is a challenge.
Leveling
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Act 1 to Act 3
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- Cleave until level 12
- At level 12 switch to Sunder - remember to grab and use Herald of Ash and Hatred - At around level 33 do Normal Lab Aim for this sort of skill tree Main skill gem setup
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Sunder - Melee Physical Damage - Faster Attacks - Elemental Damage with Attacks
Act 4 to 7
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- Switch to using swords and begin using Vaal Reave + Blade Flurry - put in Fortify support gem for now to make use of Ascendancy
- At level 55 do Cruel Lab Aim for this sort of skill tree Main skills gem setup
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Vaal Reave - Melee Physical Damage - Multistrike - Fortify
Blade Flurry - Melee Physical Damage - Elemental Damage with Attacks - Fortify Act 8 - Act 9
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- We can take out Fortify support gem now and try to get a 5L chest
- Finish up Act 8 and reach Blood Aqueducts - farm our way to level 64 and get Varunastra + Might of the Meek - Respec into our build - The real fun begins Aim for this sort of skill tree Main skills gem setup
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Vaal Reave - Melee Physical Damage - Multistrike - Elemental Damage with Attacks - Increased Area of Effect
Blade Flurry - Melee Physical Damage - Maim - Elemental Damage with Attacks - Concentrated Effect Post Act 9 Upgrade Priorities
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- Resist cap
- Starkonja's Head - 5L Loreweave (roll at least 80% resist) - Cheap stat stick - Lion's Roar / Atziri's Promise - 6L Loreweave (good roll - use divine orbs) - Good roll Stygian Vise - Tombfist (2 jewel slots) - Taste of Hate - Amulet and Ring upgrades (while keeping resists capped - use jewels if necessary) - Good stat stick - Reave/Blade Flurry helmet enchant - Boots enchant - Attack Speed corrupted Varunastra - Gem quality + corrupts - Jewel minmaxing - GG corrupted gear * Note after getting a 6L Loreweave and the Scion life node clusters, it is possible to pretty much faceroll Uber Izaro in a matter of 2-3 seconds during each phase Last edited by tecknit on Aug 25, 2018, 5:22:31 AM Last bumped on Aug 25, 2018, 2:53:48 AM
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Updated to show gear progress. Might try out end game boss fights soon once i hit the 90s.
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Updated to show further gear process - approaching the level 90s and might save up currency for end game content
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Updated with gear progress - was very lucky in Uber Labs. Reached level 91 and going to work towards Tier 15 / Tier 16 maps
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Tried Atziri on Softcore and it was a breeze - fights didn't last a single second. A real pity this character died, but it is what it is.
I will continue to use this build in Delve Last edited by tecknit on Aug 19, 2018, 12:03:48 AM
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Updated to show videos of end-game boss killing
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Updated to show Deathless boss fights
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Updated with a better Uber Atziri run - still one death though. Very stupid of me
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Updated to include a more optimized skill tree for level 100 endgame. Will be continuing this build in Delve HC
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Insane build!
One big question: how to lv up this build in the beginning of new league? (when all items need for this build will be so damn expensive - varunastra and my of the meek jew) Thank you ! |
