[3.16] Love's Splitting Steel Gladiator | My First Real Build

don't look at this as a build for new players- or even really avg players. I only have about 480-520 hours in the game. That's enough I feel comfy with trying to branch out on my own but not enough where I'd say this build is good. it's likely not. I've had no one else really look at this build, at lest anyone with more skill than me.

Again this is my first time making any sort of build. I have played a bit of it- but not taken it into maps. and that's really for one reason: It's boring to me. leveling it was really dull. I had no real issues out side of my own dumbass panicking or not being careful and letting myself get one shot. and I'm still getting used to flask nerfs and starting the season with this. So had pretty much SSF it.

feel free to tell me it's bad. tell me it's good! I don't really care.

https://pastebin.com/ysCJcWSU

On paper the skill sounds really cool. throwing blades at people, impaling them with it. Before ripping it back out. on top of that I really loved the floating sword behind you, and the combo of resetting debuffs is something that I carry over from my wow warlock days. in practice it's base is weak but it has amazing time as spreading out debuffs and keeping you safe at range where you sometimes wanna recall your shards. mostly after people are dead.

Well it can do fine vs bosses tt's likely best at mapping. This is do to the dmg spread splitting has, as well as Gratuitous Violance giving it even more.

This might be my limited knowledge but crit really just helped with the base dmg. And the base dmg of the skill is just- not good. most of it comes from impale. I do go a bit into later at end game past level 91. but even than I'm unsure that was the right call or not.

You start with splitting for one. Two: it's the closest to a lot of the bleeding and axe talents. lasting, Gladeiator and champion both have useful stuff that can help with either dmg or staying alive. but we can look at the other 2 that are also close.

Marauder:
I personally don't thing it's location gives it much use. since it's far away from mark of death. it's Ascendancy's are also- nothing we want. they aren't bad and it can make use of it, but I'd personally not want it.

Ranger:
Second best. just a lot of points have to go into travel to get where you need to go. Deadeye would be what I'd pick. Tho I'd also just rebuild this from scratch as you woul be better off getting crit and going swords

Splitting Steel - Brutality - Impale - Cruelty - Chance to Bleed - Vicious Projectiles

The great part about splitting steel is it's build in impale, attack that can hit a lot of targets, and it's pretty high base dmg. Really I was just looking to make it better at it's strong points.
The weakness of it is that the dmg really comes from it's bleeding you wanna stack and build up. the base dmg of the skill isn't the power it's throwing out a few skills, ducking away and letting it do it's thing.

I will say stuff like chance to bleed can be swapped out for Maim. But to make sure you hit all the bleeds ever time you can't go wrong with it.

Also: This is a range skill that uses a melee weapon but doesn't go off melee dmg. You want stuff that helps with raw physical dmg or projectile dmg. it doesn't use anything that has "Melee" in the name.

Lastly: stuff like chain, volley, or multishot don't effect the core projectiles. From my tests it seems like multishot fires more shards after you hit with the main one, but it's hard to test.

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Sniper's Mark

This is such a massive dmg boost I really recommend in ever case. taking this with Mark for Death gives you a strong oof of dmg when fighting bosses or tougher foes. Just remember to keep it up and you'll notice you'll be able to kill bosses

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Ancestral Protector - Summon Stone Golem - Culling Strike - Impale

Ancestral Protector^7 and Stone Golem are iffy. they both can be really useful for spreading more impales and finishing off people with cull as well as giving you more attack speed and some regen.

The Golem tho could be swapped with Ice if you want more crit and hit chance. frankly I couldn't decide witch was better, but the life regen and having someone there to tank a bit was a life savor for me in my limited run.

Why not Vaal? bar space. imo: there's not really a good reason not too other than you don't need it. Your base dmg is low and again the point of it was more to give you Attack speed and spread some more impales for splitting steel
as well as keeping that stacking debuff going.

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^xE05030Leap Slam^7 - ^xE05030Lifetap^7 - ^xE05030Stun^7 - ^xE05030Endurance Charge on Melee Stun

This is a really useful movement skill that doesn't use up any of your limited mana and can help keep you alive. The charge on stun is the one thing you can skip on if you are tight on spaces.
the stun is really great at making sure you don't just die when you land, well Lifetap always letting you run away if need be

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Molten Shell - Cast when Damage Taken

What helps keep you tanky and tank burst a bit better. You "Can" use steel skin but it's not as strong and does less for you. this is pretty flexable out side of that

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Enduring Cry

Sleeper: really helpful at keeping you alive and getting all your health back. When you notice you're started to die or around loads of mobs: smack it. it can help you tank a bit of burst and quickly get endurance charges.

Getting Call to Arms Can help it be an even greater panic button

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War Banner - Flesh and Stone - Pride

Basic aura buffs. Since they eat up so much mana I really do say you should have some form of mana leech at all times. But you don't use so much that it's a major deal.
they can add loads into the build in terms of dps. but feel free to change them if you figure something out

Short answer is how much you wanna spend.

Long answer is it can be as much as 30c to 200ex. it's pure physical so if you wanna buy a godly weapon to pump dps that can be- loads. but you don't have to. the build is pretty budget freindly for the most part.

Watchers eyes, Lioneye's vison and the nomad are the most costly of the items I'd say you'd need. anything else is basic stuff you should be getting to make a build like this work