Explosive Arrow - How to simulate an 8-Link or even more - With Video!

Hey there!
I've just found out how to use Explosive Arrow on a little different way, that's what I want to show you here.

The whole idea based on that Explosive Arrow's 5 fuses are one explosion, and the second to fifth arrows are exact copy of the first one, no matter what. I mean that you can fire different arrows, with different supports and even with different base Explosive Arrow gems (!)

Why is this Good?

Imagine That you have a full end game gear with the Explosive Arrow, in a 6L, maybe something like this:



This whole set has a 0.32 sec attack speed (with Quill Rain), and 99 mana cost for each shot, this is what my technique can improve radically.

If you make the first shot with the above gems, the other 4 shots can be any Explosive Arrows, it will explode like 5 shots with the above gems, if you hit the same target with all arrows.

So I tried to make the last 4 shots with these gems:


+ can be anything in add to improve attack speed like Quality and Leveled Faster Projectiles and Culling Strike for a 10% Attack Speed bonus and 110% Cost Multiplier for each.
This Set has a 0.2 sec attack speed and 12 mana cost with the level 1 Explosive Arrow (!)

Now you may think that there is no way that the level 1 Explosive Arrow would hit like the level 15+ if they are in the same explosion, but yes it hits, that's why I made a video to show it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TDkU1gj310

EDIT:
My Current full build based on the above technique:

For the first strong arrow I use the exact same arrows as showed above, but for the last 4 fast arrows I use these gems currently:



The reason is why I use Reduced Mana and Faster Attacks is obvious, the Faster Projectile Gem is for giving a further 10% Attack Speed, for only 10% mana cost.
LMP is good because it also gives 10% attack speed with quality, and it's easier to hit the first target again and again.
The base Explosive Arrow is not lvl1 because it's mana const is only the double of the lvl1, and with LMP if there are many mobs (as always), the 2 additional arrows deal more damage
This set has a 36 mana cost per shot, so it's still low, and has a 0.18 sec attack speed, which is almost the double of the first strong arrow's 0.32 sec.


Pros:
- Instead of 5*99 mana cost, it's only 95 + 4 * 36 (495 -> 239) for 5 stacks (less without LMP)
- Instead of 0.32 * 5 = 1.6 sec it's only (0.32 + 4 * 0,18) = 1,04 sec time for 5 stacks (0,21 AS average)
- Easy to make 1 red offcolor into the bow.
- Could fit into a 4L without the Faster Projectiles

Cons:
- More gem space needed
- More dangerous against reflect with LMP
- 1 more active key to press under use.

Hope you enjoyed and I could give you a good idea.


Q: Would IIR and IIQ affect if they would be linked to the last 4 arrows?
A: It's pretty hard to test IIR IIQ on this, but I tested other gems. I tried to do the technique backwards, starting with the fast arrow and after that add the iginte and life leech arrows, the result was that there is no life leech and no ignite at all, so that's why I think that nothing applies that is on the fast arrows.

Nice find. Should be posted in bug reports :)

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dzordzo wrote:

Nice find. Should be posted in bug reports :)

I dont want this to be fixed :D

meow

Looks like technically working as intended. Shooting 1 "6L EA" and then other EA's will add to the original fuse duration of the first strong EA. Think of it this way...

Shoot a monster with 5 different EA skills with all various gems linked to them. It's not going to explode every single one that was fired with the certain linked gems. It's going to record the first one, and detonate it by how many additional EA's were fired there after.

it also takes up a lot of gem space.

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Lionguild wrote:

it also takes up a lot of gem space.

Swap Weapon?

Interesting find, and thanks for supplying a video as a visual demonstration for the effect!

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CptJesus wrote:

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Lionguild wrote:

it also takes up a lot of gem space.

Swap Weapon?

Would it work if you swap weapons? Most effects that are on weapon disappear when you do so, do the fuses stay put?

If so then leave it like this and swap to a defense set while waiting for the charges to go off (e.g. the max resist shield rise of the phoenix to better protect against fire reflect) and some useless / defensive on hand after applying the fuses.