I Cast Magic Missile! - Cantrip's Guide to Ethereal Knives
 Official Song for this Build - The Seed / The Roots "If you a obstacle she just drop ya cold 'cause one monkey don't stop the show Little Mary is bad" --- What is EK? EK = Ethereal Knives. As some of you may, or may not know, EK is a Spell, not an Attack. As such, it can only Leech Life/Mana with a Gem. It deals Physical Damage, is not Elemental. It's affected by +% Global Increased Physical Damage mods on gear like: but not +% Local Increased Physical Damage like: It is the one and only spell that cannot Shotgun - it's coded in the spell, so don't bother going into melee range hoping to get 10 hits in - it doesn't work like that. One other to bear in mind: While EK will have a relatively high tool-tip DPS, it's REAL DPS is much higher than you think. Since this spell deals primarily Physical damage, it doesn't care about Resistances, and not even about Armor later on (since the hits are so large, you cut right through it, especially when you crit, which is why that's the fastest way to raise DPS, but also risky (Reflect)). Levelling (say until 30, tops) is done with either Spectral Throw or Storm Call. Both are very fast for levelling. Why Scion? Section I - Boobs. Section II - Notable Nodes: IR, Mind Over Matter (optional, takes good gear), Life, Evasion, Projectile/Spell/Physical Damage, Cast Speed, Mana, Mana Regen, Eldritch Battery. Why not CI? Because you need Armor if you wanna survive Physical Reflect, that's why (and that's harder to get with ES gear). More to the point - Stun/Freeze/Shock/Bleeding suck. You'll get shocked a LOT with Lightning Coil and CI, so that's out... It's doable, it works, this guide isn't gonna focus on it - but I might offer such an option later.
Spoiler
Of course, if you do go for CI, I can promise you huge DPS, and swift death if you're not a VERY careful player. But then, the allure of godly DPS is undeniable :D
If you want tips on that kind of build, ask, and I shall answer (got to level 85 with that). If you were to go into a lot of Crit Chance / Power Charges / Crit Damage nodes, you can get more DPS, at the cost of safety, and in my opinion, a lot of overkill, as you can one-shot quite a few things even without crits. In the past, CI or Low-life (and great ES gear) were the standard for casters like that, but with the new Life buffs? I suspect Life may well be superiour. Wand + Shield / Staff / Double Wand? If you find a GREAT staff with +1 Gems, that'd be cool, but if you're going for EB, you need the ES on the Shield. Dual Wielding is an option, but you lose that ES. Mostly, this depends on the gear you have. Dream Gear = 6L Lightning Coil / 6L Cloak of Defiance, 6L Staff with +150% Spell Damage / +20% Cast Speed / +1 Gem Level (you'll be using Empower in that case) OR Great Wand (Spell Damage/Cast Speed/Proj. Speed) + Spell Shield (Life/Damage/ES+Resist), The Magnate Belt is a nice boost to damage and Flask use or a great Rustic Sash (Life/STR/Resist). A good chunk of your gear needs to have ES/Mana/Mana Regen on it, and obviously Life. If you're in Nemesis, that new belt is SICK. There's a decent chance you'll wanna use a for levelling - it helps with all your growing pains (attributes, mana, mana regen). Math behind Lightning Coil, because so many people don't get why it's good:
Spoiler
The math with my 8000 Armor, AA reduces 102, you have MoM:
Assuming 1000 / 4000 damage before reduction, anything less is more or less negated fully anyway. Damage Reduction Factor = Armour / ( Armour + (12 * Damage) ) 1000 Damage, No Lightning Coil, AA reduces 102, 8000 Armor, you have MoM: 40% Reduced from Armor = 600 Left AA takes off 102 = 498 Left MoM takes 150 to Mana = 348 Damage Taken to Life 1000 Damage, Lightning Coil, AA reduces 102, 8000 Armor, you have MoM: 40% Taken as Lightning => 600 Physical, 400 Lightning 400 Lightning vs. 75% Resist = 100 Damage taken 53% Reduced from Armor = 316 Left AA takes off 102 = 214 Damage left MoM takes 30 (Lightning) + 64 (Physical) = 220 Damage Taken to Life 348 => 220 37% Less Damage Taken! -- 4000 Damage, No Lightning Coil, AA reduces 102, 8000 Armor, you have MoM: 14% Reduced from Armor = 3429 Left AA takes off 102 = 3327 Left MoM takes 998 Damage (you probably run dry) = 2329 Damage Taken to Life 4000 Damage, Lightning Coil, AA reduces 102, 8000 Armor, you have MoM: 40% Taken as Lightning => 2400 Physical, 1600 Lightning 1600 Lightning vs. 75% Resist = 400 Damage Taken 22% Reduced from Armor = 1878 Left AA takes off 102 = 1776 Left MoM takes 120 (Lightning) + 533 (Physical) and you probably have mana left = 1523 Damage Taken to Life 2329 => 1523 35% Less Damage Taken! You'll want enough Life to avoid Shock stacks from large crits, though. Notes on Gems:
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Main Skill as 6L: EK + Faster Projectiles + Added Fire + Life Leech + IIR / Faster Casting + IIQ / Empower / Iron Will /Chain. Depends on your stats, gear, gem level, etc.
Main Skill as 5L: EK + Faster Projectiles + Added Fire + Life Leech + Faster Casting. As a 4L, I'd lose that last one. 3L, lose Life Leech or Added Fire. Faster Projectiles is HUGE. Aura 4L: Reduced Mana Cost + Clarity + Hatred + Grace / Haste / Purity (early on). Might be able to add Determination/Purity, depending on nodes you pick (and maybe Alpha's Howl), later on. Curse: Enfeeble / Temporal Chains / Projectile Weakness. What works best depends on the enemy/area. Cast on Damage Taken - Enduring Cry - Increased Duration - Molten Shell other options for CoDT that work: Summon Skeletons / Summon Zombie / Summon Spectre / Lightning Warp / Enfeeble / Temporal Chains / Decoy Totem / Rejuvenation Totem / Devouring Totem. Cast on Stun OR Cast on Damage Taken (higher level) - Immortal Call or: Decoy Totem / Rejuvenation Totem / Devouring Totem. Lightning Warp (Q if you can) / Reduced Duration / Faster Casting or IIR (for Bosses, if you want). That's all you really need. The rest is for tricks like Freeze Mines / Proliferation and such. Play around with gems, see what works best for you. You can see my current links at the bottom. The "Base Build" is: Bandits: Normal = 40 Life (Oak), Cruel = 18% Physical Damage (Oak), Merc = Passive Point (Kill All) I'll get into that more later, but from here, you have several options to advance: To the Right: Ranger Life Areas + Revenge of the Hunted. To the Bottom: Life Nodes on the way + Thick Skin + Iron Reflexes + Mind Over Matter. To the Top Right: Shadow Life Area + Critical Nodes + Influence. To the Top Centre: Templar Life Areas + Inner Force + Sovereignty. To the Left: Marauder Life / Resist Nodes + Armor Nodes. IR + Mind Over Matter + Arctic Armor = Unkillable Tank. From this point, it's really up to you and yours. I will, however, suggest the following as what I'd do (you can actually REACH that level now): Option 1 = Templar Side, Inner Force:
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http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgAABH4F-QhnDH0QfxUgFfAWbxcvGDwZhRmKGjgajx0UIcMkqiSwKPoppSpNLOktgy2oMZ4yATWSNuk6WDrhPydFlkWdSn1KyEwyTeNOKlXGVi1X4VpSW69mnmegbBZuqm-eeqp9W4CkgseC5IMJg9uG0YcZh3aI8Yqvj0aQEZBVkNaTOpcGmuCbJptdm7WhIqJAo4qmV6cIp4SomqxZrH-xkLIZtfK31riTvSfAGsM6xKLGnspKznHPZc960NDbWd0N4oDjaudj6yzr7vJF8pf0-Pba-WX56PrS-wn8S_zF_gr-jw==
Summary:
Spoiler
113 of 120 points used
* Iron Reflexes: Converts all Evasion Rating to Armour. Dexterity provides no bonus to Evasion Rating +210 to Dexterity +20 to Evasion Rating +150 to Intelligence +110 to Strength +60 to maximum Life (including Bandit Reward) +20 to maximum Mana 10% increased Attack Speed 15% increased Cast Speed 24% increased Effect of Buffs on You 88% increased Evasion Rating 24% increased Evasion Rating and Armour 120% increased Mana Regeneration Rate 6% increased Movement Speed 34% increased Physical Damage (including Bandit Reward) 77% increased Projectile Damage 20% increased Projectile Speed 24% increased Radius of Auras 48% increased Spell Damage 36% increased effect of Auras you Cast 300% increased maximum Life 72% increased maximum Mana 1% of Life Regenerated per Second 23% reduced Mana Reserved +12% to Chaos Resistance +18% to Cold Resistance +18% to Fire Resistance +18% to Lightning Resistance +10% to all Elemental Resistances Option 2 = Shadow Side, Eldritch Battery, 12% Cast Speed:
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http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgAACGcRlhUgFvMYPBjbGYoajxzcHaoelCHDJDwmPCepKaUqTSzpLYMtqC9vL50xnjWSOuE_J0WWRnFJUUp9SshN404qVi1X4VpSWm1br2egbBZuqm-ecLt08X1bf8aCHoLkgwmD24Uyh3aIQojxiq-QEZDWkyeTOpcGm12btaZXp1yomqw_rFmsf7GQtAy18rfWvSfBxcM6xKLKSs5x2RPbC9tZ3FfdDeGI52PrLPJF8pf22vll-ej7CfxL_MX-Cv6P
Summary:
Spoiler
96 of 120 points used
* Eldritch Battery: Converts all Energy Shield to Mana * Iron Reflexes: Converts all Evasion Rating to Armour. Dexterity provides no bonus to Evasion Rating * Mind Over Matter: When Hit, 30% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life +170 to Dexterity +140 to Intelligence +90 to Strength +20 to maximum Life +20 to maximum Mana 10% increased Attack Speed 27% increased Cast Speed 50% increased Evasion Rating 24% increased Evasion Rating and Armour 120% increased Mana Regeneration Rate 6% increased Movement Speed 12% increased Physical Damage 41% increased Projectile Damage 20% increased Projectile Speed 12% increased Radius of Auras 48% increased Spell Damage 42% increased effect of Auras you Cast 200% increased maximum Life 72% increased maximum Mana 1% of Life Regenerated per Second 25% reduced Mana Reserved +18% to Cold Resistance +18% to Fire Resistance +18% to Lightning Resistance +10% to all Elemental Resistances Option 3 = Hybrid (my current aim for 100)
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http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgAABS0IZwx9EH8RlhUgFVAWbxbzFy8YPBjbGYoajxzcHRQdqh6UIWAhwyQ8JLAmPCepKPoppSpNLOktgy2oL28vnTGeNZI26TqzPydAoEWdRnFJUUp9SshN404qVcZV1lYtV-FaUlptW69gS2TnZ6Buqm-ecLt07XTxeqp673_GgKSCHoLHgwmFMobRh3aI8Y9GkNaTJ5M6lwaa4Jtdm7Wio6ZXpwinXKiarD-sWax_sZC0DLXyt9a4k7vjvSfB88M6xKLGnspKz2XQ0NkT2wvbWdxX3Q3hiONq6-7yl_ba-WX56PrS-wn8xf6P_ro=
Summary:
Spoiler
* 118 of 120 points used * Eldritch Battery: Converts all Energy Shield to Mana * Iron Reflexes: Converts all Evasion Rating to Armour. Dexterity provides no bonus to Evasion Rating * Mind Over Matter: When Hit, 30% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life +190 to Dexterity +230 to Intelligence +170 to Strength +60 to maximum Life (with Oak - Normal) +20 to maximum Mana 30% Chance to Avoid being Stunned 10% increased Attack Speed 15% increased Block and Stun Recovery 27% increased Cast Speed 24% increased Effect of Buffs on You 24% increased Evasion Rating and Armour 120% increased Mana Regeneration Rate 6% increased Movement Speed 30% increased Physical Damage (with Oak - Cruel) 41% increased Projectile Damage 20% increased Projectile Speed 24% increased Radius of Auras 42% increased Spell Damage 70% increased effect of Auras you Cast 234% increased maximum Life 96% increased maximum Mana 3.5% of Life Regenerated per Second 41% reduced Mana Reserved +12% to Chaos Resistance +10% to all Elemental Resistances Option 4 = A little bit of everything.
Spoiler
http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgAABS0IZxGWFSAW8xcvGDwY2xmKGo8c3B0UHaoelCFgIcMkPCY8J6ko-imlKk0s6S2DLagvby-dMZ41kjbpPydAoEWdRnFJUUp9SshN404qVcZV1lYtV-FaUlptW69gS2TnZ6Bqk26qb55wu3TtdPF6qnrvf8aApIIegseC5IMJhTKHdohCiPGKr49GkBGQ1pMnkzqXBprgm12btZ65plenCKdcqJqsP6xZrH-xkLQMtfK2QbfWuJO7470nwA_BxcM6xKLKSs9l0NDV7dkT2wvbWdxX3Q3hiONq6-7yl_ba-WX56PrS-wn8xf6P_ro=
Summary:
Spoiler
118 of 120 points used * Eldritch Battery: Converts all Energy Shield to Mana * Iron Reflexes: Converts all Evasion Rating to Armour. Dexterity provides no bonus to Evasion Rating * Mind Over Matter: When Hit, 30% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life +210 to Dexterity +230 to Intelligence +110 to Strength +20 to maximum Life +20 to maximum Mana 30% Chance to Avoid being Stunned 10% increased Attack Speed 15% increased Block and Stun Recovery 27% increased Cast Speed 3% increased Effect of Buffs on You 56% increased Evasion Rating and Armour 120% increased Mana Regeneration Rate 6% increased Movement Speed 12% increased Physical Damage 41% increased Projectile Damage 20% increased Projectile Speed 24% increased Radius of Auras 48% increased Spell Damage 54% increased effect of Auras you Cast 228% increased maximum Life 96% increased maximum Mana 3.5% of Life Regenerated per Second 41% reduced Mana Reserved +8% to Chaos Resistance +18% to Cold Resistance +18% to Fire Resistance +18% to Lightning Resistance +22% to all Elemental Resistances Option 5 = Life + Regen
Spoiler
http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgAABH4FLQX5CGcOSBGWFSAV8BbzGDwY2xmKGo8c3B2qHpQhYCHDJDwmPCepKaUqTSzpLYMtqC9vL50xnjIBNZI6WDrhPydAoEWWRnFJUUp9SshN404qVi1X4VpSWm1br2BLYqxnoGwWbRluqm-ecLt07XTxeu99W3_Ggh6DCYPbhTKHGYd2iPGKr5DWkyeTOpcGmyabXZu1naqio6OKplenXKiarD-sWax_sZCyGbQMtfK31rvjvSfB88M6xKLKSs5xz3rWndkT2wvbWdxX3Q3hiOdj6yzxdvJF8pf22vll-ej7CfxL_MX-Cv6P_ro=
Summary:
Spoiler
118 of 120 points used
* Eldritch Battery: Converts all Energy Shield to Mana * Iron Reflexes: Converts all Evasion Rating to Armour. Dexterity provides no bonus to Evasion Rating * Mind Over Matter: When Hit, 30% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life +230 to Dexterity +170 to Intelligence +110 to Strength +20 to maximum Life +40 to maximum Mana 30% Chance to Avoid being Stunned 10% increased Attack Speed 15% increased Block and Stun Recovery 27% increased Cast Speed 78% increased Evasion Rating 24% increased Evasion Rating and Armour 120% increased Mana Regeneration Rate 6% increased Movement Speed 16% increased Physical Damage 41% increased Projectile Damage 20% increased Projectile Speed 12% increased Radius of Auras 48% increased Spell Damage 42% increased effect of Auras you Cast 300% increased maximum Life 72% increased maximum Mana 3.5% of Life Regenerated per Second 25% reduced Mana Reserved +16% to Chaos Resistance +18% to Lightning Resistance +10% to all Elemental Resistances ----- If anyone wants to ask something in-game, get some cheap/free EK gear, ask away. My Progression so far: level 88. Tanked a Museum, Villa, Residence Dominus, Academy, Shipyard... So far, works out very well. Can tank reflect packs, even double reflect packs, or Reflect + Reflect Shrine. Hell, I can do Triple Reflect (Map + Shrine + Rare)! I can sustain Arctic Armor 22 forever, even while moving (especially while moving). I run Hatred + Clarity + Discipline + Arctic Armor, permanently. I add Haste / Grace according to the area. If you have Empower level 2 or 3, you can "snapshot" it unto Clarity and Arctic Armor every area, and then put it back on EK. The effects will remain until the next area, and AA and Clarity are very strong at level 22. Most common is Hatred/Clarity/Haste/Discipline + AA. Grace isn't needed for most areas (once your AA is very high-level), but when I use it, it's instead of Haste, usually. Discipline isn't mandatory at all, it mostly means you handle a lot of small hits (like Dominus' Lightning Spirits) better and OHKO a bit worse (not a lot worse, though), and it also means I don't need a Mana Flask, so I get an extra Life Flask. Fun fact: I can run AA on 50% Regen Maps :) NEED TO UPDATE STATS - UPGRADED SINCE Life: 3990 Life Regen: 80 Mana: 732/3926 (Aura Setup above) Mana Cost: 130 per Cast x 2,45 CPS + 41.5 (AA) x 1.24 = 370 Mana Regen: 433 (Aura Setup above) Net Mana Regen: 63 (casting) or 176 (moving) or 381 (standing/warping) DPS: 15116 (Aura Setup above) Armor: 2516/10863 (no Grace) - 7366/19310 (with Grace) (depends on Flasks) Block: 30% Attacks / 16% Spells Res: 75/75/75/-52% Misc: Arctic Armor (-285 Physical/Fire Damage) + MoM, 30 IIQ / 187 IIR (once IIR reaches lvl 20 again, some blessed on the amulet). Move Speed: +32% / +102% (Flask) If you don't care about MF, you can get far better stats. If I'm in a party with my friends, my spare mana is 1200 or more for MoM (no need to run the same aura twice or more), Life Regen is 250+, Max res are 82... Gotta love the new Aura buffs! :D Current Gear:
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Flasks: No need for Mana Flasks with my Mana Regen, except for 50% Mana Regen maps. For no Regen maps, use a Mana Leech gem instead of Faster Projectiles. Other Flasks: Once I care to do so, a perfect + or would be good for some bosses, like Piety and the Firestorm monster-thing. Current Tree: Summary:
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106 of 120 points used
* Eldritch Battery: Converts all Energy Shield to Mana * Iron Reflexes: Converts all Evasion Rating to Armour. Dexterity provides no bonus to Evasion Rating * Mind Over Matter: When Hit, 30% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life +170 to Dexterity +230 to Intelligence +60 to Strength +60 to maximum Life (with Oak - Normal) +20 to maximum Mana 30% Chance to Avoid being Stunned 10% increased Attack Speed 15% increased Block and Stun Recovery 27% increased Cast Speed 24% increased Effect of Buffs on You 24% increased Evasion Rating and Armour 120% increased Mana Regeneration Rate 6% increased Movement Speed 30% increased Physical Damage (with Oak - Cruel) 41% increased Projectile Damage 20% increased Projectile Speed 24% increased Radius of Auras 42% increased Spell Damage 70% increased effect of Auras you Cast 184% increased maximum Life 96% increased maximum Mana 2% of Life Regenerated per Second 41% reduced Mana Reserved +8% to Chaos Resistance +10% to all Elemental Resistances Next: Life/Block until level 100 :). Build is 100% Done. [3.22] 💀The Grim Reaper💀 - Hexblast Poison Mines Assassin https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3347191 [3.22] ❄️⚡CantripN's Hadoken! - Lightning Conduit / Crackling Lance / Arc Permafreeze⚡❄️ www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3229590 Last edited by CantripN#4278 on Jan 19, 2014, 3:12:29 AM Last bumped on Apr 26, 2016, 8:18:44 AM
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sick guide, im going to copy this build
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passive tree out, wheres the build at son ;)
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cant wait !
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Ready and waiting.
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Updated above!
[3.22] 💀The Grim Reaper💀 - Hexblast Poison Mines Assassin https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3347191 [3.22] ❄️⚡CantripN's Hadoken! - Lightning Conduit / Crackling Lance / Arc Permafreeze⚡❄️ www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3229590 Last edited by CantripN#4278 on Oct 24, 2013, 6:17:04 AM
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bump for great justice!
[3.22] 💀The Grim Reaper💀 - Hexblast Poison Mines Assassin
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3347191 [3.22] ❄️⚡CantripN's Hadoken! - Lightning Conduit / Crackling Lance / Arc Permafreeze⚡❄️ www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3229590 |
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I'm kinda new to EK builds, so sorry if my questions sound newbish... Can you give us a rundown on what skill gems you plan on using at higher levels, especially the ones linked to EK? Also, what Bandit rewards would you take?
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Nice build man.. Now with the EK mana reduction post 1.0 patch I might try to get back on that horse!
Oblivion Guild: http://tinyurl.com/OblivionGuildPoe
Current IGNs: Biroso and Absimiliards |
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" No, no, you're right. Didn't get to that yet. Later on the build I'll update those a lot, need to see how the new gems work out. Enduring Cry, Immortal Call + Inc. Duration, those things are a must. Auras are Clarity (or you must use Mana Leech), Hatred, and either Grace or Determination (depending on build choises and gear ,if you got IR, for example). EK comes with Added Fire / Faster Projectile. Other gems that help are IIR (if you want MF), Faster Casting, Life Leech (mandatory end-game). As for the Bandtis, Life (Help Oak - Normal), Physical Damage (Help Oak - Cruel), Node (kill all) or Endurance Charge (Help Oak :D). [3.22] 💀The Grim Reaper💀 - Hexblast Poison Mines Assassin https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3347191 [3.22] ❄️⚡CantripN's Hadoken! - Lightning Conduit / Crackling Lance / Arc Permafreeze⚡❄️ www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3229590 Last edited by CantripN#4278 on Oct 24, 2013, 10:12:12 AM
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