ZiggyD's Etheral Knives Mana Shield Scion/Shadow Build Guide - Hardcore (Updated for 1.1)

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Tehinsaniteh wrote:

Could you switch out the faster casting gem on EK for spell echo?

yep

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Jweeks8 wrote:

Think he will update for 1.2?

prety sure he will, in his youtube video about 1.2 passive tree he was quite excited about shadow buff for EK :-)

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Jweeks8 wrote:

Think he will update for 1.2?

Here's a preliminary update for you:



This is basically the same tree I'm running right now, except it's optimized for a level 94 build (I'm level 87; the new tree has more points you'll want to grab in the starting area) with at least a 5L Cloak of Defiance. Obviously not many people get to level 94, but this tree might get you to start thinking about what you want to do. Unless you have some sweet energy shield chest, do yourself a favor and get a Cloak of Defiance ASAP. Or you could skip Cloak along with MoM/IR and do an armour/energy shield build.

Try Lord of the Dead, like I suggest in the tree and linked thread, and use Skeleton Totem with Blind. It's fantastic.

Alternate nodes to consider: Coldhearted Calculation, Blood Siphon, Dynamo

I'm sad about the aura nerfs, and it makes me wonder if it's even worth the 15 or so points to get out to Sovereignty. I'm currently running Clarity + Hatred + Grace + Haste (instead of Discipline). A crit build with only Clarity + Hatred + Grace might really be the way to go with EK after the update, even in HC, assuming you can manage without Discipline.

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Here's a preliminary update for you:

Spoiler

https://poebuilder.com/character/AAAAAgYAsNii2cgU9W9qjBa_H0EDHgYjtUgaj_ba-wkZipu1xKKXBi2DKk19W6xHUUzKSsM6KaVOKluv3Q0s6RUgSn2Hdmeg_MWMNgdjy73mgVBCHNwtR8HFf8ZJUfDVj_rsGJUuBx4vb9kTcLvbC4IeakPAVAj0bRl9GGvb7IosnIMJb56TJypTYpWycLQM-eiCxyj6V8kNfOq6U1JFnZrg6-7jajbp-tKnCLiTFm8kqhcvZOdV1oCkJLCG0Z2uGmxGceGIHarGnhB_DH0NjWwLIvSIQoIQB6UC40my37CPpkSrVa4=

This build has almost no HP in it, I don't think you realized how much the HP nodes got nerfed (its pretty harsh but the HP/Level makes up for most of it) and because of that you don't really end up getting nearly enough to take a lot of hits.

For people trying to look for a tree similar to Ziggy's EK Shadow build then I think this one is a little more appropriate:

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Kilikx1x wrote:

This build has almost no HP in it, I don't think you realized how much the HP nodes got nerfed (its pretty harsh but the HP/Level makes up for most of it) and because of that you don't really end up getting nearly enough to take a lot of hits.

The life node nerf totally sucks on paper and doesn't even reflect the new GG claim that "less life nodes will be necessary". I'm thinking, or hoping, that there's some kind of balance change in the patch that makes the claim true. An Alpha player and moderator (Charan, I think) hinted at such a thing in another thread.

Anyway, yes, life is low, just providing a jumping off point. It's hard to be sure what's going to work best before the update hits. I will say, though, that I'm doing very well in up to level 76 maps with only ~3k health, which is quite low, at level 87.

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The life node nerf totally sucks on paper and doesn't even reflect the new GG claim that "less life nodes will be necessary". I'm thinking, or hoping, that there's some kind of balance change in the patch that makes the claim true. An Alpha player and moderator (Charan, I think) hinted at such a thing in another thread.

I heard through the grape vine that they are increasing the Health Per Level that you get to make up for the drastic nerfs to the nodes (I think its going up from like 4hp/level to 12hp/level I don't know the exact numbers but its a decent amount). But I also hear that the new medium for Health% out of the tree that you want to aim for is 120-175, the lower end being for soft core players. That's just what Iv'e heard so that is what I'm going off of when I say you HP base is low.

Im going to try to buy some of the gems required for this build, so can someone tell me which of them i should try to aim to get high quality on them (assuming they stay as they are and their quality bonuses don't change).

Kilikx1x, I think your build looks pretty OK... Will see about how life nodes nerf and base life increase influence this build when the expansion will be live. Maybe we can drop that life wheel from scion, but will be pretty hard. Me, personally, i'm aiming for 4k life at lvl 83~85.

PS: Piercing Shots and Master of Force wheels looks tempting tho...

LE: From ZiggyD youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j65CYuiMrLo&list=UU4mLMb49hqk4y9lVFtfanlg

Approximate Life Comparisons Pre 1.2 to Post 1.2
130% is slightly worse than 190%
140% is slightly greater than 200%
150% is slightly greater than 210%
160% is slightly greater than 220%
170% is greater than 230%
With a level 75, 80 STR character with poor to average endgame gear.

New Max Life Calculation:
Maximum Life = (42 + (Level * 12) + (Strength / 2) + additive modifiers) * (100% + multiplicative modifiers)

Not sure it is good, but here is what i come up with:
https://poebuilder.com/character/AAAAAgYAsNii2cgU9W9qjBa_H0EDHgYjtUgaj_ba-wkZipu1xKKXBi2DKk19W6xHUUzKSsM6KaVOKluv3Q0s6RUgSn2Hdmeg_MUc3MHFf8ZJUfDVj_rsGJUuBx4vb9kTcLvbC4IegwlvnpMntAz56ILHKPpXyQ186rpTUkWdmuDr7uNqNun60qcIuJMWbySqFy9k51XWgKQksIbRna4abEZx4YgdqsaeEH8MfYhCD6tTNWEGqTRLCrfZ2L3-Crc-QYcxnqZXOuHyRSTYhW3VgRbzL51VS2HiJpUmPMDjS1fxs6Q50IFH4iLiSbHXz_k374g=