[0.10.0] Eldritch Battery Ethereal Knives Shadow [Videos Included]

So if this build is reliant on the spell damage of ethereal knives, why even use a dagger? Wouldn't a wand be better? These are the things i think about..

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Steven205 wrote:

Is there any particular reason he picked Added fire over lightning/cold dmg on gem supports?

Fire adds % damage while cold/lightning adds a fixed amount. %-based damage bonus translates to a lot considering bear trap has a very high base damage.

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SoularSmashMan wrote:

So if this build is reliant on the spell damage of ethereal knives, why even use a dagger? Wouldn't a wand be better? These are the things i think about..

You can use a wand. But if the dagger has more spell damage and is better, why not?

Why did you chose that shitty cast speed cluster for 10% cast speed. It's better to choose another one (at the witch start). You will get 9% cast speed and unlock 2 nodes for 18% spell damage.

http://puu.sh/1YjHI

Really fantastic build. This is my first character, and I'm having a ton of fun, but I feel like my momentum is finally starting to slow down, and I'm hitting a wall. I need some help/advice.

I'm at the end of Act III on Cruel. I hit like a truck, but I'm dying way too fast. If there is any type of really fast/blink enemy that I can't kite effectively, they will destroy me. Here are my current stats:

Level 46
Life: 1,100
Energy Shield: 600
Armor: 60
Evasion: Also pretty low
Mana Pool: 550 | 350~ with hatred on
EK Damage w/ Hatred Aura: 650~
Bear Trap Damage w/ Hatred: 3500~

My gems are linked like this:
EK- Fork - Faster Projectiles = Cost 56 mana to cast
Bear Trap - Added Fire Damage
Summon Skeletons - Totem
Hatred Aura, Frost Wall, Projectile Weakness

I'm guessing the possible routes I can take are to either stack more life/ES on my gear, or run Grace/Determination/Vitality auras? Here is the issue: All my gear is +mana/+mana regen/+int/+ES, which I need to support the mana cost of ES. My mana pool is only 350 with hatred on, and each ES cast takes about 1/7 of that pool. It drains quick when combined with having to use other spells as well. If I substitute any gear out, I won't be able to sustain my spell. The same is true of starting any additional auras. I do have a mana leech gem not linked to anything, because I don't have a 4-linked green item yet to do ES: Fork - Faster Projectiles - Mana Leech. I'm not sure how much mana leech will actually help.

Here are a few questions:
1. Should I stop leveling Etheral Knives at this point to keep the mana down?

2. Do you think it would be better to start switching out my gear for defensive variants or switch out the hatred aura for a defensive one?

3. If my mana pool can only handle one defensive aura, which one gives the most bang for the buck? Grace, Determination, Vitality, or Discipline?

4. This is a random question. If I have a dagger with +1% of physical damage is converted to mana, does that work with EK? I know EK is physical, so it should get mana leech from that item, correct?

Sorry if this has been asked before, but what about Point Blank? Since we are close to our targets most of the time, 50% is nothing to look away from.

It's probably gonna be a problem to get down there from the Shadow tree, but what about PB as a support gem?

I really dont like bear trap. Do you recommend any other single target skill?

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Steven205 wrote:

Is there any particular reason he picked Added fire over lightning/cold dmg on gem supports?

If you wiki up and read the description on skill supports, and read the description of EK. You'll realise that EK is a physical damage skill and added fire damage adds fire damage based on physical damage.

@Rocketlucco - don't bother with any auras at the moment other than Hatred. Your life is pretty low. Try and stack up on more +life gear and you should be fine.

1. Just keep leveling EK
2. Keep Hatred, that's the only aura you need right now.
3. Discipline is best. But it's mana cost is very high. Avoid it if you don't have enough mana
4. Nope it doesn't work. Mana leech is physical attack damage. EK is a spell

@cocomoloco - Point blank is for projectile attacks. EK is a projectile spell

@unsocialact - Bear trap is the best single target dps skill for this build unfortunately. The other way is to use another EK skill gem that isn't linked to fork/chain.

I have a hard time telling if chain is better than fork. It feels like it's better as AoE but its much worse single dps and mana upkeep wise. Just got a chain but it's low level, should I level it before replacing fork?

Hi Invalesco, currently level 60 and having a blast with this build (though with a Witch start but I grab all the same node, just leveling preference).

I am soon going to go from a 4L (EK+Chain+Added Fire Damage+Mana Leech) to a 5L. I have zero problems with Mana using Mana leech so this is purely a dps question.

I know you recommend EK+Mana Leech+Added Fire+Chain+ Iron Will as one of the best 5L Combinations. I do have a lot of strength (220 at the moment) and a leveled out Iron Will but I recently found a 13% quality Faster Projectiles so I was wondering if the damage and cast speed bonus from that would outweigh the 40% physical damage bonus from Iron Will as I cannot test this until I actually get the 5L and I would have to swap out colors on it since Iron Will is Red and Faster Projectiles is Green.

Thanks!