The Master Blaster - Ignitebike Flameblast Ignition [1.1.0 BUILDS]

Concept

This build employs burn damage multipliers, burn duration increases, 100% ignite chance and proliferation to enable an unconventional and highly mobile ignite-based flameblast character that ignores cast speed and mana regeneration. Best of all, this build doesn't give two figs about reflect (or even double reflect), making it one of very few self-cast builds appropriate for hardcore leagues.


How Does it Play?

Rather than channeling 10 stacks of flameblast, the Master Blaster dispatches most foes within 1-3 charges. Slain enemies then become long-lasting corpse bonfires, consuming nearby foes through proliferation.


Videos

Ignitebike

Map Montage

Kole vs. Single-Charge Flameblast


More to come as time permits.


Updates

05/03/2014
Added 1.1.0 builds

13/01/2014
Added notes on leveling, keystone priorities, and elemental reflect.

10/01/2014
I've discarded the NE aura and HP nodes in favour of the templar starting area and blast radius (witch). Charisma now connects through the evasion wheel to help compensate for the loss of phys mitigation.


Build

Templar Blaster

Templar offers best end game and heavy early damage, but is also the most difficult to level. Primary survival keystones are delayed until very late game. Please know what you're doing if you try this build in a hardcore league!

Shadow Blaster

Shadow offers a very balanced start with a good mix of damage and survivability.

Scion Blaster

Scion has a tanky start but delays most of the damage nodes until late game.

Pure fire % and elemental % nodes offer the most bang for your passives, buffing not only flameblast's initial hit but the resulting ignite as well. Being a nemesis character, emphasis was placed on high health and mitigation. Softcore variations can gain significant damage by dropping health nodes.

EB / MoM variations are possible for each class, just drop DPS or HP nodes depending on preference.


Leveling and Keystone Priority

This depends entirely on which class you pick. As a general rule, make your way toward Iron Reflexes ASAP.

As of 1.1.0, Flameblast is 100% viable to level from scratch with.


Bandits

This isn't make-or-break, but I recommend: life, passive, passive.


Gems + Links

4 Link: Flameblast + Chance to Ignite + Elemental Prolif + Conc. Effect
5 Link: + Fire Penetration
6 Link: + Increased Burning Damage

The Master Blaster relies heavily on quality gems to reach 100% ignite chance versus single targets. At a minimum, a Q20 Flameblast, Chance to Ignite, Proliferation and Flammability are recommended.

To really get the most out of this character requires quality on all of your supports. Be advised: this build eats GCPs like candy.


How to Gear

As of 1.1.0, Searing Touch is no longer a necessity. It is, however, extremely nice.

Try for at least a 5 link for your Flameblast, as it is well worth the investment.

Carcass Jack also interacts with this build to great effect. If you can spare the health and resists, the burn duration on Cloak of Flame is an affordable alternative.

Windscreams are another notable item, allowing you to double curse your way through elemental resist rares.

Aim for +% Fire Damage on ALL your jewelry.


My Gear ( Defunct Nemesis )




Auras and Flasks

The auras you are able to run will vary with gem and character level. I run Grace, Determination, Purity and Vitality. Determination will likely be the last aura you add to the build.



A mana flask permits flame blast channeling. Try to roll evasion on your mana flask to allow for extra tankiness when longer channels are required.


Notes on Elemental Reflect

It isn't true to say that this build is immune to reflect. On the contrary, a lapse in attention can quite easily result in a pile of ash where your character once was. It would be more accurate to say that the build's play style is immune to reflect. With that said:

- Be familiar with the elemental reflect aura animation (radiating blue spikes)
- Know that the animation can be concealed by the meshes of certain monster types (bears are a big offender here)
- Be aware of what's on screen before channeling. There is nothing stopping a reflect-aura rare from wandering or teleporting into a channeled cast.
- If you are running Carcass Jack with both Blast Radius and Amplify, even a 1-charge Flameblast has decent screen coverage. This makes monsters with smaller/condensed meshes (spiders, sea witches, etc.) a threat when buffed with reflect.
- If you've done goofed and have mistakenly channeled a full Flameblast onto a group of reflect monsters, you can logout macro without releasing the Flameblast.

With a little care and attention even double elemental reflect can be handled easily. Always look both ways before you channel!

In softcore, do you recommend Carcass, Kaom's, or Cloak?

Edit: Also, what do you run for life leech? There has to be some form of leech when you have 50 mobs all throwing projectiles at you.

why do all of the aura nodes just for Grace, Determination, Purity and Vitality. wouldn't the talent points be better served somewhere else... just curious it seems like a huge investment for nothing too special

"

In softcore, do you recommend Carcass, Kaom's, or Cloak?

I feel Kaom's is the best choice for both softcore and hardcore. % Fire damage is incredibly powerful.

That said, Carcass has the benefit of extending the range of your elemental proliferation in addition to your flameblast, which ends up being pretty awesome.

Cloak of Flame's burn duration is fantastic but ends up being overkill past a certain gear / character level.

"

Edit: Also, what do you run for life leech? There has to be some form of leech when you have 50 mobs all throwing projectiles at you.

No leech required. Vitality + aura effect nodes are more than sufficient. Since the build rarely channels, it leaves you free to avoid damage the old fashioned way: run around like an idiot.

What would you say the on-hit damage of the flameblast is? I'm making a similar burning build, wondering what I should aim for on my skill that procs the burning.

"

cautioncones wrote:

why do all of the aura nodes just for Grace, Determination, Purity and Vitality. wouldn't the talent points be better served somewhere else... just curious it seems like a huge investment for nothing too special

For survivability and to make the most of running Alpha's Howl. It also allows you to run multiple auras and still retain enough unreserved mana to channel 3-charge flameblasts (or quick sequential 1-charges, when you need the screen coverage).

If anyone is interested in doing this build, I have the perfect staff for it. Way better than Searing Touch due to its higher damage+higher cast speed+amazing spell crit for the double dip. Probably the best fire staff in Domination.



PM me if you want to buy. Just 3 exalts.

"

Fruglemonkey wrote:

What would you say the on-hit damage of the flameblast is? I'm making a similar burning build, wondering what I should aim for on my skill that procs the burning.

My tooltip display reads just shy of 2k average damage, but you can expect the build to be viable at much lower values.

"

tny wrote:

If anyone is interested in doing this build, I have the perfect staff for it. Way better than Searing Touch due to its higher damage+higher cast speed+amazing spell crit for the double dip. Probably the best fire staff in Domination.

PM me if you want to buy. Just 3 exalts.

You must be kidding. I hope you realize that this build depends on the burning damage you get from igniting. With flammability + ignite chances you get even without quality + elemental prolif, the Searing Touch is much better. Why? 40% increased Fire Damage and 70% increased Burning Damage. It's really easy to ignite something in a group and let elemental prolif do the rest of the work. Even with single target, it takes me 2-3 times to ignite Piety (unless I get lucky) but once I do, it's over.

how do you have koams on + 214% max life and only have 5k life. i think there is something off about that