[1.1.x] Party-Friendly, Multi-Purpose, Bow Crit (Physical CoC/Puncture/Lightning Arrow) Guide

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feyith wrote:

@mechclams: If you're still following this thread, now that I'm actually properly set up to run Windripper and specced for it, you are absolutely correct. And actually, with all the +Fire damage on my gear, Anger is coming out on top. Didn't want your comment to go unacknowledged. Thanks! :)

Yeah, I'm still here. Grats on getting your very own Windripper (try not to stink up the place... lol). You are a lucky, lucky, gal.

I'm currently in the process of trying to chance an item of comparable worth and trading for a Windripper...

If any of you Windripper owners wanna help me out... Kekekekekeke

Thanks, guys! :)

FYI: If you get a pre-1.1.2 Windripper, don't reroll it unless you're willing to gamble the base damage. The perfect ones just became legacy.

http://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/22mb7m/psa_windripper_elemental_damage_can_now_be/cgoera1

@mechclams: How are you liking your new spec? I was meaning to ask if you've tried EK + Arc since they buffed Arc? Several people in my public party last night were commenting on how non-laggy it is for the high clear speed.

Well, I've never owned a 5-link so I've never tried Arc + EK. And no, I haven't tried Arc since they buffed it. I've been going full MF with Item Rarity on my Split Arrow + Chain. (>.>) It's obviously a huge hit to my DPS but I've had some interesting drops.

Is Windripper one of those "map-only" drops?

I'm not sure. I think it can drop off of anything that drops an Imperial Bow, which is level 66? The one I have is item level 69, so no crazy Voltaxic Rift level requirements. A guy I was trading with said he found his in a 66 map. So far 3 people I know (including myself) have chanced Lioneye's trying to make one, so there must be some other roll to it. You can do Arc + EK on any 4-link though. Chain and Power Charges aren't necessary. :)

Well, what I've actually been doing lately is playing an MF Ice Nova Templar to makes some "money". Passive tree is all damage, no life. Gear is all IIQ and IIR. The build has been hilariously effective (surprisingly). I just stand in the middle of a pack and hold right click until everything dies. A ton of rather uninteresting uniques dropped while going through Normal. Here's hoping my luck continues as I go though Cruel/Merciless. (Winripper please?)

More on topic, I've been playing around with Split Arrow again except without CoC. Instead, I picked up a Weapon Elemental Damage gem. Damage seems to be comparable even with Item Rarity as my fourth link (!). However, things don't freeze as much since I'm not spamming Ice Spear all over the place. On the plus side, my frame rate is much more manageable.

If I have time I'll give Arc a try. Seems like the additional chains will really wreck house.

Weapon Elemental Damage is great for non-CoC and stacks really well with the auras. I hadn't used my Scion's respec yet so decided to try Elemental Buzzsaw after you mentioned Mathil's build threads. I can definitely see the potential.

When you have some time to, play around with:
* Arc + Chain (shock stacks)
* Arc + EK (hits harder)
* EK + Chain (hits more things)

All play slightly differently and you might find a favorite in there that your computer won't hate.

By the way, for anyone wanting more survivability, I ended up putting my old hat back on.


Traded a little attack speed and movement speed for some to-hit and a TON of life. Up to 2.8K now (2.6K unreserved) with 2.2K ES and still just barely at the crit cap (94.3% with 3 Power Charges). Plus for those in Ambush league, 1 chaos is a much better deal than 1 ex for a Rat's Nest.

Hey guys,

Having a ton of trouble surviving with this build so far, my resistances suck all in the minus in Merc.

and life is even worse at just 1000 at level 63 :( shame I might have to ditch it for another build.

How are you guys doing without theifs and just using 2 percent mana leech node ?

No mana issues here.

Can you post your current spec and setup so we can suggest some cheap upgrades? Also might have to move a couple of skill points around just for right now in order to grab defensive nodes and then pick up the rest of the damage ones later. I've changed the suggested base tree to something a little tankier.


Unfortunately, there's a horrible rough spot between when you leave Cruel difficulty and when you get high enough level to equip all your end game gear. I had to party all the way through Acts 1 and 2 of Merc; then could solo again around 68-70.

Do you have reduced mana and the aura nodes? You should be able to run Grace and Elements to help with survival. Looks like Starkonja's Head is only 1-2c too.

Here's what I am running right now, I might drop Theif's soon so I can get more resistances / health on rings,



Belt,Quiver,Boots,Amulet can all go as far as I'm concerned I just don't have enough currency right now after buying Windripper to get some decent upgrades.

Spec

Yikes. That's way too many baby leveling uniques for Merc.

Couple of options here:

Drop (in this order) the amulet, belt and boots for rares with life and resist on them. You don't need expensive tri-res gear or anything, just any incremental upgrades off the ground should help. I would also trade GMP for Enfeeble or Temporal Chains until you're less squishy.

You're only 3 levels away from putting on your Windripper, right? So close! If you have any respec points left, I would drop a little bit of crit chance for Spell Acrobatics and the 8-8-12 life nodes next to Lethality. You also have three stray +10 Int nodes. Is it for the stat points? You can get that on gear too and free up for Mana Geyser or Soul Siphon if needed, but I'm running Windripper with neither of those and no mana flasks (level 8 Clarity is enough, except for on 50% regen maps; then I swap in a Surgeon's mana flask).

How is your crit chance? Enough to keep a Surgeon's life and mana flask permanently refilled? If so, you should be okay to drop Thief's for some more customizable stat rings.