[3.1] GLADIATOR 1H+Shield Max Block&Spell Block Tank + a BoR version

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MrSmiley21 wrote:

I'm not sure if its been discussed or not, but is there any reason this weapon couldn't work for this build?

There is a damage node that buffs claw+dagger+sword damage, and the bonus from all 3 stacks for this weapon. Possibility of saving a few nodes? Or getting more damage nodes? FYI, most of the damage on that weapon is flat physical, which gets multiplied much better by % damage nodes than weapons that get most of their damage from % based physical increases. Which makes it a lot stronger than a comparable weapon with higher % based physical and lower flat physical bonus.

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Fell_Arms wrote:

Spoiler

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Fell_Arms wrote:

Here is my Varunastra interpretation of the skill tree for this set up with aegis aurora.

Spoiler

https://www.pathofexile.com/fullscreen-passive-skill-tree/AAAABAQCAQGRAecEhwSzBS0GiwhJCTMKJgz3Dc0S4RQgFE0U9hUgFewYkRm0GjgaPhpVHM4g4ySbJy8n7SgqK1Atgy3SL8wyTjboOtg9D0CgQXRFqUa3R35NRlBHVuhXDVqfXz9f2mEhYuxlTWWnZrZnm2jybNh07XYreTl673t0fLt-4n_jgIqCB4TZhO-GO4jtivCLT4-ZkFWRzpZsl3mezZ-CogCi6qcwqZWp-qyvrlCvbK-nsty5HbyfvTa-eL6nwGbAv8GCxPbFisqQ0TbSIdNv2sHcc90N4JXh7-Is5FHpRunV7w7wH_JB9038S_5U

Note this is simply speculation, I'm currently working on my character for this set up. The good amount of leech/leech rate with a mana leech pair of gloves or ring gives this set up the appearance of flexibility with warlord's mark. It's probably not necessary to run, allowing you to run HoA + Determination or Hatred + HoA instead. It gives the appearance, but it's possible without warlord's mark and while using Varunastra that it will be too difficult to obtain and maintain free endurance charges with endurance charge on melee stun reckoning/endurance charge on kill.

The idea though is that you'll have enough accuracy to be able to still consistently hit, allowing you to still crit (Might require accuracy on a ring or helmet). Though, if accuracy proves too little the easy switch is removing the crit claw/dagger/sword node and the axe/mace accuracy node and grabbing resolute technique

The extra dex and int from nodes near the sword/dagger/claw cluster and command of steel should allow you to avoid taking +30 stat nodes (Since one of the current problems with the regular / not-varunastra weapon set up is the lack of non str nodes while pathing).

I'm not sure how difficult resistance capping will be with this set up, but it shouldn't be much more difficult (Since losing 12 all res from shield equip)

Main downside of this variation is the amount of life lost.

Edit: Cleaned up tree a bit

Spoiler

Long post:

Okay just reposting this so I can share my findings. It's better to run resolute technique because you still have issues with obtaining high accuracy outside of 400+ from gear and ice golem (Which can be inconvenient to keep up for some people) (Though I'm basing this off of tooltip accuracy and not how often I feel like I'm hitting, since I'm attacking too quickly to be able to tell)

Blood rage is a very solid thing to run with this set up with Varunastra (You get a lot more dex from this tree set up) and as long as you're wearing The Anvil and an item with mana leech, you have no issues with maintaining a high level of leech without Warlord's Mark (Mana on block from node + anvil gives you basically all you need with a mana leech item).

The reason I'm taking Gratuitous Violence over the increased damage on block node is because of the overall amount of damage given to bleeding enemies on top of the explosion damage (It helps a lot for AoE clear with HoA overkill damage). You can still take Violent Retaliation, but I'm running conc low aoe EQ for higher single target (Still good aoe but not massive) damage. Weapon ele dmg lets you scale up to a really high level of tooltip dps when running Hatred + HoA, but make sure you still have determination slotted for whenever you need to swap.

I'm going to list 2 gem set ups you can run with Varunastra, one's going to be a higher dps and fast clear set up and the other's going to be a more tanky set up.

You basically follow Comrade's original gem set up with slight variations if going tanky;

4L: Determination - Hatred - Herald of Ash - Summon Chaos Golem
4L: Enduring Cry - Immortal Call - Vaal Molten Shell - Increased Duration
4L: Reckoning - Melee Physical Damage - Endurance Charge on Melee Stun - Increased AoE/Stun (Both work, AoE gives larger reach towards ranged enemies)
3L: Curse On Hit - Tempest Shield - Curse of choice (Vulnerability/Enfeeble best IMO if already have leech; Enfeeble gives most tank)
3L: Whirling Blades - Blood Magic - Fortify

- Swap out either Immortal Call, Vaal Molten Shell, Increased Duration or Summon Chaos Golem for Blood Rage.


Link set up for faster clear Varunastra:

4L: Determination - Hatred - Herald of Ash - Summon Chaos Golem/Enduring Cry
4L: Whirling Blades - Faster Attacks - Blood Magic - Fortify
4L: Reckoning - Melee Physical Damage - Endurance Charge on Melee Stun - Increased AoE/Stun (Both work, AoE Gives larger reach towards ranged enemies)
3L: Curse on Hit - Tempest Shield - Curse of choice (Vulnerability/Enfeeble best IMO if already have leech; Vulnerability gives fastest boss clearing)
3L: Immortal Call - Vaal Molten Shell - Summon Chaos Golem/End Cry/Increased Duration

- Swap out either Immortal Call, Vaal Molten Shell, or Summon Chaos Golem/Increased Duration for Blood Rage (Not End Cry)

- You can swap out something for Abyssal Cry too but it doesn't seem to help a considerable amount in terms of AoE clear. It's nice for getting rid of corpses since Det Dead hurts.

You run whatever attack skill 6L you want, I prefer earthquake.

My 6L EQ: Earthquake - Added Phys - Added Fire - Weapon Elemental Damage - Less Duration - Concentrated Effect

Current dps with earthquake running hatred/hoa/3 frenzy charges: ~43200 (45300 if I haven't been hit recently) https://i.imgur.com/EukSD4y.png
Note: Does not calc the more damage.

Level 83, still working on upgrading jewelry for stats and still need levels for int nodes in Templar area.

Now then, explanation of gem set up:

- You run enduring cry for bosses/stun immunity maps, since you're not stunning as often on higher hp mobs with Reckoning while running Varunastra. Plus it's hard to keep the end charges up all the time if you're instantly killing trash mobs, so you take more damage from Blood Rage without it.

- Blood Rage gives you flat % attack speed for whirling blades and general dps, also gives you frenzy charges which is 4% attack speed and 4% more damage per charge. (Note this attack speed dps doesn't scale accordingly with the more damage from EQ as the explosion isn't occurring every attack)

- Summon Chaos Golem gives flat phys reduction, which lets you worry less about the damage you're taking from blood rage (It ignores armor).

- Tempest Shield Curse on Hit: Self explanatory really, lets you use curses on harder to kill mobs for free (Still need to cast Tempest Shield)

Flask set up:

2-3 Hp flasks, Granite, Basalt. Atziri's Promise if dropping an HP flask. Can run sulphur flask for damage + poison/bleed immunity etc if you want (For utility in place of Atziri's Promise). Can also use Lion's Roar in place of regular granite for damage (While retaining armor,) the knockback can be inconvenient however.


Three level 100 tree set ups:

Tankiest set up (Violent Retaliation):

Spoiler

https://www.pathofexile.com/fullscreen-passive-skill-tree/AAAABAQCAQGRAecEhwSzBS0GiwhJCTMKJgz3Dc0S4RQgFE0U9hUgFewYkRm0GjgaPhpVG_ocziDjJJsl3ycvJ-0oKitQLOktgy3SL8wyTjboOtg8BT0PQKBBdEa3R35NRlBHValW6FcNXz9f2mEhYuxlTWWnZ5to8moBcql07XYreTl673t0fLt82X7igIqCB4TZhO-GO4jtivCLT4-ZkFWRzpL3lmyXeZe0ns2fy6IAouqkGacwqZWp-qyvrlCvbK-nsty2LLakuR28n702vqfAZsC_wYLE9sWKypDRNtIh02_awd0N4JXh7-Is5FHpRunV7w7vfPAf8kH3MvdN-AL8S_5U

Tankiest set up (Gratuitous Violence):

Spoiler

https://www.pathofexile.com/fullscreen-passive-skill-tree/AAAABAQCAQGRAecEhwSzBS0GiwhJCTMKJgz3Dc0S4RQgFE0U9hUgFewYkRm0Gj4aVRv6HM4g4ySbJd8nLyftKCorUCzpLYMt0i_MMk426DrYPQ9AoEF0RalGt0d-TUZQR1WpVuhXDVqfXz9f2mEhYuxlTWWnZrZnm2jyagFs2HKpdO12K3k5eu97dHy7fNl-4oCKggeE2YTvhjuGs4jtivCLT4-ZkFWRzpZsl3mXtJ7Nn8uiAKLqpBmnMKmVqfqsr65Qr2yvp7Lctiy5HbyfvTa-eL6nwGbAv8GCxPbFisqQ0TbSIdNv2sHdDeCV4e_iLORR6Ubp1e8O8B_yQfcy9038S_5U

Max damage/clear set up:

Spoiler

https://www.pathofexile.com/fullscreen-passive-skill-tree/AAAABAQCAQGRAecEhwSzBS0GiwhJCTMKJgz3Dc0S4RQgFE0U9hUgFewYkRm0GjgaPhpVG_ocziDjJJsl3ycvJ-0oKitQLYMt0i_MMk426DrYPAU9D0CgQXRDMUWpRrdHfk1GUEdW6FcNWhpan18_X9phIWLsZU1lp2a2Z5to8mzYcql07XYreTl673t0fLt82X7igIqCB4TZhO-GO4jtivCLT4-ZkFWRzpZsl3mezaIAouqkGacwqZWp-qyvrlCvbK-nsty2LLkdvJ-9Nr54vqfAZsC_wYLDM8T2xYrKkNE20iHTb9rB3Q3gleHv4izkUelG6dXvDu988B_yQfcy9038S_5U

Also: Currently running a 264 dps Varunastra.

Edit: Fixed trees to be 101 points with 1 point from bandits; tree was set up with all 3 points from bandits earlier.

Here is my current gear:

Spoiler

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boonsketti wrote:

Im lvl 43 with this build and am having trouble with the intelligence requirement for increased AoE, should i swap it out for the other gem you suggested? as of now I am already wearing rings and ammys plus a helm with all attributes/int and barely meet the req for inc AoE gem. Also I assume you keep tempest shield and chaos golem at lvl 1? Is this correct?

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Eldredbackstab wrote:

Hi I'm playing since Nemesis and this is for sure the strongest build I've ever played. I'm playing only in hardcore leagues.
I'm currently playing this build (rerolling cause I ripped due to misplay at lvl 91) and I'm playing a 4l vengeance/reckoning/tempest shield/blind. Are those gems too bad to be discussed?