Project Build: LG Optimized IR Tank - BoR/Rearguard

Hi all - so I wanted to play something different, and something simple. I don't see too many of these running around anymore. I have it at 60 now, and will probably be playing it over the next few days.

Build Goals

Burning Arrow - Single Target - 25k DPS
Rain of Arrows - AOE - 15k DPS
HP: 5500
Arm: 12k
Run on Mana w/ 2 auras
76+ all Resistances (77 light and fire)

A few things I want to explore

Vaal Pact - I haven't used it since the nerf. I want some play experience with it, and if I don't like it it's easy enough to swap out and get some regen

Point Blank - never used before, may work in a build like this, although I am still not a fan of having to be on top of bosses. Maybe a gem in RoA instead of tree? We'll see



40-60 flat damage is amazing for a LG build which attacks so fast. But I am not sure if the penalty will be too much, or if I can overcome it. I am going to try to overcome it.

Rain of Arrows - I hate Concentrated Effect with it as it makes it more of as glorified single target than a true AOE, unless you have gear and tree investment into more area. I am wondering if I can make it's DPS viable without CE.

Current Build - Level 60

Completed Build - 85

Offensively it scales best with flat physical rolls and attack speed - so gonna rock a Meginords belt for sure. And then +phys everywhere else I can get it.

Thoughts and advice appreciated.

Update on this - I have been playing it a bit and have it up to 73.

Current Tree (73)

Gear


Overall, I am pretty happy with it. Compared to my initial goals. My Armor is already over 15k, with 2 levels of Grace and a few nodes still to go. Unfortunately, I don't think I am going to reach either 5500 HP, or the tooltip DPS numbers listed. Burning Arrow is at 7,500 and Rain of Arrows is 4,800. This doesn't include any benefit from Point Blank. I am waiting a few more levels for a bit more mana before I add in Hatred - so one big bump to go - but nothing that is going to make up the gap to my inital goals I don't think. That being said, it has a very comfortable clear speed - better than I thought.

Vaal Pact - I am still up in the air in this. I specced into it too early I think, I do feel like I am leeching more now as my damage scaled up. But it is very weak versus single target.

Point Blank - loving it. It sort of guides your playstyle because since its there, I know I want to get up close and personal. And I can definitely notice the difference in DPS on close enemies.

After trying a few things, I have settled on Enduring Cry and Warlord's Mark on CWDT, with a manual cast Immortal Call. This gives me the choice of 4 Endurance charges for 16% reduction, or a 5 second Immortal call, adding a layer of decision making, and I think fun, into playing the build. And more leech - both life and mana - is great.

Any defensive shortcoming from Abyssus I have been easily able to overcome. And it's DPS benefit makes it most definitely worth it. Although I am only in 66/67 maps. I'll have to see if that holds true when damage enemy damage scales upwards.

This build was also an early bloomer. My other Rangers that I have played never really felt right until the low to mid 80s. This thing is as it's gonna be at 70 already. I am, just upping HP and DPS from here.

67 Ledge Map Video. I am at 72 in this, so a fair comparison of how it handles appropriate level content

http://youtu.be/cUlHzIVpSIs

dup accident

So why are you using the Enzomyte Helmet instead of a rare with armor or evasion, +life, and added physical damage? Aren't you afraid of having that 40% extra physical taken esp. on a physical reflect map or reflect group of monsters?

Really wish they had Rearguard Quivers in Ambush.

I'm not really sure about the dynamics of Vaal Pact either. Most of what I have read says move to it late in your build.

Informative as usual. Good post.

"

Skywalkerfx wrote:

So why are you using the Enzomyte Helmet instead of a rare with armor or evasion, +life, and added physical damage? Aren't you afraid of having that 40% extra physical taken esp. on a physical reflect map or reflect group of monsters?

Really wish they had Rearguard Quivers in Ambush.

I'm not really sure about the dynamics of Vaal Pact either. Most of what I have read says move to it late in your build.

Informative as usual. Good post.

There is no such thing as a rare helm with any physical rolls, flat or otherwise. It's not a helmet mod - only on Gloves. And this thing has nearly 800 armor and +21 all states (Iron Grip!). But, really, it's for the 40-60 damage. To give you an idea how potent the 40-60 damage is, if I remove the helm I literally lose 1/4 of my RoA damage. Literally 1/4 - so you can see the benefit of making it work. Reflect is a non issue, although I do have a swap for vuln maps.

Mechanically - the damage to you is multiplied by 1.4 after all of your reductions. So if you can reduce enough physical damage (read: high armor, endurance charges) then the impact of the extra damage is pretty minimal - and I think that's where I am at right now. Also the block from my rearguard, as well as IC on demand help as well - 1.4 X 0 = 0.

And I was lucky to get the Rearguard - had a friend die on Invasion with it who doesn't play on Standard. Although it may be available in all leagues once this one is over per the Development Manifesto, which would be cool. It's a nifty quiver - and really ideal for the theme of this build.

Thanks for the explanation of the helm. Would defintely be a good addition to a character that needed the armor and damage. Never thought of using it before on a bow character.

GL with your build

Haha - you are welcome to try it and then come back and tell us it didn't work well :)

I could go into all of the reasons that would be a pretty bad idea, but I have a feeling you know them already.

Build up yo 81 now, I will report back on progress and thoughts around 85.

Just hit 85 on this. And looking back, looks like it has come a good way since my last post at 73.

Current Build - 85

HP: 4,532
Burning Arrow: 11,302.5 (16,953) 7,500@73
Rain of Arrows: 7,446.4 (11,169) 4,500%73
Armour: 15,517

Equipment is 100% the same, no changes. Leveling was a breeze. I soloed 73-83.5 always keeping maps 7 below my level, and 8 below once 80 hit. Takes about 6 maps per level. I Didn't have any 75 maps though, so that was up to 82. I got to 83.5 undermapping a bit on 72s and 73s. Only 1 death the whole time - Stormflay got me. Bosses on Skip: Piety, Jungle Valley, Residence Dom. I ran out of 74 maps, so I went 83.5 - 85 in pickup groups.

Clear speed is still good, although 74s did start to seem a little slower. So my focus for the next 3 levels (2 of which already done) is some DPS, before I finish it out with more Defenses. Next level is a 2 node respec and use those plus the new one to travel left from Aspect of the Eagle to Ballistic Mastery. From where I am on the tree, I think that's the best DPS I can get from 3 nodes.

And with a small change from my initial plan, I am finding Endurance charges so useful for the build I am gonna grab another one. Here is the plan for the final build at 91:

Final Build - 91

Of all my builds, this has been the best "at level." It took me forever to figure out physical reflect on my phys crit Ranger. I died a lot when I started mapping on it until I swapped Pierce for Chain and put in LGOH. And my Chaos Ranger - Poison Arrow got 2 buffs from when I started it. And somewhere during mapping I got a+2/+1 bow at the same time my empower got to level 2 - all together it was like I was playing a new character as what had been a methodical clearer was killing crazy fast. But this thing as just been solid all the way through - although I do not think it has some of the top end capability of either of those other two - it plays stronger through it's lower and mid tier power band. Been fun so far, and since I have 5 poison arrows leveling in the backup slot (to ultimately give me 5 chances at a 21/20 for my Poison Arrow Build) I might as well keep going.

Why not use point blank gem? Doesn't it stack with point blank passive?