[1.2.3] Sid's Ball Lightning - EB/Crit /2 Curse on hit/ 4 Auras with Herald of Ice

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Dmillz wrote:

I just rolled an EE corrupted area. They are permanently vulnerable to lightning. Definitely check it out though!

tooltip updates with a delay.. but will give it a detailed try after work today

Don't bother. Did more research and testing, doesn't work as I originally thought. Gives resist to cold/lightning and reduced to fire. Poop!

Hi,

Now I am lvl 70 using this build and I rly like BL.

I have 3 questions.

- How do you get the Power charges you need without the gem?

- My dps is still pretty low, so I’m using Spell echo in 4L and it look like this build HAVE to use Echo cause it helps SO much. What would you recommend for 5L?

- At last, I hope you people have a suggestion for my new gear, were to start.


Thank you in advance!


My gear


My tree

hi

sorry for late reply, havent noticed your post

a) power charges - Assassins Mark curse. it generates (% of the time) power charges on kill. it is frequently enough to maintain charges all the time

i use 'curse on hit' so i apply two curses simultaneously (and with inc effectiveness that i cannot really notice) - Conductivity and Assassins Mark. The latter also provides life/mana on kill that helps (and i mean that) with sustain

b) inc Aoe. and while Echo increases dps, the interaction of AOE + knockback provides much much more REAL dps than echo.

with gear id start with adding life to all pieces that do not have it yet - craft with Lvl 6 Elron if you have him. wait for him to lvl6 if you can, if not - craft now (but youll loose ~10 max life on each roll)

your amulet is the weakest piece you wear. that cast speed is nice, but other stats - esp life and crit are not there

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sidtherat wrote:

hi

sorry for late reply, havent noticed your post

a) power charges - Assassins Mark curse. it generates (% of the time) power charges on kill. it is frequently enough to maintain charges all the time

i use 'curse on hit' so i apply two curses simultaneously (and with inc effectiveness that i cannot really notice) - Conductivity and Assassins Mark. The latter also provides life/mana on kill that helps (and i mean that) with sustain

b) inc Aoe. and while Echo increases dps, the interaction of AOE + knockback provides much much more REAL dps than echo.

with gear id start with adding life to all pieces that do not have it yet - craft with Lvl 6 Elron if you have him. wait for him to lvl6 if you can, if not - craft now (but youll loose ~10 max life on each roll)

your amulet is the weakest piece you wear. that cast speed is nice, but other stats - esp life and crit are not there

Thanks for the answer.

Do you think I schould change any of my gems in my 5L have add chaos dmg, add lightning dmg and faster casting ready if needed :-)

hi

I totally forgot about this thread as i play mostly melee in 1.2 but someone asked me to post an update

btw - for the question abofe - spell echo is a nice gem (saves mana) but id go with added lightning still (for longer shocks as most ligtning spells have very low minimum value and can miss the shock threshold easily)

updates for 1.2.3 - mention about how fun Herald of Ice is and uploading very short video captured during 71 master hunt showcasing the gameplay and herald of ice in action

this is still and probably will remain so - the most fun build ive ever played in arpg

Replying from the HoI thread:

Will be interesting to see what your updates are for the BL build, if any. The tree is working out well for me thus far to 51, (new Shadow build in Rampage, came late to the party lol). Have Geofri's, Carcass Jack, Saffell's shield waiting, only using Cybil's meantime. A bastardized skill set-up for now: 3L Arc/Light Pen/Added Light; Storm Call/Inc Crit Dmg/Cold Pen; CWDT/End Cry/Imm Call, and 3L HoI...while lvl'ing BL and associated skills trying to get a decent 4-5L. Non-linked (!) Assassin's Mark, Clarity, Rejuv Totem otherwise, with average rare gear except Cybil's, nothing at all great.

Have RIP'ed maybe 5 or 6 times in Norm & Cruel, mainly from swapping skills finding a workable mix from what I had available, and my own error. But stomped all bandits, Merveil, Brutus, Dom, Vaal, etc. and no RIPs to them. That to me says a lot for the tree itself, and is more effective thus far than others I've tried. Can't wait to get this toon decked with better gear/links and more focused gem scheme.

Great job, Sid! Further input is welcome!

Edit: got a 4L last night and went with BL/Light Pen/Knockback/Inc AoE. Those 3 support gems I consider fairly mandatory for a BL life/Eld Batt/crit build, as I discovered with an earlier build on my witch. Though at higher levels at least a 5L may well be needed, I'm doing fine with 4L for now.


Praying to RNGeezuss as we speak...XD

Has anyone tried BL/Knockback/Inc Aoe/Light Pen with Slower Projectiles? According to wiki, "Slower Projectiles increases the amount of time the enemy spends within the ball's area of effect, resulting in a higher potential number of lightning strikes per cast." If my Carcass Jack were 5L I'd test it.

cant we use a spell totem ice nova to chill and curse?

^ I've sometimes used Frost Wall totem to good effect. Haven't tried Ice Nova totem.