Cheap, Tanky, DPSy: Summon Raging Spirit [not updated for 1.3+]

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GoatEatingToilet wrote:

I really appreciate you taking the time to make these edits to help with the progression of gameplay and decisions. One thing I did notice, however, was a gem reward repeat in your list.

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MatrixFactor wrote:

7.75. Mercy mission cruel: increased burning damage, link it to searing bond.
11. Sever the right hand cruel: increased burning damage. You will be using searing bond for another 15 levels or so at this point, so this gem will help significantly.

Thanks for pointing this out. I'll update.

Nice build! One noob question it is: Do you recommend playing this build in fresh leagues where you have absolutely nothing? Will it lag behind the other builds (e.g. mf builds/searing bond) in character progression? Thanks!

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hungck1006 wrote:

Nice build! One noob question it is: Do you recommend playing this build in fresh leagues where you have absolutely nothing? Will it lag behind the other builds (e.g. mf builds/searing bond) in character progression? Thanks!

I absolutely recommend this build in fresh leagues. It's a cheap build. To be effective you can use any strength-based 5L weapon and roll +1 gems. Even in new leagues these are easy to obtain. Then upgrade to a 5L staff +2 fire, and then a 6L staff +2 fire or 5L +3 fire.

I started this build from about 2-3ex leftover (after giving my good stuff away at ambush end) in standard, and I was able to progress incredibly fast. For early game progression, I suggest you take a look at the leveling guidelines I wrote, and at least consider them. For late game: an important part of lategame progression is the ability to do many map mods, and this build can do any except no regen (sasis) and blood magic.

In comparison to other builds, I believe this progresses faster than most. In standard I map with people who have been playing their characters for years longer than me. The only people who really make me feel weak are the mirrored set guys. I feel like I am more mobile and do more DPS than most builds you will see in new leagues (like buzzsaw).

Very well researched and presented Matrix.

Thoughts on skipping Inner Force?

The main difference between your build and others building for SRS seems to be that you grab IR. How impactful do you see that choice being? And do you recommend getting it around 50 points?

Early on, do you run Grace or one of the offensive auras like Haste/Hatred?

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Clean wrote:

Very well researched and presented Matrix.

Thoughts on skipping Inner Force?

The main difference between your build and others building for SRS seems to be that you grab IR. How impactful do you see that choice being? And do you recommend getting it around 50 points?

Early on, do you run Grace or one of the offensive auras like Haste/Hatred?

Inner force is in my dream build. The main reason for getting it is that it boosts arctic armor. I think this is a super late game priority, since before then you get more survivability by taking all the life nodes you can reach. Also hopefully by the time you have enough points to get it, you can afford an empower-arctic armor setup, so that the boost is more worthwhile. Either Red Mana-Empower-Arctic Armor-Clarity or Empower-Enhance-Arctic Armor-Enfeeble/Elemental Weakness.

IR is the most cost-effective means for physical mitigation. Also going to that part of the tree lets us get thick skin which nets 8.5% life per node. The +dex nodes also help with requirements for haste and grace. In my partial trees I suggest getting IR asap. Leveling with grace+IR is just so much easier because you don't have to worry about dying.

In what order would you prioritize the auras as one levels?

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Clean wrote:

In what order would you prioritize the auras as one levels?

Grace & Clarity first, focusing on surviving and having enough mana for searing bond/curses. Then add Hatred once you start using summon raging spirit as your main skill. Then add Haste when you have enough unreserved mana. Hatred provides more DPS than haste.

Update:

1. New tree. Now we take Mind over Matter. It's the best form of mitigation we can get against elemental damage.

2. Armor section revised to be inline with the new tree. Now it's best to use a rare armor.

3. Added a MF spec/gearing section. That tree takes less life but more resists to help us overcome lack of resists on MF gear.

Added some videos of 140%+ Quant 77-78 Maps. These are the last videos I'm planning to post for a while. I believe I am finished refining this build, only patch 1.2 can make me change it.