[DW / 2H] Slad's Blood Tank Duelist ☼ High Survivability

I'm using a similar build for my 57 duelist. Although I've been getting destroyed in Merciless, going further into the mara starting points have helped. I didn't read your full op but I'd suggest most people using this build to start getting health asap. If your damage is lacking, it's better than dying 12 times because you couldn't survive 2 hits.

Overall, I'm really enjoying my duelist because of blood magic. I'm starting to wonder if Vaal Pact may be worth it as I'm seeing myself constantly watch my health bar more than anything. Melee in this game sucks all around - 'cept for mara's. Of course I'm not complaining they're op but I feel as though GGG needs to get all melee to a point where building a character for melee range isn't utterly stupid/waste of time for late game.

I patiently await a full respec when the revamp melee (or just duelists ;).

I use 2-handed weapons, therefore Dual Strike is not an option. That ability is dual-wield only.
I went 2-handed build mainly for the ability Sweep.
As to my single target ability, Double Strike works with 2-Handed weapons and does not have a knockback as Heavy Strike does.

Thanks for the awesome feedback guys! Good to know other people are benefiting from this build as well as myself! :)

-Slad

My build is sort of similar.. http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgQBmSvKkN3jXzks-4TZqZSQbIdqJd8b-qQZR34UUmVNYIi_1USesHPstvH0U7tVqZe0rLoote9OapNhIYTvQKAFLXTteu9gS3Txnrnh2qvFvqfV7dJNbmnV-MAPxFgn1XgNqW618q6TbPYB3L6Keri3PoLkiq_aYpSgkBFbr90NOrP8xWegh3ZKfVb6dEF3138r1opOKrZBxq48LcT2J-0ZLtSPud3yL6gYROcc52o7IPBqHu8O51JUSV8_9kiMz1BQWGPG2D38fLgpLvPdQzEbyH6aAwDlxSFgwQfXfjQ1TeOsWf6P1FIG7pdwYxdodNhN

Your build does have 36% more life then mine (from passives), and 70 Strength. I have higher Elemental Resist, Armor, Damage, Dexterity and Dodge rate though. I end up having 60% more armor, 104% more dodge rate (plus double on projectiles for those vipers), 32% more damage, and 40 more Dexterity. Life regen is about the same. I only achieve .2 higher regen.

Data aside my question is why would you ignore the dodge rate if you are going Iron Reflexes? Why Health instead of Mana? Why ignore the dodge rate that Duelist gets? That is all I am curious on

I'm trying out this build now. I'm up to level 17, and would like to hear more about this dodge rate that dreatlan says we get.

"

dreatlan wrote:

My build is sort of similar..

Your build does have 36% more life then mine (from passives), and 70 Strength. I have higher Elemental Resist, Armor, Damage, Dexterity and Dodge rate though. I end up having 60% more armor, 104% more dodge rate (plus double on projectiles for those vipers), 32% more damage, and 40 more Dexterity. Life regen is about the same. I only achieve .2 higher regen.

Data aside my question is why would you ignore the dodge rate if you are going Iron Reflexes? Why Health instead of Mana? Why ignore the dodge rate that Duelist gets? That is all I am curious on

It's a blood tank (blood magic) build. It's a tanky build, not a high-damage one. Evasion is horrible, therefore, Iron Reflexes takes it and turns it into something good, armor.

-Slad

Nudge.

-Slad

Bump!
Online now.

-Slad

ZZZZzzzzz...
Bump..


Level 74 now, by the way, build works like a charm.. :)

-Slad

Hows the damage with this build late game?

I do 2.8k dps with Double Strike as a 2-H Duelist at level 75.
0.10.2 drops in a couple of days. Duelists are getting buffed from the sneak peek we were given from GGG. I don't know which aspects are being buffed, but both builds will be updated accordingly!

Please note, I've stated before that these builds are mostly tanky, and not so much damage-dealer builds. If you want high damage, these builds are not for you.

Thanks!

-Slad