[3.2] Scionic Flametank "16k ES ed." (ES-CI-ZO-GR, SR-CWC-FS, extensive guide)

Word to the wise, SasoriOtoko - taking ICS to proc Elemental Overload is a trap. :p

Sure, a 40% MORE multiplier for 2 skill points and one link sounds great, but there are so many great one-link multipliers.

Elemental Focus is 49% MORE by level 20 (and you don't inflict ignite, but that's puny damage anyway...)
Controlled Destruction is 44% MORE by level 20 (and 100% less crit chance, but so what.)
Void Manipulation is 39% MORE by level 20 (and -25% increased elemental damage, but saving 2 skill points is easily worth 25% increased elemental damage)

So even if you are running a variant setup with Clarity, mana cost reduction jewels, etc. so as not to need to slot Mana Leech, as I believe you still are, you are better off ignoring Elemental Overload and going

After Dark: Incinerate – G/LMP – Elemental Focus – Faster Casting – Controlled Destruction (5L) – Void Manipulation (6L)

Flame: Incinerate – G/LMP – Elemental Focus – Fire Penetration - Faster Casting (5L) – Controlled Destruction (6L)

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What IS interesting and something I want to experiment with once POE is stable and I've managed to ascend is to see whether Elemental Overload can be triggered by CWDT spells or only manual casting. If the former, then I might end up including some lowlevel CWDT for the first time. :D

I considered Orb of Storms but that one says it needs to be manually cast, and... oh, well, but I'm getting ahead of myself.


EDIT: Found a few minutes to test using one of my designating testing dummies so I didn't have to waste orbs of regret for my flametank Elflaed.

a) as expected, Orb of Storms has to be manually cast. OOS-ICS is pretty good for triggering Elemental Overload and only costs 2 links... but for this build, I definitely prefer not to have to do anything manually if I can possibly avoid it: It breaks up incinerating!

b) CWDT spells do trigger elemental overload. So as an alternative it might be an idea to spend a full 3 or 4 links on a low level CWDTs with ICS and one or two high crit chance spells.


Let's see how it goes. Primary objective is to ascend, but after that I'm definitely getting Elemental Overload for the tank and figuring out which links I prefer to ensure I get that bonus consistently - or at least consistently when things get tough.

Hmm... Perhaps spend a 4L on a lowlevel CWDT-ICS-Ice Spear-Orb of Storms? The CWDT would proc Ice Spear frequently if under duress, and it would be possible to manually deploy Orbs of Storms if one wanted to be really sure, and both would benefit from ICS.

Hi !
Thanks for the build, would be happy if you could update the skilltree and maybe we can see the items you use !

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Yumako87 wrote:

Hi !
Thanks for the build, would be happy if you could update the skilltree and maybe we can see the items you use !

First post contains builds for first 30 points and a suggested level 85 build; I'll get working on the remaining steps in between to guide people as soon as I'm not busy trying to achieve Ascendancy, though it shouldn't take much effort to find a way from one to the other.

Regarding equipment, I am still using much the same equipment as I was in 2.1, which is still visible in the "current equipment" section. It isn't completely updated, but it is pretty much what I'm using now.

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Meanwhile, I'm pleased to say that I achieved the Berserker Ascendancy and that taken together with swapping ACD for Elemental Focus, taking Elemental Overload, and using L1 CWDT-Ice Spear-Tempest Shield-Increased Critical Strikes to help trigger EO, I'm now up to around 18k nominal stage 0 dps when EO is triggered - so around 50-60% more damage than in 2.1.

Still need to tweak the exact setup for that, but definitely looking promising even though it eats ANOTHER 2 precious skill points.

And may I note for the record that I'm really liking having massive regeneration when making mistakes in the Labyrinth. :D

Its worth to make this build as a first one build in perandus league? .. thinking that we have no items and start from 0....

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Pi2rEpsilon wrote:

And may I note for the record that I'm really liking having massive regeneration when making mistakes in the Labyrinth. :D

Definitely! I first tried with my Lv 92 Ranger who relies on LL with VP and potions...ugh, that didn't go so well. Turning her into a Pathfinder is going to be fun (not).

But my Witch with 2000+ regen? Much, much easier. 5 Quicksilver flasks...and that nasty rising lava didn't do squat to her. Time to give Cruel a go. :D

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yissus wrote:

Its worth to make this build as a first one build in perandus league? .. thinking that we have no items and start from 0....

I guess so?

I play standard, so I cannot really relate to the league situation, but several players who play leagues have reported having a fun time leveling Scionic Flametanks in the previous leagues, some of them as first builds, some not, and I see no reason that it shouldn't be the case now as well.

I expect that leveling it as a first will involve an amount of self-crafting ES equipment just like I did a year ago when I leveled in standard. It was my first character to be leveled past level 42 and I didn't really have any items or resources to rely on, so I used what I found and what I crafted... until level 82, when I finally bit the bullet and began trading, buying a quality Incinerate. :D


With the Ascendancy changes, the tank is definitely back in shape - as defensive, or even more so than in 2.1 which was its previous height, and its damage is to my big surprise now almost back at the 2.0 levels before Incinerate received a hefty triple-nerf in 2.1.

Argh...died at Cruel Izaro in final fight. One hour, down the drain. Vaal Discipline is your best friend in the Labyrinth with this build. I only have one...but will be bringing at least one more. Not a super fan of those traps. :0

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SasoriOtoko wrote:

Argh...died at Cruel Izaro in final fight. One hour, down the drain. Vaal Discipline is your best friend in the Labyrinth with this build. I only have one...but will be bringing at least one more. Not a super fan of those traps. :0

How on earth did Cruel Izaro kill you with your 2k+ regen. Did you walk into the traps while fighting him? :D

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Pi2rEpsilon wrote:

How on earth did Cruel Izaro kill you with your 2k+ regen. Did you walk into the traps while fighting him? :D

Well for one I was barely doing any damage to him and some of his attacks were actually causing my ES to drop quite a bit (20-25%). He also did some weird attack that teleported me right into the traps...so this combined with his attacks did the trick. I got away from the traps a final time and he blasted me with something that must have done more than my regen...which was almost 2300 with a Stone Golem (great for this build, btw).

The fact that I got a little cocky and and didn't expect this much trouble from him was the main factor. As you said, I thought I had it in the bag...but even with 10,000 dps my Incinerate was barely hurting him. I'm not looking forward to Merciless. o_0