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

The whole concept of insane regen + CI seems very interesting. I only play HC, so im not sure how well this can be played self found HC (I have no doubt it will work at 80 +, but not sure during cruel-merciless transition in HC as first character).

Anyways, because everyone keeps telling how much CI sucks in beta, Im going to test this build on beta from friday after next wipe, HC as first character. We will see how this ends hahaha! Wish me luck!

I will report back here as I move along. I can already now imagining that the trickiest part will be how I transition to full CI and stay alive in HC + first character + BETA massive physical damage combo. I got a sneaking suspecion that lacking armor, incoming physical damage is going to be brutal, but then again it should trigger CWDT spells en masse!


I have played alot of builds in Beta already so I think i have an idea of how Im going to start this projecte:

1) Roll a char other than scion to obtain flame totem as quest reward (break eggs quest)
2) Roll this build and lvl primarily as flame totem in beginning.
3) Rush Harrier
4) Rush path of savant (through the 3 cast speed nodes)
5) Go Sniper.

Hp should be abit low, but flame totem in beginning scales incredible with cast speed (more so than early projectile dmg nodes) and keeps me safe even with low hp. After this I'll either creep up towards templar area, or maybe I will travel to scion hp wheel (need strength travel nodes anyways for lvling up flame totem).


Cheers!
Avantor

Good luck, Avantor!

I've got a number of different build variants planned out to try out once 2.0 goes live, but as I don't play HC, my focus is obviously not going to be the same as yours. :)

I guess I'll have to wait to see just how brutal the high end damage is before I make the choice; Currently I am eying two fundamentally different setups:

1) Anger + Vitality + Discipline. Together with a L3 Enlighten (i.e. L2 slotted The Vertex) that requires around 20% reduced mana reservation from nodes to work, so at least two of the main aura node groups.

2) Arctic Armour + Vitality + Discipline. Together with L2-L3 Enlighten this doesn't require any mana reservation nodes to work, which frees up a lot of points to invest elsewhere.


Other points of interest:
* the new Tempest Shield without mana reservation is an obvious CwDT candidate for a massive regen CI-ZO CwDT setup.
* the new Iron Will support gem that grants 48% spelldamage + STR/5 at l20q20 is quite interesting if it can be fit in, as the build easily ends up picking some 200 STR or so, making depending on setup might make it competitive with several other support gems.
* if running it with Incinerate as I do, Frost Wall is now perfect (at least solo); After all, the only reason not to slot it in a CwDT in 1.3 solo was that it hurt shotgunning.
* A CwDT golem (flame or chaos) would seem obligatory.

Since the wipe was pushed back to july the 6th I decieded to just go ahead testing this, currently at lvl 43. One theory I will test out is linking many of the CWDTs to lifeleech as well and take ghost reaver, create some automatic leech battery on top of the regen, afterall survivabilty comes nr 1 in hc.

Im also debating on keeping a manual flame totem cast (not linking it with CWDT) for scouting ahead and when I want to feel out the incoming dmg (having the totem soak up some of the incoming dmg). Its these situations, bad map mods in a narrow room that you dont really know how you will fare with your regen vs mobs + map modes until you get hit, which could result in massiv burst incoming damage.

We will see!

For Ghost Reaver, if you'd please test CwDT-Molten Shell-Life Leech - (4th? increased AOE, perhaps?)

I'd love to hear your results; Main issue is that that's already 3 reds, so the obvious 4th choice - linking it with a fire penetration - is pretty much out of the question.

The other obvious thing would be to Life Leech the maxlevel CwDT-Tempest Shield.

Finally, if you can find the time, one thing I'm dying to try out is whether CwDT-Arctic Breath-GMP-Chain is a useful defensive combo for chilling attackers with the changed status ailment rules and GMP and Chain being much less punishing LESS modifiers in 2.0

The chill when being struck from AA is better than cwdt arctic breath (feel like the ground chill effect expires too quickly). Iv tests it alot and created my own take on all map mods with dual arctic breath totem + temp chain + enfeeble + curse erfect nodes, bosses and all content becomes super easy. But thats another story/build. Currently 53, will go full ci at 59, got some es equip waiting. Abit irl stuff going on these days, hope to get to run abit maps before wipe.

Tempest shield will go off from time to time, but we are still not blocking that often + are not stacking spell block so not sure how good that will be on this buidl compared to linking another dmg spell with CWDT.

I can report first two minor obstacles so far:

Dominus fight (the trio rigtht before dominus arrives), alot of chaos damage, by cruel dominus you quickly end up with having less hp than ES. I took the hp nodes at templar core area only and so I had 1,3k hp and 1,8k ES at that fight. With 1,3k hp you have to be fast on your flasks, alot of incoming chaos dmg here.

Trikinika unique (forget how to spell this haha), but it is a burrower type that summons 3 other stationary spawns that acts like stationary turrets. With close to 0 armor they hit so hard that you can quickly be stunlocked. At this point in time you do not have enough regen nor ES to face tank this shit. Solution: flame totem and dance around to avoid stunlock.

Molten shell + fire storm linked to lifeleech gives back abit of hp, but it really is barely noticable. Lifeleech gem in beta is only at 2%, even against packs it wasnt much. Maybe it will be better later, we will see.

Some of the uniques in act 4 hit you for gobs of dmg with low armor, i.e 1k dmg each hit from 2 unique lesser bosses (pikant something that has a glacial cascade earth version like effect visually, and the "hammaradin" casting LMP spectral throw + spiral hammers. Act 4 really has tons of physical dmg mobs, but only one standing out are the mentioned two unique lesser bosses that you find in the mines.

Im really curious for late game, so much incoming dmg! Can the regen counter this? Lets find out!

PS: Volls archers white pack firing one volley pretty much removes about 2k ES at cruel act 4 (lvl 55 area dried lake). Currently sitting at 1,5k hp and 2k ES.

Update:
CI transformation completed at lvl 59 with 4100 ES currently.

I had a few ES items waiting for lvl 59. Upon swiching to my new ES gear, I also respeced hp nodes and went full CI. And boy, now the tank aspect is starting to show. Currently running incinerate for 1 mana (2 elreon modded jewlry), running disciplien aura, vitality and arctic armor. Imo arctic armor is a must as incinerate, its a free physical% dmg reduction (and fire) which is much needed.

Regen is currently at 250 ES per sec, and Im in act 4 cruel, about to finish. Still towards Daresso, 3 champion dual strike mobs managed to outdmg my regen tank. Then again, im far from 1500 regen per sec!Most other content could more or less be face tanked, then again I am over geared for my lvl here with the ES gear waiting for me.


PS: CWDT + flame totem no longer works. For HC id recommend flame totem 4L manual cast for those sticky, unknowning situations (i.e crazy map mods, open door cast flame totem!).


Some more updates:
Sitting at 4,5k ES now, regen is almost 300, you can clearly get a good feel of how tanky this charcter can be. For hc you still have to be on your toe since it is the nature of CI, no instant flasks. After some more tests with lifeleech and CWDT, it really is fantastic, IMO going with the leech/regen theme of the build, I see no reason why you shouldnt link all your CWDT with leech, for added tankiness (of course you loose 1 link for dmg purpose, but imo its worth it). Lifeleech + molten shell + CWDT + fire storm currently in one of the 4L. Testing some more spells.

Bottom line: Link CWDT with leech gem + dmg spells because it helps with the crowded incoming burst dmges


Cheers!
Avantor

Update

Just entered act 4. Dominus merciless could be facetanked np. Curently sporting 6,2k ES and 600 ES regen per sec. Upon entering Aquaduct i met 6x fevered melee champions, and they were able to break the tank, upon using granite flask i could face tank them.

Its been working out great so far, imo lifeleech and molten shell is a superb combination and imo a must against the brutal incoming dmg. So far happpy to be alive at lvl 65. Hopefully I will find some maps soon lol so I can test that too.

Sounds good, and with Ghost Reaver's new position in the tree it is fairly cheap to pick up.

A crying shame to hear that Flame Totem doesn't work with CwDT any more. Having the totem spring up automatically dealing and absorbing damage when my Scion was taking a pummeling was so very nice.

Update

Lvl 67, 7k ES and 700 ES regen per sec. Since the wipe is eminent, I keep pushing content just to test out real challenging stuff. Atm im pushing towards Daresso, fighting in 69 areas as lvl 67.

Content starts to break my tank from time to time, its particular champion packs physical incoming dmg that really pounds my tank. Towards Daresso there are small gladiator like pitfights, nowhere to run or hide, and set time intervals with new spawns until its empty. Here i ran into championpacks that i, for the first time being CI, managed to break my ES tanking even with molten shell + granite flask running (was tornadoshot championpacks, around 12 of them).

This happend three areans, mix of melee and archer mobs. Act 4 is a good test for the tanking abilities, becuase it is brutal physical dmg here. Im not sure how CI regen tank will fare against nasty map mods with -max res + vurnability + extra dmg, but so far it is tanky enough.

Trio unique bosses was easily face tanked. It seems that packs with high physical dmg is the most challenging so far, no single boss have proven difficult tanking wise.