[3.1] BERSERKER/JUGGERNAUT 288k DPS Ice Crash/EQ Crit Staff AKA "The Shattering Karui"

You can, but it will lower your survivability.

Thanks for the build!. It's been a great opportunity for me to tackle a physical melee staff character which I've wanted to do for a while now. I'm still leveling (only 70 right now so my gear is a mixed bag) but thought I might be able to help some others in their progression by relating my experience.

Right now I'm still using Resolute Technique but am working towards swapping over to Crit shortly so all my leveling has been with RT. Less spiky damage but greater consistency overall and for much of my time my attacks were slow, so not missing was vital.

I found Marohi Erqi to be a great leveling item for the build easily giving us a 5 link with Increased Area of Effect in-built which Ice Crash really benefits from. I was quite comfortable using leap slam which I linked with Endurance Charge on Stun, Fortify and Increased Area of Effect. So my technique was leap into a mob, proc Endurance charges, stun everything so it was slow to react, then Ice Crash once and move on.

Toward the end of Merciless and just starting to map though I was finding myself feeling very squishy particularly against bosses. I would get hit and lose a lot of life resulting in a tedious hit and run approach.

I then changed my CWDT set up to include Immortal Call and my game really changed. Thanks to my leap slam I always have Endurance Charges up so when I get smashed now I become invulnerable long enough to either finish the job with another Ice Crash blow, or I get out of danger without a problem. Sure, losing charges is not ideal but it beats being dead, and with leap slam they're easy enough to gain back again. Also my CWDT is lvl 8 and Immortal is currently 9 so they're not triggering constantly, really only when I need it.

Lastly, I finally upgraded my weapon from Marohi Erqi to a rare staff. I traded off some physical damage for the ability to block 1 in 5 blows plus attack about 50% faster. Losing the Increased Area of Effect was a bit of a step back but the other gains were definitely worth it.

For reference here's my old weapon and the replacement:



This item is also a huge advantage in dealing with the mana requirements of Ice Crash


If anyone was experiencing similar issues perhaps there may be a few options to consider here that might help out.

"

Etherfire wrote:

You can never have enough life, especially on a 2h character.

I propose a skill tree like this:

Spoiler

http://cb.poedb.tw/us/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgEBAdwEswUtB3UJlgthDc0TcRQgFkAWbxhdGjgczh0UIVUhYCSqJyAnLytQLIUs-zH7NZI26TkOOuE8BTwtPfxAoEFyRY5Hfk3jUEdYY1iuWfNaGl4TXqVfP2VNZp5nm2jybztyD3KpdO1343gNeu9_44Nfg8yE2YTvhX2HaooijM-PRpBVkGySfZd5mG-iAKZXqSepbqmUrKqt8a4-r2yvp7Xytz68mr02vqfAGsBmwKbE9sauxtjJZ9i92sHcI9w942rkUeXP7UTvDu988B_yRfZI9zL60vuL_gr-VP6P

Lots of accuracy and dex which staff builds usually lack for. 204% life, decent damage. No US because it isn't worth it, and neither are any pure elemental damage nodes. Didn't take vaal pact because it hinders blood rage, a major dps source. All the while getting a couple jewel sockets and a frenzy charge as well. Various paths from here on could be to get Sovereignty , or get more dps from martial artistry and berserking.

I don't like the usage of hypothermia in crit builds, because you should be oneshotting al the mobs, thus making the damage increase from it pointless. Also, fortify could be linked to flicker/leap to open up another dps slot. Using flicker with fortify and curse on hit would be pretty nice.

I wish this skill tree would pull up, anyone know of another link for it? I like the points made.

"

Rygenx wrote:

"

Etherfire wrote:

You can never have enough life, especially on a 2h character.

I propose a skill tree like this:

Spoiler

http://cb.poedb.tw/us/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgEBAdwEswUtB3UJlgthDc0TcRQgFkAWbxhdGjgczh0UIVUhYCSqJyAnLytQLIUs-zH7NZI26TkOOuE8BTwtPfxAoEFyRY5Hfk3jUEdYY1iuWfNaGl4TXqVfP2VNZp5nm2jybztyD3KpdO1343gNeu9_44Nfg8yE2YTvhX2HaooijM-PRpBVkGySfZd5mG-iAKZXqSepbqmUrKqt8a4-r2yvp7Xytz68mr02vqfAGsBmwKbE9sauxtjJZ9i92sHcI9w942rkUeXP7UTvDu988B_yRfZI9zL60vuL_gr-VP6P

Lots of accuracy and dex which staff builds usually lack for. 204% life, decent damage. No US because it isn't worth it, and neither are any pure elemental damage nodes. Didn't take vaal pact because it hinders blood rage, a major dps source. All the while getting a couple jewel sockets and a frenzy charge as well. Various paths from here on could be to get Sovereignty , or get more dps from martial artistry and berserking.

I don't like the usage of hypothermia in crit builds, because you should be oneshotting al the mobs, thus making the damage increase from it pointless. Also, fortify could be linked to flicker/leap to open up another dps slot. Using flicker with fortify and curse on hit would be pretty nice.

I wish this skill tree would pull up, anyone know of another link for it? I like the points made.

Most of the points have been implemented in my tree, because you're also not seeing the version of the tree I had first planned in the awakening beta :) his tree did have some inefficiencies, like the attack speed nodes, which are completely unnecessary, and some inefficient pathing.

"

Rygenx wrote:

"

Etherfire wrote:

You can never have enough life, especially on a 2h character.

I propose a skill tree like this:

Spoiler

http://cb.poedb.tw/us/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgEBAdwEswUtB3UJlgthDc0TcRQgFkAWbxhdGjgczh0UIVUhYCSqJyAnLytQLIUs-zH7NZI26TkOOuE8BTwtPfxAoEFyRY5Hfk3jUEdYY1iuWfNaGl4TXqVfP2VNZp5nm2jybztyD3KpdO1343gNeu9_44Nfg8yE2YTvhX2HaooijM-PRpBVkGySfZd5mG-iAKZXqSepbqmUrKqt8a4-r2yvp7Xytz68mr02vqfAGsBmwKbE9sauxtjJZ9i92sHcI9w942rkUeXP7UTvDu988B_yRfZI9zL60vuL_gr-VP6P

Lots of accuracy and dex which staff builds usually lack for. 204% life, decent damage. No US because it isn't worth it, and neither are any pure elemental damage nodes. Didn't take vaal pact because it hinders blood rage, a major dps source. All the while getting a couple jewel sockets and a frenzy charge as well. Various paths from here on could be to get Sovereignty , or get more dps from martial artistry and berserking.

I don't like the usage of hypothermia in crit builds, because you should be oneshotting al the mobs, thus making the damage increase from it pointless. Also, fortify could be linked to flicker/leap to open up another dps slot. Using flicker with fortify and curse on hit would be pretty nice.

I wish this skill tree would pull up, anyone know of another link for it? I like the points made.

Well, I am leveling a staff char these days, the skill tree I'm planning is like this:

Hi ComradeSerge,

i like your build very much, so thank you.
But i got a problem with CWDT + Phase Run. It doesn't proc.
Yes my Phase Run is low lvl and it should be a short buff but nothing happend after proc CWDT.
Does it have to do with my (0) frenzy charges too? (No Flicker or Blood Rage yet)

Thanks for your help and keep and the cool builds.

It should proc at least sometimes, Phase Run does have an internal cooldown though, so myb you're not noticing it. Can you link the gear where you have your CWDT setup?

Hey Serge

Sorry if this question was already answered

Id like your thoughts on the last 9 nodes that are not posted in your guide

I have many thoughts, e.g additional Jewel slot, Mana reserved area, im really looking for best survivability as i feel the build dps is sufficient at this point.

Any feedback will help, thanks heaps.

I'd presonally go for jewel slots, since they can give you all that nodes can give you (life, dps, reduced mana cost of skills, crit chance etc). Reduced mana cost nodes are also nice. Soul of Steel is quite nice too, if you have enough points to get that.

Really enjoying this, and dps skyrocketed once I got a 6L chest + Hegemony's... Need some suggestions on what to upgrade next, mainly for survivability (I seem to get 1-shotted by different mechanics currently