BurizaDoTemplar - Dual Siege Balista Templar 2.1 build

First of all, a little background from Skill Gem Feedback post - let me introduce currently the most underestimated PoE skill:


So... the fire totems builds (FT, IT) were nerfed in 2.1, and as a long time dual totem player I wanted to find the replacement. Siege Ballista introduction was a good opportunity for it, and despite of people opinions I started doing Dual SB Templar. I'm currently at lvl 88 in TSC and don't regret choosing SB as a main skill.

First of all, why Templar - he has the closest way to Ancestral Bond (dual totems) node and he's surrounded by plenty of nice Totem nodes:


and he has some very nice incoming Ascendancy bonuses (hello ignore resistances on crit PvP):


But I predict there will be even better subclass for Templar, the totem based, having +1 additional totem (you heard it here first boys).

The problem with Templar is... quite long road to any bow nodes, but it gets way shorter with:


and with it (I use two of them) you can use some juicy nodes like this:


And since I'm using a ton of "increased damage" modifiers (424% increased physical projectile bow totem attack damage: 130% from totem nodes + 74% converted from Staves to Bows + 54% converted from Maces to Bows + 51% from Iron Grip keystone + 15% from rare jewel + 100% from Drillneck as SB has 100% Pierce chance), it would be just stupid to not use:


because it's barely noticeable.

So my final build is here:


As a physical damage based character I use Hatred (gain 35% of physical damage as extra cold damage) and Herald of Ash (gain 15% of physical damage as extra fire damage) auras, supported by Arctic Armour for increased defence. Then I boost all my elemental damage using Weapon Elemental Damage support (58% more weapon elemental damage). My offensive non-buffed stats, with Fire Golem (grant 20% increased damage), are:


Buffed temporary damage by 4 Frenzy charges (which I use all the time), Atziri Promise and Vaal Haste while fighting unique bosses (and without of Taste of Hate yet):


and two curses (Whispers of Doom top Witch node) for softening bosses even more

gives a temporary twice or even bigger then non-buffed damage.

I'm using cheap Lioneye's Glare bow so the damage can be far better with some high phys damage crit Harbinger Bow. Yet even with LG's 5% crit chance I'm able to get a ~22% crit chance, what multiplied by two ballistas gives a nice number of crits per second.



For 88 levels I was using Tabula Rasa as a 6-Link, finally I managed to buy a real 6L with GGGRRB colors:



I didn't resign from using PPAD on purpose, even if it has it's "10% less projectile attack speed". The DPS using PPAD is almost the same as with using Slower Projectiles, but SP has 140% mana multiplier and PPAD has 120% only. And it feels like Slower Projectile, despite of a little faster attacking, slowers overall clear speed. Faster Projectiles isn't of course a damage multiplier, so it can't be compared to those two.

Gems are not maxed yet, nor vaaled to lvl 21, most of them don't have quality bonuses, so there is a room for even bigger improvements and damage increase.

Two other uniques I use are 30% increased attack speed gloves (as my health barely drops under 100% because of kiting in the back of totems, and ~200 life/s regen):


and a huge damage boosting quiver (best one for any pierce skill in my eyes)

Rest of items I use are rares with X-Y physical damage, dexterity for Lioneye's Glare, resistances, life, armour or evasion:


My defences are mixed, some armour, some evasion, 151% increased maximum life and Arctic Armour. With two totems in my front and Fire Golem I have 1/4 chance (well 1/5 with Blink Arrow) of being chosen as an enemy target, so playing carefully I don't have big problems usually. In a CWDT I use Immortal Call, Increased Duration and Frost Wall, which combination helps a lot in a open space maps and is pain in the ass in dungeon areas (where I usually put the FW off).


and of course 200 life regen per second helps a bit too.

I'm also gaining benefit of very underestimated node


which while having 4k+ life and 20% increased stun threshold helps to avoid many stuns. And the Unwavering Stance (cannot be stunned) node is 3 points away in case it would be better that my current evasion.

Bandits:
Oak for 40 life
Kraityn for 8% attack speed
Kraityn for additional Frenzy Charge (4% increased Attack Speed + 4% MORE damage per FC)

For ele reflect maps I recommended to either remove WED/Hatred and clear map slower, or don't change anything and replace ballistas after each 3-4 shots. Both doable.

I believe Dual Siege Ballista Templar it's a very nice to play character, a worthy replacement of nerfed Flame/Incinerate totems. According to poedb.tw (can't find this information now) Siege Ballista has a 80 attack range, which clears 2-3 screens of trash mobs in a single shot or two and anything you need is a good loot filter with a proper sound notifications about good drops.

Sure, you have to take some time to learn how to place your ballistas properly, when to put them in your front and hide behind them, and when to put at your backs, run to the boss and then run to your ballistas while creating chilled ground from AA, but when you already know how to use them smart this skill is a really beautiful thing.

And I believe it's very HC viable, it requires only replacing some damage nodes with 2 additional Endurance charge nodes and self shouting Enduring Cry, taking Unwavering Stance, maybe some more life nodes from Scion wheel and/or life from Cruel Preparation at Witch area. Hell, even MoM in place of AA would be possible to implement to HC version of this build, because of mana regen nodes taken.

As I wrote at the beginning of this guide, I used to play many dual totem builds, but I believe this one has the best clear speed from all current ones, and doesn't require a ton of currency. And since it's a dual range totem build it can be surly optimised for MF.

So if you hate current Consuming Mantle meta like me, consider this old school phys-to-elemental strategy. And enjoy!

Reserved for Q&A

You use my comment out of the context.
I never said the skill is generally weak just for Ranger this could cause survivability problems (NOT! damage, which is fine) because the totem keystones are obviously on the other side of the tree, and you sacrifice a good chunck of (player)defenses on its way.

Templar,Marauder,Scion have nothing to complain about! Since the Totem passives are around the corner, among useful hp/shield/resist nodes.

Generally speaking: One signature skill of the Ranger is hard to use optimal and you must go through compromises (more then other "classes").

Looks like a really good siege ballista build. Wouldn't Anger + Wrath be better than Hatred + HoA?

Video or didn´t happen :D

Frenzy+Pcoc+Inc. Crit str.+faster attacks?

Love the idea, currently playing it.

edit:

Little tweaking on the tree



Same points, +20 dex, 1 more jewelsocket. imho 2 points for 5% hp and a little attack speed (retribution) are not worth it. a jewel 'can' be much better.

I also think that AA is not that viable since you're prolly moving more than standing still.
-AA, + alphas howl + haste (enlighten?) maybe. will try that out.

How do you get the frenzy charges?

"

Provin915 wrote:

Looks like a really good siege ballista build. Wouldn't Anger + Wrath be better than Hatred + HoA?

I will check but I doubt, since most of %increased damage modifiers are based on my physical damage.

"

MarkJohnsonRocks wrote:

How do you get the frenzy charges?

Self attack Frenzy + GMP in boots. Optimal would be Frenzy+GMP+PCoC+ICS for generating both Frency and 3 Power charges.

"

Itches wrote:

Little tweaking on the tree

(...)

Same points, +20 dex, 1 more jewelsocket. imho 2 points for 5% hp and a little attack speed (retribution) are not worth it. a jewel 'can' be much better.

I also think that AA is not that viable since you're prolly moving more than standing still.
-AA, + alphas howl + haste (enlighten?) maybe. will try that out.

This little tweaking gives far less life. And about AA, I'm using it also as a strategic ability - put 2 ballistas, run towards the enemies, run back to ballistas and let enemies try to catch me on chilling grounds. But I'm gonna try resigning from it for more life and cannot be stunned keystone, for tests.

I'm going to try this for funsies

At the very least this will be an interesting change from my flame totem builds I've had :P

Love the build. Well done.