[2.2.0] Juggernaut Caged God // WTF BUILD #1

Welcome to my WTF build thread and theorycrafting section! The first build I want to talk of is a build I have tried to do and make it relevant since the day it came out. You can visit my old post on this build but it will be irrelvant since I have change A LOT of things since 2.0.1

https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1382956

Pillar of the Caged God

This 2H Staff (or Stave) is a low level requirement that gives the player additional effects based on the total Attributes of the player.

1% increased Area of Effect Radius per 20 Intelligence
1% increased Attack Speed per 10 Dexterity
16% increased Physical Weapon Damage per 10 Strength

The goal with this item is to get as much Strength, Dexterity and Base Physical Damage as you can.


"On a scale of horrible to OP, how does this build scales?

After almost 300 hours of game play and theory crafting, the 2.2.0 Update (Ascendancy update) gave this "bad build" a boost to raise up to "pretty decent build". Before Ascendancy, Pillar Caged God was lacking of Pack Control, Tankyness, medium boss DPS therefore not being a good build to do but now with the arrival with the skill Sunder, Pack Control is no more a problem. Tankyness problem get solved by taking the Juggernaut Ascendancy Path. This path will give you a possibility to gain an endurance when hit while increasing our armor drastically, our HP regeneration, our elemental resistances while also giving a small boost to the DPS. Without further due, let's start the global explanation of this build.



Before Mapping

The time before mapping is actually the main campaign of the game. You should reach around level 62-65 before thinking starting maps. This is not a level requirement for maps but a requirement for high level required gear. All of the gear you will use in the end game is around level 60-70.

From the level 1 to 13, you will play as a hobo with a stick that smash creatures. You will only need to reach level 13 as fast as you can (you can do what ever you want to do).

Once you reach level 13, buy the Pillar of the Caged God. This staff is very effective while leveling (specially if you have bonus Strength and flat +# phys iron rings). This staff cost around one alchemy orb to one chaos orb. ilvl MUST BE HIGHER THAN 50 IF YOU WANT A 6L LATER ON.

From level 13 - 65~, use gear that boost your elemental resistance, your physical resistance, granite flask, 9-15 additional physical damage to attacks rings, etc. I have done multiple time that build and I did not had any hard problems to survive (bosses can be a bit tricky but overall, if you play safe, you should be fine (NOTE: I have killed Piety without dying on Merciless at 10/15/15 elemental resistance)).

There is two items I licked A LOT while leveling (on which one can be used as a late game component) and they are :

and


The Astramentis amulet gives a huge boost to all attributes while reducing a bit of the physical attacks we receive. This amulet can be used if you reach level 20. Trying to get the max rolls of the Astramentis can make a very relevant difference. The implicit rolls are [10 - 20] and explicit are [80 - 100]. The DPS difference between the lowest roll and the highest roll possible can be of 5.0 k in level 70+ while receiving less HP from the Strength bonus.

Meginord's Vise is a very good item for leveling since it gives a fine amount of Armour and an immense amount of Strength. I even use it at level 75 since I do not have the currency to buy myself some better gloves. The only problem of those gloves is the lack of flat life and elemental resistances. This is why we will not use in the higher tier maps.



Gear / Skill Gems / Tree






Bandits

Oak - Kraityn - Kraityn


Jewels

In the skill tree, you will be aviable to reach a total of 4 jewels. Those are the suffix you will want to have on them :

-Bonus Strength
-Bonus Attack speed
-Bonus Dexterity
-Bonus area damage
-Bonus Fire damage
-Bonus %Life





THIS GUIDE MIGHT BE UPDATED BUT ONLY IN PATCH 2.3.0.

Meginord's isn't an optimal item. You'll do better with gloves that add phys damage and attack speed.

Even Astramentis can be somewhat not the best item if you can get a really good added phys amulet, since it will give decent damage, but also other really nice stuff like resistances or life (or some str).


I don't know why you say that pack control was a problem. I presume you meant AoE damage? I used ground slam when I did PotCG build, and it was good for packs.

I think I ran flicker for single target, before stuff was nerfed (Blood Rage, I think?)

For defense, I found it to be pretty good the way I built it too. The tankiest build I had ever made, actually. I used a Lightning Coil armor before it was popular, and happened to 6-link it (my first 6L, which "ironically"(?) most people would have said was a waste of a 6L on that item which is hilarious because it's now on par with like legacy Kaom's and Shavronne's in desirability). Anyway aside from lightning coil, I would try to keep up like 6 or so endurance charges as well. I think it may have also had Vaal pact, but that was before it got moved, and it wouldn't be accessible anymore.


While I would say it's better now, it's only marginally better and hasn't improved much. It seems to be one of the best ways to level if you have the Astramentis though.

There is an Optimal Gear section. I have written that Meginord's Vise are only used as a LEVELING unique item. Astramentis is a good unique but not optimal, as mentionned in the optimal gear section.

Ground Slam was good but not perfect for wave clearing. You needed to use few ground slam before removing all the pack. Now with Sunder, you can only use the spell once and clear any mobs in a linear way.

So, i've been playing this build for couple of days and what can I say:
1) Boots: Alberon's Warpath
Huge DPS boost. 18% str.
2) Lion's roar.
1 Chaos flask that gives more damage and 3000 armor to an abyssus build. Perfect. + taste and promise.
3) Jewels
3-4 Brawns. + Inertia.
All for 1 chaos.
4) Your links look not optimal
Sunder - faster attacks - More physical - added fire - Conc effect
For a 6 link you can get More elemental.
5) Where is Hatred???
6) You should go Cheiftan. More Str, increased fire damage, added fire and fire leech.
7) Use ancestral protector! 20% attack speed for free. + without any links he does 20% of your damage.
When I have 56k dps with only lion's roar up he does 9-10k. That is huge for bosses.

I easily cleared lab in merc. And with better gear I will try Atziri soon.
Right now I have 1000 str but I aim for 1200-1300.

Passive tree needs to be updated. Although i'm really liking the build so far.

Another Addition to the optional gear section: Lioneye's Paws. perfect set is 60 str and 60 dex (so phys damage AND attack speed), extra fire damage (decent amount), and cannot be stunned on low life. nice mix. A good rare would trump for resists, but offensively not bad. cheap too, for those on a budget.

Regarding ancestral protector...I've been tempted in the past to use it, but does the placing of it really impact your speed in clearing? I'm not a huge fan of builds that force me to stand still and drop things and cast things before I can go to town on a group.

I would like to play this build, its a very nice item mechanic / concept.
Sadly the tree is broken..(Why why always this problem with old guides)

Please update !


A Tree with 602STR

I will do an updated version of this build in the 2.4.0 patch. So you guys will have to wait one month or so.

Very interesting setup. I appreciate you taking the time to write this. I await your 2.4 setup. That being said:

I would greatly appreciate if you could post your DPS with a couple of melee skills with your setup. The sunder you currently have equipped. Ground slam? Maybe one or two more strength attacks? Preferably when your auras ARE affecting you. Also WITHOUT the Berserker "40% more" node. If you are specced into it please don't unspec, just let us know if it's something to consider in the listed DPS (I assume it affects the tooltip dps?).

Thanks in advance!