[3.3] Unstoppable Gladiator 78% Max Block/Spells. Best Low Budget League Starter

Hey again. First, thanks for the detailed answers on my Questions earlier.. ;) really helpful!
Then I got some more Questions, and I think one is asked already if I understood it right:

"

Squirtle2096 wrote:

Skils Key setup

I guess he means the Keys you use (Mouse/Keyboard) for your Skills/Flasks, and for Combination of Flasks to use.
I'd like to know that too.. :)
With whirling Blades (a skill I really like) I cant find the right Key to use.. only one "working" is Right Mouse, but there I usually want my Main Skill (Static Strike).
I try using SS on my Left Mouse Button, but "aiming" at a Target to avoid Running around can be tricky (if not using Shift all the Time). I got the Totem on Mouse 3 and Flasks on Q-R and Space, the three Auras on B,N,M to avoid disabling them by mistake. 2 Buttons are not used..
For Leveling I use this one now
and I linked Haste+HoA+AA to a level 2 Enlighten, and use the Conquerer's Jewel for 2% reduced Mana reserved. Will switch to Hatred or Grace once I dont feel like needing Haste anymore, but so far the Speed it gives is just nice! (Especially when switching to the Anvil.)
Also, if possible, some Suggestions for when (and how) to do the Labyrinths would be really nice. I don't play Hardcore, but nevertheless I did not die so far (just arrived Act 3, Cruel with level 49) and completing the Acts with no deaths could be a really nice Achievement for me.. (my Second Char I play now, the first for me to play Solo.. so still pretty Beginnerish).
Also, as my last Question, how does this Build do against Ele/Lightning Resist Mobs? I started to notice that they get harder to Kill (Yellow Mobs) since the Beginning of Cruel. Are the Counterattacks enough to kill them "fast" when max Blockrate is achieved?
This Guide really rocks in Playstyle, all I do so far is enjoying it more and more! :)
http://www.pic-upload.de/view-30638301/screenshot-0001.png.html

Hi again! About your questions:

Keys & Shortcuts: I use a combination completely based on my particularly unique game style, in other words, I have the reflexes of a drunken turtle. So, I have a mouse with two additional buttons on the left and my keys/shortcuts are:
Right Click: Attack Skill.
Left Click: Only Movement, usually I don't use any skill here, same as you said.
Mouse Wheel: Whirling Blades, works perfect for me and always has the movement skill here. Of course I disable the useless in-game zoom.
Additional Mouse Button 1: Life flasks (1-2)
Additional Mouse Button 2: Utility flasks (3-4-5). Yes, I use them all together... (in both cases I configure a macro in the mouse software)
Q Key: Bloodrage
W Key: Ancestral Protector
E Key: Golem (in case I use it, now using only Chaos Golem linked to CWDT)
R/T Key: Hatred/HoA

Lab: I usually wait for the lab until I am in the Act 2 of the next difficulty (usually at the same time I renew my gear). For Merciless Lab, I did it when my gear was complete (is not really important to rush it, because the only thing you really need as soon as you can get, is Cruel Lab for Versatile Combatant). If you feel you need it, you can use Leap Slam for mobility, additionally to WB. I don't have great advices about lab as you can see, but I manage to end all the acts in every difficulty without dying with this build.

Elemental Resist Mobs: I don't remember having trouble or feeling that there was a problem dealing with them. Maybe it has to do with the gems combination and/or weapon you use? Don't know, just saying. I rush a 5L for getting the best damage output as soon as I can, and Elreon jewlery is great to deal with the mana needed during levelling (until Max Block A/S mana could be an issue). Looking for quality gems as soon as you can is great too, because they give great stats for the same level requirement. Another thing is that having max block attacks/spells is really helpful for spreading curses, maybe you could try Elemental Weakness linked to Vengeance+Reckoning or cast it manually if you feel you don't block frequently enough.

Truly great that you enjoy this build, thanks!

Hey & Thanks again! ;)

I came up with some Ideas, maybe you tested some of them already and can give feedback to them. I will try them out once I reach a higher level..

1.) I just can not live with the fact that we run a Main Attack with 0% Physical Damage while using the Passive Gratuious Violence. Did you test other Support Gems than Phys2Ligh?
So how about..
a) Added Cold/Added Fire Damage, won't they boost the Damage good enough with WED?
b) Added Chaos Damage / Poison which one will give GratViolence the higher boost?
c) Aren't you on full Life most of the Time? Couldn't Melee Damage on Full Life be an Option?
d) You said you tested Faster Attacks over Ele Focus, but what about changing to FA and MDoFL?
e) To help the Decission, can you tell how much Physical Damage your Triggering Gems do compared to SS when not using Phys2Light? Or is the Bleeding Damage not "important" to the Build at all? And, just if you know, does the Reflected Damage of the Anvil also inflict Bleeding and does the Damage get affected by Passive Skills / Stats on Armor (More Physical Damage on Belt) and does it count as Melee? (Could be a tough one to find out =D)

2.) I can not live with the Fact that the Aegis Version runs without Frenzy Charges. In other Guides these Charges are recommended in almost any Builds after their Buff (More Phys Damage).
a) So what about using The Blood Dance Boots to generate them? I know we loose Life and Resists.. but wouldn't it be worse it in your Opinion?
b) Maybe switch to Poacher's Mark? Or using Double Curse in any way?
About that Idea I have 2 Questions. If you'd do it, how would you get the second Curse?
Second, for Atziri, will the Curse on me when reflected lower my Evasion before or after it is converted to Armor? (another tough one :D)
c) Also for b) if using double Curse (or not) do you see the Skill Vengeance as a must to this Build? I tried the CoH Setup without it for a while and the Mobs still get cursed often enough IMO (but still playing in Cruel, that could change in Merciless/Maps).

3.) Can you tell how well the Endurance Charge Generation is going on with the Aegis Version? Currently, I don't see me having Charges too often. (Block Chance is 74% right now.)
If it's not so well I will get some thoughts on that, too.. ^^


(Also a good Leveing Item IMO, since we do not leech at all.)

4.) Just some more thoughts going on. Do you see the http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Veil_of_the_Night as a possible Choice for this Build? I looked at many Guides already, and almost all of them do see capping Resists as a must. Can the 78% Spell Block be enough to sacrifice the Resists? With not having Resists we could get more Options to Unique Items (2x Doedre's for triple Curse, Snakebite / Blood Dance for more use of Frenzy Charges) and I think that the % Global Defences would Double Dip our Armour because of Iron Reflexes.
Maybe the http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Incandescent_Heart could come to use aswell.

Hey there! I see the combo, welp i use the keys as this (yeah, im so slow at leveling and cant find anyone to rush acts, cuz they're busy most of time :'c):

L.Click: Static Strike / R.Click: Cyclone (a friend lent me his tabbie and im using it + S.S + F.Attack + bloodmagic, Meelee dmg and Multistrike, which i damn love cuz of the mad speedness it does have)
Scroll: Blood Rage/ Q: Artic Armour / W: I dont remember x'D / E: Whirling blades / R,T: Auras

My question is... How can i deal with the lower Intelligence Attribute i have, is there another way? it does mess with thunder herald and some others, i try buying gears while leveling but it does again (certainly when they get a level) and searching a ring like the ones showed (that +51 intelligence tho, pretty op) may take me a while, hehe.

And... is it viable to use cyclone on this build? What would i replace? <- (Just Curious, im finally catching that whirling blades skill)

About combo: i first use auras, then blood rage, after that i walk and "ra-ta-ta-ta" (Minigun sound op) the static strike (or if i feel lazy, i use cyclone).

P.S: I know a tabula isnt cheapy, neither for starters, but i love when it comes to link it with Static strike, multistrike, blood magic, faster attacks, meelee dmg. It feels like having a minigun with infinite ammo (unless u feel tanky, monsters are attacking u and u gotta pot like mad cuz bloodmagic takes hp)

I pretty love this build! I could of kill the bosses (on normal x'D) faster and mostly without dieing!

@JTiYo

Hi!

1) 0% Physical is not really an issue. I tried to explain this in the Ascendancy Class section of the guide. We use GV for 30% inc. Damage & explosions. To spread the bleeding effect, we rely on the Vengeance+Reckoning/Riposte combo that is pure physical damage. And you block really often using a skill like Static Strike, that keeps mobs close to the chest. Choosing a pure elemental combination only relies on obtaining the more DPS you can get.
a) Some time ago I did the testing, and stays with the combination indicated in the post. Again, some physical damage is not needed, so I prefer best damage output.
b) DoT is useless for this build. We need just 30% inc. damage & explosions from GV.
c, d) I think MDoFL is not a good choice because when you're not in full life is when you need the most the best damage you can get, against bosses mostly.
e) DoT like bleeding is useless here. We just want to get the GV effects indicated before.

2) Yes, not having frenzy charges is a good buff we miss in the Aegis version. And not using Blood Rage means a 20% inc. AS we loose too. Blood Dance could work, I just don't consider that a must and because you loose life / resistances / good armour/evasion / 10% movement speed, I guess is just personal preference.
a) As stated before. Now, when I need a good boost to damage like solo bosses I use Ancestral Protector. I don't miss that much the frenzy charges.
b) I prefer Enfeeble, extremely helpful in difficult situations. I will not try dual curse, but if I have to, maybe I try first Doedre's Damning. But you will need to take resis from tree.
b.bis) Before, any modifier to Evasion applies and after that, final Armour is calculated with the formula indicated here: http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Iron_Reflexes
b, c) If you like to try a dual curse CoH combo, you should remove Vengeance. We rely mostly in Reckoning (with Q20!)

3) Well, is not the same that using BoR but is good enough I guess. Maybe Warlord's Mark in your dual curse?

4) Block doesn't replace in any way resistances. Cap resis is a must, no question about it. You get hit, and sometimes, you have to deal with tons of elemental damage that cannot be blocked like explosions.

Hope this helps! Regards!

@Squirtle2096

Hi!

- INT: For the Static Strike version, just don't level too much the Curse/Curse on Hit and for the rest, you just need 70 INT for L20 Physical to Lightning. Which means maybe +20 INT in one ring, pretty easy to get. For the Reave version, the Increased Area of Effect gem is truly demanding, but you could solve the issue with the +30 from Ancestral Knowledge passive plus a +20 INT ring.
- I will not test Cyclone with this build, just because I'm really tired of Cyclone. If you want to try it, I guess you will need a lot more Mana from leech (probably go for the Spirit Void/Vitality Void area?)
- I truly recommend you get used to Whirling Blades for movement (maybe using Blood Magic if you feel you need it). You just jump from one pack to the next.
- I recommend that when you got the chance, you exchange Blood Magic for WED in your Static Strike setup. For solving Mana issues while levelling, you could use Elreon's Jewellery (take a look at the "Levelling Tips" section of the guide) for making your skill almost cost free. With this, you don't loose life with the skill plus getting a great boost to damage output.

Glad you enjoy the build! Regards!

I just wanted to let you know after playing this build I would suggest Melee Splash over Multistrike to be linked to Static Strike. I've noticed my initial hits do more damage than the explosion itself and even the reduced hits from the splash are still more powerful than the explosion from Static Strike.

The other reason I prefer Melee Splash over Multistrike is the ability to dodge since I'm not locked into the skill!

Hi, sorry if it was already answered.. but with static strike + phys to lightning you have 0% physical damage, which means no life a no mana leech. How exactly does that work? or am I missing something?

Hi. Having 78/78% Block Chance you rely on Life/Mana Gain on Block from The Anvil Amulet and additionally, Varunastra has a +3 Mana gain on hit (for hits you should consider not only the main attack but also the counter-attacks).

This is enough for not having issues with mana. If you choose the Reave setup, there's some additional considerations indicated in that section.

never played duelist before , or any melee builds, but im thinking i want/need to play something tanky and different and this looks awesome.
Btw with the new league and the changes you will get +2 more ascendancy points and can get 2% more block chance for a total of 80%