[3.0 HC-Beta] Elementalist / Necromancer MOM 5-6 Golem Summoner [videos]

I think the tree you've proposed will have a very hard time reaching 6K life, even with maximum life rolls on all gear (PoB link). 5K is possible by sacrificing stun immunity. However, it should reach 4 or 5K ES quite easily. So, all in all, quite a lot of EHP.

Using Ephemeral Edge seems like a rather dubious proposition. Whirling Blades+Fortify would give you a defensive bonus that requires you to endanger yourself first. Not something I recommend doing as a caster/summoner. It's perfectly fine for a melee character with the pre-established intention of engaging in close combat and has the life leech to make that strategy viable. If you're willing to part with a golem, I think a shield would offer more protection in the long run (and give you the option of toying with Necromantic Aegis).

Re potential life totals/use of ephemeral edge:

Life total: Appreciation for the point of view. However, I believe the build can reach 6k life without trouble because the build I tested with in HC beta was over that total with only 2% more life on the tree and largely self found gear. You might not be taking into account the buffed potential life rolls on gear available in 3.0-they are significant. If the build can also manage 5k ES (post es nerf), even better.

Regarding ephemeral edge/wb: This is a technique I have used successfully on a totem build in the past. The fortify buff is really incidental. The point of using it, other than the ES buff, is that whirling blades is, imo, the best tactical escape in the game. Far superior to flame dash for getting out of challenging situations. Because of it's superior movement over time, it also allows one to more easily forego Quicksilver flasks for something with greater defensive utility. It is more for these reasons than for the only occasionally used fortify that I consider it defensively strong.


Really no way to know how it will work out until we see 3.0, but based on my direct prior experience, I have significant hope for the idea.

-O

I have considered the buffed life totals, but we need to remember that they require a hybrid life/es roll. Since armor only has space for 3 prefixes (two of those obviously going to pure +life and pure ES%), you would have to make a choice between:

1) pure +ES (max roll 100)
2) hybrid life/ES (max roll 33+25=58)

The gap's pretty big. I don't know if I could justify sacrificing more overall EHP by choosing the hybrid roll to get more pure HP.

Regarding Whirling Blades, I agree that it's far better than Flame Dash, but on a socket-starved summoner build it might be more efficient to stick with a flask for escape. You will most likely need to switch to Flame Dash or Lightning Warp anyway to clear Minotaur('s lightning gates) reliably. If you prefer WB-style movement, I would suggest Leap Slam or Shield Charge for similar utility and stronger defensive potential with the use of a shield. Skills that teleport/jump will also help you get through Shaper's regen stages slightly quicker as a small bonus.

Re Hybrid rolls and choice between life/es: This is definitely a fair point. I guess in the end, there is some flexibility in the precise type of gear we use, with the goal to have 3 solid prefix rolls chosen from +life, +es, +es%, and hybrid life/es. Which ends up with the highest EL is a math problem I haven't independently done--may indeed be the 3 not including the hybrid roll. Though at the start of a new league, I'll take what I can get. :). Either way, the alternate skill tree and more focussed gear choices should result in better overall EL.

Re WB vs. other movement skills: also a fair point. I had not been considering the downsides of WB in terms of the top end content (since I have spent relatively little time playing T16 and above). I will have to stare at the sockets to see if one of the teleporting movement skills could be incorporated somehow--maybe with an unset ring. I have tried out leap slam and shield charge, and have a strong personal playstyle preference for wb when I can use it--ymmv as always.

Yeah, it'll def come down to drops and item availability the first few weeks. The math is pretty clear though. Youll get more EHP behind door #1, which is why I'll probably be aiming for a Hybrid Shav's build in the next HC league and hoping Presence isn't too pricy.

Btw, if you do end up going with a shield, this might be worth toying with for a bit, since you don't use many auras:

http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Esh%27s_Visage

So,

I decided to do some second-life testing of the high end content on standard beta. For another 40 regrets (please don't do this at home) I respecced back to Elementalist, as I was finding Necromancer actually kind of miserable playing at the upper end. I was happy with the build again after my golems regained their elemental immunity. I switched the odd golem out to lightning instead of stone, so that it would also have the same immunity.

I don't have enough currency to test the more ES focused build I outlined recently. However, I decided to test the whirling blades concept a different way:


By substituting 1 of the clayshapers for a fidelitas's spike.


Before you begin mocking this substitution (it loses a golem, it adds no defensive stats) let me say that fid spike + whirling blades is, imo, one of the best player-based defenses in the game. Nothing else I have encountered has as fast a response time for moving out of danger. It also improves map clear speed significantly because of the high movement rate.

I got to test it today against Chimera, Minotaur, and Phoenix. 4 flame golems (lvl 19) 1 lightning golem. Chimera and Phoenix were deathless runs, Minotaur was not. I found the minotaur fight much more difficult than the other two due to more frequent golem death and my poor aim using lightning warp to go past the electric gates (I haven't practiced this fight much). The run was ultimately successful, and I suspect could be gotten down to 0 deaths with sufficient practice.

I didn't have the camera going for the Chimera fight, and the fight with the minotur was ugly, but below is the link to the fight with Phoenix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81oc6UfXAFI&feature=youtu.be

I'm thinking that I might forget Ephemeral edge and just go Elementalist with 1 clayshaper and 1 fid spike when 3.0 starts. This particular form of defense will not save you passively. It will only allow you to save yourself actively. But, imo, that also makes it very fun.

As always, ymmv.

-O

Golems beta-testing blog, final entry (though I may still come back to respond to questions/comment):

I fought the Shaper today. It's only the second time I've ever done that fight. It was . . . successful, but I can't say I'm pleased about it. Down to one portal left on the third phase, I allowed the flame golems to slowly kill him after I was dead. They aren't quite immortal, but the combination of immunity to elemental damage and 4 harmonies worth of regen did the trick. I was able to use the last portal to come back and loot a pair of voidwalkers.

Here are my thoughts on the fight:

1. The mobility with whirling blades is definitely good enough to avoid Shaper's attacks, as long you have sufficient practice with them.

2.The Effective Life is good enough to handle a single hit from anything in that fight but the slam, which is completely avoidable.

3. The damage is . . . close, but not really adequate at only 4 harmonies with lvl 19 golems. We could save Zana sometimes when the Shaper opened his portal, but not every time. I am hoping that with lvl 20 golems and 5-6 harmonies the fight becomes a better one.

4. I need a lot more practice at this fight. My personal tech in understanding Shaper's attacks, location, and timing is not yet sufficient. I'll be working on that.

Final analysis:

Hydra, Minotaur, and Shaper presented challenges that I believe the build could meet in hardcore with a little more time and tweaking, but I lacked the skills to beat them the way I wanted to this go round.

All other content in the game (except uber Atziri, Chayula, and Uul-Netol who I don't expect to be able to test before the end of beta) appears to be doable with the build even without further tweaking.

Hope you have fun with some variation of it!

-O

Grats :)

Hi !

Love your approach with this build. I'm personally at a game knowledge level where I'm not comfortable enough yet to create a build from scratch, but enough that I can take a few basics and experiment around them.

I tried the basics of your build in 3.0 beta, and I'm quite sure I'll pick it as my league starter.

Interesting approach with Whirling Blade. Can I ask why Fidelitas' Spike ? Is it only because of the huge % attack speed ?

Re fid Spike:

Yes. I believe fid spike is the highest attack speed 1h sword in the game.