[3.1] Explosive Arrow Slayer (Shaper-Capable)

"

Ekwinox wrote:

I played this build in 3.1 as a Slayer and it was great! I made a few adjustments. However. Feel free to check my profile. Character: Yas_Gurl_Slay

It packed some defense other than the leech. (I really wanted to just facetank everything lol)
I'm going to make this build again with a Champion for the flashback event to home it for the drop of 3.3. The ignite buffs and potential EA buffs (hopefully) might make this a really strong skill for single target, where it lacks the damage the most. Pack clear was easy and safe. Rarely ever needed more than four charges, even up to t15 for trash.

I am thinking of updating this build guide for 3.3. I think that might mean we pick a new ascendancy, I am not sure yet, I need to do a lot of testing. If you have any thoughts on ascendancy class or other changes, I'd love to hear them. Also, why didn't you take Elemental Equilibrium? You even have the token lightning damage to make it work - it should be a significant damage increase for you.

Have you considered that mirage archer might be a very strong singletarget option?

If you are within close-melee range of the target, the fuses will impact directly upon the ground and shotgun the target as if you had a wall. If you have pierce in this setup then it won't interfere with your other EA setup.

I last properly played EA in Abyss league, and had considerable success with this method of single target. I didn't take the character very far though, due to some bad decisions (crit ea is NOT very good).

I am going to be attempting to make it work in Flashback, using Zerphi and EA. Plan is to use QR with:
EA - WED - GMP - Less Dur - Fire Pen - Blood Magic
Then in a Lioneye's Vision Chest (free pierce)
EA - WED - GMP - Mirage Archer - Fire Pen - Blood Magic - (Free L15 Pierce)

"

GodofRabbits wrote:

"

Ekwinox wrote:

I played this build in 3.1 as a Slayer and it was great! I made a few adjustments. However. Feel free to check my profile. Character: Yas_Gurl_Slay

It packed some defense other than the leech. (I really wanted to just facetank everything lol)
I'm going to make this build again with a Champion for the flashback event to home it for the drop of 3.3. The ignite buffs and potential EA buffs (hopefully) might make this a really strong skill for single target, where it lacks the damage the most. Pack clear was easy and safe. Rarely ever needed more than four charges, even up to t15 for trash.

I am thinking of updating this build guide for 3.3. I think that might mean we pick a new ascendancy, I am not sure yet, I need to do a lot of testing. If you have any thoughts on ascendancy class or other changes, I'd love to hear them. Also, why didn't you take Elemental Equilibrium? You even have the token lightning damage to make it work - it should be a significant damage increase for you.

I took Elemental Equilibrium off bc it actually behaves as a damage diminisher on pack clear (not so much single target). I hit a mob with an arrow that has flat lightning damage and so they get the negative Fire resist, only the monsters hit with the projectile. Then the projectile explodes and deals fire damage in an aoe which in turn gives the surrounding monsters caught in the explosion a bonus to fire resistance because they are hit with fire damage. I did a bunch of testing on this and it proves less effective. If I’m honest though, for pack clearing, there’s not much difference between using EE and not using it. Everything dies pretty quickly. EE would definitely be strong against bosses because you reset the fire res bonus when you hit the boss with the next projectile.

Thanks a lot! I'm having fun with the build, however i'm struggling with my dps, I see difference in my dps and yours even when I took out all items, all the gem levels and quality and all skill points that I dont have. I want to know why is that. Can you suggest what should i prioritize now to improve my gear? I'm playing in Asia server and grand spectrum's price is a real issue. Thanks a lot if someone can help me out.
My build looks like this: https://pastebin.com/bsEzmLYN

Dude this build looks so sick honestly, the mtx really sell the build as well haha. Think you could do a 3.3 version of this build when the patch drops. Was thinking of making this my league starter.

Hey man any chance of seeing a 3.3 tree with a possible ascendency change

Here is my take for 3.3 as a Champion (which seems to offer more damage / defense than Slayer currently)

https://pastebin.com/m6mfwVXs

This is a level 100 tree so bit excessive...you can either remove some of the life / 3-socket jewel slots


Biggest change...ignite prolif is amazing now for mapping, 100% recommend that setup for general clear

Couple other changes, I only specced into Purity of Flesh due to incursions...can remove that and path through Retribution to save some points if you don't care about the chaos resist...Im also taking the Templar AoE nodes and more life just for leveling (removing Fire Walker, Catalyse, or Lava Lash depending on your comfort)...if you only care about mapping, I'd even consider taking the witch AoE nodes for 1 more radius (though I didnt notice a big difference)

can check my profile for current setup


I'm still deciding between Maloney's Nightfall and Rearguard...Rearguard has been go to for mapping but Maloney's seems like the better option for end-game bossing if we can fit a blind into our setup


Been a lot of fun, will post another reply with my end-game single-target solution that I'll be working towards

Would be super curious what everyone else is doing and if anyone else can squeeze out a better setup

Single-Target:
_____________

We can do something interesting now for bossing (taking advantage of big ignites and on-hit damage)....by swapping GMP for Deadly Ailments, we can get a respectable ignite and swap to our single-target bow for on-hit damage

Overall damage looks like this: shoot ignite setup from Quill Rain (takes ~1.16 seconds to volley + 4.88 ignite duration = 6.04 total seconds of damage), switch and shoot 2 volleys from off-hand +3 bow (takes about 1.71 per volley, assuming some dodging we can get about 2 volleys in while the ignite is still active), switch and restart

Quill Rain Ignite EA - 230 479 on-hit + 663 358 ignite = 893 837 damage over 6.04 seconds

The +3 on-hit bow volley hits for 728 046

893 837 damage [Quill Rain] + 2x728 046 [+3 on-hit] = 2 349 929 over 6.04 seconds
Or about 389 061 DPS

This does not take into account keeping frenzy charges up or getting orb of storm down for the blind so DPS might even be slight lower

not amazing but makes most bosses doable (probably won't be uber elder viable this patch)...things we can do to improve damage

- Spec out of even more life to get damage....we can still hit 7k+ pretty easy so speccing out isn't to big a deal...we could even consider removing the life nodes / regen nodes in the highway near scion
- Get an empower for the on-hit setup
- Get a 6-link quill rain setup for bosses that is colored for burning damage instead of ignite prolif
- Better gear...the above math is with trash tier rings, and 2 damage stat jewels
- +1 curse amulet
- EA Helmet Enchant
- Play Elementalist...haven't planned it out but imagine they can get more damage and innate leech (but will be far less defense than a champion)


So with enough investment, totally can be shaper viable but super unreliable for Uber Elder imo

Explosive Arrow again live !! THX for good tips "LoCicero"

Edit: Stormfire opal ring - not good ring for EA.

Not bad for starting:

Best dmg ring + 40% all res (without life), i play this 2 rings:



Best quiver (for boss Maloney´s / for mapping rearguard):

"

LoCicero wrote:

I'm still deciding between Maloney's Nightfall and Rearguard...

Witchfire Brew provides inc DoT AND Blind from Smoke Cloud.
Simple strat:
>come close to bosses
>use Witchfire Brew
>blind bosses
>deal increased DoT