[3.1] "The Pencromancer" by Loate - (Summon Skeleton/Dark Pact)(Shaper/Red Elder down) SC

Updated with thoughts on using a non-MoM version (basically swap out Cospri's for Belly of the Beast and then switch some skill points around - check changelog for details). Am probably done updating for 3.1 other than answering questions, as I feel I've taken the build about as far as I want to in terms of min/maxing. Thanks to LiftingNerdBro for showcasing the build in one of his videos!

I think adding Chaos Damage support gem works better than the concentrated effect support gem, about the same damage without losing area effect. Save you about 3 passives on your updated version. I am using witch: Malediction for additional curse and chaos damage.

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Mirklay wrote:

I think adding Chaos Damage support gem works better than the concentrated effect support gem, about the same damage without losing area effect. Save you about 3 passives on your updated version. I am using witch: Malediction for additional curse and chaos damage.

Using Conc. Effect is actually significantly more damage, since we don't have any other "more" modifiers from other support gems. After taking into account all bonuses from the tree and assuming level 20 gems with Inc. Crit as our second link, our damage range before crit multiplier for each third link support gem (Added Chaos, Vile Toxins, Conc Effect) is as follows (check the build guide to see the math for determining base damage from skelly life and Dark Pact gem):

Added Chaos - 2925-3497
Vile Toxins - 3487-3935
Conc. Effect - 3703-4179

That's ~22% more damage from Conc. Effect compared to Added Chaos, and will only be exacerbated once the crit multi goes into effect.

The key when figuring out best dps for any skill is to look at proportionality - in this case, since we're already getting a ton of flat damage from the Dark Pact gem + skelly life, the extra flat from Added Chaos isn't as powerful as taking the entirety of our basic flat damage and hitting it with a more multiplier (like from Vile Toxins or Conc. Effect). If we had a bunch of more multipliers built in somewhere, then the flat damage from Added Chaos would likely be better (or at least closer to even to justify using it for the increased AoE).

Maybe im an idiot, but both the pastebin link and the skilltree you posted have a gap in the tree, how am I suppose to connect it?

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JensLynild wrote:

Maybe im an idiot, but both the pastebin link and the skilltree you posted have a gap in the tree, how am I suppose to connect it?

Scion ascendancy allows you to start from another class' starting position (in this case the Shadow). You'll have to path over there normally until you complete Merciless Labyrinth (I took the Int nodes leading north of the Scion life wheel up into the Witch area), but after that you can refund the connecting points and put them elsewhere.

Do i still need to take the node where enemies can have 1 additional curse if i do not have the poacher's mark roll on the ring?

cool build btw! having lots of fun with the botb version

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Loire1504763 wrote:

Do i still need to take the node where enemies can have 1 additional curse if i do not have the poacher's mark roll on the ring?

cool build btw! having lots of fun with the botb version

You do not. If you don't, I'd probably throw those points into the two minion life nodes on the right side of the Witch area for a little more dps, then the rest into life or jewel slots. Thanks for trying out the build!

Hey guys, I came up with a similar build, except that I went trickster, and I don't scale skeleton life. I use ethereal knives on the off hand pen. Check out poet of chaos in my profile. Using EK nova really boosts damage and ease of use. I also use from dust so the Ek fires more often.

TLDR: I made a necro version, which may or may not be better than scion; will likely remake a scion with Raider instead of Assassin and compare to necro; some minor suggested tweaks for your non-MoM tree; also a bonus build idea at the end.

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Giving my two cents as I want to try and revisit a similar build and min-max it.

Long story short I created a Necro version of the build, died a little too much (was too lazy to gear up and wanted to make a LL RF Guardian) but now want to revisit it.

My version (Necro as I mentioned) used Bloodbond for the good life, minion life, and blood offering (dmg boost, lots of regen especially with arakaali pantheon, and I was worried Flesh Offering would set me over the 4 aps target). By far not the best version, I just wanted to try Bloodbond but not do RF (funnily enough I ended up making LL RF Guardian...).

I also went with Bloodbond so I could out regen the life lost from Gloomfang amulet, which I think is BiS for this build. Basically a 33% multiplier (assuming you are not using chain support, which I am confident is not worth it: 3 total chains -> 5 total chains but 31% less dmg -> 5/3 * 0.69 = 1.15 multiplier, way better supports). Granted Gloomfang means you sacrifice some defense, but I guess this is fairly synonymous with your Cospri's Will version (no life on that chest). Bloodbond is sick for lab traps, and I can use flesh offering for when I need to run a lot. Also the free skill effect from necro is nice for phase run, since we lack a good movement skill (I have phase run linked with increased duration and other stuff in my chest so Blood Offering gets the ID too).

Oddly enough I have my own version of poison in my version. Necro's Beacon of Corruption does some decent caustic cloud damage due to the skeleton life scaling and free minion damage from necro (I also used minion damage, until I got an empower 3, which scaled the cloud damage). Plus the free chaos damage from Beacon of Corruption and the travel node.

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My most likely next plan:
1. I really liked your poison idea (plus the ability to curse hexproof monsters).
2. The LGoH with Barrage is not a bad idea (I had mainly relied on my Bloodbond regen). I had used Frenzy as my main attack for charge generation since I didn't need the LGoH which I think your choice of Barrage was perfect for.
3. I might remake my build as a Scion (Raider + Occultist, with details on my choice of Raider below).
4. Necro was fun, but the temporary boost in attack speed from Spirit Eater made it hard to really min-max the 4 aps target (getting as close as possible without going over).

Some suggestions for your build:
1. Respec out of two nodes between Quick Recovery and Occultist's Dominion. Instead, connect via the two nodes between Cruel Preparation and Whispers of Doom. This enables convenient access to 3 minion life nodes in the Death Attunement wheel. And it gives you the option of the Corruption wheel if that ends up being worth it.
2. I don't think Eldritch Knowledge is worth it. Both due to the abyss/regular jewels and for your non-MoM version, we can spec out of Deep Thoughts and use these points for the stuff in #1 or more life nodes.
3. I might consider Raider instead of Assassin. Easy Frenzy Charge generation for bosses. Power Charge generation of Assassin can be replace with a weapon swap (warcry shield) or OoS-PCoC. The bonus crit of Assassin is nice, but the 12% more damage from the Frenzy Charges (or 16% if we route for an additional charge) I think makes up for it; not sure what your current Frenzy Charge generation looks like, if you even use them. Also Raider gets some nice MS (especially good with no good movement skills for wands), extra dodge, and free onslaught. Assassin really doesn't get anything but the crit chance and power charge generation (which stops working on most boss fights, when we need the damage the most).

An idea I am considering (mostly unrelated):
1. Raise Zombie in one wand with Unearth in the other (using similar skeleton links with the zombies).
2. Probably getting Minion Instability in addition to Beacon of Corruption.
3. Using that one belt + Coruscating Elixir to pop the zombies.
4. The previous downsides of this builds were:
a. Zombie's crappy AI (now we can summon them next to mobs with the wands, instead of leading zombies to the target).
b. The clunkiness of getting corpses for the zombies (again, the wands solve this problem with Unearth in one of the wands).
c. Flasks not affecting us (Blood Offering can help keep us alive, and Bloodbond is likely BiS for this build idea due to life, minion life, 1% regen, Bloodbond dmg for zombies and Bloodbond regen for us.

Thoughts? My apologies for a long response.

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lots of stuff

Good ideas there, I'll take them in no particular order.

I like the idea of Blood Bond, and I suspect it's probably comparable with Belly in terms of viability (Belly gives you a bit more life, Blood Bond gives you more dps). Ultimately I think that one's just down to user preference and budget.

As much as I want Gloomfang to work in this build, however, I don't think it's a great idea, purely because the lifegain from Barrage+LGoH is incredibly good at replenishing your life pool, and that gets almost completely negated by Gloomfang. In addition, it also means you have to make up even more resists and life elsewhere, and we're already pretty unique heavy as it is.

I generally don't use Frenzy charges or Onslaught since I'm near the 4.0 APS cap already, and I prefer to have consistency in attacks rather than risk going over or fall a bit behind. I think Frenzy charges can be made to work, but i just didn't feel like doing so. I also think the difference between Assassin and Raider is minimal at best, as that 1,5% base crit is something like ~10% effective overall crit, so the numbers are likely very similar overall when you factor in the "more" from Frenzies.

Eldritch Knowledge is there because you need to have a jewel that has "Immune to Silence" (otherwise hexfont mobs WILL kill you, as being silenced means the spells don't get cast from the Pen), and it's far easier to find a unique jewel corrupted into that than a dps/life jewel. Ideally you'd have a four mod %max life/crit multi/chaos damage/area damage with "cannot be silenced", but good luck finding that on a budget. Alternatively, you can run a curseimmune flask, but I felt that I was fairly starved of flask slots as it was (with bleed removal and freeze removal).

Lemme know how the experimenting goes!