[1.2.0] How to Smash Heads.Guide for a CI Facebreaker Witch with Infernal blow2

Alright, I've had a look at the new tree, which GGG thoughtfully made available via Reddit a few hours in advance.

The Marauder/Duelist area has certainly changed, and not for the better.

As it stands, the number of nodes that we take from Resolute Technique down towards Vaal Pact is 31. This assumes taking Vaal Pact, Unwavering Stance, Aegis, Testudo, Diamond Flesh, and Elemental Adaptation.

After the changes, to get all of these, we will have to use 37. This includes the extra two that we'll have to spend from our regular path to the new location of Elemental Adaptation, now between Witch and Templar. It also reflects the new positions for Aegis, Unwavering Stance, Blood Drinker, and Vaal Pact (which moved close to the Circle of Life). None of these are along an easy and obvious path anymore.

We would pick up one more notable node along the way to Aegis, Born to Fight (+20 to Str, 20% increased melee damage). There's no way around it as there are only two ways into the Aegis cluster, and the other way would take us through the less useful 1% shield block/40% shield recovery node and through a life regeneration node.

Clearly some things will have to change. Perhaps Diamond Flesh could be dropped on the understanding that we can have 20% resist Rainbowstrides more easily now. Dropping that and the extra Endurance Charge node would save us 5 nodes. Maybe Elemental Adaptation isn't nearly so appealing now that it takes us three nodes to get to it instead of one. Maybe there are other good things that I haven't looked at that we'll want more.

That's all the analysis that I'm putting to it right now though. It's late and I'm tired.

EDIT: Incidentally, the ES change was an extra 2% on the 6% ES only nodes. It doesn't affect bigger nodes (like Infused Shield or Arcane Focus) and doesn't affect any of the AR/ES or EV/ES nodes. For me, that only affects three of the ES nodes behind CI and two of the ES nodes in the Witch area, near Arcane Focus. Nothing to write home about.

EDIT 2: It's not ideal, but it'll work. I worked out a similar tree to my current one, on the new passive tree. I can get to all of the vitals, but there are losses. Diamond Flesh is definitely a no-go. After that, I could lose Vigor and keep everything else, or I could also drop Elemental Adaptation and have three points to put somewhere else. I don't think 2% resists is worth three nodes the way that it was worth one node. I also don't know if Vigor is worth it given that we no longer have to go through it to get to Vaal Pact.

That seems acceptable, but certainly not as good as we had it.

Now I'm going to bed, and this time I mean it.

"

Barandis wrote:

Alright, I've had a look at the new tree, which GGG thoughtfully made available via Reddit a few hours in advance.

The Marauder/Duelist area has certainly changed, and not for the better.

As it stands, the number of nodes that we take from Resolute Technique down towards Vaal Pact is 31. This assumes taking Vaal Pact, Unwavering Stance, Aegis, Testudo, Diamond Flesh, and Elemental Adaptation.

After the changes, to get all of these, we will have to use 37. This includes the extra two that we'll have to spend from our regular path to the new location of Elemental Adaptation, now between Witch and Templar. It also reflects the new positions for Aegis, Unwavering Stance, Blood Drinker, and Vaal Pact (which moved close to the Circle of Life). None of these are along an easy and obvious path anymore.

We would pick up one more notable node along the way to Aegis, Born to Fight (+20 to Str, 20% increased melee damage). There's no way around it as there are only two ways into the Aegis cluster, and the other way would take us through the less useful 1% shield block/40% shield recovery node and through a life regeneration node.

Clearly some things will have to change. Perhaps Diamond Flesh could be dropped on the understanding that we can have 20% resist Rainbowstrides more easily now. Dropping that and the extra Endurance Charge node would save us 5 nodes. Maybe Elemental Adaptation isn't nearly so appealing now that it takes us three nodes to get to it instead of one. Maybe there are other good things that I haven't looked at that we'll want more.

That's all the analysis that I'm putting to it right now though. It's late and I'm tired.

EDIT: Incidentally, the ES change was an extra 2% on the 6% ES only nodes. It doesn't affect bigger nodes (like Infused Shield or Arcane Focus) and doesn't affect any of the AR/ES or EV/ES nodes. For me, that only affects three of the ES nodes behind CI and two of the ES nodes in the Witch area, near Arcane Focus. Nothing to write home about.

The rainbowstrides are more res but we still lose the ES and mana from them if we decide to divine into new one's. It's all frustrating to me.

"

moon_nmh wrote:

The rainbowstrides are more res but we still lose the ES and mana from them if we decide to divine into new one's. It's all frustrating to me.

I agree. I'd rather keep my mana and ES and get my resists from somewhere else. But given that it's now basically 5 nodes out of the way to get Diamond Flesh (or 4 if you consider Vigor worth getting), that's probably no longer the place to get your resists. It's gonna have to be on gear, and for us that means rings, amulets, and chest.

I'd say 12% isn't that much to make up (and I'd need to...my lightning resist is currently exactly on 77%), but those pieces are so finely balanced that wedging in 12% more isn't going to be trivial.

"

KorgothBG wrote:

Well i've checked out the tree. Made a demo version of what mine would look like and there are only 2 differences - No Elemental Adaptation and No Blood Drinker. That's all .. and it's not that bad i'm ok with the new tree , it won't change much actualy.

Blood Drinker seems pretty important, doesn't it? I know it's only 2%, but that's a quarter of our basic (non-LL gem) leeching. (Also nice for those messed-up situations when you don't realize that your BR expired somewhere along the line.) Blood Drinker does make us take a bit of a detour that we wouldn't otherwise, but I thought it was probably worth it, particularly given that LL is going to be more precious now with the VP change.

I'd rather take my chances with getting more resist on gear and dropping Diamond Flesh.

Of course I could be coming at thinking about it from the wrong direction. Wouldn't be the first time.

"

KorgothBG wrote:

In my opinion its only really valuable when you forget about your BR... don't get me wrong that's actualy pretty important but is it worth the extra pasive skill points? I think that maybe it doesn't ... but it's early to say for sure.

BTW i don't have DIamond flesh at all.. respecced it long ago when i took care of my resistances with gear/other passives

Yeah, I wish I could do that with Diamond Flesh. I mean, I'll be able to, but I haven't gotten that far yet. Maybe if I hadn't accidentally clicked on my legacy Rainbowstride with that Divine Orb than the Abyssus that I had actually meant to...sigh.

Dropping Blood Drinker is worth a look because you're right, it takes up a few extra passives. I suppose we won't really know for sure until we can play with it for a bit. It's hard to wrap my head around exactly what the VP change will look like inside the actual game.

"

KorgothBG wrote:

Well the tree should look something like this in the end

Spoiler

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgMABAcHYw48DkgRLxFQEZYUcRXXFy8ZLhoyGlUdFB6BHwIksCftKMUqOCy_LR8vbzbFNug6UjvhQqNDY0cGS41MNUyzT31RYFZjVytYr1j1WfNeE19qYSFko2aeZ5ttGXB9cLtxTXKpeA182X_GgFaApITvhq6G0Yhrj0aP-pmams-dxJ_LoLSio6cIpyunNKluqZWsqqyvtve3MbvWwBrBxcHzwuzDbcOG1I_Xhtgk2RPb5-L344TkUeaB55HqGOtj7Bjzvvcy-Ov60vuq_xw=

No need for Elemental Adaptation anyome since it need too many skill points, same for the Blood Drinker and unfortunately we'll have to pass on the Faith and Steel Cluster. An ES node here and there + the slight buffs to ES will take care of that.

Thank you very much for the updated tree good sir.

EDIT: I've lost a lot of resists and i can't use some of my gems anymore because of a dex requirement. No more blood rage, hatred or temp chains. Ugh.