Not Primaeva (OP), but I'm running it with reasonable investment (20-30ex). Purity is early game, or comfort pick late game if other auras aren't needed (Spider etc.)
Corpse pool sucks mostly for simulacrum, I comfortably killed Sirus (and did so last league with Shaper, will be doing that soon). One cluster is recommended but not necessary. Max res is always a huge survivability thing, 1% difference is big due to how it filters. However you'll be fine with a worse one for a bit until you can upgrade. I prefer explosion, lag is an issue with this build, explode helps. Frenzy is better for bossing. 10ex is enough to get most pieces up an running, but you might be forced to go dual wield.
There's a lot of customisability for the build. It has lots of damage, so you can drop some at various points to get defense and utility. For example I'm planning on dropping aspect of the spider after I get the watcher's eye for determination.
If you drop Aspect of Spider - how do you plan to recover ES ?
Not Primaeva (OP), but I'm running it with reasonable investment (20-30ex). Purity is early game, or comfort pick late game if other auras aren't needed (Spider etc.)
Corpse pool sucks mostly for simulacrum, I comfortably killed Sirus (and did so last league with Shaper, will be doing that soon). One cluster is recommended but not necessary. Max res is always a huge survivability thing, 1% difference is big due to how it filters. However you'll be fine with a worse one for a bit until you can upgrade. I prefer explosion, lag is an issue with this build, explode helps. Frenzy is better for bossing. 10ex is enough to get most pieces up an running, but you might be forced to go dual wield.
There's a lot of customisability for the build. It has lots of damage, so you can drop some at various points to get defense and utility. For example I'm planning on dropping aspect of the spider after I get the watcher's eye for determination.
Yeah I know Cane of Kulemak is out of my reach at that budget level so was planning dual-wield cheap sceptres to start off with and get the other necessities first. If I can get the starter version to the point of farming T16 maps comfortably and doing 10-boss invites, I'll be happy. Is level 85ish still the point to swap to this build or can it be done earlier?
Never played VD before and been thinking of trying this build, just a few questions:
Are there any issues doing bosses like Shaper or Sirus due to problematic corpse pool?
I noticed there was talk of using Purity of Elements but appears nobody is running it. Is this more a high budget thing?
Have about 10ex saved up to try this, looks to be enough? Amulet prices seem to have plummeted quite a bit. I'm thinking at the very least 3-4ex for woke spell cascade, 1-2ex to buy mediocre essence mod + conc effect elder helm. For chest would I prioritize frenzy on hit or explosion mod? And how much would a bad amulet roll affect survivability in terms of max res?
You can try to check my char, budget floats around 7-8 ex I would say and of top of that I automated few things, you are not running cyclone anymore.
Frenzy charges are generated via ring, power via tree and flammability via gloves.
On top of that I just used idea of #Malanon to use Elixir of the unbroken to get some endurance charges and ward.
We got frost shield, sigil of power - I'm dying less and less - basically some random chaos shiet can get me but still it has to be really powerful to get rid of my 5,3k hp and 4,6k es EHP pool.
I'm still thinking about accommodating animated guardian to get some QOL.
Regarding resistances it was was a bit problematic, I ended up re-rolling my gloves to get some resistances, now I stick around max res - could improve lightning to get this 5% more.
Build is mana hungry - to have it properly run all the time I'm using combination of non-channelling mana cost on like 3 items, two rings and Replica Conqueror's Efficiency.
At this point I would be able to drop clarity but would need to check what will work best damage wise.
Starving on links a bit as well.
Yeah I'm a bit concerned about how mana sustain will work out, hoping that getting those ring crafts will be enough without having to rely constantly on enduring mana flask.
Not Primaeva (OP), but I'm running it with reasonable investment (20-30ex). Purity is early game, or comfort pick late game if other auras aren't needed (Spider etc.)
Corpse pool sucks mostly for simulacrum, I comfortably killed Sirus (and did so last league with Shaper, will be doing that soon). One cluster is recommended but not necessary. Max res is always a huge survivability thing, 1% difference is big due to how it filters. However you'll be fine with a worse one for a bit until you can upgrade. I prefer explosion, lag is an issue with this build, explode helps. Frenzy is better for bossing. 10ex is enough to get most pieces up an running, but you might be forced to go dual wield.
There's a lot of customisability for the build. It has lots of damage, so you can drop some at various points to get defense and utility. For example I'm planning on dropping aspect of the spider after I get the watcher's eye for determination.
Yeah I know Cane of Kulemak is out of my reach at that budget level so was planning dual-wield cheap sceptres to start off with and get the other necessities first. If I can get the starter version to the point of farming T16 maps comfortably and doing 10-boss invites, I'll be happy. Is level 85ish still the point to swap to this build or can it be done earlier?
Never played VD before and been thinking of trying this build, just a few questions:
Are there any issues doing bosses like Shaper or Sirus due to problematic corpse pool?
I noticed there was talk of using Purity of Elements but appears nobody is running it. Is this more a high budget thing?
Have about 10ex saved up to try this, looks to be enough? Amulet prices seem to have plummeted quite a bit. I'm thinking at the very least 3-4ex for woke spell cascade, 1-2ex to buy mediocre essence mod + conc effect elder helm. For chest would I prioritize frenzy on hit or explosion mod? And how much would a bad amulet roll affect survivability in terms of max res?
You can try to check my char, budget floats around 7-8 ex I would say and of top of that I automated few things, you are not running cyclone anymore.
Frenzy charges are generated via ring, power via tree and flammability via gloves.
On top of that I just used idea of #Malanon to use Elixir of the unbroken to get some endurance charges and ward.
We got frost shield, sigil of power - I'm dying less and less - basically some random chaos shiet can get me but still it has to be really powerful to get rid of my 5,3k hp and 4,6k es EHP pool.
I'm still thinking about accommodating animated guardian to get some QOL.
Regarding resistances it was was a bit problematic, I ended up re-rolling my gloves to get some resistances, now I stick around max res - could improve lightning to get this 5% more.
Build is mana hungry - to have it properly run all the time I'm using combination of non-channelling mana cost on like 3 items, two rings and Replica Conqueror's Efficiency.
At this point I would be able to drop clarity but would need to check what will work best damage wise.
Starving on links a bit as well.
Yeah I'm a bit concerned about how mana sustain will work out, hoping that getting those ring crafts will be enough without having to rely constantly on enduring mana flask.
So if you inspect my char (no idea if you're able), you can see how much mana reduction I have going on. Without a flask running, I almost can sustain mana, and I have 3 reduced cost craft (including replica conqueror), alt qual sigil of power, alt qual inspiration, mid level clarity. If you're fighting more than one thing at a time (boss invitation) and have no mana flask, you'll run out of mana.
I was fortunate to hit my cane of kulemak in 4 tries, and made profit selling the others. I doubt it's that easy normally.
As per Primaeva recommendation, do not swap at low level. I think his guide says 85, or maybe 90.
Thank you everyone for covering the thread for the last few days <33333 I am back in action (still warded but doing better) today and I'm glad to announce that --
AT LAST IT IS HERE!!!
THE TUTORIAL VIDEOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Most of you probably know most of this stuff, but there are a few little tricks that can help here and there. If you have a tip or hack you found that you can add, lmk and I will credit and eventually add it to the text portion + video!!
The quality is kinda slipshod sorry! It was done over months, very piecemeal, showing almost all 3.15 footage where it was started. But it remains accurate!!
I'll spend the rest of today catching up to the comments, even though it looks like you guys got each other covered mostly! :D
Is there a recommended spectre to grab before you get access to flayers and lithomancers? I love this build but it always takes a while to delve down for the chonky boys and I'm too stubborn to ask people to get me the spectres.
Ahh! DS_Lily compiled this list for us, it covers best alternatives prior to the best!
Grats on the chest. I decided to copy you and went for one as well, but I'm not sure what the purpose of the Discipline is there? I put an Arcane Surge for the time being :P
Also, if you have a moment, would you be able to go thru my char just to see if I am missing anything important? (I have yet to setup a final few gems like CWDT/IC) but I noticed that I hit a bit of a wall in red maps as far as my survivability goes.
I have around 7 more exalt I can throw at this build so if you see any obvious upgrades please let me know!
Missing CWDT Loop which is a lot of 'snap' tankiness from Ball Lightning + ES on Hit.
No enduring mana flask reducing % mana cost nor Divergent Inspiration - DPS may drop to 0 sometimes without you realising it because insufficient mana return.
Arcane Surge doing nothing! You won't spend 345 mana very often with the WoC/Flammability.
Onslaught will feel great for mapping, get a source of it.
tHP probably low due to low char level + Inpulsa.
The best upgrade for 7ex would be Awakened Spell Cascade, a cheap Leadership's Price, and then swap the weapons for something with high % Fire Damage, at least 10% cast speed each hand and as much crit mult as possible. At this point there are very cheap options. Then enable Skitterbots so your single target + Inpulsas still works in patches.
Recommendation: Level a witch to lvl 25 to use as a spectre bank (can't do PvP characters anymore either). To use as a spectre bank, you can no longer use the hideout, since the instance resets upon logout/login, so you have to use the menagerie instead.
I'm aware of this possibility, but unfortunatly this build doesn't perform smooth enough on my rig (fps) to justify jumping through all those hoops, just to have a pleasent experience.
Don't get me wrong, i think this build is great, but right now i have too many issues with it.
Hey! Check out the "My computer is exploding HELP" on page 1! There are about 5 steps that really helped when playing this build back before my upgrade. (That also apply to any build that struggles with FPS actually, or weird mechanics like Delirium lag).
@primaeva
Amazing build - was following your progress over this league and expanding on my side as well - I'm smoothly able to run T16 as well.
https://pastebin.com/GEPd7uiu - that's my current setup.
Question is - what's next, is it worth to go some clsuter jewels or what would be direction now ?
haha glad to hear it worked out!
Looks like a Cane would be big for you - Duskdawn is an innate -40% cast speed opp cost. It doesn't have to be the BiS cane - even a 200% fire 40% cast one will outpace a Duskdawn. I was using one with that and %phys damage+blind on hit until yesterday, haha.
Clusters, I'm very hesitant to pull the trigger on. Right now the opp cost of it is so high everywhere.
THe reasons to go Cluster are:
1) Autoexposure, but you can get that from an Archdemon Crown + Ele Mastery to 18% makes it worth.
2) Culling Curse cluster.
3) Smoke Cloud - but Global Blind gloves work very well on Scourge too.
Raw DPS wise Brand Clusters really fell off hard and we no longer need Seeker Runes for the build to feel great, nor Holy Conquest.
Only thing I think would push it over the edge is if you had a killer set of Crit Mult jewels and wanted to use 2-3 of them. Then the points saved pay off.
Clusters, I'm very hesitant to pull the trigger on. Right now the opp cost of it is so high everywhere.
THe reasons to go Cluster are:
1) Autoexposure, but you can get that from an Archdemon Crown + Ele Mastery to 18% makes it worth.
2) Culling Curse cluster.
3) Smoke Cloud - but Global Blind gloves work very well on Scourge too.
Raw DPS wise Brand Clusters really fell off hard and we no longer need Seeker Runes for the build to feel great, nor Holy Conquest.
Only thing I think would push it over the edge is if you had a killer set of Crit Mult jewels and wanted to use 2-3 of them. Then the points saved pay off.
I'm curious. I've been trying to make a tree without cluster jewels in it. I haven't been able to get comparable dps. Do you have an example of a tree w/out the cluster jewel setup?
When transitioning to a Cane of Kulemak, what do we look for? Other than Fire damage obviously. I could get a cheap one with a bunch of fire, but anything else with it is pretty expensive.
