[3.15] 82% Block Dual Strike Impale Gladiator - 6M after 3.15 nerfs

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This is my first build please be kind :)

Pros:

82% Attack and Spell block chance

Literally loot while letting things hit you

Great clear without melee splash

One shot packs

Very scalable

One of the best helmet enchants in the game

Flexible items

Cons:

Not very good at regaining life quickly (can be changed easily in the tree in return for some dps loss)

Can not run physical reflect

Dual strike lets you attack outside of its range, thus missing entirely (probably a bug)



Possibly the most fun aspect of Dual Strike is the buffs it gains against enemies on full life, allowing it to one shot T16 rares like its nothing and slice off half a boss' life bar in one swing.

3.9 Changes UPDATE

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Not many changes to the build from this update, some late game dps could be lost due to new armour/physical reduction mechanics but it is likely negligible with the full impale investment we have chosen.

A few non-3.9 related changes have also been made to the build, with new levelling skill trees placed at 25, 50, 75 and 100 passive points respectively, as requested. In addition to this a small amount of nodes have been moved to life in order to improve survivability just that bit more.

I have tested the build on Shaper with the new changes as well as his substantially beefier life pool, and we can still kill him with ease (about 20-30% life per second with buffs). I haven't had a chance to fight The Awakener yet, but will update (with a video) once I have.

3.8 Changes

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The Impale cluster has moved one away, that's about it. I recommend anointing Disembowling, Assassination, or Tribal Fury. If you struggle for the max block, you could also grab Gemini with anointing.

Videos

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Xoph (Scaeva) https://youtu.be/YxMXA2Git7M

Minotaur https://youtu.be/lyj0z46Fnto

Deathless Shaper https://youtu.be/nVkhJN6UyMM

Tanking some scary attacks (and tul kill) https://youtu.be/XIu0nwD8Qyw

Tooltip in Hideout (With flasks but doesn't include Flesh and stone, rage, charges or curses)

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PoB Pastebin

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https://pastebin.com/4ceH4eyS
The Abyssus in the build has 100% More Melee Damage on it to simulate Impale.

Ascendancy

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Gem Setups

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Main Skill

Dual Strike-Rage-Brutality-Fortify-Impale-Ancestral Call (Clearing)/Ruthless (Single Target)

If you are considering Melee Physical instead of Ruthless, you absolutely cna and both are pretty viable choices, though I personally like Ruthless for the ability to carry over the massive hits through Impale. If you are adamant on also having Melee Physical, I would recommend taking the Impale Chance side of the right hand Impale cluster on the tree, using two foils with the Impale syndicate mod, and subsequently replacing Impale support entirely.

If you choose to use Close Combat somewhere (i.e. instead of Ruthless through the use of a green socket), PoB does not display this dps increase, as such just edit an item equipped to have "59% More Melee Damage" and assume you're within 15 units of the enemy.

Defensive Setup

Summon Ice Golem (Level 5)-Cast When Damage Taken (Level 3)-Immortal Call (Level 5)-Increased Duration

You can choose what level you would like the gems at, though I find this to be a good spot to have them at. You could change Ice Golem for whichever golem suits your taste, if you feel that you don't have enough regen stone golem is a very good choice provided you do not mind the marginal dps loss.

Auras/Buffs

Blasphemy-Vulnerability (or curse of your choice)-Ancestral Protector-Berserk

Ancestral protector can be any totem you want, I personally prefer protector but all are helpful (Even Rejuvination if you feel you need more survivability).

Vaal Haste-War Banner-Flesh and Stone-Blood Rage

Most of these buffs are for burst dps upon encountering a boss, aside from the auras. while levelling sand stance is very helpful, though at maps I recommend mostly being in blood stance as it is our source of maim and evasion isn't doing all that much for us. You could consider changing Blood Rage for Bladestorm and using it intermittently while clearing on sand stance, while switching to blood and using it as a buff for bossing.

Movement

This section is flexible, and is more down to what you like the feel of. My setup is as follows

Faster Attacks-Leap Slam-Power Charge on Critical

If you have a sword with Faster Attacks as a support, you can change faster attacks for Culling Strike, Power Charge on Critical may seem like an odd choice, however it adds up over the course of a map and you end up clearing with 3 power charges almost all the time provided you leap slam towards most packs.

Gear

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Required Items

The Anvil

Anvil increases our maximum block chance by 3%, the implicit is quality of life to more easily reach the block cap, but if you can do so without the implicit, try to get +1 curse so that you can use gloves with temporal chains on hit as well as the vulnerability aura (or any other mix you'd like, for example vulnerability on hit gloves + pride or punishment).

Main or off-hand with block chance

The easiest method of achieving this is to use a Scaeva in your off hand, otherwise it is a suffix on Shaper one hand swords. If you can get two swords with 8% each and sufficient dps, you could remove some block% nodes on the passive tree and take more survivability or crit. If crafting your own sword, try to get crit multi, chance and phys damage. Attack speed/faster attacks support is also great for your movement skill links.

Abyssus

Not as imperative as the other items, however it heavily bolsters our damage, adds a huge crit multiplier, and has less of a downside than usual seeing as we block 82% of hits. Typically with endurance charges you should expect over 50% physical damage reduction as well as the 82% block chance, as such the downside is mostly negated. The most important stats to get rolled well are 40% increased damage taken and 125% crit multi.

The most helpful helmet enchantment to get is without a doubt crit chance for dual strike, though damage or attack speed will get the job done.

Past these items you can choose what you feel fits your playstyle best, I personally use

though this leaves little room to get the remaining resistances on your rings, so if you find this too restrictive you can freely choose a rare body, boots or even a belt. Cyclopean coil provides freeze immunity so it is recommended, however you could similarly use a very good rustic sash or stygian along with rare boots with cannot be frozen.

If you can manage to find some, boots of your choice with +1 Maximum Endurance Charges as a corruption will allow you to negate more damage with Immortal Call (as well as overall being more tanky). Go for +1 maximum Frenzy Charges on gloves, or +2 to level of duration gems as berserk along with any curses socketed will get nicely buffed from it.

It is extremely important to have a form of mana leech on one item, a ring is a good choice if you are using Shaper weapons, otherwise a blue socket on your Scaeva will do you just fine.

Stat Priority for crafting/Jewels

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Weapon

Physical Damage->Critical Chance->Multiplier->Chance to block While Dual Wielding(Pretty much required on at least one of your weapons, try to get at least 8% between them)

Jewels
Critical Chance->Multiplier->Life->Attack Speed/Global Phys

If you are struggling for resistances or attributes, suffixes on jewels are a great place to fix some of that, you can get a jewel with three relevant damage mods as well as int if you are short, the same goes for maximum life, resistances etc. Look for Crimson Jewels or Murderous Eye Jewels primarily.

The Dual Strike threshold jewel is very important, and it is highly recommended to get a jewel with a corruption making you immune to corrupted blood.

Flasks

This is a reasonable dps setup. With poor life regen Blood of the Karui becomes a real life saver, and is still extremely helpful if you are tankier.

Cinderswallow Urn is unbelievably broken, try to get one with Critical Chance as its veiled mod.

Ideally you're looking for "Surgeon's" as the prefix to any non unique (non diamond) flasks, as well as something along the lines of Warding, Staunching, Heat etc. for suffixes. As for the diamond flask, most prefixes are quite helpful, put I personally like Ample.

Bandits

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Alira is the best choice, though killing all or choosing Oak are also valid choices (Again, both for increased survivability)

Pantheon

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Major - Solaris or Lunaris, both serve a similar purpose though I prefer Solaris.

Minor - Gruthkul, we intend to get hit a lot so what better than bonus phys reduction for free. Upgraded Tukohama can also be pretty beneficial thanks to the regen.

Levelling

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Most items will be good while levelling, of course the usual Tabula, Goldrim etc.

A few relevant upgrades throughout the levelling process are gorebreaker, flesh-eater, brightbeak, innsbury edge (remove brutality support if using this), and scaeva.

Don't restrict yourself to swords when levelling until you start taking relevant sword nodes.

A few notable boots are nomic's storm, redblade tramplers and literally anything with movespeed.

If you can get hold of a belt of the deceiver it is a great levelling tool.

Use melee splash with ancestral call until you can equip the threshold jewel, as it is what provides our melee splash.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy the build and please leave any constructive criticism in the comments! If you try the build please feel free to mention any interesting tweaks you make.


Edit:

Defensive Version

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Pastebin for more defensive build: https://pastebin.com/mkmNwqMD

This version is potentially more expensive, however boasts greater survivability and defensive options.

The block corrupt anvil is switched for a +1 curse, with temporal chains on hit gloves. Both swords have 9% chance to block, and the tree has been moved around a small amount to provide life leech (blood rage is not used due to the life degen, instead we rely on bladestorm in blood stance as a substitute buff for bossing).

The single target damage is slightly lower but it is more than made up for with greater survival.

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SweeperÆBusk escreveu:

for SSF what skill would u recommend? wanted to play dual strike, but realised it wasnt a campaign reward -.-

so kinda confused on what skill to use now :)

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aechean escreveu:

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SweeperÆBusk escreveu:

for SSF what skill would u recommend? wanted to play dual strike, but realised it wasnt a campaign reward -.-

so kinda confused on what skill to use now :)

You can buy Dual Strike from Nessa immediately after getting into town.

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SweeperÆBusk escreveu:

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aechean escreveu:

"

SweeperÆBusk escreveu:

for SSF what skill would u recommend? wanted to play dual strike, but realised it wasnt a campaign reward -.-

so kinda confused on what skill to use now :)

You can buy Dual Strike from Nessa immediately after getting into town.

i worded that so poorly haha... im srry.. menat the jewel for dual strike.. its kind of a big deal when it frees up a support gem spot with splash dmg :)

so was just wondering what other melee skill gem would be good?
ty for reply tho

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SweeperÆBusk escreveu:

for SSF what skill would u recommend? wanted to play dual strike, but realised it wasnt a campaign reward -.-

so kinda confused on what skill to use now :)

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Uangingo escreveu:

Would it be possible to sub in something like combat rush to replace rage to avoid having to use berserk and ramping up rage? Or is the DPS just to insane from it?