[3.13] Vaal Double Strike Impale Champion Revisited

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magnate escreveu:

Ok, I'm going to ask the stupid question - why is this build based on double strike when it uses dual wielding? Is it that you generate souls so fast you use VDS a lot which makes it worth it? Or has double strike been changed to use both weapons now? (I haven't made a double strike build since before Malachai was created, and it didn't then.)

Sorry if this is embarrassingly stupid ...

Hey, dude, no worries :) it's completely fine!

Do you remember that some time ago dual-wielding was not what, technically, it used to be? You would only be attacking with your main weapon while your off-hand was technically a free stat-stick. That changed after Delve. Now all your damage will come from both of your weapons separately.

Also, the skill itself benefits from dual-wielding and the tree has many other benefits too going that route. Besides, you need to hit hard and fast to apply bleeding to the enemies, so you inflict even more damage overall, that's why I always choose dual-wielding swords.

I hope that clears your question! If not, I'll try to explain myself again :)

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Educmack escreveu:

Do you remember that some time ago dual-wielding was not what, technically, it used to be? You would only be attacking with your main weapon while your off-hand was technically a free stat-stick. That changed after Delve. Now all your damage will come from both of your weapons separately.

So that's interesting, because my memory is that in the beginning dual wielding got you +15% attack speed and block chance, and you attacked with each weapon alternately, unless you were using Dual Strike (full damage from both weapons together) or Cleave (60% of the total damage of both weapons).

Of course, there have been so many changes that it's highly likely that you're right for one historic period and I'm right about a different period!

So are you saying now that dual wielding always does full damage of both weapons, regardless of the skill? That would explain why Dual Strike appears to have been buffed a bit, now it does a bit more than that.

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Also, the skill itself benefits from dual-wielding and the tree has many other benefits too going that route. Besides, you need to hit hard and fast to apply bleeding to the enemies, so you inflict even more damage overall, that's why I always choose dual-wielding swords.

So when you say "benefits from dual wielding", do you mean anything more than full damage of both weapons on each strike? The gem itself doesn't refer to dual wielding, so I'm guessing.

But yes, if I have understood correctly and you do full damage of both weapons on each of the strikes, I can see why DW is the way to go!

I'm trying this build now (I'm re-speccing a Standard char in Act 9) so will report back. Many thanks for your efforts!

EDIT: Wow, Ichimonji is cheap - I got one for 4c and one for 2c! I spent an ex on a 6L Belly - then found out why it was so cheap when I tried to change the socket colours - it's corrupted. Doh. So I have 4R2G rather than 3R3G, so I've lost Close Combat. But I don't have to swap gems as I can now use all of MPD, Brutality and Melee Splash. According to POB, the Close Combat will cost me about 40% of endgame damage, so I will need to spend some more Vaal orbs recolouring those sockets eventually! But it's enough damage for now ... thanks again. One final question - why War Banner and not Dread Banner for more impale damage?

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magnate escreveu:

So are you saying now that dual wielding always does full damage of both weapons, regardless of the skill? That would explain why Dual Strike appears to have been buffed a bit, now it does a bit more than that.

Yes, it will do full damage from both weapons regardless of the skill :) obviously, not all skills will work with DW. Take for example Sunder, they've changed to be a "slam" skill rather than a "strike" skill, now if you slam the ground it will create a wave that hits enemies but if you slam the ground again the previous wave will be "cut" immediately.
Dual Strike was "buffed" but very hard to make it work, it's very clunky because it has lost its natural attack speed, so you'll feel it as you are hitting pretty slow
even with Multistrike Support.

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magnate escreveu:

So when you say "benefits from dual wielding", do you mean anything more than full damage of both weapons on each strike? The gem itself doesn't refer to dual wielding, so I'm guessing.

I said this related to the power of hitting fast because it grants a natural attack speed, as you want to melt enemies in just a matter of seconds, going dual-wielding does that while going for two-handed weapons is a slower choice. Another point to mention, they've nerfed DW so you don't have the damage multiplier anymore.

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magnate escreveu:

One final question - why War Banner and not Dread Banner for more impale damage?

Maybe I've posted an old PoB code, you should use Dread Banner instead!

Fabulous, thank you again. Really enjoying your build now - next stop Kitava!

Hey, do you know what items I should look to upgrade?

I don't know where to spend my currency as this is my first vaal double strike character. I decided to go the saviour route for more boys. I know the gloves can go but right now they're just a poor man's explode chest.

Also, at what dps does a foil out damage my paradoxica? I'm thinking of just keeping it until I look to minmax.

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Sensatiional escreveu:

Hey, do you know what items I should look to upgrade?

I don't know where to spend my currency as this is my first vaal double strike character. I decided to go the saviour route for more boys. I know the gloves can go but right now they're just a poor man's explode chest.

Also, at what dps does a foil out damage my paradoxica? I'm thinking of just keeping it until I look to minmax.

Hi, dude. Thanks for posting your progress!

If you don't know where to spend your currency, I would look to upgrade the amulet for example, and boots. Try to upgrade your boots to get more resistances as you may want more space for damage (physical damage to attacks + crit chance/multi) and stats on your amulet.

Your rings are pretty nice! With Paradoxica, eventually, you will want Steel Rings instead with all the stats you need on them (life, physical damage to attacks, resistances, stats, accuracy) to squeeze it out. Remember that Paradoxica benefits from the flat physical damage, the more you have the harder you will hit. Don't forget to use catalysts on them (depending on what you need, if you need life use Fertile Catalysts. If you need more resistances Prismatic Catalysts, or if you need more damage Abrasive Catalysts)

Your gloves are a pretty good budget option, but eventually, you'll want to spend a little more currency here to get a good pair of Spiked Gloves (search for life, attack speed, accuracy, resistances, stats if you need them) or a "Vulnerability on Hit" + "+1 to socketed gems" corrupted Tombfist if you feel like you are min-maxing your character.

For the belt, a Hunter Stygian Vise with life and resistances (search for Chaos resistance too, is pretty important) it's all you need in terms of min-maxing. Otherwise, just a rare belt that suits the better for you.

For the chest, the Belly of the Beast is pretty hard to contest as it gives you a ton of life and good defenses, and resistances too. But if you want, as you said, you can spend more currency to get an exploding chest. I don't know honestly if it's worth spending currency for one, but it makes the clear-speed a lot better.

If you feel that you don't need to drop Paradoxica just keep it, if you really want to spend some currency a 470 ~ 500 pDPS sword will beat the foil, but we are talking you'll be spending 15 ~ 20 ex for each foil here.

Hey, I am really having a lot of fun in Heist with your build so far!
I just wanted to ask how you generate rage points for Berserk, because I can't seem to find anything providing that in the build.

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xHaxeus escreveu:

Hey, I am really having a lot of fun in Heist with your build so far!
I just wanted to ask how you generate rage points for Berserk because I can't seem to find anything providing that in the build.

Hey, dude. Glad you are having fun with my build :) thanks for your feedback!

You can do it by using a Cluster Jewel (a Large Cluster Jewel) with the "Bloodscent" modifier which grants you Rage charges on hit, no more than 1 per second.

Or you can do the following: you can allocate the "Chainbreaker" notable using a Lethal Pride Timeless jewel, take into account this Timeless Jewel must have the "Akoya" leadership (this is "Commanded Leadership over <number> warriors under Akoya" modifier on it) and the best spot to socket the jewel (the best one I've found so far) is the one near the "Eternal Youth" keystone. Once you socket the Lethal Pride automatically "Eternal Youth" will become "Chainbreaker". The Chainbreaker allows you to generate Rage charges like "passively" (Regenerate 3 Rage per second), and increases and reductions to mana apply to Rage generation instead. With the downside of losing Rage charges every time you hit an enemy, no more than once every 0.3 seconds. But if you are using the boost for bossing, the only thing you have to do is to wait until you reach 50 Rage charges. Pretty easy.

Finally, you can always use the Rage Support gem linked to Vaal Double Strike which I don't find useful, it consumes a socket and you need to have Rage charges to get the benefits from the gem which you don't always have. I'd rather use a Cluster Jewel or the Lethal Pride jewel instead.

Hey Edumack,

First of all, thanks for this guide. I’m actually new playing this game and I feel joinable reading this guide, I had understand pretty much everything, even do I haven’t play yet.

I just have a few questions;
Would you recommend me to make this class as my first char to play?
This one is related to the forum; I haven’t seen the passive tree talent, don’t really know if you share it or if has raletion with the code that you show in your guide.

Apologized for my dummy questions.

Kind regards.

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emeve411 escreveu:

Hey Edumack,

First of all, thanks for this guide. I’m actually new playing this game and I feel joinable reading this guide, I had understood pretty much everything, even do I haven’t play yet.

I just have a few questions;
Would you recommend me to make this class as my first char to play?
This one is related to the forum; I haven’t seen the passive tree talent, don’t really know if you share it or if has a relation with the code that you show in your guide.

Apologized for my dummy questions.

Kind regards.

No question is a dummy question :) glad to know that you have your doubts and you want to comment on them here :)

If this is your first time trying the game, I would recommend starting with a spellcaster instead of a melee character. They are pretty easy to gear and you don't need much investment to make your character work.

But, if you really want to try a melee/bow Gladiator, I would recommend following a Zizaran's guide, the Bleed Gladiator (Bow or Melee). It's really easy to gear and it's explained in great detail even for new players.

Here you have two examples:
Steels 3.10 Bleed Bow Gladiator - Path of Exile Delirium League Starter
Steels 3.10 Bleed Lacerate - Path of Exile Delirium League Starter

These are examples from Delirium league (two leagues ago) but they are totally viable for new players for the current league too.