[3.18 HC] Black Cane Stormburst Raider (Video)

If you are not familiar with the Black Cane, it is a relatively inexpensive unique that grants the phantasmal might buff for each summoned phantasm. Phantasmal might grants added physical damage to spells based on the level of the phantasm summoned. At level 20, phantasmal might grants 43-64 added physical damage per phantasm for up to 10 phantasms. If one can maintain 10 phantasms, this nearly doubles the base damage of a level 20 stormburst. Stormburst synergizes well with this mechanic for a few reasons: First, it is a phys converted to lightning spell, so any effort we put in to convert the base spell to lightning also automatically applies to the phantasmal might buff. Even more importantly though, stormburst scales its damage significantly via increased duration and cast speed. Increased duration and cast speed also make it dramatically easier to maintain phantasms.

The build uses two separate Storm burst set ups:

The first is storm burst>Spell totem>Multiple totems>Summon Phantasm>Cull>Inc duration. The totem setup gets very good up time for the phantasms during fights against rares and uniques, when they are needed most, and maintains a reasonable number of phantasms while mapping.

The second setup is self cast, and is the primary source of damage. It uses Storm Burst>Infused Channelling>Increased Duration>Lightning Penetration. For the last links, my current favorite endgame setup is a Storm burst enchanted helmet crafted with an essence of insanity, which grants 50% of phys as lightning. Since stormburst is a phys based spell, converted, and the phantasmal might damage is also all phys, that one mod on the helm is a 50% more multiplier, and it essentially acts like a 5 3/4 link. If you can get this on an elder helm also supported by conc effect, you have an ideal helm that will beat out any straight 6L

Add to this Arcane surge via flame dash, frenzy charges and orb of storms, which adds innervation, cull, and a little extra damage of its own.

1. Black Cane Storm Burst Raider vs. Moderate rolled T16 Strand w/ T20 Abyss & Lich https://youtu.be/Wi_nP6sEFKo

3.17 version at lvl 95 https://pastebin.com/4dyki6nr Please note that summon phantasm is not actually used as a link in the self-cast set-up. It is included in the pastebin only so that POB will accurately show the damage, which for some reason it will not do with summon phantasm only in the totem setup. I have verified through play that summon phantasm is not needed in both places.

3.18 Updated Pastebin at lvl 92 https://pastebin.com/UHa6wbqK

3.17 Version at lvl 95 / 3.18 Version at lvl 92
Life Approx: 4400 / 5800
Mana Approx: 1900 (MOM) / 2300
Evasion w/ Flask: 40k / 34k
Armour w/ Flask: 10k / 10k
Attack Block: 36% / 27%
Spell Suppression: 100% to suppress 53% of damage

Stun Immune
Ignite Immune
Freeze/Chill Immune
Shock Immune
Corrupted Blood Immune
Resses: 76 all elemental, 75 chaos / 75 all ele, 44 Chaos
Movement speed without boots: +99% / +61%
Curse Reduction: 30%

Mapping total rough dps: 2.25M / 2.25M
Pinnacle Boss total rough dps: 1.25M / 1.25M

Storm burst>Infused Channelling>Increased Duration>Lightning Penetration>Insanity Crafted Helm w/ supported by conc effect or >Inspiration>conc effect (Helm or Chest)

Storm Burst>Spell Totem>Multiple Totems>Summon Phantasm>Cull>Increased Duration> (Boots)
(Elder boots with inc duration are great for midgame. Elder boots with Spell totem and Inc duration are ideal for endgame. Because of the absurd amount of movespeed we get as a raider, Movespeed on the boots themselves is not a requirement for this build). While leveling (And really until you are well into red maps) leave off inc duration and pen. A nice mid level option, until you get the elder boots is socketing this setup in Kalissa's grace, which will add in faster casting. (And moving the glove setup to whatever boots you are using temporarily).

Flame Dash>Arcane Surge (lvl 7)>Increased Duration> (Weapon

Orb of Storms>Innervate>Increased AOE>Culling Strike (Gloves)

Summon Stone golem>Vaal Cold Snap>Culling Strike (Sceptre or Shield)

CWDT>Immortal Call>Inc Duration (Sceptre or Shield)

Grace>Eternal Blessing (2L in 6S chest if main skill is in helm. If main skill is in 6L chest, Move stone golem to immortal call setup, replacing inc duration, remove culling strike from cold snap setup, and put eternal blessing linked to grace in sceptre or shield with unlinked cold snap.

This is only one example of a set of gear currently on a lvl 89 character. The ONLY required piece is the black cane. Everything else is some degree of optional, depending on your tastes and budget. (Before anyone asks, the crit mod on the amulet is entirely wasted in this build, since we use ele overload--it dropped that way and I didn't have anything better for the other stats)



Not Pictured are the following jewels:

1. Clear Mind
2. 3 rare jewels that combine among them the following:
a. 48-52% reduced chance to be stunned (If 52%+ save one 4% life node near the ranger start area
b. 20% reduced chance of two out of three types of ailments (shocked / ignited / Frozen&chilled (Note, the build will be fully functional without these, but for each 20% reduced chance to suffer an elemental ailment, you can save one small node in the crystal skin cluster)
c. As much life/mana/res as you can find with those stats

Lightning damage leeched as life is good QOL, but not really necessary until very late game. It is optional to find it on the gloves as an eater mod or on a ring as a delve mod. Conductivity on hit is also not really necessary until very late game and can be acquired either on a delve ring, a crusader ring, or as a glove corruption. Unnerve on hit is BIS Exarch mod for the gloves offensively.

For the chest there are many options. I favor Daressos for the combination of decent evasion/armour, endurance charges, and onslaught effectiveness.

The shield was crafted using essence of doubt--I recommend this method.

Divine judgment is a relatively inexpensive but effective amulet annoint early on. If you find yourself short on resists, I recommend using Sanctuary or cloth and chain instead. However, late endgame you will almost certainly want to annoint ironwood. You will know you need it when you see your totems dying too quickly to maintain the phantasms for you. Ironwood may feel a little wasteful, but my opinion after a fair bit of playtesting is that it is BIS late endgame.

3.18 gear at lvl 96:

Kill them all

Lunaris or Arakali/ Ralakesh
Ralakesh makes bleeding largely not a problem. Lunaris is good for movespeed / phys reduction and chain avoidance while mapping. Arakali is also worth considering, as the build does not have much regen and is a little weak against DOTs.

1. Rapid Assault
2. Quartz Infusion
3. Avatar of the Veil
4. Way of the Poacher

1-20: Grab Primal Spirit, then head directly to Battle rouse and also get the mana mastery there. This will help leveling QOL immensely.

21-30: Journey to MOM grabbing the +50 life mastery as you pass through the big life wheel.

30-40: Grab Ele Overload, Crackling Speed and the Phys converted to lightning mastery

41-50: Collect the heart and soul cluster, Lightning walker, and Cruel Preparation (Take the 10% inc life mastery here also). At 50, Equip The Black Cane and the real fun begins.

51-60: Heart of Thunder, the Lightning lucky non-crit mastery, Iron Will, Exceptional Performance and the 10% more skill effect duration mastery.

61-70: Heart of Oak, Deep thoughts, Asylum with the no corrupted blood Mastery, and Crystal Skin with the 20% reduced chance to be stunned Mastery. Also add in your jewels at this point

71-80 Proceed through Quickstep, Intuition, and Herbalism. Head up to Inveterate.

After: Ash Frost and Storm, Potency of Will, Relentless, Graceful Assault (with mastery for 5% of evasion added as armour), Quick Recovery