[3.16 - RETIRING BUILD] VD Brands: S-Tier Bosser, A-Tier Map! -- MURDERED BY GGG_INTERN SOMEWHERE--

Wondering if one of you experts could take a glance at my character and see if I'm doing anything super obviously wrong. I feel like I've got all the pieces in place but the build isn't performing for me quite right. I can do t15s pretty comfortably, with the occasional scare from a big pack but Guardians tend to be a several portal affair and Sirus just clapped me this morning. For the Sirus fight I don't have much experience with it so I know that played a roll, but I'm not sure I had the oomph to make it all the way through even if I knew it better.

For the Big Bosses I'm still getting one shot pretty regularly. I think a big part of that is just Git Gud but it's happening more than I'd like. The real problem, though, is that I just don't get there with the damage. I drain through my whole mana flask (still trying to get better about really getting every tick out of them and not pressing it again too early) and then the boss is somewhere between 20-50% and I'm out of gas. Any boss that has adds to refill flasks is fine, but the ones that don't turn in to a real shit show.

Improving my rings and getting -7 mana on both will be a start but I guess I'm just looking for some confirmation that I'm on the right track. Thanks! Super fun build.

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Angvir написал:

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.

Fire damage and cast speed. You're dropping a lot of cast speed nodes when you transition from dual wield.

Third is either crit multi when rare or unique nearby, double damage while focussed, spell damage (much worse), or the like (pretty sure Prim went over the priority list for the last mod in the guide).

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MerrMan написал:

Wondering if one of you experts could take a glance at my character and see if I'm doing anything super obviously wrong. I feel like I've got all the pieces in place but the build isn't performing for me quite right. I can do t15s pretty comfortably, with the occasional scare from a big pack but Guardians tend to be a several portal affair and Sirus just clapped me this morning. For the Sirus fight I don't have much experience with it so I know that played a roll, but I'm not sure I had the oomph to make it all the way through even if I knew it better.

For the Big Bosses I'm still getting one shot pretty regularly. I think a big part of that is just Git Gud but it's happening more than I'd like. The real problem, though, is that I just don't get there with the damage. I drain through my whole mana flask (still trying to get better about really getting every tick out of them and not pressing it again too early) and then the boss is somewhere between 20-50% and I'm out of gas. Any boss that has adds to refill flasks is fine, but the ones that don't turn in to a real shit show.

Improving my rings and getting -7 mana on both will be a start but I guess I'm just looking for some confirmation that I'm on the right track. Thanks! Super fun build.

This list is going to be long. Also PSA, am no expert, just currently about 20-30ex deep into the build.

1. Cane of Kulemak. I realise you're probably strapped on cash right now, but getting a better Cane will help a decent amount. Unfortunately Canes have gone up a huge amount (I self-unveiled mine when they were 60c per). This will probably have to wait.

2. Your helmet is fine.

3. Your chest is nice, I'm tempted to swap over to frenzy from explode myself until I can afford both.

4. Gloves, highly recommend nexus gloves. We get so much cost reduction and don't (in the classical setup at least) run any flat reservation auras, so nexus gloves are big. Given the stats you currently have on the gloves, you should be able to self-craft something similar on nexus gloves if they aren't cheap to buy.

P.S. just noticed you are running clarity, will get to that later.

5. Boots are fine.

6. Leadership's Price is really nice, but the anoint is maybe not questionable, but should be addressed. We'll get to that later.

7. Rings are always going to be a bit expensive due to how many mods we need on them. However, I would recommend dropping life from one of them to fit in all the other mods (curse effect reduction is huge since we don't really overcap resistances, nor can we deal with temp chains or vulnerability well). Second non-channelling craft is super important. Same with life gain on hit.

Dealing with mana is quite tough this (and last I guess) league. If you can squeeze in a replica conqueror's efficiency on top of both ring crafts it'll help a bit. Use the pain attunement wheel.

8. Belt. This is effectively a one stat belt with an aspect on it. I'm assuming, correct me if I'm wrong, that you do not have the beast craft yourself. If this is true, you can PM me and I can run it for you if timezones line up on a better belt base, or others here that I'm sure will help out. If it's not true, please spend the 10c to get an 80 life, 60 str, 60 res heavy belt. Heavy belts with attribute catalysts and a strength roll given you a lot of room to adjust for changing strength requirements (divines and blessings). Fixing the belt will help you with the random strength nodes, and when you transition more over to the final tree.

9. Flasks. Current recommendation is to have a sulphur flask (I am using overflowing chalice until I have bottled faith) to help with spectre life expectancy. If your spectres aren't dying, feel free to do with what you will. With sulphur flask you free up a slot by dropping minion life if you need it. Granite flask is probably a wasted slot, the flat 1500 armour does little unless you're stacking armour with more multipliers / increased armour.

Other interesting flasks (personal preference / situation specific really):
- Some bismuth flask until you're fully curse immune since res cap is difficult
- Taste of hate for phys reduction
- Overflowing chalice as per above

10. Glorious vanity. In PoB I can't see what rolls you got on the small nodes. If all or most of the small passives are useless, it may be worth your time flipping vanities until you get useful stuff like resists. I get a total of roughly 60% res from mine, no idea if that's lucky or within expectation.

11. You need a source of exposure. Wave of conviction in cyclone setup works, or cluster jewel with (corrosive elements?) notable. Especially if you took the exposure mastery in the elemental mastery wheel.

12. Could swap minion life for meat shield. Taunt helps with boss survivability (10% less damage taken from them).

13. Sigil of power is missing in your cyclone setup. At max stacks enemies in it deal 19% less damage to you, good for bossing survivability. Also phantasmal sigil of power helps with mana problems (mana cost reduction).

14. Skitterbots. Shock is decent damage, and the aura itself is not too crazy to fit in (especially with thread of hope allowing for the two aura reservation nodes on the left of the tree).

15. Clarity. Make it a vaal clarity. Vaal clarity lasts something along the lines of 15 seconds in this build, helps with mana flask sustain a large amount. In terms of reservation, thread of hope above helps with fitting it in, or just directly pathing to it.

16. Inspiration in volatile setup, make it divergent if you can. Less mana cost, not much to say.

17. CWDT. I personally prefer frost shield over blind, since blind does less for us since we're not stacking evasion. Not really much here to say though.

18. You have the option of putting arcane surge in your cyclone setup, and it might even be a decently high level. I'm like 99% sure the spells in the setup will trigger arcane surge. Test it yourself with a lvl 1, then go ham on as high level as you think you can consistently proc. You are not usually killing enemies in boss fights, so arcane surge has poor uptime from Cane.

19. Throatseeker crit multi node is nice, aim for it.

20. Tree pathing / cluster jewels. Brand equity wheel is pretty nice, brand duration is a big QoL, especially in boss fights where you sometimes will be dodging mechanics for a few seconds (Elder tentacle slams, Sirus... anything). Cluster jewels are something you could look at (but a bit pricey for large cluster I believe). Large cluster can give you all res, exposure on hit and even leech if you need. Medium clusters can give you brand QoL and two jewel sockets, or you can just use the jewel sockets on the large if better options present themselves. Others have said clusters are not necessary, I personally like them myself, up to you. I think generally, clusters means less tanky, more dps (since you drop things like the tireless wheel, sanctity, discipline and training node etc.).

21. Levels always help in this build. I would personally do a coward's trial rota or two to get some easy levels. At the level you're at, one full rota (30-40c) should be a full level. Just don't use your brands or everyone will crash / lag and die.

22. For ultimate mana sustainability, a clarity mana when skill used watcher's eye is really good. I just yoinked one + disc es on hit for 9ex, and I'm considering dropping my mana flask. This is obviously a late game option, but it exists.

You're definitely on the right track. Boss one shot is partially due to some missing defensive mechanics (sigil of power, no taunt on spectres etc.) and partially due to low damage (we use sap as a defensive layer on bosses, low damage means weaker sap). For reference, I'm nearing endgame in the build and I still sometimes die to guardians. However I can also assure you that the build will comfortably be able to run fights like uber elder, maven boss invitations (maybe not the feared, haven't tried) etc.

Sirus is difficult for this build before good gear. Invulnerability phases where the enemy cannot be targeted sucks for this build. Our mobility (with leap slam, tempted to swap out to flame dash for some fights), is linked to our corpse stacks, and if I'm not mistaken you can't leap slam over the cross beams without taking a slow (really bad). If we cannot proc our arcanist brand during the invul phases (like with Sirus). We get really slow. That's when this build is weak. Eventually however your damage will be high enough that you don't really care. Little Sirus experience is going to hurt you a bit, this build is hard to pilot well, pressure of Sirus without familiarity will not help you much. Recommend flame dash for Sirus.

Sorry bout the long post.

P.S. Also make sure you are using the right spectres. Lithomancer and Stonekin (Stoneskin?) Flayer. If not, join global 6666 and ask away, many people help there, lovely global.

Swapped to DD after my hardware being unable to keep up with VD, felt a lot better personally, had to swap conc effect helm into hypothermia,

Raw mapping video below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI022-cOg9Q

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primaeva написал:

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!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChbNqVS5O4g

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

Siiiiick.
Thanks for the tutorial bud. Hope you’re doing well.

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Malanon написал:

A bunch of sick words on how to finish my build

Damn, thanks so much. Gonna get these started and see how much farther I can push it.

Why is spell damage much worse?

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waggypants написал:

Swapped to DD after my hardware being unable to keep up with VD, felt a lot better personally, had to swap conc effect helm into hypothermia,

Raw mapping video below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI022-cOg9Q

holy shit i'll tell you this much, DD definitely looks cooler xD

If conc effect isnt the play, Influenced Gloves may be the trick here (faster casting/base crit/crit mult)

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Angvir написал:

Why is spell damage much worse?

VD hits in two parts. A corpse explosion and a ball.

Gem info:
"Corpses near the targeted location explode, dealing damage in a small area and creating an orb which moves towards nearby enemies before dealing spell damage in a larger area. The explosion of the corpse is not affected by modifiers to spell damage, and cannot be reflected."

The corpse explosion is the part that does the big damage on this build. We push it using %fire, %elemental, cast speed, crit, crit multi, applying exposure, shredding resistances and scaling corpse life (which works great given harder content with tankier monsters naturally gives us a damage boost to compensate) but spell damage does nothing to scale this part of our damage.

It helps a bit on clear so not a dead stat, but definitely don't sacrifice any of the real damage scalers to get it.

Quick question - if I'm running Inpulsa's before I invest more into the chest, how does this build shock / prolif the inpulsa explosions?