I. Concept
I had my fair share of standard builds, both good and bad. But now I’m on the quest to find an original, weird (or oddball as they called me) but still viable. While exploring a most used but least understood mechanic of the game (at least for me): CONVERSION, this is the build that I produced.
The entire build hinges on the existence of 1 item: the Warpfire
It produces the highest conversion on a single item, the problem is that it is not standard physical-to-X conversion, but cold to fire (or water/rain to fire, hence the title :D). Fire part is easy, demolitionist is unrivaled there. But cold part? Nightblade comes to my mind immediately, with flat cold/frostburn damage from Nightchill, Nightfall and Elemental Awakening, I found my calling.
This is a luck-based glass cannon build that (I think, cannot prove it yet) can rivals the DPS of cold SS Spellbreaker if built into DW version.
- Pros:
- Very high single target and AOE damage
- Can facetank pretty much everything in Crucible Gladiator up to wave 120 at least, except nemesis bosses
- Superb RR with Thermite mine + BWC + Nightchill + Eldritch fire, can total up to 40+27+30+20 = 117% RR that is multiplied by Viper, or 137% with Warpfire proc as well
- Can produce 10-20k DPS just by standing there
- Little energy management as long as you don’t spam Thermite mine (they last for quite a while)
- Highly mobile with Shadow Strike and 135% movement speed
- Cons:
- Squishy, despite the crucible comment above (it’s still true though).
- Damage reflection is a big problem, despite having Owl and 83% fire resistance. I’m not sure why but a careless SS into a reflective mob will just oneshot yourself.
- Low innate OA and DA (though this can be fixed with skill combination)
- Cannot overcap Shadow Strike due to the lack of set bonus (fire set = no SS :()
- Luck based defense means you can be killed when your luck runs out
II. Skills and Gears
- Skills and devotions:
http://www.grimtools.com/calc/b28Q63Vj
Grimcalc build (with +skills)
Grimcalc build (without +skills)
Stats: 85 Physique 5 Spirit to equip Warpfire. If you are lucky with gears that give more spirit, just pump the rest to physique
Devotion bindings:
- Meteor Shower —> Shadow Strike: 100% chance to proc meteor, making the name of the build
- Eldritch Fire --> BWC: What’s better than 1 RR? 2 RR in 1 skill
- Fissure —> Thermite mine: so you don’t actually have to attack to trigger Fissure
- The rest: just bind to any aura
We don’t use Rhowan Crown because it doesn’t stack with BWC, although Elemental Storm is a bit better than Agonizing Flame, I’d like the option to go for Behemoth
- Gears:
Head: Infernal Knight’s Faceguard (Leathery Hide / Mankind’s Vigil (Black Legion))
Shoulders: Infernal Knight’s Pauldrons (Scaled Hide / Outcast’s Warding Powder (Outcasts))
Chest: Infernal Knight’s Jacket (Chains of Oleron / Outcast’s Warding Powder (Outcasts))
Main hand: Warpfire (Enchanted Flint / Creed’s Cunning (Black Legion))
Offhand: Siegebreaker (Imbued Silver / Outcast’s Bastion (Outcasts))
Hands: Wyrmbone Handguards (Spellwoven Threads / Mankind’s Vigil (Black Legion))
Waist: Infernal Knight’s Girdle (Antivenom Salve / Mogdrogen’s Touch (Devil’s Crossing))
Legs: Seraphim Solael-Sect Legguards of Incantations (Scaled Hide / Mankind’s Vigil (Black Legion))
Feet: Stonehide Exalted Treads of Nature’s Bounty (Mark of Mogdrogen / Mankind’s Vigil (Black Legion))
Amulet: The Peerless Eye of Beronath (Arcane Spark / Survivor’s Ingenuity (Devil’s Crossing))
Rings: Entropic Coil (Mark of Illusions / Survivor’s Ingenuity (Devil’s Crossing))
Rings: Lifegiver Signet (Mark of Illusions / Survivor’s Ingenuity (Devil’s Crossing))
Medal: Mark of Fierce Resolve (Arcane Spark)
Relic: Ulzuin’s Pyroclasm
The key thing to look at is the Leathery Hide on the helm and the Mark of Fierce Resolve instead of other legendary medals. Let me insist 1 thing: you NEED that stun reduction. Running a squishy build means that CC usually spells death to you. With those 2 you can stack up to 50% stun reduction, combines with Lantern devotion and Chain of Olerons for 50% trap reduction, you are much safer.
Also if you are lucky with resistance roll on gears, you can replace the Outcast’s Bastion on shield for another Creed’s Cunning. I just need 2% more poison resistance and 1% more chaos resistance to replace it, but it didn’t happen
Eyes of Beronath is used because this build is hungry for skill points, just like any other SS build
Alternative build #1
http://www.grimtools.com/calc/mN4yQl2g
Using the Markovian Bulwark will allow you to use an Enchanted Flint on the shield instead of Imbued Silver. No you don’t need the conversion because you have no sources of physical anyway, but Enchanted Flint gives an aura for +75% fire/burn bonus, at the cost of 100 less DA and 20% less physical resistance. I used this version in some of the videos below, but then I come to the conclusion that it is not worth it, you get 5% more total damage, but are 50% more proned to be oneshot by a group of Hulks.
Alternative build #2
http://www.grimtools.com/calc/lNkyxlVJ
Using Rhowan Crown for elemental storm instead of BWC RR, this produce a bit more consistent RR with 100% uptime comparing to 60% of BWC, at the cost of 20 DA and 40 OA. This also makes it a bit easier to cap resistances
I cannot say this is better or worse comparing to the original build, but it’s still a good alternative since you can take down 10 skill points from Agonizing flame and sprinkle them where you like
Alternative build #3 - DW version
http://www.grimtools.com/calc/eZPWelV0
This I believe can rival cold SS spellbreaker damage (but don’t quote me on this :D). While having 20-25% less raw damage, this build offers 40% more RR than a standard Spellbreaker can ask for, which might be more or less put them on the same level.
I never explore that direction anyway, but I just put it here as an option. I like my char durable.
III. Leveling and Combat
Start with Demolitionist tree and use BWC + Firestrike to level, you cannot use this build until you find Warpfire so it is best to start after having it
In combat, pretty much just press everything, you have enough energy leech + absorption to not worry about energy
While having low OA and DA, your skills will reduce targets OA and DA as well, bringing you up on the food chain. With BWC and Veil of Shadow, you reduce target OA by 380, thus making your DA equivalent to 2500. And with Flash Bang you reduce target DA by 110, thus making your OA equivalent to 2500 as well, which isn’t too bad if you ask me. Crits happen frequently thanks to those.
Keep spamming Flash Bang, because with 20% dodge, 30% parry, and 27% fumble/impaired aim, they will keep you alive until your luck runs out
Veil of Shadow with Nightchill will help you proc all the x% chance on attack skill, thus you produce DPS just by standing there
IV. Dungeons & Bosses tips
Steps of Torment:
It’s your SS vs his SS, with 50% stun resistance it should be easy
Bastion of Chaos:
Only Shar’Zul is a bit of a problem due to his high fire resistances, but still not much of a problem. Just stay away from his wind devils
Port Valbury:
If your nightmare has a name, Valbury would be it. Not the ground, not the bosses, but the pesky damage reflection from the cursed arcanists/mages
Also feature a Valdaran kill, which is very easy
Mad Queen:
Standard trap and kite
Nemesis:
Valdaran is super easy (check Valbury video)
Moosilauke is a problem because you have only 8% freeze resist. Pop a hoardfrost ointment when you see him
Bennjhar is easy as long as you spam Flash Bang on him
All Cronley nemesis bosses are problem, if you SS into their Blade Barrier then you just one shot yourself play with care and let the DOT deals damage.
V. Crucible tips
I want to fight in Crucible of the Dead, but Crucible of the Sands is better for this build, there are many chokeholds and corner to run around and avoid enemies fire
I facetank pretty much everything except reflective bosses and nemesis bosses there, but you don’t have to, the burn damage should allow you to kite very effectively. If you cannot handle it, just buy the stun resistance buff and it should be easy