GT: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/eVLz8pGN
YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxkXCR-YKQw&feature=youtu.be
^Clear time is a little longer because I messed up 169, and left Theodin alive. This resulted in me needing to kite a lot more in 170.
Serious credit is due to:
-
Hammyhamster - In discussing with you your vit FS pyro, I ended up incorporating some of your ideas into my Defiler
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Mad_lee: For suggesting that the Defiler be done with the blood knight set. I had initially tried to make it work with the dark one’s set for better chaos --> Vit conversion.
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Veretragna: For patiently brainstorming with me all my previous failed Defiler attempts.
Preface - This is my argument as to why the Demo needs some work. Feel free to skip it.
[spoiler]It’s probably common knowledge by now that I enjoy the challenge of trying to get the weird-and-wonderful to work. I don’t strive for top tier builds, I strive for build creativity simply because that’s what I enjoy.
Thus far, I’ve found that the hardest ‘core mastery’ to work with has been the Demolitionist. (Seriously. Try to theorycraft something with the demo that doesn’t involve forcewave or the inquisitor).
What I’ve tried doing (and have failed in):
- Chaos/fire RE using 2x blazeseer rings, Blazeheart sword + infernal knight set.
- Dreadscorcher and vortex of souls.
- Darkone’s vitality firestrike
- Pure aether FS using diviner’s head/chest piece + magelord’s set
- Fire/aether drain essence
- DW physical firestrike using beronath’s reforged and gladiator’s distinction
That’s the problem with this class.
You need to waste valuable item slots to convert damage one way or the other for it to even SEEM viable. (Again, I’m ignoring classes like the arcanist and the inquisitor).
This prevents you from stacking up on the necessary +skill points, RR, and skill modifiers to take the class to the next level.
Currently, the only gear which circumvents this problem is the darkblaze set. Which means that the only pyro most people are ever going to build is going to be the darkblaze pyro.
EDIT: I forgot to mention the rimetongue set. But even then, the NB is going to have a hard time with mana issues without the offhand. And with the offhand, it’s going to have a hard time getting a healthy amount of %bonus damage.
Unless something is done about this, I argue that the demo shall always remain a class which is unable to stand on its own 2 feet.
The very fact that seasoned theorycrafters will almost never pick the demo as a support class further demonstrates its shortcomings. Why do I make this claim? Because:
- Everything the demo has to offer is outclassed by the inquisitor.
- Skills outside the FS line are very ‘meh’ without serious skill points and gear investment
So in essence, what we have is a class which cannot adequately support another primary mastery, and a class which can only be paired well with a handful of masteries.
Ergo - the demo lacks compatibility.
Even with the corruption of gargabol, an item designed SPECIFICALLY for the defiler, it took some serious tinkering about to get it to work at a semi-competitive level.
And the only way that I could make it work is with a set designed for the deathknight.
Crate, something needs to be done about the demo. If the class itself is going to remain unchanged, non-firestrike skill modifiers on items need to be improved upon.
If you managed to read this entire rant, then seriously. Thank you. :rolleyes:
[/spoiler]
Offense
The corruption of gargabol offers everything to make a fantastic vitality FS build except for one of the most important stats - Attack Speed.
So, gearing decisions, skill point allocation, and devotion pathing must all be geared towards overcoming this otherwise crippling limitation.
While the damage is rather impressive, do NOT expect this to be able to perform on par with a purifier.
Defence
This is where this toon truly shines. MoT + Blastshield + Ghoul is where it’s at baby.
Also, BWC gives some amazing DA debuffs to allow us to go for more offensive gearing options, and also provides some awesome flat RR to allow us to bypass manticore.
Gearing alternatives
Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any. Short of getting different affixes needed to fix resists, you’re more or less stuck to the ones you see in my build.
At least, I can’t think of any other way to make it work.
For example, I really wanted to squeeze in boneshatter treads, but its lack of resists just makes it impossible.
Leveling
I have no idea how I would level the defiler. BWC spam is too energy intensive, RE isn’t really an option at the start…so maybe Bone Harvest?
I don’t know. I’d love some advice on this actually.
Questions? Thoughts? Comments?
