[1.1.4.0] Budget AAR Mage Hunter

Introduction

Mage Hunter (Inquisitor+Arcanist) is excellent class for caster. It can be build around one of the Arcanist spells like Trozan, Panetti or Albrecht aether ray. AAR since few patches ago can pierce through enemies, so that gives more AoE damage. AAR can be made in few different flavors, like fire, lightning, chaos, aether and vitality. Fire and lightning budget builds are made by @malawiglenn and also by @adoomgod, so here’s Mage Hunter aether and sketches for chaos. For aether MH have strong opponent- Spellbinder and for chaos without items is tough call.

  • Disclaimer, due to lack of internet pics are from older patch.

Build

Grim%20Dawn%202019-07-28%2020-06-19-72

  • DPS and OA should be higher

GT :arrows_counterclockwise: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/r2BpEKwZ

Gameplay: AAR is main attack, it scales with cast speed and is requires high energy sustain. So you stand in seal, cast AAR, but also occasional Pain and Haunt for RR procs. Heal with Renewal, use Nulification to remove enemies buffs and mirror as panic buttom.

Gear

Faction gear items:

  • rings,from Solael and Barrowholm reputation, good combo for stats
  • Shoulders, Dreeg reputation, can be beaten by good rolled Log(final boss) shoulders
  • medal, faction recipe from Bysmiel, lots of resistances and OA
  • belt, crafted, recipe from Coven

Targetable items:

  • Fettan Mask, dropped from chest in FG area
  • Krieg gloves, from Valaxteria in act 6
  • Krieg boots, from Terrnox in act 6, 2 piece combo gives solid aether damage

Blue/low level items:

  • Amulet, used for conversion. Also nice chunk of aether resistance
  • Dagger, not mandatory, but again elemental conversion helps a lot
  • Relic, Haunt- +1 Arcanist skills and RR proc, super good and cheap relic

Green Monster Infrequent items:

  • Off hand, our bread and butter. Makes AAR damage heals you. You can buy it too form vendor in Port Valbury (thanks, @malawiglenn)
  • Pants, any pants with stats and resistances can fit. BiS are Alex, but Dreeg are cheaper option. Good base of OA and resistance
  • Chest, for lightning to aether conversion, drops from Koorvak followers in FG area

Stats to aim for:

  • at least 2.7k OA
  • at least 2.8k DA
  • at least 10k Health
  • all resistances (Pierce,not needed) capped, overcaps are welcomed
  • 1.5k armor
  • 10-15 % physical resistance
  • 180-190 % cast speed minimum
  • 2k % aether damage

Attributes : spirit to equip Off hand, everything else in Physique. If you have more DA, than you can invest in spirit

Devotions

I want to ensure take of Harp constellation for energy regen. Also went for Spear for extra damage proc. But route is open for debate. How to get my exact map:

  • Blue
  • Imp, remove blue
  • Hawk
  • Widow
  • Sailor’s Guide
  • Tower
  • Purple
  • Wolverine, remove purple
  • Yellow
  • Bard’s Harp, remove yellow
  • Red
  • Viper
  • Vulture
  • Reventant, remove red
  • Spear of the Heavens :angel:

Chaos build

Grim%20Dawn%202019-07-28%2022-19-04-54

GT :arrows_counterclockwise: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/m23gyY12

  • perma buffs and Dying God

Some different items, like Hexflame faction recipe legendary weapon, Log shoulders, Sacred Talisman relic( form Rovers quest), Final March boots, Bloodsworm green chest.

Devotions, I opt to take Dying God together with Harp.

Aether vs Chaos Mage Hunter:

Chaos have more regen, huge physical resistance, more OA, looks cooler(personal opinion), but I will go with aether. Aether is easier to gear, more RR, more %damage. Actually %chaos is almost impossible to stack. I went for crazy spirit numbers just for that!

Further Reading

☄ Collection of malawiglenn's Beginner Friendly builds That’s Malawiglenn guide for lightning AAR, may help you build your build from the scratch.

[1.1.3.0] Beginner's/budget Mage Hunter My Mage Hunter guide, it has some ground rules for leveling MH

[1.1.3.0] AAR vs FoI (Deceiver, Mage Hunter, Purifier, Spellbinder, Warlock) (c+) (sr+) (g3) Collection for AAR builds by Nandi

Recommended beginner builds

Builds by Nery(me)

⚔ Nery's beginner build collection Collection with my beginners builds

Builds by Stupid_Dragon

[DW melee] Beginner’s Virulent Dervish
[DW melee] Beginner’s Forgotten Blademaster
[shield melee] Beginner’s pre-Krieg Death Knight
[2H melee] Krieg Death Knight on budget, the Soul Reaver
[1.0.4.0] Beginner’s melee 2H Lightning Elementalist Old but still deserves a mention
[1.0.4.1] Beginner's ranged Tactician Old but still deserves a mention

Builds by malawiglenn

☄ Collection of malawiglenn's Beginner Friendly builds Collection with Malawiglenn builds

Build by Sir Spanksalot

🔪 Sir Spanksalot's / malawiglenn's Beginner Guide for Phantasmal Blades Reaper still not re-formatted to fit the new forum but the most important things are in there.

Builds by Maya

The Carnival - A Guide to Pets contains all you need to know about pets and contains several budget builds

Build by Udars

[1.1.3.0] Vanquisher Fire Sentinel, semi-beginner friendly and practically farmable Semi budget build around Vanquisher set

Also if you are in doubt,check my guide,how to select a build! https://forums.crateentertainment.com/t/guide-for-helping-how-to-choose-your-build/83484

Looks good! I will include your aether and chaos variants in my guide :slight_smile:

Thanks! Rey have different colors lighsabers to play :slight_smile:

I would like to see a multiplayer game with 4 people playing with the four different color rays

BTW did you also try build with Fleshwarped tome off-hand and Bat devotion on AAR for heal?

That’s not bad idea. If have problems dying, maybe Bat+this off hand. I don’t want to give it up, but tome is good off hand.

The conversion on your chaos AAR is fucked up.
Weapon skill modifier (100% aether to fire) and transmuter (100% aether to chaos) will have same priority.
This means that you will convert 50% of the aether to chaos and 50% of the aether to fire.

Thanks! When was this added? :man_shrugging:

Hexflame conversion? no idea, since always? :stuck_out_tongue:

I didn’t noticed, but I can swear in previous patch, when created the sketch, the conversion was not present :smile:

Or was there the whole time and I am easily distracted. :bird:

I did my Fire AAR sketch in 1.1.3.0 and it was there :slight_smile:

Not sure what a good replacer budget weapon is, probably Sister Crimson weapon with +% chaos dmg

Or I can use the same blue weapon from the aether version.

yeah should probably be better

How can I see the exact skill progression? Thanks !

Welcome to the forum! Have to admit I haven’t level it with AAR. The energy cost needs to be sustain. It’s better to start with Words of pain in Inquisitor, later switch to AAR.

Thanks! It was indeed my first post lol… New to the game.

Is there a way to see the skill progression on Grim tools?

I don’t think so. Btw this forum makes notification when it’s someone’s first post :slight_smile:

Love your guide Nery :heart_eyes:
But i see you have this guide and also a post of a beginner AAR MH
What i dont understand is the difference between the 2 devotion trees since they are different.
I am leveling one now and im not sure what to follow in the devotion setup.

I mean it depends how you want to level. The devotions you see are based on the end game budget build. And Mage Hunter as class is very versatile , you can choose any AAR damage type.