[1.1.8.1] Two 2H melee Death Knights - aether Cadence and aether Blade Arc, easy SR 80+

[Duchy]

INTRODUCTION

I saw that there are no aether 2H melee Death Knights on this forum using Cadence or Blade Arc so I decided to make them. Core of both builds is Krieg’s set with Scion of the Screaming Veil. Blade Arc build is a little more offensive, Cadence build is a little more defensive. Cadence build has better lifeleech and petrification proc on medal is nice and useful. I have decided to not go with items that give bonus physical damage to Blade Arc because I have almost no conversion of physical damage to aether. Blade Arc version is also more expensive to build due to specific affixes. Blade Arc build needs energy potions from time to time (not too much, it is still MC viable with its energy regen). Neither of these builds stands above the other. Both builds can do SR 80 easily. Aether Cadence and Blade Arc are better than chaos versions which I have made here. Chaos builds have more RR and more DPS yet chaos builds are behind as is usually the case.

I have other Cadence builds here. I have other aether melee builds here. All my builds are here.

Here is a list comparing all my Cadence builds from best to worst. All are at least SR 65-66 capable.

1. Oleron – great build, 2H melee physical, good offensively and very powerful defensively

2. Aether Crusher – great build, 2H melee aether, offensively a little weaker than Oleron, defensively noticably weaker than Oleron

3. Ultos – great build, 2H melee lightning, offensively noticably weaker than Aether Crusher, defensively a little weaker than Oleron

4. Chaotic Crusher – great build, 2H melee chaos, offensively similar to Aether Crusher, defensively noticably weaker than Aether Crusher

5. Amatok – great build, 2H melee cold, offensively a little weaker than Chaotic Crusher, defensively a little weaker than Chaotic Crusher

6. Ele Mental – good build, 2H melee elemental, offensively a little weaker than Ultos, defensively a little weaker than Aether Crusher

7. Empyrion – good build, 2H melee fire, offensively a little weaker than Amatok, defensively a little weaker than Amatok

8. Rattosh – good build, 2H melee vitality, offensively similar to Amatok, defensively a little weaker than Empyrion

Version 1 - Cadence - Aether Crusher

This build has better single target and weaker AoE than Blade Arc. It is also cheaper to build.

GRIMTOOLS https://www.grimtools.com/calc/M2gmdxEZ

Build has one monster infrequent item - Ugdenbog Girdle. Affixes are chosen for aether damage and OA. Crafting bonus on the amulet is to stun resistance.

Stats of the build

OFFENSE

high DPS from 140k to 210k

high base weapon damage

high attack speed 173 %

low critical damage - 20 %

OK OA - base around 2900 OA (with Fighting Spirit close to 3100 OA)

55 DA reduction to enemies from Annihilation

good aether resistance reduction - from Spectral Wrath, Arcane Bomb and Revenant (Krieg’s Wrath) - up to - 90 %

damage from devotions - Arcane Bomb, Spear of the Heavens and Revenant

DEFENSE

OK life around 18500 HP

OK base DA around 2900 DA

150 OA reduction to enemies from Annihilation and Arcane Bomb

nice lifesteal 31 %

high CC resistances

reasonably overcapped resistances

OK armor - around 2750

OK physical resistance 25 %

damage reduction from Ill Omen

Ghoul

Menhir’s Will

Prismatic Rage from component

Mark of Torment

image from the game with passive buffs only

image from the game with passive buffs + Deadly Momentum, Soul Harvest and Fighting Spirit

Version 2 - Blade Arc - Aether Smasher

This build has better AoE and weaker single target than Cadence. For additional damage this build uses Bone Harvest. It is also more expensive to build.

GRIMTOOLS https://www.grimtools.com/calc/nZoQKod2

Build has three monster infrequent items - Ugdenbog Girdle, Mark of Plagius and Kaisan’s Burning Eye. Affixes are chosen for Blade Arc, aether damage, AS and OA. Getting affixes for Blade Arc is very expensive here.

Stats of the build

OFFENSE

high DPS from 130k to 170k

high base weapon damage

high attack speed 178 %

low critical damage - 20 %

OK OA - base around 2900 OA (with Fighting Spirit around 3200 OA)

55 DA reduction to enemies from Annihilation

good aether resistance reduction - from Spectral Wrath, Arcane Bomb and Revenant (Krieg’s Wrath) - up to - 90 %

damage from devotions - Arcane Bomb, Spear of the Heavens and Revenant

DEFENSE

OK life around 18500 HP

OK base DA around 2900 DA

150 OA reduction to enemies from Annihilation and Arcane Bomb

nice lifesteal 34 %

high CC resistances

reasonably overcapped resistances

OK armor - around 2700

OK physical resistance 25 %

damage reduction from Ravenous Earth

Ghoul

Menhir’s Will

Prismatic Rage from component

Mark of Torment

image from the game with passive buffs only

image from the game with passive buffs + Soul Harvest and Fighting Spirit

SR, CRUCIBLE

I play SR with camera pointed away from enemies and I try my builds only in SR 65-66 and SR 80. I play around 10 SR runs per character.

Both builds do SR 80 easily and no boss is a problem. Use Mark of Torment if necessary. They can go higher.

I don’t play Crucible so I don’t have a time number for it.

Images from SR 80

Images for Cadence build

Images for Blade Arc build

[Ulvar1]

I first read “aether cluster” instead of “aether crusher”

[Duchy]

No need for aether clusters here

[lajsu]

Can i ask, why Fighting spirit talent is not maxed, and instead there is couple points in decorated soldier? Is it because i need more overcapped ele resists?

Also, would you say those builds are better than your screaming veil oppresor?

Last question - any chance for those builds to kill Callagadra?

[Duchy]

Yes because of elemental resistance. No Calla is just too stupid OP. Pets or retal builds if you want to kill her. Screaming Veil Oppressor is a little better.

[Malachai13]

would the fleshwarped core item be a good for a budget weapon for leveling this character?

[Stupid_Dragon]

@Malachai13

would the fleshwarped core item be a good for a budget weapon for leveling this character?

Yes, it would.
The real question is why level with aether Cadence / Blade Arc when it can be done as physical Cadence / Blade Arc instead. Less complications that way and plays pretty much the same.

[Willnoword]

@Stupid_Dragon

The real question is why level with aether Cadence / Blade Arc

1. Because you can (and gear allows it) ;
2. To level up necessary endgame devotions early - more practical.

[Stupid_Dragon]

@Willnoword

@Stupid_Dragon

The real question is why level with aether Cadence / Blade Arc

1. Because you can (and gear allows it) ;
2. To level up necessary endgame devotions early - more practical.

In my experience “gear allows it” is not a yes / no toggle, it’s a sliding scale. Yes, you can convert any physical damage Soldier has to Aether with that 2H candlestick, but what else there is to support aether soldier mid to late levels? Would it really be fun levelling if one had known he’d get nothing suitable until he farms the Krieg set up and crawls to level 94?

Levelling devotions is a strong argument, I often use it myself, but in this particular case Fleshwarped Core is something you get rather late. Even it’s minimum level is 40, but realistically I don’t see a beginner rushing the game to get it by that level, he would be level 50-55 instead, maybe even 60. I’ve even seen people finishing AoM at 70+. So for a large part of early game your %damage giving devotions would be a dead weight rather than something that speeds up your levelling.

[Willnoword]

@Stupid_Dragon

In my experience “gear allows it” is not a yes / no toggle, it’s a sliding scale. Yes, you can convert any physical damage Soldier has to Aether with that 2H candlestick, but what else there is to support aether soldier mid to late levels? Would it really be fun levelling if one had known he’d get nothing suitable until he farms the Krieg set up and crawls to level 94?

It is pretty subjective, about fun and crawl. Yes, it may be slow and not effective, but the possibility exists because of conversions. So you can level with Aether Cadence, Forcewave, Blade Arc etc . Also, @Malachai13 asked about suitability of Fleshwarped Core for such gameplay, not what gear to level with, means he can provide himself with a weapon (I may be wrong, of course). Experimenting in game, even horrible one, has fun too. I still remember my first Mogdrogen kill by S&B Warlord, 90 minutes of constant bashing his face .

[Malachai13]

So I can, but it might be a bit of a grind leveling, and I could use a lvl 94 version as a budget stand in for the end game weapon then. TYVM!

[JRob]

What chest illusion is that? Looks sweet!

[eisprinzessin]

I think it is Allagast’s Robe.