[1.1.9.1] [HC] Nightclaw Tactician, pierce 1h Blade Arc, Ravager, SR 65, Cr170

INTRODUCTION

Nightclaw got changed in patch 1.1.9.1 to now convert all physical damage to pierce on Blade Arc. That and one of my viewers requesting me to theorcraft a build around it made me actually also try it out ingame, so here we are. With the right rolls and right affixes on your greens you can push this build to 80% physical resistance and 200% attack speed. However the base damage of 1 handed Blade Arc and especially pierce Blade Arc is really mediocre, so the build is tanky but has really underwhelming dps.


^ingame stats with all permant buffs up including Word of Renewal, without temporary buffs. DPS shown is Blade Arc, highest crit 218k.

GRIMTOOLS

1.1.9.1: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/a2dXdR12

PERFORMANCE

YT playlist

Highlight video from patch 1.1.9.1:

LEVELING

I talk a bit about how to level with 1h Blade Arc in the highlight video above.
Otherwise feel free to level with 2h Forcewave like in my guide.

SPEEDLEVELING

VoDs of me speedleveling this build with 2h Forcewave:

Feedback & Final Words

While the Character can facetank ravager and clear Crucible Gladiator waves 1-150 basically naked, it really struggles damage wise in waves 150-170 and clearing SR 65-66 in a reasonable time. DPS of one handed pierce Blade Arc is pretty abysmal and maybe this weapon should instead be played on a pierce/bleed hybrid build. Maybe a different class like Warder would also perform better for that, no clue.
Overall I like the build, but 1h pierce Blade Arc really needs a buff imo. Maybe I’m just building it wrong, so as always any kind of feedback is apprechiated!
Feel free to check out my other builds in my HC build collection! :slight_smile:

10 Likes

Good work! Yeah 1H BA is very mediocre. I emphasized this issue with three example as feedback so we’ll see in 1.1.9.2, I hope they increase the flat damage value on these item.

Btw did you try unchained might? or Flat and % from Shadow’s Grasp overperform it?

1 Like

Can’t use it because Unchained Might gives Conviction 50% pierce to phys and the build is using Conviction (you can use them if you’re Blademaster though).

@Superfluff said he was gonna do a 1H Pierce BA Blademaster.

Yeah right stupid me, forgot that mod exist, my bad :smiley:

I think with Pit Master’s Axe on off-hand; Nightclaw on main it can be done Pierce/Bleed DW but 1H BA, or with Targo to stack trauma though it will definitely require a lot of sustain. I did 3, only one worked fair enough which was Vitality/Bleed Warder. Didn’t try pierce damage.

Here was my meme blademaster I tooled up with it… I havent had the time to create/test it yet though https://www.grimtools.com/calc/YVWe8WGN

4 Likes

https://www.grimtools.com/calc/a2dBOR5Z is what I came up with but it’s a super double rare MI setup that goes all-in on damage.

3 Likes

Now seeing the the idea of using DW/with main-hand base skill looks very weird :rofl: Bud %283 WD BA seems good.

I did try to make a Bleeding Warlord with Pit Master’s Axe https://www.grimtools.com/calc/m23O4AE2 but failed terribly. No leech what so ever. tanky but really hard to play.