Hi everyone, I wanted to test a few more Deathmark builds while waiting for the next patch. I didn’t like the Blademaster version, it has been done many times already so didn’t want to post that and moved on to Spellbreaker. The main idea was using extra %15phys>cold conversion and Maiven; bad side of this build you need to use Beronath for AA. It’s still too squishy for my tase; done almost a dozen of 75-76 runs; you need to be very lucky to finish without death.
Images from the game with permanent and PB & LA buffs.
I have Deathmarked Blademaster without AA replacer (or, I should say, with ABB in its place) https://www.grimtools.com/calc/JVlve7pN. It is personal taste, of course (do not like charging ABB due to its short cooldown), but the build does not feel squishy and pleasant to play as well. Did you try your Spellbreaker without Beronath and if yes, what is better, in your opinion?
Nope, that would be even worse due to diminishing lifesteal. But I did test a DW ABB Spellbreaker without deathmark set; which was even worse due to low attack speed; I even tested OFF+ABB Spellbreaker which wasn’t good either. Right now this one is the most balanced melee or hybrid Spellbreaker I made. I will try Soulrend and Northern Wyrm next.
But I also made DM Blademaster, damage was great definitely better than spellbreaker; health and armor were a bit higher but didn’t felt tanky enough either.
For clarification, if I can’t facetank some hard hitters in SR farming range as melee then that build is not tanky I’m not expecting facetanks after 85+ but I mean when you get oneshotted by Master of Flesh or Reaper in 75 it’s annoying.
They are supposed to one-shot (along with Gargabol/Gargaban and Shar’Zul variations). So the strategy “do-not-get-hit” applies, if you do not play Infiltrator, for example. Do not fear to retreat and manually avoid some telegraphed heavy attacks - this is what I have learned while playing such squishy characters .
Most combats in farming range is stat-check; of course you gotta dodge/avoid what you have to but generally speaking; if a melee build has to retreat after every three hits then it’s too squishy for a melee; trying to avoid every single hard hit with melee build is buzzkiller you don’t have that space always.
I did not say to retreat after every three hits or so, just to learn patterns and try to avoid certain attacks that deal massive damage. The rest could be life-leeched. Your build can handle situations like these, damage is sufficient to allow some retreat.
But I do not want to teach anyone how to play and what playstyle to choose. Just my thoughts about handling squishy melee builds .
What I’m saying is build can not handle these situation. Damage is not good enough, defense is not good enough; these makes this build very mediocre. 10 75-76 runs; only one done without any death. In one of these runs I died to second phase of Manifestation of Korvaak 10 times; eventually I used consumables to pass that lol.
Deathmark Blademaster has enough damage to carry(some say still no), better pilots than me obviosly can push it’s limits but deathmark spellbreaker is not good enough. And this is not a one week build; I’ve made this almost 2 months ago, then didn’t like it; changed it into test Aether Spellbreaker, that wasn’t good enough either, tested OFF etc, at last I wanted to give one more shot to deathmark and this is the result.
And cold damage has more than a few arch enemy. Fabius if you’re squishy, Moosi because you can’t kill those crystals, Kuba and other enemies that spawn crystals. I even create that ‘‘worst damage type’’ poll because of this; wanted to know if anyone else had problems particular to cold damages; but apparently no. My old cold builds also felt squishier than they should be.
Oh, and I answered my own question, I think. With your permission, I would like to post two videos from SR 75-76 boss rooms. In shards mobs die fast anyway .
Looks like, the sustain is decent even without AA replacer. With Mirror, Maiven’s Sphere and Nullification it would be even better. Also, it would be nice for Deathmarked set skill to be a proc rather than active (for QoL).
He is unfairly strong for almost all builds (except for Retal ones).
My Spellbreaker is tankier than your Blademaster ofc And faster. She can facetank brother Segarius and it’s fissures etc And your Cadenceless blademaster seem to do better damage than I imagined but still Cadence and Executioner amulet will do much much better.
And those are very high graphics? My cold RoS doesn’t look that good…
I decided not to be greedy against him in that fight. Better safe than sorry .
Maybe, but I would need so many free Skillpoints for Cadence line. Serenity and Soldier belt etc. And still uptime ABB and Mark . That is a disastrous play for me.
I’m not expecting facetanks after 85+ but I mean when you get oneshotted by Master of Flesh or Reaper in 75 it’s annoying.
(along with Gargabol/Gargaban and Shar’Zul variations). So the strategy “do-not-get-hit” applies, if you do not play Infiltrator, for example. Do not fear to retreat and manually avoid some telegraphed heavy attacks - this is what I have learned while playing such squishy characters 
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And faster. She can facetank brother Segarius and it’s fissures etc 
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. That is a disastrous play for me.