[1.0.7.1] Avatar, Keeper of the Balance - Nex & Ortus Cold & Fire Shadow Strike Infiltrator

[thejabrixone]

UPDATE1: Added Mercy Run, No green version, and fix some typos

The Build

https://www.grimtools.com/calc/eVLEjEOZ
with all permanent buff + Word of Renewal, Pneumatic Burst, Lethal Assault, Deadly Aim, and standing on Inquisitor Seal.
DPS shown is Shadow Strike.

Update1, No green version:
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/wV16xxzZ
Untested, but it should be better defensively while sacrificing a bit of offense for using no green.

Build Feature

• Ultimate Crucible Clear Speed
• Contain Inquisitor
• Doesn’t contain Demolitionist
• Fluid gameplay

• Need crafted green boots to cover resistance

Build Overview
Now we explore the power of the new redesigned The Sacred Harmony Set. The answer is: Insane! The set has really good procs from each of its sword and completion bonus. The later is really insane because it allow us to skip elemental storm devo and provide better damage than cataclysm set. The build is then designed to focus on shadow strike supported by 80% Nightblade’s WPS and 200% Attack Speed. Its new Acid > Fire and Cold conversion is really nice and allow us to use guardian’s gaze effectively for supplemental damage and life leech sustain. Other supplemental damage is done by plethora of devotion procs and elemental harmony procs, ensuring good AoE.
PS: Current max damage by Shadow strike is 670k in Crucible (4 Buff no Banner). In Campaign should be 450k-ish.

Defense is good : Decent DA, Decent phys res, dodge, 2.5k armor, fumble, insane lifesteal, 17/12 inquisitor seal, 17% reduced damage from aura of censure, heal from Ortus proc, and ghoul proc.

Equipment Choices
Craft all equipment at Arngrim and try to get +% armor as completion bonus.

Core Items:
The Sacred Harmony Set. Put Nex as main hand
Elemental Harmony Set.

Supporting Items:
Head: Mythical Clairvoyant’s Hat. I want that +all skills and CDR. Get 7% CDR if possible.
Chest and Shoulder: Two Piece of Runebinder. We need that +120% elemental damage completion bonus. Also those piece give us really good set of stats and flat energy regen
Gloves: Mythical Iceskorn Talons. Further overcapping Lethal Assault
Pants: Mythical Slithscale Legwraps. Perfect Fit, also +22% Damage to Kuba!
Boots: Stoneplate Greaves. To cover resistances, “of arcane winds” suffix is preferred for slow res
Belt: Mythical Spellbreaker Waistguard. One of the two +nightbade belt, supporting cold damage and gives aether resistance
Amulet: Empowered Essence of Beronath. Just a good + all skill amulet with +Attack Speed
Medal: Luminari Commendation. Supporting all elemental damage, also converting our plenty pierce damage to elemental damage, strengthening our auto-attack
Relic: Mogdrogen’s Ardor. I want that +all skills, speed, and HP. Get +%DA as completion bonus
Alternative Relic: Belgothian’s Carnage. Gives Flat 1 sec CDR every 4.5 sec. Yield similar performance as Mogdrogen’s Ardor but defensively worse. Get plus to Lethal Assault as completion bonus

Devotions
Offensive Cold & Fire based devotions

Guardian’s Gaze > to Storm box of Elgoloth
Blizzard > to Blade Spirit
Meteor Shower > to Shadow Strike
Rumor > to Amarasta’s Blade Burst
Eldritch Fire > to Inquisitor Seal
Ghoulish Hunger > to Whatever permanent buff

Gameplay
Keybind:
LMB: Shadow Strike
RMB: Amarasta’s Blade Burst
Mouse scroll up/down: Ring of Steel
Keyboard 1: Pneumatic Burst
Keyboard 2: Word of Renewal
Keyboard 3: Storm Box of Elgoloth
Keyboard 4: Inquisitor Seal

Standard procedure:
Summon 2 blade spirit before action.
Press to activate Pneumatic burst and Word of Renewal. Ensure it to always be active and/or save it for heal.
Shadow strike in.
Cast inquisitor seal below you.
Cast Storm box to a strong enemy, triggering multiple guardian’s gaze
Scroll up/down to Ring of Steel, cast it in interval to ensure the enemy affected by fumble.
Hold Shadow strike button and press ABB button once every 3 second

Build Performance
For 170 Crucible, video with 4 buff without banner:

7:20 clear time!!! RoH level clear times with no clunky spell and no danger whatsoever. Nex and Ortus is insane. I think I just found my new favorite build.
Take note that this can potentially be faster as there are still some enemy stuck in their spawn point in that video.

There is no dangerous enemy. This build just kill them all with no care to the world.

UPDATE1
Mercymaker run with 3 buff + vanguard banner (6 minutes clear time):

Build used in his video contain no inquisitor seal:
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/dVbJGjkV

The build consistently clear cruci 6 minutes to 6:10 minutes. This is one of the most consistent build for fast clearing cruci in this patch

Afterword
My 2nd build of 2019 and my current favorite build (beside vileblade). Enjoy!

[Ceno]

• Contain Inquisitor
• Doesn’t contain Demolitionist

You sure these are plus’s?

Dope build, hype transmog! Me likey.

[mad_lee]

That’s much better than another RoH Infiltratror, Jabrix! Well done.

But. But! It can be a bit better! Have you considered classical SS Spellbreaker items like Belgothian Carnage relic (for additional cdr) and Mythical Silver Sentinel Shoulders (for more flat Cold)? Also, amulets with cdr are worth looking into, like Eye of the Blind Assassin for example.

[ya1]

Awesome. Just the name doesn’t feel right… Something about “balance”?

[Mercymaker]

i tried this build but without any points in inq seal. Did 3 runs all around the 6:30min mark with banner. Nice build Reminds me of the good old SS Spellbreaker days

[ya1]

Have you tested Beronath Fury?

[thejabrixone]

You sure these are plus’s?

Dope build, hype transmog! Me likey.

Finally someone recognized my amazing fashion sense!
Thanks Ceno!

That’s much better than another RoH Infiltratror, Jabrix! Well done.

But. But! It can be a bit better! Have you considered classical SS Spellbreaker items like Belgothian Carnage relic (for additional cdr) and Mythical Silver Sentinel Shoulders (for more flat Cold)? Also, amulets with cdr are worth looking into, like Eye of the Blind Assassin for example.

Shaddap MadLee! RoH is beautiful!
Anyway Thanks!

Yeah I considered blind assassin amulet, but after contemplating, it’s just substract 0.2 sec CD of SS. Blue beronath amulet is much more valuable with its plus all skills, high AS, and plus to elemental damage, which we desperately need.

No need for silver sentinel shoulder, the sacred balance set already fully convert acid damage. Also plus to elemental damage is really needed for this build.

Belgothian carnage… I previously scrap it because I thought I really need all plus skills, on a second thought, it would probably be really good:
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/RZRGdo0N

Attack speed will be down to about 193%, but it should be worth it. Will test it tonight or tomorrow.

Awesome. Just the name doesn’t feel right… Something about “balance”?

I leveled this character while re-watching Avatar the Last Airbender! I felt like it’s a fate.

i tried this build but without any points in inq seal. Did 3 runs all around the 6:30min mark with banner. Nice build Reminds me of the good old SS Spellbreaker days

Aww, I thought it can do below 6 minutes with banner. I can already do 3 run consistently with only 3 or 4 buff though. Arcane empowerment is a big damage boost to this build though, so I suggest you to use it.
Anyway, thanks Mercy!

Have you tested Beronath Fury?

No and no need. Addition of beronath fury will just make the build clunky. The build only use the auto-attack as supplemental damage.

[Mercymaker]

Aww, I thought it can do below 6 minutes with banner. I can already do 3 run consistently with only 3 or 4 buff though. Arcane empowerment is a big damage boost to this build though, so I suggest you to use it.
Anyway, thanks Mercy!

I did do 2 runs with it. I actually got better times without it. That and i felt much smoother to play without having to worry about throwing up a seal and staying on it.
And i didn’t really time the runs properly or anything. I’ll see if i can’t record a run at a later date and post a vid

[mad_lee]

I completely overlooked acid conversion on swords, my bad. Well, only cdr boosting left. Is it me or did Mageslayer’s amulet use to have cdr on it?

[thejabrixone]

I did do 2 runs with it. I actually got better times without it. That and i felt much smoother to play without having to worry about throwing up a seal and staying on it.
And i didn’t really time the runs properly or anything. I’ll see if i can’t record a run at a later date and post a vid

Thanks Mercy, looking forward to your vids!

I completely overlooked acid conversion on swords, my bad. Well, only cdr boosting left. Is it me or did Mageslayer’s amulet use to have cdr on it?

Hmm, They never have CDR on the whole set. Rimetongue has.
I think belgo relic will improve the build, I don’t think blind assassin amulet do though.

[Mercymaker]

So yeah i’m retarded, this build does consistent 6:00-6:10min runs.

The under 6mins run was weird since this happened. I was stuck for a little over 30s and the last nemesis on wave 170 was killed at the 6:29min mark. So i think that counts. Actual run would probably have been 5:55 or so.

Want me to upload one of the 6min runs or do you want that under 6min bugged run?

PS. These runs were done without the inq seal
EDIT: Build used https://www.grimtools.com/calc/dVbJGjkV

[mad_lee]

So yeah i’m retarded, this build does consistent 6:00-6:10min runs.

The under 6mins run was weird since this happened. I was stuck for a little over 30s and the last nemesis on wave 170 was killed at the 6:29min mark. So i think that counts. Actual run would probably have been 5:55 or so.

Want me to upload one of the 6min runs or do you want that under 6min bugged run?

PS. These runs were done without the inq seal
EDIT: Build used https://www.grimtools.com/calc/dVbJGjkV

Infiltrators seem to get job done with any kind of elemental builds. What a sick result, and that’s just with 2750 DA. How do you die with Belgothian Infiltrator, Mercy, and not die with this guy? I am salty!

[Dioarchet]

I’m also surprised that this can compete with the likes of Deathmarked and Korba, good job. That 7% CDR is quite genius because it allows Blizzard to proc every 3 seconds, and BS ticks once per second.

Only comment is to maybe switch Guardian’s Gaze to Flame Torrent, since Lightning Tether ticks with a delay of less than 0.5 second. If you do this, you can also free up one point (from Mistress), which can be used to get Tsunami (from Sailor) for extra shits and giggles.

[The_Mess]

Ch’thon damnit, once again it’s shown Inquisitor is stronger than Demolitionist with a set that’s meant for Demo+Nightblade. Bah.

At least though I have a build I can use for the Sacred Balance set I completed yesterday while farming for materials.

[thejabrixone]

So yeah i’m retarded, this build does consistent 6:00-6:10min runs.

The under 6mins run was weird since this happened. I was stuck for a little over 30s and the last nemesis on wave 170 was killed at the 6:29min mark. So i think that counts. Actual run would probably have been 5:55 or so.

Want me to upload one of the 6min runs or do you want that under 6min bugged run?

PS. These runs were done without the inq seal
EDIT: Build used https://www.grimtools.com/calc/dVbJGjkV

Yeah, that’s more like it. Although I am surprised that you can get consistent result without Inquisitor seal. One of the 6 minutes run is fine ;)…

Now then, witch hunter version of this build could also possibly be good…

Infiltrators seem to get job done with any kind of elemental builds. What a sick result, and that’s just with 2750 DA. How do you die with Belgothian Infiltrator, Mercy, and not die with this guy? I am salty!

It’s the power of Avatar, the balance keeper O:).
Well, the trick is this build has a lot of proc with WD for sustain and guardian’s gaze done a damn good job at that.

I’m also surprised that this can compete with the likes of Deathmarked and Korba, good job. That 7% CDR is quite genius because it allows Blizzard to proc every 3 seconds, and BS ticks once per second.

Only comment is to maybe switch Guardian’s Gaze to Flame Torrent, since Lightning Tether ticks with a delay of less than 0.5 second. If you do this, you can also free up one point (from Mistress), which can be used to get Tsunami (from Sailor) for extra shits and giggles.

Thanks Dio!
Shadow strike build is not that popular post AoM and I think it’s quite unexplored. So maybe that’s why. People always think that pure auto attack build with auto attack replacer is better where it is not necessarily true. Also now I like this kind of build better because I think it’s not affected by grava fumble. LoL…

I think guardian’s gaze is better than flame torrent though. It can proc to as many as 10 eye ball. Also I have a bad experience with tsunami before, I haven’t explored it again.

Ch’thon damnit, once again it’s shown Inquisitor is stronger than Demolitionist with a set that’s meant for Demo+Nightblade. Bah.

At least though I have a build I can use for the Sacred Balance set I completed yesterday while farming for materials.

Well it is obvious Inquisitor is stronger than demolitionist. Demo is the weakest of the weakest mastery in the game.
When you think about it, if you only want to focus on shadow strike, you can also make a witch hunter or trickster. Witch hunter could also be strong because it has so much flat acid.

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[Mercymaker]

Vid:

//youtu.be/aYSlW6MhRD0

How do you die with Belgothian Infiltrator, Mercy, and not die with this guy? I am salty!

[thejabrixone]

Vid:

//youtu.be/aYSlW6MhRD0

That’s a beautiful run, thanks Mercy! I think it’s safe to say that we have a new Melee king ;)…

BTW, I am gonna test the build tonight with belgothian relic (right now it’s morning in my timezone). If it turns out to be better, would you mind to test it again?

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[Mercymaker]

I think it’s safe to say that we have a new Melee king

You sure about that?
http://grimdawn.com/forums/showpost.php?p=689715&postcount=90

[thejabrixone]

You sure about that?

http://grimdawn.com/forums/showpost.php?p=689715&postcount=90

Wait until tonight and we shall see!
Damn deathmarked…

IDK about deathmarked, but I just love the consistency of this build…

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[ya1]

It’s not really melee, is it? More like a nuker/proccer with a splash of melee on the side, imho.

My previous comment about “balance” referred to the fact that just about 9 out of top 10 builds in 7.1 are dw.