[1.1.2.4-1.1.8.0] [HC] ALR - lightning ray Mage Hunter [vids]

UPDATED FOR 1.1.8.0
GRIMTOOLS my current setup: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/YVWz6ML2
beginner setup (needs of celerity on either main hand or off hand): https://www.grimtools.com/calc/bVAL5xo2

Highlight/Guide video:

1.1.8 performance videos
dummy kill time ~25-26sec
crucible gladiator 150-170 three tries:
HC run #1 - 7 min 31 sec
HC run #2 - 6 min 48 sec
HC run #3 - 6 min 28 sec
average: 6 min 56 sec
remember: I am bad at crucible and I don’t wanna die on HC :stuck_out_tongue:

From the 1.1.2.4 post:
Introduction
After checking the several options the updated Albrecht’s Aether Ray (AAR) has (aether with „The Clairvoyant’s Focus“ set, chaos with „Black Scorch Covenant“ set, cold with „Conduit of Arcane Whispers“ and vitality with just the „Mythical Clairvoyant’s Hat“), I decided to go for lightning AAR as I think this has the most potential. We know now full aether Spellbinder with two piece clairvoyant has the most damage thanks to ya_'s AARMAGEDDON.

That said, this is a HC build and thus cares a bit more about other stats other than damage and minimal defense.


GRIMTOOLS https://www.grimtools.com/calc/pZrPr512 ^ingame screen with deadly aim and inspiration up

vs Target Dummy
vs Ultimate Mogdrogen
vs Lokarr
in Crucible 130-150 and 150-170
in Shattered Realm shards 50-51
Ravager/Callagadra: probably a nope unless you can get higher phys res
Crate of Entertainment: skipping that one in HC
Twitch vods for lvling and other ultimate content: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/422014976, https://www.twitch.tv/videos/422980594, https://www.twitch.tv/videos/424266969, https://www.twitch.tv/videos/425199295

Changes with 1.1.2

piercing AAR!!!

Devotions

Tier 1:

  • Viper: OA, affinities
  • Quill: DA, affinity, aether res

Tier 2:

  • Rhowan’s Crown: flat RR on proc, resistances
  • Solemn Watcher: still the best defensive devotion imo, DA, armor, resistances
  • Widow: -RR on proc
  • Bard’s Harp: energy regen, res; OA, DA, cc res and huge energy regen on proc
  • Phoenix: Elemental%, res, absorb proc
  • Chariot: OA, stun res, DA and armor on proc
  • Targo: 4 nodes for HP, res and HP

Tier 3:

  • Ultos: OA, lightning%, RR proc

Gear
mandatory

  • amulet: Aetherbolt Pendant
  • rings: 2x Mythical Glyph of the Storm Witch (try to get 30% conversion rolls)
  • offhand: Pulsing Shard (try to get castspeed and phys res)
  • weapon slot: Crimson’s Arcane Scepter (try to get castspeed or %lightning damage)
  • gloves: Mythical Aetherreach

flexible

  • head: Ravager’s Helm (%HP and %crit damage ones are good, I’m currently using the lifesteal one, which is by far the worst due to me only having one ravager kill on HC so far) or Outcast’s Secret (if you use this put at least one point into devastation)
  • shoulders: Loghorrean’s (try to get additional phys res; Valdaran’s or Dawnshard Pauldrons are good, too)
  • chest: Valaxteria’s Skytorn Robes or Mythical Runeforged Chestguard (try to get max conversion rolls, if you don’t use storm shepard belt), Fateweaver’s Rainment (if you use storm shepard belt)
  • belt: Phantom-Thread Girdle, Arcanoweave Girdle, Mythical Storm Shepard
  • relic: Iskandra’s Balance (I got lucky and hit +1 disintegration), Ignaffar’s Combustion, Serenity
  • pants: Mythical Arcane Harmony Leggings for disruption protection
  • boots: Stoneplate Greaves, to mainly fix poison and pierce res. Venomspine Greaves, Stonetreaders or Stormtitan Treads can be used instead.
  • medal: Mark of Unlife, Mark of Divinity, Badge of Mastery with +skills to Maiven’s Sphere, … (lots of choices tbh)

Offense

  • lightning AAR is your bread and butter cutting laz0r and good at both aoe and single target since patch 1.1.2main
  • storm box, aether corruption and ravager’s deathgaze/devastation for supportive damage/debuffs/RR
  • 2,7k OA without procs, 3,2k OA with procs not anything crazy, but good enough
  • 19% CDR - nothing special for arcanists
  • 190+% CS – with ideal setups 200%, as expected for AAR casters
  • up to 176% crit damage on AAR, really high crit multipliers
  • ~2k% lightning, ~1,5% electrocute multipliers - not amazing but fine imo
  • Resist Reduction: -78% (aura of censure+storm box+arcane bomb) + 32 reduced (elemental storm) + 25% reduced (Ultos), not that high, but this is an arcanist so what can you expect…
  • highest AAR tick: 342k (~280k in main campaign)

Defense

  • 2,87k DA base, going up to 3,2k DA with procs
  • 2k base armor, going up to 2k with wayward soul proc - caster armor
  • all resistances overcapped by at least 30% except for vitality and lightning (drink potions for those two for better overcap)
  • 17% phys res ingame, can be greatly improved with formidable prefixes or fateweaver’s chest
  • 17% reduction to enemy’s damage (Aura of Censure) and 33% reduction to enemy’s elemental (Nullification)
  • 22% damage absorb (Maiven’s Sphere)
  • 250 + 168 flat damage absorb (Inquisitor’s Seal and Phoenix)
  • Mirror of Ereoctes

Leveling

  • level using Word of Pain and Storm Box
  • rush elemental storm and widow devotions

Abbreviations
AAR = Albrecht’s Aether Ray, RR = resist reduction, OA/DA = offensive/defensive ability, CS = casting speed, CDR = cooldown reduction, HC = hardcore, HP = health points

Final Words
AAR feels a lot more amazing now than before imo and it’s a lot of fun even though it’s still not be the best performing type of build. Thank you very much everyone for reading this build and watching the videos! As always, feel free to comment, critize, etc., any feedback is appreciated :slight_smile:

Have fun firin your Laz0rs! :sunglasses:

5 Likes

awesome guide and videos !!:slight_smile:

Great build. :slight_smile: Why not mythical tempest sigil? Gives u flat lightning dmg and OA.

flat lightning damage in AAR build? am i missing something :eek:
and even then why would you want to use a tempest sigil in this build? %lightning oa ? none of skills benefit this build
i dont see tempest sigil even 10th option on this build, unless you have nothing in your bank, and you cant even craft shadow queen amulet.

I mean its not the worst since this is a lightning conversion AAR but Unlife is probably better just for survivability

“[1.1.2.4] [HC] Lightning Ray Mage Hunter [vids]” U missing something? I thought this is a lightning AAR build…

i dont want to be rude and ill keep myself ultra calm but this build doesnt have any wep dmg source, ----->

FLAT LIGHTNING DMG from medaledit : USELESS…

ps, shadow queen amulet is FACTION item available for everyone, which outperforms tempest sigil X1932989230478 miles away.

Tyvm!! :slight_smile:

I have no %Weapon damage on AAR so the flat lightning goes to waste. Also Mark of Unlife is a very personal preference of mine I guess.

Edit: if you want more OA on medal, check out Calamicious Desires and Mark of the Shadow Queen

Oh that makes sense. If this build had conduit, would it work tho?

This specific build wouldn’t work with conduit as the amulet I’m using is mandatory.

Yes,conduit offers some WD,but I test it and doesn’t make that much difference,but every build is separate.4 lightning AAR MH builds in few days:rolleyes:

U need to keep calm? Go for a doctor or gym. (Still a game.) :eek:

1 Like

Perfect timing, I was going to mention to sigatrev that Mark of Unlife is strong enough to get people to use it on non-pet builds since it has that circuit breaker + DA.

Lots of AAR builds, I really should try it at some point but I’ve been on my pet grind…

Even grobles cast spells better than you.

You didn’t deliver a very impressive display of your “powers” tbh [emoji14]

I did some small changes for the 1.1.4 patch where we get flat OA on IEE modifier and no dmg penalty on Maiven. Also I changed devotion from Targo to Turtle shell
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/8NK7YOjN
This is basically identical skills and devotions that I am running with currently.

Gearing I have no Ravager helm (since I started playing fresh 100h ago)
Chest I have pretty dope Valaxteria, pants just regular green no Aleks pants, shoulder I have Log with skill disrupt and one Ring is Mythial Eternal band for more skill disrupt. Medal I have a Thunderstruck Kymon badge.
I am still trying to imrpove gear but its going fairly well.

What I do like about this kinda build is that there is no dedicated set for it so you are kinda forced to use MI’s and other not so much used items. Which is kinda neat since it will be a nail in the eye for the no green maffia

xD
I really like that you have a couple of pre BiS green options tho, like e.g. the blue chest I’m using.

This is how I’d update the skills for new overload buff btw: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/0V0BYlMN

Yes Elemental balance becomes kinda pointless now compared to Arcane empowerment.

Elemental balance becoming pointless compared to arcane empowerment? As in it’s worse? I think it’s the other way around tbh. The build has no %WD and arcane empowerment gives way less crit per point than elemental balance

Yup I meant the other way around, one should not do thinking when drinking

but lets do some casual vacation wednesday evening computer game math:

one get about +80% lightning damage maxing arcane empowerment with is about 4% more damage (with both deadly aim and elemental Imbalance off that is)

By not softcapping Elemental balance and instead getting Arcane empowerment to 15/12 you will loose 9% global crit damage.

Let’s figure out if -9% crit damage is “worth it” comparing to getting 4% total damage increase from a higher +%lightning damage.

Assuming 20% crit chance and base crit multiplier +20%,
you gain 2.60% damage by getting Arcane Empowerment to 15/12, with deadly aim off.

I can do similar examples with Deadly Aim on, and with Elemental Imbalance on o.s.v.