[1.1.4.2] Aether Drain Essence Spellbinder

Introduction

While some players are in the zone of making new builds, I am posting my old bench players. Haven’t created new build in some time, but have folder with multiple unposted builds. Most of them are casters, since I play and publish mostly DW melee builds and casters are left behind close doors. So let’s this one see the light of day!

Build

Grim%20Dawn%202019-09-03%2007-10-54-71

  • permanent buffs only, sheet DPS is for DE

GRIM TOOLS- https://www.grimtools.com/calc/O2G4wyjV

Concept:

Classical aether caster, spam skill+devastation. DE have built in life steal and it’s doing some damage. To cope with multiple aetherials end game, decided to stack racial damage-relic, ring, medal,component.

Spellbinder?

For aether DE you can select either Binder or Apostate, maybe even Defiler :grin: But Binder have synergy both defensively and offensively. Mirror+MoT is premier defensive mechanic, you have also Maiven and Nullification. Arcansit also helps with energy sustain, so despite lack of RR is good. And also of course devastation :damage_aether:

Gear:

Key is this set, but other options are,

  • Weapon- here the choice is between Wrath of Ascendant and Decree. Decree is great in devastation centric build, but Wrath have monster RR proc and racial to human.

  • Rings- Eternal Haunt for RR and Screams of aether. Second ring is rarely used and perhaps here it maybe the only time is better than Albrecht.

  • Relic- Agrivix- great stats and proc. It beats by big margin Impurity.

  • Gloves- BiS for there DE mod, also OA

  • Pants are here for excellent stats, only thing that’s lacking is the physical res, boots compensate for that. Don’t see alternatives for the medal and belt. FOr medal maybe Divinity is option?

Devotions:

I like the Imp proc on RE. Also Spear and Aeon are must. Aeon reset CD of Devastation, Mirror and MoE, it’s superb here. I used CT to activate it with 100% chance. Both CT and Reap Spirit are very unreliable source though.

Performance

Build is strong in Crucible, but it’s super skill dependant. Also depends on Nemesis combos. Alex with racial is quick, but Reaper is Nightmare. Double Reaper is almost unplayable, even with Revenant. Biggest problem in Cruci are heavy physical hitters. Build have low stats in both armor and physical resistance. Still Bone barrier have absorb and MoE+MoT combo is nice, but you need to time them to perfection. My times vary a lot. Fastest was 7 minutes, but I die often, so with good piloting build have most definitely potential for great time.

I don’t have recording in Cruci, but here’s video with MQ. CT was not activated and that leads me to mess my rotation in otherwise simple fight :blush:

Video :arrows_counterclockwise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4ftSVYV6NM

5 Likes

Some suggestions - https://www.grimtools.com/calc/d2j1KrmN

  • Eternity = survivability + energy + more sustain
  • Dagger chosen for pure aether devastation + the RR on it is actually better because it spreads like pox.
  • Siphon souls = OA debuff
  • Sanctified bone for better reaper takedown.

EDIT: nice to see a classic build come back to life, btw!

2nd edit: There’s also desecrator treads for 22/12 decomp.

1 Like

Thanks!

Eternity and Bone are nice ideas. Weapon isn’t optimal to me. Siphon Souls is pushing the build far more keys than my ability. I can send you folder if you want to test it.(shameless product placement) :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

I might get around to it. :stuck_out_tongue:
Also, if you are dead set on HoS, use reap spirit over CT as it is a good Aeon’s proccer for 1 skill point.

I don’t see benefits from Reckless power over HoS. And with it each spear is acting like healing potion. I really dislike Reap Spirit, but it’s one point saved from not taking CT transmuter.

Here’s file for testing purposes for anyone that’s interested.

DE binder.zip (1.4 MB)

Agreed on Reckless power. Only difference between the 2 is the skill points saved in mastery bar which can go else where (e.g. fabric of reality).

It’s not like DE has %WD for you to lifesteal, and my assumption here is lifestealing isn’t a problem with DE to behin with.

EDIT: Dagger also = ~170 damage to devastation because of conversion, btw. But the +20% to humans is huge too… :confused:

Mastery bar points still gives me stats. And life steal on Spear is nice, bat have some WD too. So I think HoS is better. Biggest problem for this build in Crucible is 160/170, multiple Nemesis. It’s tough to endure the burst damage.

Those problems should go away with eternity. I don’t think your objective in terms of defence is to engage multiple nems in a face-slapping challenge, it’s to juggle between MoT/mirror as much as possible.

Even ghoul as a fall back over DG might be a good choice here

EDIT: aeon’s and eternity both benefit ghoul

Ghoul is good idea, but don’t know if it’s worth to give up procs. Aeon and Eternity combo definitely looks good. So that’s change which will help. You can test it with relic and bone. Just looking stats, the weapon you propose don’t have cast speed, so big no. I don’t like DG for this build, but maybe. Also you can change medal component to one with crit damage. Build have enough energy sustain.

EDIT: weapon have CS , I am blind :man_facepalming:

Energy sustain should be ok (i think) with eternity because of innate skill energy reduction. But I wouldn’t know.

Dagger also has 20% CS.

You don’t need to give up procs. Just transfer your 4 points from DG into ghoul. Before the changes to starpact, I was constantly doing that MoT/mirror juggle.

This was also back when ulzuin’s buff gave CDR. :stuck_out_tongue:

Something like this then? https://www.grimtools.com/calc/DV96QoLZ

Personally, I would hard cap MoT over nullfication. Eternity + aeon’s should make it reliable enough.

I agree with Spanks on everything but the weapon. Wrath got +1 to all and 20% human racial (more than nightblades now lmao).

Also, adcth from Harbinger of Souls isn’t much useful (just some scraps of heals from Spear and Bat) and Reckless Power is identical but cheaper. Siphon is a shame not to one-point if only for the mod from Anathema. Don’t have to use it if it’s not needed, too.

But the dagger is terribleu. Look how much you had to give up to fix the points. Even 12/12 Mirror.

1 Like

I wonder what will be the cruci time here if all that terrify effect in uroboruuk set get omitted… :thinking:

Well terrify is terrible mechanic, but unlike build like Belgo melee, here all your attacks have range. Of course it’s better all enemies to surround you in close distance in order to hit them with Devastation.

You might be right. But more DPS on devastation might lead to faster trash clearing. Ofc needs to be tested. I could very well be wrong here. I just like the conceptof pure aether devastation.

Then there’s the RR mechanic of it too.

Spanks if you want Devastation, why not try Decree of Aldritch combined with Aetherreach gloves for cast speed. You lose some points in DE, but you gain %aether damage and big CDR to devastation.

Works too, but you lose out on RR which, as you pointed out, is probably the biggest limiting factor here (i.e. reaper)

EDIT: Trying one of the necro relics might be worth too just to 22/12 decomp. But eternity is probably BiS.

I think it’d go eternity > impurity (gives reduced damage from undead as well) > agrivix

With off hand CD Agrivix proc is way better than what Impurity can offer. I hope you find tine to test it, cause you have experience with chain casting MoE+MoT and I suck big time at anything with 4+ keys :sweat_smile:

Maybe it’s your keyboard binding?

I personally use ‘qwer, asdf’

Top row is for debuffs (e.g. pox, aether corruption, thermite mines) so i just very quickly hit them one after the other.

S and D are for primary skills. Like grenado/canister bomb in my other build.

EDIT: I also have forced attack bound to ‘left alt’ because my thumb naturally rests there.

A and F are for health pots and mana pots respectively.

Then I bind things like mirror to my space bar. If I have something like MoT too, I bind it to my side mouse button; if not it’s a heal.

RMB for mobility.

Maybe that’s some QoL suggestions?

EDIT: I also have forced attack bound to Left-alt because my thumb is just right there.