I am still new to the game, I have a level 50 Soldier/Shaman that uses Menhir’s Bulwark as the exclusive skill, still haven’t finished the Normal difficulty (first runthrough/gameplay) I never killed the end boss, if there is an end boss. I am aiming (or was aiming) at making a build that uses a high health regen build. (uses Cadence)
But now I want to create a character that is around the “death-knight” or “chaos-knight” theme, a character that is melee, uses a shield and is somewhat dark and mythical, something Dracula-ish, something cool.
Currently one of the most successful builds. It uses Physical damage. Curse of frailty helps do huuge damage.
If you want a Chaos hybrid, that is tricky to make, needs special equippment and good knowledge of the game. I suggest you start with the above, it’s very strong!.
Use Bulwark all the way. Occultist Mastery up to lvl 32.
From Page 36 of that thred you will see alternatives that improve upon the original build.
Can I use the Abominable Might, from the Abomination constellation, on the Balde Arc? To boost my Chaos damage.
Right now I am thinking of using Menhir’s Bulwark, and just use Solael’s Witchfire from the Occultist mastery. That Possession skill looks like it uses way too much energy per second, so it must run out at some point. I like the Energy Reserve but not the energy cost per second.
The Blade arc. I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe obsidian juggernaut with it’s ability and blade arc with cooldown, Eldritch Gaze, Benn’Jahrs Shoulderguards. But it’s a gimmicky build. Unless you have the items for it you will have a hard time.
I just wanted to take something else since I already have Cadence. Blade Arc seemed interesting.
For now I think I’m gonna try and play with a Soldier/Occultist and get Blade Arc, Menhir’s Bulwark and Solael’s Wicthfire. I might finish Normal difficulty with it and see how it goes it higher difficulties, even if it’s going to be a weak build I will have fun.
Then in the future I might look out what new masteries we will get with the upcoming expansion. The game is too young.
I wanted to take the transmuter as it seemed to me it makes the skill stronger, but I read an old thread which said that the transmuter gives a cooldown for the Blade Arc and I want to use the Blade Arc on my LMB, so I want it to be spammable.
All in all I am thinking of getting Blade Arc, Menhir’s Bulwark and Solael’s Wicthfire as “main skills”. I will be having other skills as well, such as Field Command, Menhir’s Will, Shield Training, and I want to take Constellations that help with HP regen. Also, I read on a thread about the Abominable Might from the Abomination constellation, which enhances the chaos damage, and then put a Riftstone in the weapon, which enhances the chaos damage. Maybe get the Shield Maiden constellation.
I am thinking that Menhir’s Bulwark and the HP regen constellations will help me with survivability, though my damage output might not be stellar, but I have enough time, I can spend 10 minutes fighting a boss as long as I survive.
What do you think?
Edit: I just checked, the Abominable Might has a cooldown and activates upon enemy death. I don’t like that. It won’t work when I fight bosses that don’t have minions, so I will pass on the skill. Though the constellation gives +80% chaos damage twice, equalling +160% chaos damage which seems nice… but then again I will be getting the HP regen constellations so I won’t have enough Chaos points to get the Abomination constellation.
You might want to finish the game with your original profile first. Soldier + Shaman = Warder. Which is imo, the strongest class beginner combination in the game as it’s the least gear dependent and most damaging. You can use it to farm the gear and then focus on your chaos hybrid build
I didn’t put any serious thought into the mastery bar as you have a weird wish of not wanting to use Cadence then go for another default attack replacer like Beronath’s Fury. This is a rough setup for you -http://grimcalc.com/build/brjqPui
The above setup is only meant to show you one of the many possible constellation choices you can make. But for a Pure Chaos Build go for Dying God as you have the survival skills granted by Soldier.
For a physical build jajaja’s build seems pretty good, for chaos build the Harbringer’s build is awesome. But here’s the thing they all need appropriate gear to work. So it’s better to finish the game and farm higher difficulties to get gear
Oh and Chaos + Physical Hybrid isn’t optimal as the devotion setups don’t sync well, nor do many gear (if any) support it. An odd gear+ devotion combination is required but in Ultimate you’d inevitably realize such odd builds only fare decently against trash mobs, even noob bossess like Cronley and Warden prove to be a pain in the butt for such oddball builds
Abomination is good regardless. Look if you want Chaos you need to focus on chaos. Bladearc without transmuter will do pisspoor damage with a one handed weapon. Personally I would go twohanded posession if bladearc.
I recommended Bulwark id you go Physical. Still could work via conversion. Try and see.
Now I have more questions about Solael’s Witchfire.
What if I wouldn’t get any kind of attack skill, no Cadence, no Blade Arc, nothing, just the normal standard weapon attack and use Solael’s Witchfire, is it any good? Or I need a melee attack?
Also, how does Consecrated Blade transmuter work? Will it convert physical damage from Menhir’s Bulwark? Is there a way for me to test this?
Maybe I will go Cadence after all.
So, Cadence + Solael’s Witchfire + Menhir’s Bulwark. This would be it, this would be my “death knight” / “chaos knight”. (I am such a noob)
Also, how does Candence and Consecrated Blade work together?
Example:
Cadence gives +200% weapon damage and +60 physical damage
Solael’s Witchfire coverts 15% physical damage to chaos damage
I have a weapon that deals 100 damage per hit (are axes, swords, hammers all physical damage source?)
Will this be:
a) 100 + 200% + 60 = 100 + 200 + 60 = 360
360 physical damage and 15% of it will be converted to chaos, so =
=306 physical damage and 54 chaos damage
or
b) 100 weapon damage will be converted to chaos, so =
= 85 physical damage and 15 chaos
and then Cadence kicks in, so
85 + 200% + 60 = 85 + 170 + 60 = 315
so it will be as follows =
= 315 physical damage and 15 chaos damage
I guess what I want to ask is:
If I use Cadence and Solael’s Witchfire, should I pick the Consecrated Blade transmute? Will the transmute increase or decrease the overall damage?
I will be using a normal physical damage weapon for sure, as I have nothing of value in my stash yet.
You are not a noob. It’s good to think outside the box. That’s how great builds are made. If you want this kind of niche build i can give you an example for inspiration. It is made by a chineese community and the video is on on i chinese site. Hope you can load it. It is witchblade and uses no attacking skills like cadence and owns crucible on Gladiator difficulty.http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTY4MzQzMDYzNg==.html
About conversion. You can find out in the game manual too.
You can’t double dipp phys and chaos chaos % damage unless it’s from skill.
Example. fighting form or Blindside will increase %phys damage from it’s skill cadence or Blitz and then it gets converted to chaos. But % ohys from equippment devotions or stats works AFTER chaos conversion
Conversion= Skill% damage>Conversion> Equippment/devotion/stat %damage. So this means you will have to mix and match your equipment to satisfy both phys and chaos.
The order of events for Conversion is as follows: Base Skill > Skill Modifiers > Conversion on the Skill or Transmuter > Conversion on Equipment and Buffs > Equipment, Auras and Passives
Thanks a lot Superfluff!! You helped me out quite a lot.
I will take Cadence, as I need a skill to deal with mobs, something to deal AoE. Then Solael’s Witchfire and Menhir’s Bulwark. Get to Elite and then if I will have difficulty in Ultimate then I might change some things, maybe get Curse of Frailty.
Till Ultimate, the new expansion might be released, I’ll see if we’ll get some kind of “dark/chaotic” mastery and might make a new Soldier with a chaos Mastery.
