An alternate build to Zars’s still-popular take on Quickjacks, this version of the build is focused on glass-cannon-like gameplay, evaporating bosses given lucky crit rolls. Through the Invoker’s set it is able to pull off over 100% crit damage, which applies to each and every individual Stun Jack thrown out. Due to the immense shotgun capabilities of the skill, this allows for many hundreds of thousands of damage to be put out in a very short span of time.
The shortcomings of this build are the strongpoints of Zars’s build. This variant is lacking in the DA/Physical Resist departments and must rely on more careful and strategic gameplay to remain alive. However, while you’re alive, you can dish out loads more damage! Seems like a fair tradeoff.
CRITJACKS ELEMENALIST - Light’s Defender Meets Invoker’s Elements
VIDEO
Gameplay Montage - Warden/Amalgamation/Bloodfeast/Ellena/Loghorrean
[INDENT][INDENT]GRIM CALC:
Plot twist I’m not using grimcalc, I’m using grimtools so you can get a look at the gear and skills of the build at the same time: http://www.grimtools.com/calc/aq2MvzVm
**Zars build is a bit outdated; presently you get the 4th additional projectile from Full Spread at level 17/12, whereas his lists it as 15/12. So that’s your goal for this build, alongside a 26/16 Stun Jacks rank.
**I experimented for a long time going between 2/3 Quick Jacks and 3/3 Quick Jacks. In my experience, ultimately both of them run into Energy Problems. 2/3 simply gives enemies more time to kill you because you can’t kill them as quickly, so I opted for 3/3 to maximize the build’s damage output. I don’t regret this choice, but you’re free to do as you please. If you go 2/3, put the extra point into Storm Totem.
**Mogdrogen’s Pact, regardless of its rank, is not sufficient in solving the build’s energy issues. Because I’m using the Invoker’s set, this build actually has 35 more flat Energy Regen per second then Zars’s build does, but I still have energy problems. So I wouldn’t recommend taking more than a point in MP.
**With more skillpoints coming in the expansion pack, this build is looking toward getting High Potency and enough investment in BWC to keep the skill up 100% of the time. We’ll also be looking toward maxing out some of our other existing utility skills.
**You’ll note in my Devotion that I don’t actually take any Offensive Devotion procs. That’s simply because I don’t really think the build needs any. Sure, I could get some more RR from Widow, but I’m already around 100-120% reduced Lightning Resistance on enemies. Widow wouldn’t be a huge damage increase and it’d come at the cost of something else, probably a piece of our dwindling defenses. As the Devotion cap increases in the expansion, I’m presently eyeballing Dryad for a heal on Quick Jacks and/or Solemn Watcher to improve the build’s DA. Devotion is solely a means to enable this build to not die instantly.
LEVELING
Zars suggests that you level with Stun Jacks and 1 point in Quick Jacks.
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DON’T DO THAT. I find Quick Jacks to be a tremendously painful way to level. I’d instead recommend you level as one of two different archetypes for either of the two masteries, depending on your preferred playstyle:
[INDENT]Demolitionist - Both of the below can carry you through Elite:
[INDENT]Caster - Level with a combination of BWC+High Potency + untransmuted Canister Bomb. Toward the end of Normal, you should be able to pick up Thermite Mines which will accelerate your clearspeeds against bosses but shouldn’t be necessary to instakill mobpacks.
Attacker - Fire Strike + Explosive Strike is now fantastic for leveling since Explosive Strike now applies an AoE effect on melee attacks! You can still run it on ranged if you want, too. Pick up Vindictive Flame for a bit of regen/Total Speed and Flame Touched to further boost your Weapon Damage and ensure that every hit counts. If you’re going melee, I’d recommend picking up Blast Shield toward the end of Normal.
Shaman
Caster - Devouring Swarm crushes earlygame content before level 30. After level 30, Caster Shaman tends to fall off in terms of effectiveness, but you can maintain some solid damage and utility with DS combined with Storm Totem and Wind Devil. I wouldn’t recommend continuing Caster Shaman into Elite.
Attacker - Primal Strike! Taking Thunderous Strike around level 30 (conveniently the time that Devouring Swarm wears off) will allow you to power through Normal and Elite. Before level 30, Thunderous Strike won’t really be too damage efficient but will be taxing on your energy pool. Toward the end of Normal and into Elite, make sure you have Wendigo Totem maxed and consider some utility points in Grasping Vines if you’re feeling overwhelmed.[/INDENT]
In either case, you shouldn’t need to pick your second mastery until early Elite, if even then. One mastery is more than capable of getting you through the game’s first two difficulties and dualspeccing too early only stretches your points too thin to be as efficient as you could be.
Swap into a Quick Jacks build toward the beginning of Ultimate.
ATTRIBUTE DISTRIBUTION
I invested only 8 points into Spirit and the rest into Physique, but this is highly dependent on the gear you have. My legpieces and boots were chosen solely because they have high Spirit rolls. Other than the legs being an MI, there’s not really anything particularly special about them. Many of my gear choices have +Spirit or +% Spirit on them. This is all required to equip the full Invoker’s set (namely, Invoker’s Blaze, the focus) which we want because the 4/4 set bonus is amazing for the build. Invoker’s Blaze has some % Spirit on it too, so if you wanted to, you could twink the char a little, but I chose not to. Invest in Spirit as needed to equip the full Invoker’s set, and then pump everything into Physique.
GAMEPLAY
When killing trash, gameplay is pretty simple: cast Quick Jacks once or twice and move on as the world around you is annihilated. Against sturdier foes, a Storm Totem or Storm Shard may be necessary to ensure your safety, depending on whether your enemies can be stunned (if they can be, use Storm Shard; if they can’t, use Storm Totem as the cooldown is shorter, the energy cost is lesser, and the damage is higher).
Only against heroes/bosses should you need to use Thermite Mines or Wind Devil, but they will be essential in disintegrating such enemies.
In any prolonged engagement, Wendigo Totem should be kept up 24/7. Its heal isn’t really potent enough to save your life in a dire situation, but it’s very good at keeping you topped off over an extended period of time. If you get spiked, chug a health potion. If you get spiked and your health potion is on cooldown, it’s time to flee. Regrettably, the build does not have any good means of damage recovery as powerful enemies can easily overcome the healing of Wendigo Totem. Instead, the build relies on damage mitigation:
Use Storm Shard to block off enemies from approaching you around corners or in tight spaces, forcing them to attack you one by one in a line. Also use it to stun groups of enemies.
The proc from the Invoker’s Shard can petrify enemies fairly reliably if you have a lot of the proc active, which you likely will. This further reduces incoming damage by taking several enemies out of the equation altogether.
Blast Shield, while active, gives you a very nice health buffer.
Divine Light from Mark of Divinity can save your life in a pinch, but don’t rely on it. You can use it to buy yourself 3 seconds of invulnerability - during which time you might be able to annihilate a boss - but it’s always safer to use that time to back away and reevaluate the situation.
Finally, for the most part, this is a melee caster build…with a pistol. You get the most from the build when you are right up in an enemy’s face, which unfortunately means you’ll also be taking more damage than ranged caster builds. It’s a double edged sword, but if wielded properly, there is nothing in the game that can stop you from having an amazingly destructive and incredibly fun time. I don’t usually enjoy caster builds, but this character is presently my favorite in the game, usurping many of the melee characters that have come to always be my go-to for farming. The Invoker of the Light holds that title, now.[/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT]
Questions? Comments? Concerns? Let me know below! Enjoy the build!
Attachment: Faheem.jpg
I don’t think Tree of Life is doable without killing the build, but one could easily swap the 5% health node on Crossroads into the Energy Regen node on Harvestman’s Scythe.
