The Last Saboteur - A story of melee vs. caster in AOM. Spoiler - if you want to know the ending ask Capt Nathan Algren.
Joke’s aside, this my 4th iteration of the DW saboteur build which started out with the stormheart/malediction version. Each version was an attempt to dodge the endless nerfs to the build and firestrike line. After many weeks of theorycraft, i still think there is so little left for us that isn’t better performed by another class combo, that going gungho dps is not likely to be viable in cruci. As such, this build now focuses more on tankiness and aoe procs and bit less focus on single target sustained dps.
The result is a very tanky char with 17k++ unbuffed hp, 2.5k armor + blastshield/mark of divinity and 2.9k effective DA. capable of handling some extremely dire situations (see cruci vid with no buffs/banners)
The downside is that due to dumb mechanics of thermite mines, resist reduction is a bit clunky and gameplay is not as fluid as night’s chill based DW builds.
[v1.0.3.0]Video: Gladiator Crucible 140-150 normal farm.
https://youtu.be/zVeIcZ6m6U4
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Actually updated with better devo setup; this vid was done with old(lower dps) devo, will upload a faster clear with new devo if i have time.
[v1.0.3.0]Video: Gladiator Crucible 140-150 no tribute Buffs, no banners
https://youtu.be/IrQnjh_SAdE
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Had some of the most fucked up spawns - sharzul+sentinel hugging eachother. Even had Afflicted -25% hp mutator on myself…
Not the most glorious vid but did get it down on my first try on the no buff cruci clear and it is the testament to the resilience of the build in surviving some really shitty situations. Would have saved at least 4min if it wasn’t for sharzul/sentinel + afflicted.
[COLOR=“DarkOrange”]PROS:
-very tanky, 2 hard circuit breakers
-good aoe
-decent single target
-Lots of room to grow - in the videos i’m using shitty MI’s (2x weap of spellweaving one with the wrong element), the damage is not at all representative of the true potential
CONS:
-resist reduction is somewhat cluncky
-many of harder cruci enemies have high FR, sharzul,maiden etc.
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GrimTools http://www.grimtools.com/calc/0V0JvPaN
offensive version with chariot. (recommended, unless soloing no buff cruci). also switch to non-myth blood sigil of cthon for general campaign, it adds quite a bit of damage. would stay with MoD for cruci for extra safety
GrimTools http://www.grimtools.com/calc/q2MMq6r2
defensive version with ghoul. this is the version i used for no buff cruci, but i really dont think we actually need to, but leaving it here since the clear i did had ghoul.
Gameplay:
LMB: Firestrike (devotion ability - solael’s witchfire )
RMB: korvaaks blazing charge (devotion ability meteor)
mousewheel up: flashbang
mousewheel down: blackwater cocktail (devotion ability:flame torrent)
middle mouse - pneumatic burst
keyboard 1 - Thermite mines (devotion ability - phoenix)
keyboard 2 - blackwater cocktail
keyboard 3 - peunmatic burst
keyboard 4 - bladebarrier
keyboard tilde - heal pot
throw a couple thermite mines + BWC into the fray, then blazing charge in , flash bang and start meleeing. keep scrolling mouse wheel down to refresh BWC on CD. flashbang every few seconds.
move a bit if alot of ground AOE. Against very hard enemies, you can choose to kite a bit when blastshield is down(gg slow resist from korvaak relic 
) and reengage with mine/bwc setup everytime BS is up.
there is alot of aoe procs along with explosive strike, so you want to be in the middle of the fray, and you are perfectly tankiness to do this vast majority of the time, generally dont be afraid if blasthsield procs, if you still have MoD if shit hits the fan.
generally use blastshield offensively.
it’s not necessary to always keep things in thermite mines, but its important to at least cast BWC as part of your resist reduction its tied to it as well as a powerful proc.
[SIZE=“2”]Gearing: (everything Mythical unless specifically stated otherwise)
as per grimtools - My MI items are pretty shitty and non are double rare except crafted boots (which has a lolpet affix). you can use any combination of kilrithian mace / ugdenbog flamestrife, priorize infernal prefix as there is a very strong shotgun proc to it. if you do not have either, warpfire/flamebrand is a decent non MI combo.
BIS weapons = infernal kilrithian mace/ugdenbog flamestrife of wildfire. if you have BiS weapons you will do alot more damage than seen in the vids.
pants - either solaels or alekzanders are good, there is unfortunately no reasonable non MI options for just about any build.
relic - both korvaak and ulzuin’s are reasonable options, i chose korvaak for the better stats rather than the ability.
medal - you can swap to nonmyth blood sigil of chthon outside of crucible for more dmg. you only need MoD for cruci.
Leveling guide:
see post #2
[COLOR=“DarkOrange”]In closing:
Have been tinkering around with a cold version with higher dps and squishiness. Felt too squishy initially, but may revisit for a once i finish trickster for comparison. May add a DPS focused cold version in the future.
The build is but a shadow of its former glory in 1.0.0.4 and i don’t think it will survive another round of nerfs. I would have liked to cling to honor and tradition of our ways, but in the end i still had to resort to voodoo magic of BWC for help.
This is the second volume of my Ashes of melee builds series. The first was on WH. The next will be Trickster (starting with its shitty class name)
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