This is my 3rd build and the first that wasn’t copied directly from this forum. I’ll update this post as I fine-tune it, but I’m clearing act 2 ultimate with no issues despite poor pierce/bleed/poison resists, so I think it’s ready enough as is. I apologize if this is similar to another posted build; I’m pretty new and haven’t had months to lurk this forum.
Here’s the grimcalc link without +skills, devotions included: http://grimcalc.com/build/H6mI02
Eldrich Fire on fire strike
Meteor Shower on thermite mine
Alternatively, I might try Magi in place of Ulzuin’s Torch. I’ve never used fissure before. Maybe I’ll stick that on fire strike and put eldrich fire on thermite mine.
For a tanky fire strike build, you might take nearly any secondary mastery. So why arcanist? Well, because I had a sorcerer at the beginning of ultimate, I wanted to try fire strike, and I didn’t feel like starting over =D. But it actually works quite well. Reckless power improves fire and burn damage, as well as providing some flat aether and % increased aether damage. With other firestrike builds, aether isn’t really an option. But since this build seeks to use procs to greatly increase single target and aoe damage, reckless power provides additional flexibility for itemization; we can use aether damage procs in addition to fire, chaos, and lightning. Inner Focus, Elemental Balance, and Maiven’s are excellent passives/buffs for nearly any build, while mirror, arcane will, mental alacrity, and fabric of reality are nice 1 point skills. The cast speed from mental alacrity and reckless power may seem useless, but I toss out flashbang and thermite mines frequently, so some cast speed is nice, especially since it’s hard to fit on gear.
I didn’t take OFF because I haven’t needed it yet, but that might serve as a nice 1 pointer. Alternatively, if you have a couple pieces of cold damage gear with procs, it might be worth investing further in. It’s also conceivably reasonable to put a point (or more) into devastation. Especially if one uses outcast’s secret and/or clairvoyant’s robes for the +skills.
Why pistols? Searing strike gives great crit damage bonus for melee fire strike, after all. Well, I really like how it plays with pistols, because you can start attacking at range. I haven’t needed to kite thanks to health regen and ADctH, and by engaging enemies at range I can clear screens without having to move much. Also, I didn’t like taking Tree of Life, because primordial/order makes it difficult to get much increased fire/elemental damage, and neither arcanist nor demolitionist have an ‘oh shit’ heal active or passive like pneumatic burst, blood of dreeg, menhir’s will, or wendigo totem. None of the melee weapons with good elemental damage bonuses have any ADctH.
current gear:
Head: Empowered Eyes of Flame
Feet: Golemborn Greaves
Legs: Empowered Hermit’s Legguard
Hands: Wyrmbone Handguards
Shoulders: Divinesteel Shoulderguards
Chest: Shroud of Illusion
Waist: Sash of the Immortal Sage
Amulet: Empowered Essence of Beronath
Ring: Lifegiver Signet
Ring: Open Hand of Mercy
Medal: Black Star of Deceit
Relic: Agrivix’s Malice
Weapon: Deviltongue
Weapon: Barrelsmith’s Crossfire
some changes I hope to make when I get the necessary equipment
-Closed Fist of Vengeance in place of Lifegiver Signet
-Aegis if survivability becomes an issue, otherwise Ulzuin’s Pyroclasm
-Clairvoyant’s Mantle, the chaos to aether damage looks really nice, and all round great stats
-Iskandra’s Vestments for more hp and nice bonuses
-Outcast’s Secret or Ulzuin’s Headguard
-Maybe swap out sash of the immortal sage for Tinker’s Ingenuity, but probably not. The stats and skills on immortal sage are great, and the proc is high damage and frequency on a low cooldown.
I’m also considering Pyroclasm Mark or Plunderer’s Talisman to let me dual wield Deviltongues or maybe use one or two Arcanum Sigillis or Exterminus. Using no deviltongues would probably reduce survivability too much, but it’s worth a shot.
The gear can really be pretty much anything with an elemental, aether, or chaos proc, or anything with large amounts of resists and health.
I’m sitting a little shy of 9k health and a little over 15k tooltip dps at lvl 78. OA is in the 2300 range, iirc. A lot of my gear is unaugmented, though. I believe I have around 250 health regen in town. My health bounces around a bit in ultimate because of subpar resists to bleeding/poison/pierce, which I need to rectify soon.
I’m excited to hear your feedback!