Pyle's EK/Puncture-build (solo/SF-friendly) =as cheap as your items

Hello all,
since i started this game i have been looking for a build that gets me into the maps fast and with ease.

This is about my 30th character and i try to combine my 2 favorite skills, Ethereal Knives and Puncture.
So far i'm doing 71-72 maps and i right now i found them easy to do(when my map-pool allows, i will report how the higher one's are going), and only 2 mods make me reroll the map: No regen and physical reflect with Vulnerability(you can do phys.reflect by lowering your damage).

I'm only publishing this, because i want others to know that there really are cheap builds that can atleast get you to >75 maps and clear them quite fast.

I don't theorycraft at all, i just made up my mind what skills i'm gonna use and then just play.
I hope that anyone that finds a way to improve this(without expensive uniques) will show up and tell me that.

The main thing about this build is weaponswitch, you have your wand/dagger+shield and then you have your Bow/Quiver for Puncture on the switchslot.
I switch to Puncture for Bosses/Exiles and some Master-quests that require high single-target damage and if i face physical-reflect this also lower my EK damage quite nicely to a level that my armour(+granite) can handle it.
For ele-reflect i switch my Heralds off(or take the added fire off).

Even though my Bow is not the best one(not even close) i can still melt Exiles/Bosses in 72 maps from a safe distance, usually 2-3 normal hits or 1 crit.

Accuracy for Puncture is the weakest spot for this build(right now 75% @level83), but i only have added accuracy in my gloves right now and there are accu% nodes and the gem ofcourse to use, when i finally have 5 or even 6-linked Bow.
The other "problem" is that sometimes you have to level your EK for a level or 2, but after that it's go-time again..

About gems/supports:


About leveling:

in normal/cruel just focus on resist/life and manaregen(this is really needed!!) on your gear and ofcourse you need 4-link your EK/Puncture before doing Cruel Dominus(atleast it helps alot)
You will need Clarity as soon as possible as well as Reduced Mana(and later on Blood Magic)

Skilltree before normal Dominus(level 35-38)


Skilltree before Cruel Dominus(level 55-58)


My current tree@83


MY current gear:

For maximum EK:


and for Puncture(and lowered EK)


Please note that this is still under heavy tinkering but the core and basic idea is there.
Can i do 78 maps/Atziri with this? I don't know yet, but i hope that i'll find out.
Overall this is the first character that feels fun and nice to play and the first for me to reach 10k tooltip-DPS(with level 18 EK)

And about that weird socket-coloring in my chest? Well, i was running low on chroms and needed green-red-blue atlest, so i had to stop there.. :D

so numbers(that i hate)

Life:~4000 (373 reserved for Clarity)
Armour:5200 (33%reduction before granite/EC)
Evasion:6400(38%)
Block 24% (when using main EK)
resists: 75% (-60% Chaos=my main priority right now)

Main-EK
10036,6 DPS
2,6 casts/second
2211-3900 phys
720-1082 fire
164-220 cold
34-675 lightning
23,1% crit
218 critmulti

Lowered-EK
6756,9 DPS
16,3 crit
218 critmulti

Puncture
2079 DPS
2 attacks/second
13,1 crit(not needed, just a bonus)

First HC update.
Started as a Scion for some early game easiness(and because Merveil)... otherwise a good solution, but damagewise it was a very bad choice..used 2H-ST until Cruel Ledge... :D

Current tree in Merc act 1, just downed Dominus:


Next i'm gonna cap my coldres(~50% right now) and then head for some spelldamage from the Witch starting area... after that it's time to get crit/spellcrit and life, life, life...

Current gear:


Overall the issues are the same as a Witch, getting required manaregen is the top priority and getting some INT from gear is also required(right now i have a way better spirit shield, but i'm 22 INT short to use it).

RIP's:

1st(level70):


2nd(level77):

I ripped again and it was due my crappy connection again.. before that i managed to run my first ever HC maps, did a few66's and 67's.. damage is ofc a little lower than in SC, but overall it still had the same strenghts and issues (good single target and the usual manaregen problems)

my 77 tree:


e: next 10 points would have gone to crit-crit-Coldhearted Calculation-spellcrit-eledmg-eledmg-eledmg-physdmg-physdmg-physdmg... after that it's still possible to have Unwavering Stance, Vaal Pact and even some stun-nodes ;D.

my gear(even had 118% IIR :D)


I think i don't wanna play EK for a while, this was my 3rd character in 3 months or so.. but i will reroll this in the future and make this my IIR-character, since EK is very good skill that requires very little support atleast damagewise..

It is kinda refreshing to look 1 year back and see the noob's enthusiasm for getting into mid tier maps.. :D

But i will revive this, right after we have the free re-set... the overall idea is still there... spam EK and swap into a bow when needed.

Yep, this thing is never going to be the top-DPS build(lol) but it still gets the things done, with safety... and i think jewels/better gear/higher level (STD) chars will also make a huge difference.... we'll see