[1.2.0]Affordable/Cheap HP-Based Acrobatic Crit-Flicker(54k Flicker DPS)

So this is my first guide posted in the forums(originally posted in Garena PoE but I felt the need of posting here since Garena PoE is such a ghost server), I hope everyone a great time reading this one. I hope you dont mind that I can't link my items here and I will only paste item data or post screenies. Anyway enjoy!
Original Garena PoE forum post: http://web.poe.garena.com/forum/view-thread/3826



Introduction
So I decided to start out as a Shadow class when Forsaken Masters was released and Rampage league started. Although building a crit character is quite a warning since it's quite an expensive build, everything still went great, I didn't have a single problem on both surviving and budgets. I got a decent dps with just a few cheap stuff I got(some bought).

Some of you may ask, "Why Flicker?". For me, it's because it's one of the best attack skills you can use in clearing maps(fastest too). Another is that it gives out insane dps especially if you are crit-based.

This build is recommended for people who wants to try crit and flicker builds for the first time.


Pros & Cons
Pros: High DPS, Fast Clearing Speed, Highly Fun
Not an advanced build but rather a noob-friendly build.
Can endgame, currently lvl 87 at Rampage League
Cons: Easily dies from Reflect, Quite Squishy
Desync Prone(like most flicker builds)


Reflect can be an issue yes but I'm still experimenting with this build and see if I can survive reflects if I add up vaal pact in the skill tree. However I might as well do that if ever I get a high dps crit dagger soon(aiming for a 300pdps crit dagger w/ multiplier mod).
For now, be warned against reflect mobs! =)

Gearing
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Current Gears
Can't link here but will post screenies/item paste data - I suggest visiting the Garena PoE url I posted right above the introduction for a better view on items
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Spoiler
Generally, I aimed for simple rare gears with double or triple resists and decent life(somewhere around 60+ life). The build is entirely evasion based as well as because of the introduction of Forsaken Masters which enables us to easily craft colors into non-hybrid type gears.



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[PartI - Weaponry]

So at early game, I started out normally with of course no unique item for leveling. The only thing I bought on early game was a Mightflay[http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Mightflay].

Later at pre-end game, I was lucky enough to pickup a near perf Mark of the Doubting Knight but I think you can get one for a cheap price, about an exa or less probably.

I was also lucky enough to loot an ilvl68 Assassin's Garb 6L from a rogue spawned from a ambush strongbox at a Wharf Map. Although 6L is a good thing, 5L is enough for this build.

You might also need to buy (or loot if you are lucky enough) a nice [at least]200pdps crit dagger. Any dagger base may do since flicker has a quite fast attack time and a bit of atkspd isn't that important unless you are a perfectionist. But if I were to choose between dagger base, I might avoid using Kris daggers.

Mark of the Doubting Knight- this might probably one of my luckiest loots in my entire gameplay of this character. It dropped in a time when I needed a decent phy-dps dagger and this dropped around my first piety run. This dagger is a one fine dagger not only because it has decent pdps but also has a nice crit, nice mods such as the Poison and Bleeding Chance and lastly the bonus Elemental resists. Although it has quite a slow atk spd, like what I said earlier, it's a decent dagger alternative since flicker sometimes eat a lot of mana especially if the attack speed is boosted. http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Mark_of_the_Doubting_Knight

Just a little note: I do not recommend equipping two marks as I call this dagger as a "shield" dagger. Although this dagger has a high crit, its purpose is not meant for main dps but rather, a nice secondary dagger because of the special mods in it(and also to mention the extra block chance it gives while dual wielding).


Spoiler
Pros and Cons about Attack Speed:(you may disregard this section as this part is all based on preference)
Although this build is highly depending on mana, I pretty much sustained mana by simply using a mana flask. Take note that as attack speed increases, mana usage also increases. At my current gearing, I drain all my mana pool in about 4-5 flicker use so I have to pop a mana flask if that happens or so. Also take note that I have Mind Drinker node at my passives which enabled 2% Physical Attack Leeched as Mana but I'm afraid it's not enough for a continuous usage of flicker.



[Part II - Armoury]
For Headgears, Chest and Gloves, aim for high HP and resist mods and everything will just work fine.
Chest links? 5L can be enough for this build and you'll be able to get one for a cheap 2-3c price. Just make sure you get a high ilvl one for that high tier potential of rolling mods. Or else, you can just aim for anything :D

The Blood Dance - Ah this fine footgear. This boots is a must get item for this hp-based flicker build because this counters ALL the degen from Blood Rage.
Regardless of the Frenzy charge gain roll, it doesn't matter since you have 100% frenzy charge gain on kill all thanks to Blood Rage.

Take note that Blood Rage kills off 4.0% of your max hp per second as Chaos damage but because of having Blood Dance, you'll probably counter most of this degen because of the high regen/high maximum frenzy charge this build has(7).

I was out of luck on my early game stage but I managed to buy off this Blood Dancefor a cheap price of 3c. Luckily colored it to 4 reds in less than 10 chroms, 3R 1G or 3R 1B is enough but 4 reds is just hard to come by so I decided to use it that way. (Proceed to Gem Links section for a bit of explanation in coloring) http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/The_Blood_Dance



[Part III - Accessory]
This part is pretty much simple(and can be preference based).
For Amulets, you should aim for a nice Physical one. High Flat Physical Damage mods can be nice and boost up a LOT of dps. Of course, we have these "% increased global critical strike chance/multiplier mods" which generally boosts up your dps as a crit build.

Rings? Go for high HP, resists ones. Trust me you'll need all those resists at end game. Make sure you cap every elemental resists you have as this is important especially at map runs.
Also to mention Diamond Rings as a great ring base for the build as this increases critical strike chances.

Belts? Go for rustic sashes for that extra phys damage. Just make sure you aim for high HP and resist mods and you'll have no problem on capping your resists.

Flasks
Take two HP flasks, one Mana Flask and any utility flask for the last two flasks.
Key Mods for Flasks: Surgeon's (Recharges 1 when you deal critical strike)




TLDR: Aim for a good 200pdps dagger for main hand and for the secondary, you can either go for Mark of the Doubting Knight or aim for another 200pdps crit dagger.
Get a Blood Dance! It's a must item for the build(to counter Blood Rage).
Other items, focus on evasion based gears and aim for tri resists, and HP mods.

And Lastly for accessories(belts, rings, amulet):
For amulets: Find a rare amulet with Flat Phy Damage, Crit Chance & Multiplier and HP(arranged from highest to lowest priority).
For rings: Tri resists/Dual resist and high HP mods. Flat Phy damage is a bonus. You may also want to aim for Diamond Rings as the best base ring since this is a crit-build. Experiment!
For Belt: Rustic Sash with nice HP and resists will do.






Skills and Gem Links
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This part consists of the skills, colors, links this build uses. These can be tentative but you are always free to experiment for your own skill sets.


Headgear:
Melee Physical Damage - Frenzy - Faster Attacks - Multistrike

Why Frenzy? It's a nice single target skill for this build since it has decent dps, and also instantly generates charges to continue that flicker dream.


Chest:

Flicker Strike - Melee Physical Damage - Multistrike - Increased Critical Damage - Melee Splash(5L) - Faster Attacks/Enhance(6L)

Flicker Strike is the most used skill in this build(you don't say?) because it clears up group after group of mobs. Generally, Flicker Strike-Melee Splash is the highlight of this part.


Gloves This part is tentative and you may freely experiment on the links on this one.

Spectral Throw - Physical Projectile Attack Damage - Faster Attacks - Lesser Multiple Projectiles

I use this at times when I ran out of frenzy charges and want to clear a group of mobs in a bit. Once I clear that group, of course I gain more frenzy charges because of Blood Rage. Also useful against reflect mobs as they are fatal if you approach them with Flicker!


Boots
Cast when Damage Taken - Immortal Call - Enduring Cry - Increased Duration/Enfeeble/Temporal Chains

So some of you might think, this will quite cost a lot on coloring, but it's a nice investment. CWDT-IC-EC will save you from certain reflect mobs but you can't depend on it that much. However this defensive setup is what I just recommend the most.
Last note: Keep CWDT at low levels and make sure the connected skills are in the right requirement in order for the defensive setup to work!


Utility/Aura Links:


1st Dagger:
Blood Rage - Whirling Blades - Assassin's Mark/Critical Weakness

If you feel like you needed some more critical chances, you might want to use Assassin's Mark for that bonus Power Charges. Or you might also want to use Critical Weakness. Your choice.

2nd Dagger:
Reduced Mana - Herald of Ash - Hatred



Skill Tree and Leveling Guide
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At early levels, aim for building up your HP as you'll need hp to survive throughout the leveling process. You might also want to take Prowess, Thief's Craft or Physique throughout your leveling if you need some strength or intelligence for leveling your gems or something.
Also focus on getting the +1 to max frenzy charge nodes when you finally equip The Blood Dance. The higher the frenzy charge, the higher the regen, the higher your swag level. This generally solves the degen issue on Blood Rage.

Getting Acrobatics and the associated nodes is a must as well as Ondar's Guile as these nodes are your primary survival skills. Try taking them when you feel like you need more defences. I recommend taking it around mid game(lvl40?) to pre-end game(lvl60?).

One more thing. Getting Acrobatics and the associated nodes is a must as well as Ondar's Guile as these nodes are your primary survival skills. Try taking them when you feel like you need more defences. I recommend taking it around mid game(lvl40?) to pre-end game(lvl60?).

55 Points


63 Points



73 Points


When you are already done getting HP nodes, you may start out on building up your crit at mid-late game. Aim for the Crit chance nodes first, then go for the multipliers when you think you got enough critical strike chance(maybe around 40-60?) then proceed on taking some of the accuracy nodes/crit nodes such as the Depth Perception node cluster near Frentic node(frenzy charge). Priority all crit nodes, you may take the Adder's Touch cluster as last option.

Current Skill Tree(104 points)


Bandits
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Normal - Oak(+40 hp)
Cruel - Oak (+18% Physical Damage)
Merciless - Kraityn (+1 to maximum Frenzy Charges)


Screenshots for both Offence and Defence Tab + Flicker/Frenzy/Spectral Throw DPS count

Spoiler

(1.3 edit)These calculations are based on the time when this build was made, around 1.2.0 patch. However, as we all know how 1.3.0 was called the patch of doom. Critical-based builds were nerfed hard specifically mentioning the Increased Crit Damage gem. However, as I found out, my dps remained the same throughout this recent nerfing patch.
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Computation of DPS for Flicker Strike:
Attack Time at no Charge: 0.22secs
Attack Time at Full Charge(7): 0.15secs

1 second/0.22 = 4.54545454 attacks per second
1 sec/0.15 = 6.66667 attacks per second

Average Damage per flicker = 9,792.7
Multiplying to attacks per second:

9,792.7dmg * 4.54545454 a/sec = 44,512 dps
9,792.7dmg * 6.66667a/sec = 65,284 dps

Average DPS: 54,898 damage per second
Bonus Flicker Offence Tab:
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Frenzy

Spectral Throw


Defence Tab


Last edited by restoutlife on Jan 24, 2015, 2:10:35 PM
Item screenshots posted! UP
up
Don't know sheet about flicker builds, but nice job anyway.
Just my opinion, but there are too much walls of text, maybe try to link all your gear first in the gear section so we can see very fast, the gear needed and the gems and put explanations below.
Unfortunately, all my gears are in Garena PoE, but then Ill try to switch the Current Gear part as header. Thanks for suggestion
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seems nice! ill give it a try ^^
is it still an option in 1.3 or is flicker just viable with an ES build?

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