Why Duelist is so popular char?

Just wondering why Duelist is so "popular" char to start? No one rly play with it. In 1MHC was 533 duelist what was 3.55% from all chars.

why no one play wirh it?
Thats mine question. I was 1# duelist in 1MHC. So dont say "why u dont play with it"

Not sure, he has good start now I think. I played duelist too (among other characters) but spell based starting points are more popular. Also quest rewards maybe? I know to get Static Strike I had to start as a marauder.

Heh

His starting point on the tree isn't a bad one, I guess the problem is no popular builds really require you to use him. RT attackers are better started as mara, shadows are a more obvious choice for crit and rangers are a better pick for bows. He can do all of those but neither really finds any advantage from starting a duelist.

I suppose non-crit Molten strikers are those 3,55%, they want Resolute, Iron Grip and Point Blank.

And that number might be better than it seems, considering caster classes most likely took over 80% of the pie.

I was ELE ST with Duelist, work like dream. Dont rly need care about anything, havent try atziri, but i think it can be done.. Must try it in normal HC.



I like to do something not normal, that passive tree is so huge, can do almost everything nice :D

its because his starting position on the tree really isn't an advantage for most builds. also his quest rewards are generally the worst if your going self found because of the way the important quest reward gems tend to overlap.

IMO mostly due to general "bandwagon" opinion, and maybe that his starting nodes are a bit weaker I guess

The starting nodes were "okay" before the change at 1.3 and they were WORSE after the change, like a lot worse and inefficient.

There are now so much unnecessary STR highways and splits between highways near the start and to get out of the start. Part of this was caused by an attempt to nerf Lowlife Blood Magic users by separating Unwavering Stance and the Blood Magic keystone leaving that part of the tree as a collateral damage.

for me it comes down to the starting nodes, the first like 4 or 5 nodes you take. I have 1 build I like starting as duelist, while every other melee build I have goes to the duelist and takes a ton of stuff from his area they start as Rangers or Marauders because you want the first string of their nodes more than his basically.

He starts with 2x damage nodes followed by access to a 3 node life + defense cluster and then you have to have a third damage node to 'get out' into the rest of the tree. The defense % on his life nodes is smaller than that of the ranger and the life total is less than the marauder gets, so thats not so good, but really the damage... youre forced to spend 3 points on damage. Now, everyone wants damage right, but once you are out into the tree, you get all the life you can. If you are spanning marauder through duelist to ranger, passing all 3 starts, youre going to take the life at the ranger and marauder starts, youre going to take virtually every bit of life you pass by. But with damage, the 3 points spent at the duelist start are a waste because when youre in the rest of the tree youd rarely take 3 random small damage points the way youd take 3 small life nodes, if you look at butcher, destroyer, strong arm, defiance, dervish, blade of cunning, twin terrors blah blah, youre only going to invest in damage like this where 3 points takes you to a larger notable node with a big bonus, even the ones that are a 4 point spend, youd rather find the 4th point somewhere and spend the 3 points to get to it than spend them in the duelist start just trying to get out when your build is going to go within 1 point of the ranger and/or marauder start anyway.

I have one duelist build that is an exception as it builds soley around dual wield and non weapon specific damage nodes because its a self found/first day of league designed build thats supposed to be flexible. That limits the potential damage nodes on offer and actually, you take the duelist damage so hes worth it. Most builds are specialized and would be better taking a specialized notable.


thats how I see it.

- you usually want survivability/utility nodes in a starting area because attack damage nodes are much more efficient in the specialized clusters
- the main perk of his start is access to the attack speed/accuracy node for crit melee builds, but his starting area doesn't offer great support for the premier melee crit weapon otherwise (daggers)
- his life nodes offer ar/ev, a mixed defense used by only a small minority of players
- melee is weak in general right now, and he's no good for anything else really

my 2c