⚡⚡ The BestShockwaveBuildEver ⚡⚡ [CI/Crit/Dual Totem][2.0] - [Plus additional Budget Guide]
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Be Clever: If you tend to kite a lot then make at least good damage while you kite and use totems
" Introduction: First of all - no bold statements from me like X viable or Y viable or Zillion DPS, just watch the gameplay videos and you are able to evaluate the viability yourself. Not the strongest DPS monster nor the best immortal tank build but it's something in between, which makes it a perfectly balanced Shockwave Totem build for the new hostile meta of POE. The BestShockwaveBuildEver follows the principles of German efficiency and therefore it's also perfect for very lazy players. Combination possibilities: I've already owned all items and gear and my pre 2.0. theorycraft worked right out of the box, so i've never tried it with other gear or gear combinations since i didn't had to, so i've got no cheaper or other alternatives to suggest, but it leaves now a lot of room for you to find maybe even better gear combinations.
Pros and Cons
Pros - Extremely strong in groups if accompanied with damage auras - Very effective against a single target, especially bosses (they've got mostly no phys damage reduction) - Relatively high item combination possibilities - Very mobile - Chaos immunity - Makes the most out of your ES gear - Is kinda cheap if you dont want to get the most out of this build** Cons - You do just indirect attacks so no instant feedback (not sure if that's a con though) - Your action radius is a bit limited if you use concentrated effect. - Gets very expensive if you want to get the most out of this build** - You're not able to oneshot Malachai, Über Atziri nor Chris Wilson. Gameplay Basics: Movimiento es vida, Movement is life! Place totems > Cast Curse > Keep distance > Move > Rinse and Repeat. Gear and Skill Functions: Defense: I had so far zero deaths since the major release of Awakening so the defenses are working well and as intended. - Our main defense is ES which recharges faster as usual, thank's to recharge modifiers in the skill tree and on gear we're able to recharge our shields back to 100% in around 1 second, additionally we gain 100% immunity to ugly chaos damage. I'd suggest at least a total of 5000 Energy shield which is easily obtainable with medicore gear - but the more the better of course - Dual Wield + Rumi's Concoction + Rainbowstrides gives us a solid amount of block chance - CWDT, we use it as crowd control utility with additional defensive benefits, at least the following two are mandatory. • Frost Wall Blocks incomming (non-piercing) Projectiles and other threats • Skeletons to distruct or interrupt monsters Items:
Numbers
Just active Skills without flask buffs:  
Mandatory Uniques
Reference Gear
Skill Gems
6L: 3L: 3L: 4L: 4L: 4L:
Flasks
Rumi and Atziri are mandatory the rest is up to you, but you need at least one with Anti-Bleeding mods Offense: We use a Phys/CC/CD focussed setup paired with shock achieved with Herald of Thunder and Flame Golem, like a multiplier multiplies a multiplier principle. We keep phys damage on the totems because the majority of monsters got resistances against elements, so no conversion here with for example avatar of fire or phys to lightning. Additionally we're saving up one socket because we don't need penetration type gems to make elemental attacks more effective, same goes also for penetration curses so that we can go pure Assasins Mark. In case you'll get your hands on a Mace or a Wand with "adds xx-xxx Lightning Damage to Spells", then ditch Herald of Thunder and save reserved mana up for something else. Thanks to mainly phys damage Rumi's Concoction works like a charm and works as a huge damage multiplicator. In numbers, we see lesser screen-DPS than with elemental conversions but we've got more real-DPS under the hood by avoiding damage decrease through monster elemental resistance affixes.  1 - Critical Strike Chance 1 - Critical Damage 2 - Cast Speed 3 - Spell Damage Skill Tree:
Skill Tree and Quests
Gameplay Videos including Bosses No selection procedures were taken, direct and unedited "hot" uploads to YT after each run.
Level 78 Maps+
Level 75+ Maps
Dailies
TheBestBudgetBestShockwavetotemGuideEver:
Budget Guide
First of all, if you got a spare socket left you'll need to level an Empower gem for later. The +x attributes are generally BIS for spell based skills and the damage scaling is more than just insane. The new core item of this budget version is The Vertex, since we got 50% mana cost reduction we save up plenty of mana related passive nodes and we're able now to take more damage nodes to compensate the lack of the Empower gem and corrupted ST gem. In other words: The Vertex is your new Chest Armor, and we're now able to buy a very cheap high ES chest without the need to get it fully linked. The Vertex is virtually a 6L item firstly with a special Reduced Mana gem on board which affects also support gems and secondly a special built in Empower gem which not only affects the main skill but also the socketed support gems! The Setup in The Vertex looks now like the following: Shockwave Totem+Concentrated Effect+Increased Area of Effect + either Faster Casting or Critical Damage or Critical Strike Chance or Critical Damage. Since all three support gems offer specific benefits it's up to your playstyle and preference which one you take. You can ditch Concentrated Effect if you're one of the guys who skip Boss fights, alternatively choose from one of the above mentioned options instead, but my suggestion would be Critical Strike Chance and Faster Casting. If you go for everything else but cast speed you need cast speed modifiers on jewels and if possible on rings too for a more fluid gameplay experience. Weapon choice: I highly recommend Maces or Wands with high Cast speed (Min 10%) + Critical Damage (Min 30%) + Critical Strike Chance for Spells (Min 80%) or two of the good ol' Divinarius If you go for Divnarius you need also cast speed modifiers on jewels and if possible on rings too for a more fluid gameplay experience.
Skill Tree
[https://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAwMABUIOSA_EEHsRLxFQEZYVUBXXGyUc3B0UHU8d2SepKgsrCiycLL8tHzLRNbk7fDwFPV9BlkNURUdLrkyzUilSU1XgVmNYWljlWitca13yZJ1mnm0ZbWxwUnDVf8aESIauiEKJ045kjxqPRo_6lSCXlZf0mjuboZ_foqOj8qcIpyuus7VItve2-rjKuZO-OsBmwcXB88MJwxPDbdAf0PXVptlb2xrfiud06QLr7uv17BjtPO987-vyHfPq9HH3pvfX-tLYJDbFg_NEoU6usTauEnyDES2nlF5d0f3fsIIQKhOCmw==?accountName=BestUsernameEver&characterName=BestUsernameEver]LVL 90[/url] " - Best Signature Ever - Last edited by BestUsernameEver on Oct 11, 2015, 11:51:40 AM
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Was able to add the first batch of Videos to YT, the next batch comes tomorrow. :)
- Best Signature Ever -
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Thanks for posting this guide up! I'm at work now but will compare notes with you later. From a quick look at the skill tree it appears that you've gone CI - bold choice! Looking forward to seeing how you deal with damage spikes in higher maps when I watch the vids later.
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" You're welcome bluegray, I also don't see myself using CI on any other of my chars with the actual leech changes at the moment but if you're able to stay and attack from afar, CI/recharge works pretty good. - Best Signature Ever -
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From watching the videos I don't think you have a problem with clearspeed. Defence wise it's clear that 9k ES is a great buffer against the big hitting mobs. Have you tried this build with lesser ES. I'm sure that you can hit 5k ES with lesser gear, but I'm not sure if that is viable against higher mobs.
I tried one of my respecs to test hybrid viability - the tree was 150% life, 150% ES. I ended up with around 3.5k life and 2.5k ES (with Discipline and Hatred up) for a respectable 6k eHP. The problem with that setup was the 85% reservation - even with a level 4 Enlighten I ended up being out of mana after 2 totems, which was a real problem with phys mobs like leapers and chargers. If I took out Discipline, I had around 5k eHP, which then ended up feeling a lot rippier. | |
" 5k ES works, at most i lose 50% ES from very hard hitting mobs and thats a bit less than half of my actual ES shield, but of course it's the absolute bottom line. Made actually also a another ES based char and i've achieved with really cheap gear over 6K ES(incl. discipline) In regards to hybrid defenses, i am almost certain that hybrid builds having a hard time in POE Awakening, you're simply not able anymore to buff 2 different defense types similarly high enough to be viable especially together with the discontinuation of reduced mana for auras you simply lack passive points to have it "all" and then additionally enough DPS. CI is especially predestined for totem builds since totem builds are generally the most mobile builds in POE, you don't have to stand still while you attack so you just have to make sure you have a big enough buffer to absorb a particular amount of damage if you're getting hit and to recharge that buffer ASAP. - Best Signature Ever - Last edited by BestUsernameEver on Jul 14, 2015, 10:11:22 AM
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never played a CI character before, what lvls should I be taking CI and MoM?
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If you don't want to be squishy then once you reach around 4500-5000 ES, that should be obtainable around A3-A4 Merciless, until then try to stack life on items but don't use life nodes in the passive tree since respecing costs a bunch of Regret orbs and you're faster in merciless than you're able to find generally Regrets until that point. I would suggest for MOM around at least 120 Mana per second, how much exactly depends on your playstyle. As for me i play my totem build improperly since i often run into the mobs and i also find myself often within melee range so MOM triggers for me quiet often so i need a bit more regen, but if you play your build properly from afar then you don't need that much. - Best Signature Ever -
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Hello there, a casual poe player here.
i am wondering, why we didnt take shamanistic fury and/or Shaman's Dominion nodes. Don't you think they are useful nodes for crit-shockwave totem build? | |
" They are very useful but my char is just at lvl 87 and i just haven't take them yet, but i should also assign the nodes in the tree i guess :D Thank's for the reminder :) - Best Signature Ever -
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