[2.6] The Curse Whisperer - Tri-Curse CI Whispering Ice EleRaider - Viable for Everything

Good job - but I just want to add that you will not have 15 skill points at lvl 13.
We get two passives from quests. But we still start at lvl 1 and not zero.

best regards

"

Palaryel wrote:

Just an observation:
I noticed that using Avatar of Fire isn't really a huge damage boost (resistance penetration excluded). Wouldn't it be a better option to run without it (but keep using cold to fire in the staff) to benefit from status ailments?

The issue is:
Orb of Storms does lightning damage (without Avatar of Fire) and crits relatively frequently, also, this build has naturally high chances to cause status ailments, hence we could benefit from the added shock ailment that could be caused.

Of course, the alternative option is to leave things as is and use Vaal Lightning Trap

Converting all 100% damage to fire has both offensive and defensive benefits: it maximizes the effect of Fire Penetration, it makes the Flame Golem add 50% increased damage to all of it instead of only half, it makes AA reduce reflected damage, and it saves you from chilling/freezing yourself on ele reflect enemies (although I'm not sure about that).

We don't really need any status ailments to help us. Chill already applies from the chilled ground created by Icestorm. Freeze we don't need because everything is already stun locked by WM+Icestorm. Ignite and Shock would increase DPS, but our DPS is already humongous (up to 4 mil DPS against a stationary target such as Vaal, 500-800k DPS against a large moving boss such as Malachai; that's before their mitigation of course). Our only issue is surviving. That's why I went with Auxium and Dual Curse. I still don't have enough ES to survive Atziri's uber Flameblasts/Stormcalls if I fail to dodge them, but killing her is a piece of cake.

Orb of Storms' damage is miniscule and it won't be enough to shock anything. It's only used to proc EO.

"

Drvi34 wrote:

My current setup. Level 64 right now. Cold to Fire was Reduced Mana before Avatar of Fire. Reduced Mana helps a lot on lower lvls.

Not really :) If you buy a Paua amulet from Nessa (preferably with double regen) and don't neglect to use Rallying Cry, you don't even need Clarity. And once you get WM+Blasphemy going, you stop worrying about mana at all.

"

Drvi34 wrote:

Anyway my question is this; have u tried Golem - Inc. Crit Strikes - Faster Casting - Leech or minion res instead of Orb of storm setup?

f.e;
+2 minion helm = Golem - Crit - Faster - Leech or Minion Ele
4L = CwDT - Inc. Duration - Enfeeble - Immortal Call
4L = Rallying Cry - Inc. Duration - Flame Dash - Faster Casting.

it could be better maybe?

Golem doesn't attack things often enough to land a sufficient amount of crits. Try Orb of Storms, you will see how good it is.

"

Im curious about flame dash - inc duration too. This could be longer flame dash maybe? Can't try tho dont have any inc. duration gems right now.

Aaand, thanks for the build. It's really good. I didnt like the jewel placement lvls, only. 3 turmoil after 90. Amazing dps boost after 90 but its too high imo. My highest char is 90 lol.

Inc Duration won't do anything for Flame Dash. All you need for it is Faster Casting.

DPS jewels come in kinda late with this build, 5 levels later than they could have (with Baalorlord's original build). But we do such massive DPS already, I prioritize safety. Even the top roll Izaro's is still 50% increased (additive) damage. We got 3 new multiplicative (MORE) modifiers in 2.2, their effect dwarfs the jewels. I have a 2.1 deathless Core video somewhere, it was already not hard DPS-wise back then, just need to survive.

"

Atephon wrote:

Good job - but I just want to add that you will not have 15 skill points at lvl 13.
We get two passives from quests. But we still start at lvl 1 and not zero.

best regards

You get 12 passives from leveling and 3 from quests:
A Dirty Job, The Dweller of the Deep, The Marooned Mariner

Unless you stop and level to 13 before killing Fairgraves. There is no reason to stop for xp in A1N, just run through it and kill everything.

Updates:

- changed gem recommendation for leveling
- added jewel placement map
- added Gear Enchantment section
- added an example of skill setup
- added detailed Offense and Defense mechanics explanations
- added an Uber Atziri video

Hi! I'm currently trying your build out. I'm having problems leveling safety after switching to ice storm and CI at level 33. I find myself running out of mana very often even with warlords mark selfcasted. Any tips?

edit: Just saw you put up life leech as a recommended gem, I played around a bit and mana leech seems to work great as well on a 6s.

"

Enumadas wrote:

Hi! I'm currently trying your build out. I'm having problems leveling safety after switching to ice storm and CI at level 33. I find myself running out of mana very often even with warlords mark selfcasted. Any tips?

edit: Just saw you put up life leech as a recommended gem, I played around a bit and mana leech seems to work great as well on a 6s.

Why is WM self-casted? When you switch to CI/WI at lv 33, you should already have 2 auras: Discipline and WM+Blasphemy. Self-casting WM is a lot of work, you can get sloppy and start having mana issues, or overdo it and cast it too often and run out of mana that way. AA can wait till much higher levels, you don't really need that layer of protection until deep into mapping. My league char still doesn't have Enlighten lv 2 and she is roflstomping everything in tier 8-10 maps at lv 73 without AA.

Don't neglect to use Rallying Cry. You don't need Clarity at all.

Under gear section you state that Auxium is really good for 1 hp character. Auxium is great, I dont doubt that, but 1 hp bit is slightly inaccurate. Unless it's been changed, CI characters for the purposes of status ailment duration calculations are considered at the max hp what they would have without CI. So that's around ~1.3k - 1.5k hp without any 'useless' life rolls on rare gear. I get it's nitpicking and doesn't really practically change anything in the end game content. I like your version of the WI build most, well done!

Great build, great guide, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!
Currently, I'm setting up a Whispering Ice char that will follow your guide. :)

One minor comment though: wouldn't it be better to take Nullification instead of Foresight?

This way, one would lose 5% increased ES and 20 flat ES, but gain 8% all res. For a build that is so tight on res that taking Kraityn in norm is a serious consideration, those res should be worth a lot more than 5% ES on top of a build that already sits at some 380% ES...

"

urjoh wrote:

Under gear section you state that Auxium is really good for 1 hp character. Auxium is great, I dont doubt that, but 1 hp bit is slightly inaccurate. Unless it's been changed, CI characters for the purposes of status ailment duration calculations are considered at the max hp what they would have without CI. So that's around ~1.3k - 1.5k hp without any 'useless' life rolls on rare gear. I get it's nitpicking and doesn't really practically change anything in the end game content. I like your version of the WI build most, well done!

Thanks, I'll correct that. The result is still the same though: without US and Auxium it's way too easy to get stunned and frozen.

"

Black_Gun wrote:

Great build, great guide, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!
Currently, I'm setting up a Whispering Ice char that will follow your guide. :)

One minor comment though: wouldn't it be better to take Nullification instead of Foresight?

This way, one would lose 5% increased ES and 20 flat ES, but gain 8% all res. For a build that is so tight on res that taking Kraityn in norm is a serious consideration, those res should be worth a lot more than 5% ES on top of a build that already sits at some 380% ES...

That's an interesting idea. Nullification is the same as Faith and Steel for this build. It may make sense to take both and lose some ES from Foresight but save a skill point on Kraytin. I'll check it out.

"

Atephon wrote:

Good job - but I just want to add that you will not have 15 skill points at lvl 13.
We get two passives from quests. But we still start at lvl 1 and not zero.

best regards

"

Kelvynn wrote:

You get 12 passives from leveling and 3 from quests:
A Dirty Job, The Dweller of the Deep, The Marooned Mariner

Unless you stop and level to 13 before killing Fairgraves. There is no reason to stop for xp in A1N, just run through it and kill everything.

I think your the only one in the game that gets a passive from "A Dirty Job" then :) I get regrets.

"

Atephon wrote:

"

Atephon wrote:

Good job - but I just want to add that you will not have 15 skill points at lvl 13.
We get two passives from quests. But we still start at lvl 1 and not zero.

best regards

"

Kelvynn wrote:

You get 12 passives from leveling and 3 from quests:
A Dirty Job, The Dweller of the Deep, The Marooned Mariner

Unless you stop and level to 13 before killing Fairgraves. There is no reason to stop for xp in A1N, just run through it and kill everything.

I think your the only one in the game that gets a passive from "A Dirty Job" then :) I get regrets.

Doh! You're right. That quest gives respec, not a passive. My bad.

Gonna have to fix the Leveling section.

But the end result still matches the trees, from at least lv 69. Looks like I missed another skill point somewhere else that compensates for thinking that you get this one in A1.

P.S. Found it! The 3rd skill point in A1 comes from The Way Forward that you complete during A2 (somewhere on your way to Vaal Pact). Adjusted the levels slightly. Thanks for noticing it.