[2.2] [End game] The Sundernaut. Tanky/crit juggernaut. Budget 200k dps

I have updated this guide. I managed to get rank 1 in the recent perandus flashback league, i used a non crit (RT) version of this build and have added it to the guide. I also added a leveling section

Hello and welcome to my very first build guide.

Are you looking for a fun, cheap(ish) & endgame viable build? Look no further!

Introducing The Sundernaut!

This build utilizes the Juggernaut ascendency class to create and extremely tanky 2h crit build on a budget, with plenty of room to grow and improve your character!


PROs:
Cheap(ish) to gear.
Slow, Freeze and stun immune.
Super tanky! 6500+ life 25k+ armour with granite.
Super fast (up to +44% movement speed! without quicksilver)
Max crit with very little investment
Knockback! (some bosses are a joke)
Flexible

CONs:
Phys reflect maps are a no-no if you can't afford acuities.
Abyssus makes traps in the labyrinth hurt.. a lot!
Average clear speed

Why Juggernaut?

Juggernaut is an awesome and in my opinion underrated ascendency class.

Spoiler


Unbreakable Doubles the armour the juggernaut recieve from the body armour slot. This allows the juggernaut to become extremely tanky without a shield and with very little investment on the passive tree.

Undeniable Gives the juggernaut the ability to completely ignore accuracy on gear and focus on other stats. The attackspeed isn't bad either.

Unstoppable This node is so incredible.
"You cannot be slowed to below base speed" New players might not understand just how powerful this is.
Anything that used to slow your character, no longer does. Not just your movement but also how fast your character swings his weapon. All those annoying Chilling ground effect, temporal chains, tar, freeze effects, you name it! Nothing stops the juggernaut! Also, 10% Movement speed.

The Core


The Core items of this build are:

Hegemony's Era



An Abyssus Helmet (ignore the enchant):



And a high armour rare chest piece(5l required for endgame):



The Hegemony's Era has high base crit chance, combined with a Increased Critital Strikes gem, makes reaching the crit cap of 95% super easy.

It also allows us to generate power charges on knockback. Combine this with the
Blunt Trauma

and Smashing Strikes nodes


For super easy power and endurance charge generation.

Abyssus

Is my choice for a helmet. The massive crit multiplier and flat physical damage is perfect for this build. I don't think it needs further explanation

Abyssus comes with the downside of 40-50% increased physical damage taken. This increased damage taken is applied after armour has reduced the incomming damage which is why the final core item of this build is:

A rare chest with good armour!

This is where the build gets a lot of the tankiness.
Combined with the 'Unbreakable' juggernaut node my current body armour gives me 11k armour without flasks active. Thats HUUUUGGE boost to survability and should not be ignored!

Defensive Mechanics
Besides the obvious large healthpool and great armour the build also features:

6 endurance charges
Fortify on leapslam
Vengeance/Ancestral protector linked with blind.
Basalt Flask
18% block
95% chance to knockback, even bosses!
Great life leech
Enfeeble Aura

Gearing
Note: To run max level blood rage and vaal haste you will need to pick up a little dex on gear

Gloves: I suggest 'Shadow and dust' or 'maligaro's virtuosity' as offensive options.
Boots: Rare boots with high life and resists. As much movement speed as you can afford!
Belt: Rustic, Leather Or heavy belt. High life and resists. Try to get Weapon elemental damage.
Jewelry: High life, any resist you are still missing (for me it was chaos). Weapon elemental damage, flat phys and attackspeed on rings are all awesome. Also look for crit multiplier on your amulet.

Jewels: Life, Crit multiplier, physical damage, attackspeed and all resist are all top tier rolls.

My Current Gear
Spoiler


Passive tree
Spoiler
https://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAABAEBAAHcBLMFLQmWEuETcRQgFm8Wuxo4HRQj0ySqJy8t0i5TMok1kjbpOQ462DrhPAU9Pj38QXJDMUWOR35M_03jUEdX4lhjWK5Z816lXz9lTWZUZp5oZWjybydvO3IPcql07Xasd-N35XgNeHp5aHrvfXOCm4TZhO-FUodqjM-PRo9gkFWRzpJ9lG-XeZhvmmqfPqIAouqmV6knqW6plKyqrQmtjbXyu-28mr02vqfAGsBmwQTG2Mlnyx7PftI402_WWNi92WHawdwj4XPjauRR5c_qGOsJ7SDtRO8O73zwH_JF8932SPcy97n46_rS-4v-Cv6P


This passive tree features:
198% Increased maximum life
4 Jewel Slots
+3 Endurance charges

There's lots more damage or life to be picked up depending on which better suits your gameplay.
I have only recently picked up the duelist leech nodes as i found myself dying to reflect when i forgot blood rage. Whooops!

Leveling:
Level 40
Spoiler
https://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAABAEBAAHcBS0GxgmWE0wUIBa7F-EaOCb4Jy85Dj38R35OMlBHWGNZ818_ZFJlTXKpdO12rHfjeHp5aHrvhNmE74VSh2qMz5BVl3mbWKknqW6plKyqrY29Nr6nwAHBBMbYz37ZYdrB5FHqGOsJ7w72SPcy97n46w==


Level 60:


Bandits

Normal: Oak (40 life)
Cruel: Kill all (skillpoint)
Merciless: Alira (Power charge)

My stats

Offence with charges up.
Spoiler


Defence with charges up
Spoiler

Add Basalt, fortify and 30k armour instead of 14k with flasks




Gems and links

The main attack for the sundernaut is.. you guessed it! Sunder!

Sunder is a new addition to POE, it is less flashy than earthquake or ice crash but very strong.

In a 5l I would suggest: Sunder - Multistrike - Increased Critical Strikes - Melee Physical damage - Concentrated Effect. In a 6l add Faster Attacks

Sunder's main "Wave of broken ground" does not increase or decrease with area of effect, only the secondary tremors is affected. This makes concentrated effect a superb choice for sunder.

For auras the sundernaut uses:
Hatred
Assasins mark or enfeeble linked with blasphemy. Assasins mark is a huge dps increase, enfeeble makes mapping super safe - your choice!
Herald of ash. - I run herald of ash instead of my curse when mapping with friends who need a specific curse or in "Curse immune" Maps.

A standard
Leap Slam - Faster Attacks - Fortify setup (Add ice golem in a 4l to buff the golem a bit)

Vaal haste - Increased duration - blood rage - enduring cry.
Simple Setup. Press vaal haste to kill stuff faster, press enduring cry when you can't hit stuff and need to regenerate life or keep up endurance charges.

In the staff: Ancestral protector - Vengeance - Blind + (whatever damage gems you can add. Just a 3l required) Pop ancestral protector to boost your attackspeed and blind bosses or tough enemies. not much to say.

Non Crit (RT) version:
Spoiler

I recently participated in the two-week flaskback event managed to achive rank 1 juggernaut on softcore. It was my intent to run this exact build but due to the lack of available of Hegemony's Era early in the league, i had to run a non crit version of the build.

Pro's & Con's

Although the idea behind the crit and non-crit version of the build is fairly similar, i found them very distinctly different. To help you decide i will give you a quick breakdown of the pro's and con's of the non crit version.

Pro's:
Extremely cheap and easy to gear. While the regular version is fairly easy to get started, the RT version takes this to the extreme. Got a weapon to bash things? A bit of life and resistances? You are ready to kill stuff! I was able to make it to level 100 with very mediocre gear that cost me almost nothing.

Very tanky. The RT version picks up 2 more endurance charges and takes 8% less elemental damage while at full endurance charges.

Con's

Endurance charge generation:
While this build relies more on endurance charges, it can also have a tougher time generating them organically and thus pressing that enduring cry button can feel like a part of your normal "rotation". The crit version gains endurance charges from critting, this version relies on enduring cry, endurance charge on stun and the ascendency "Unflinching" (20% chance to gain an endurance charge when you are hit.) This is especially a problem on boss fights with no/ limited adds. If your endurance charges drops off, you are very vulnerable untill you can build them up again.

No shatter:
The non-crit build still uses hatred but does not have a lot of chance to freeze and thus will no shatter enemies, leaving their corpses on the ground.
The flashback league featured the beyond map mod on many days, and i thus became quite familliar with the chaos boss "Bameth". Bameth casts vaal detonate dead. Being a melee that walks around on all their slain enemies is not fun against vaal detonate dead.

Not a DPS monster:
This version of the build has significantly less DPS than the crit version. While it is plenty to take on even the toughest bosses, many fights will take much longer than the crit version. Once your flask charges starts running low you will miss having that damage!



If you are interested in an extremely budget friendly, endgame viable and very tanky version of this build you are in the right place.

Passive tree (level 90) - Axe/sword/mace skills interchangable.


Ascendency:


This version of the build drops the accuracy and double chest armour nodes in favour of the endurance chare nodes.

Gear:
While this build has no requirements i have a few recommendations.

Lightning coil:


Lightning coil is a very strong choice for the RT version of this build. You can generally pick one up for 30chaos - 1exalt and it is a very strong defensive option. This version of the build does not use unique helmet/gloves and as such is easily able to cap resistances even with a lightning coil.

Lion's roar:


Lion's roar has quickly become my favourite flask. It is VERY cheap to buy, i got this perfect roll for 5 chaos orbs. It has recently been buffed and now holds 2 charges in the flask. I think it is criminally underused and i expect people will catch on to how awesome this flask is very soon. Get yours while they are cheap!

It gives you the knockback that is inherent to the crit version of this build on demand, a huge chunk of damage, and it's on a granite flask! I cannot stress how awesome this flask is, Beyond bosses, endgame t13/t14/t15 bosses almost everything is a joke when it is knocked back out of their reach. It synergizes very well with sunder. Ice/flame/storm-blood explosions can be extremely dangerous in endgame maps, just knock them back and you never have anything to fear!

Weapon:
I started by using a terrible rare mace and quickly upgraded to Kongor's Undying rage I was able to pick this weapon up for only a few chaos. It helps capping resistances while you are still working on your other gear and is generally an awesome early mapping weapon.

Other strong cheap options are Hezmana's Bloodlust and Kaom's Primacy .
I eventually upgraded to my final weapon:
Atziri's Disfavour.
This is certainly a strong option and i do not regret buying it. The bleed is quite nice when speed running lower tier maps as it will kill any monster you don't oneshot. It will tear down Tormented spirits when they run away from you and help you if you playing safe against hard enemies. However it is not some sort of "Super GG godly weapon" for this build. It's strong, but a good rare axe or mace might even perform better.

The rest of the gear is rare pieces:

Try for flat physical damage, life and WED on rings/amulet.
Look for high movementspeed on boots and make sure you have enough resists.

I found it very dificult to get enough dexterity to run level 20 bloodrage and vaal haaste and enough intelligence to run blasphemy/enfeeble. You have to make the decision to get enough stats on jewelery or leave them at lower level.

Gems:

The gem setup is very similar to the crit version of the build. I swapped Increased critical strikes gem with added fire and later added fortify to my main attack instead.
I began experimenting with endurance charge on melee stun linked to leapslam and vengeance but hardly found it noticeable. I chose the flame golem, but stone, chaos or lightning are all excellent options too.


Videos:

Quick Shrine run.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kviAMiZ2A-Q
Budget overgrown ruin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrydi3Rkmtk

Let me know what other vids you wanna see!
Last edited by Bulldozor on May 23, 2016, 3:20:11 PM
Last bumped on May 30, 2017, 4:19:26 PM
I`ve seen this build at work... and I must say... it`s impressive! Ty for the guide! :P
This build has no problems clearing any and all map mods, when in doubt invite a player with this set up and watch him demolish anything up to T15 bosses. Super safe with the huge hp pool + armor and knockbacks, insane damage :D
bump, looks extra opie op
Build is crazy good!




bump
Im level 80 using a simular build with my duelist, I have perma fortify and a little more armor, 62k dps with just aura's. I love the build but its slightly less tanky Im sure then the Maurader version.
Honestly, the only way anyone would think this is budget, is by being dropped on your head.
#1. You are basing 200k dps on a 6L. Already out of budget for the average player.
#2. Without Acuity's, you would really have to make changes. Considering you would HAVE to take Vaal Pact, which would make you have ZERO life regen.
#3. Even without the 6L chest, your jewellery is quite expensive for most people as well.

100% thumbs down, I expected to come here and find a great budget build that was really strong, and was completely let down.
"
LastTruGod wrote:
Honestly, the only way anyone would think this is budget, is by being dropped on your head.
#1. You are basing 200k dps on a 6L. Already out of budget for the average player.
#2. Without Acuity's, you would really have to make changes. Considering you would HAVE to take Vaal Pact, which would make you have ZERO life regen.
#3. Even without the 6L chest, your jewellery is quite expensive for most people as well.

100% thumbs down, I expected to come here and find a great budget build that was really strong, and was completely let down.



First off you must be very new and unable to make a 6 link, Ive managed to do at least 1 6 link in the first week or two of every league using maps to increase my chances, plus GGG made it 20% easier to get a 6 link by not having 20% quality change on items now. I use facebreakers 90% crit multi is a hge boost to dps or you can use Malagoro's which are also decent for this class, both were gotten very cheap off coin vendor or guild mates who had them in a vendor. None of his jewelery is expensive Ive gotten very good stuff all for under 5 chaos each, if you cant make enough currancy to equal 1 ex everyday you play either by selling stuff or drops vendor recipes etc then you arent playing the game correctly and have no bussiness telling anyone their guide sucks.



I paid 1 ex for the staff just because I wanted good rolls, I had 1 ex and aigus shield drop in same map last night sold shield for 2.2 ex. I paid maybe 50 total chaos for the rest of my gear, but maybe its because I have friends and guidemates willing to sell things cheaper or Im just lucky with drops, or maybe we just know more about the game then you and put forth the effort to achieve what we desire. And FYI this is my secondary character, I already have a level 90 Juggernaut Sunder with my own guide in Maurader, I ran all content upto malakai deathless on a 4 link before level 70, including clearing all labs. So please dont tell people thier guide is bad when maybe its youre own lack of game knowledge that needs corrected.
"
LastTruGod wrote:
Honestly, the only way anyone would think this is budget, is by being dropped on your head.
#1. You are basing 200k dps on a 6L. Already out of budget for the average player.
#2. Without Acuity's, you would really have to make changes. Considering you would HAVE to take Vaal Pact, which would make you have ZERO life regen.
#3. Even without the 6L chest, your jewellery is quite expensive for most people as well.

100% thumbs down, I expected to come here and find a great budget build that was really strong, and was completely let down.


lol its just a 6l astral plate, nothing special, costs about 3 exalts or even less.

as for acuities, they arent necessary at all and neither is VP.

nice guide bewl!
"
LastTruGod wrote:
Honestly, the only way anyone would think this is budget, is by being dropped on your head.
#1. You are basing 200k dps on a 6L. Already out of budget for the average player.
#2. Without Acuity's, you would really have to make changes. Considering you would HAVE to take Vaal Pact, which would make you have ZERO life regen.
#3. Even without the 6L chest, your jewellery is quite expensive for most people as well.

100% thumbs down, I expected to come here and find a great budget build that was really strong, and was completely let down.


Thanks for your feedback.

1# Yep i'm basing 200k dps on a 6l, all i can do is record my current stats. A 6l is not required for this build however. Drop faster attacks and the build wont break, you will just do slightly less dps.
2# I played without Acuity's for a long time and i did just fine. I wont lie acuity's allowed me to facetank a lot of the endgame bosses but it is by no means a requirement.
3# i paid like 1ex total for my jewelery, i have only recently upgraded to cap out my chaos res. You can easily get running with 5chaos.
Last edited by Bulldozor on Mar 26, 2016, 5:48:45 AM

Report Forum Post

Report Account:

Report Type

Additional Info