[2.4] zSavage's Kitava's Thirst Crit Storm Call [Trickster]

Intro:

When the Kitava's Thirst helm was announced, it immediately looked pretty cool to me and I decided I would try to make a build with it. I was on vacation the first week of the league, and watched unique prices on poe.trade since I couldn't play. Although I had originally planned to play Firestorm to start the league, I decided to play this build first once I saw Kitava's was only 1c and Voidbringers were a mere 2c. So, this is my first character in the Essence League (SC).

I've made a video revealing my build and explaining the mechanics. I highly recommend watching it to understand how everything works. There's some gameplay at the end of it as well.

Storm Call Build Explanation
Old video below.
Build Reveal Video (Arc)

Core Items and Mechanics


Kitava's Thirst and Voidbringers are the two key items to this build. Optional but highly recommended:

Doryani's has great damage and provides a source of life leech outside of a curse.
Here's how it all works. Voidbringer increases the cost of our skills by 80%, enabling us to break the 100 mana cost barrier. While leveling this character, I was able to do this at level 55 (the min level for Voidbringers) with a 4L Arc + Controlled Destruction + Light Pen + Spell Echo. This then enables the helm to trigger.
However, there are two big issues that keep Kitava's from being popular and limits the skills you should socket in it. These are:
1. Projectiles are targeted in a random direction.
2. Ranged AoE skills (like Bladefall, Storm Call, for example) are cast right on top of your character.
Thus, the spells in the helm should not be either of these. Also, the helm is limited trigger one copy of each spell per trigger (but it casts all the socketed spells). This means that using, say, 3 Arcs will only cast one.
Therefore, the skills my helm triggers are:
1. Arc. It autotargets and functions pretty much as normal.
2. Shock Nova. It is centered on us for a nice DPS boost when used correctly.
3. Molten Shell. We have pretty much permanent uptime on a strong defensive buff that nukes enemys that get close.
These are all supported by lightning pen (for more damage for Arc and Shock Nova).

General build goals and characteristics

With the above in mind, I had several goals for this character:
1. Sustain a sufficient mana pool to be able to cast a 100+ cost skill rapidly.
2. High cast speed
3. Fast whirling blades
4. Crit
All of these are solved by going Shadow, taking the Trickster class, and dual wielding Doryani's and a solid spell dagger.
Trickster gives us:
1. Bonus attack and cast speed when we use movement skills, which are free.
2. A chance to recover 10% of our max mana when we use a skill, and a bunch of mana regen.
3. Automatic Frenzy charge generation on kill.
4. Some dodge and spell dodge.
Dual wielding lets us take advantage of the Dark Arts notable and cluster for a very efficient set of attack and cast speed nodes (20% cast speed and 24% attack speed for 4 points).
Generally, this build clears very quickly and can do most bosses pretty well, though its single target is not godly.

Passive Tree (lvl 89, fully ascended)
Skill Tree Link

-> This is the updated tree for Storm Call.

NOTE: Storm Call must be lvl 18 in 5L in order to have 100+ mana cost with supports Spell Echo, Lightning Pen, Less Duration, and Controlled Destruction. (You can do a few levels lower if you socket Conc Effect/Inc AoE).
Ascendancy Order:
Normal-Walk the Aether. Having free movement skills and 20% attack and cast speed is very nice at this point, as we don't need the mana recovery yet. My leveling accelerated a lot after getting this.
Cruel-Weave the Arcane. At this point you should be able to equip the two core uniques and get the build really going, so the mana recovery is very much wanted at this point.
Merciless-Swift Killer. The frenzy charges are what you want moving into mapping and the endgame.
Uber-Ghost Dance. This one is the most useful of those that are left, but it's not required to play the build.

Bandit Choices:
Normal: Help Oak for +40 life
Cruel: Kill all for +1 passive
Merciless: Help Alira for +1 Power Charge.

Skill Links

Main Damage: Storm Call + Controlled Destruction + Spell Echo + Light Pen + Less Duration (+ Inc Crit/Crit Multi OR Inc Aoe/Conc 6L)
Kitava's Links: Arc + Shock Nova + Molten Shell + Lightning Pen
4L (Probably Voidbringer): Orb of Storms + Curse on Hit + Warlord's Mark + PCoC
3L (Probably Doryani's): CWDT (lvl 5) + Inc Duration + Immortal Call (lvl 7)
4L (Probably boots): Whirling Blades + Faster Attacks + Fortify + Culling Strike
You can run a different move skill like leap slam or socket something else instead of Cull. It's something I like and it will add more attack speed at 20q.
Socket Anywhere:
Auras: Herald of Thunder, Arctic Armor, Clarity
Lightning Golem

Note: If you have a 6L, something is going to have to go, unless you have an unset ring. I would recommend dropping either your golem, or removing the culling strike gem.

My Gear and Stats



Life: 5011 (lvl 89)
ES: 1556
(Yes, this is a semi-hybrid build. Voidbringers maintains our ES pretty well while killing non bosses)
Mana: 1927 (684 unreserved).
Storm Call mana cost (lvl 18 gem): 102
Storm Call DPS:
41.6k (no charges)
62.3k (charged: 5 PC, 4 FC)
67.7k (charged sulphur flask)
This can easily get to 160k+ with a good support character beside you.

FAQ

Q: How do you deal with reflect?
I carry a Topaz Flask, and pop it upon seeing the mob and attacking it. Once my ES drops, I use life flasks to maintain my health pool. This build can survive reflect mobs but it requires good reflexes and flask management.
Q:Which map mods should I avoid?
Absolutely do not run Ele Reflect or Hexproof (hexproof = little to no leech). I would also avoid Blood Magic and No Life or Mana regeneration maps, and ones with high added lightning resistance. Other than that use your own instincts; it can run most other things with proper play.
Q: What other skills can I use?
Storm Call is best of what I've tested (Arc, Shock Nova, Storm Call).
Q: What unique chests can I use with this build?
I would recommend using a rare with life and res, and that can roll 4 blue and 1 red sockets without too much effort (IE ES, AR/ES, or EV/ES). That said, Cloak of Flame, The Restless Ward or Carcass Jack (if using an AoE main skill) could be useful if you really wanted to use a unique.
Q: How high maps have you done with this character?
I've done up to T12 and will be moving to T13 soon-ish. I've also soloed Uber Lab without too much problems (though there might be if you went for a high number of keys on the wrong day).


Enjoy! Let me know if you have any ideas or thoughts or questions about the build.

-Savage
Theorycrafter/Build Creator for PORTAL guild
@BlightScourge -> guide @ view-thread/1382667 (Retired till Mjolner is fixed)
Lvl 94 Crit Mjolner Marauder
twitch.tv/savagewolves
Last edited by zSavage on Sep 26, 2016, 6:16:01 PM
Last bumped on Sep 26, 2016, 6:16:30 PM
what bandits do we help/ kill
love this helmet,I had 6 very strong characters,lost 3 tricksters,one berserker,one ocultist and one inquisitor (cause fps problems,ocultist cause was bored and tested something stupid) im addicted to builds around it,play HC only so will die soon again...

sorry but i will rate Your build on 2/10,double arc is not bad especially with arc enchant on Kitava's but main spell with very bad casting speed and just same skill for trigger is boring and not offer anything special

there are much better "combos" with this helmet for example You can spam xx vortex from it with solid duration,You can have 20/20 blade vortex around You all time and many other nice things.Very nice build You can make even around SRS + ARC :)




ps. MOM is very strong with builds around Kitava's,with solid setup and serious mana regen/max mana You just have to spam skills and nothing can hurt You till Your fps go down to 0 :D
"
doughnutdawg wrote:
what bandits do we help/ kill


Bandit Choices:
Normal: Help Oak for +40 life
Cruel: Kill all for +1 passive
Merciless: Help Alira for +1 Power Charge.

Added under passives section as well; thanks for the reminder.
Theorycrafter/Build Creator for PORTAL guild
@BlightScourge -> guide @ view-thread/1382667 (Retired till Mjolner is fixed)
Lvl 94 Crit Mjolner Marauder
twitch.tv/savagewolves
Doing the exact same thing right now, only as CI, good on you sir, it's a fun build
Tried Inquisitor first but now making a trickster

I'm going for Spark though, since it has slightly higher base cast speed and gets me more procs then :D
Last edited by ragbasti on Sep 24, 2016, 12:19:48 PM
I have switched to Storm Call as the trigger skill, and it seems to work quite well. Will be updating main post.
Theorycrafter/Build Creator for PORTAL guild
@BlightScourge -> guide @ view-thread/1382667 (Retired till Mjolner is fixed)
Lvl 94 Crit Mjolner Marauder
twitch.tv/savagewolves
Here is my current version:

I use Spark in a 5L bow with Drillneck for the extra damage from pierce chance.
Only level 67 so far, and just now starting to actually get passives that directly increase my damage, so I am only sitting at 6k dps.
I picked up a really cheap Voidbringer with the Assassin's Mark corruption, which was perfect. That way I can dual curse Assassin + Warlord and use Inc AOE support for more coverage.
Personally, I prefer assassin's mark over PCoC

I didn't actually take Weave the Arcane yet and mana leech seems to sustain my mana pretty okay. It will help me get rid of the slow start at the beginning of a map though.

I also have a Soul Strike Quiver for when I need the farster recharge start for my ES, like in the lab.

Quite happy with my gear, some of it is selffound and the rest was financed by the first exalt that has dropped for me since 1.4 xD

Gear



Passive Tree

https://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAABAYCAAVCBbUI9A3REQ8RLxFQFdcV5xhqH8ci6iL0KgsqOCpbKworeCycLL8tizW5OVI6WDsNQZZDNkV8RwZJsUyDTLNQMFLsVcZWY1crWAdca13yXypfamNDakNsC20ZcFJw1HOzdFV0gXn2f8aESIauidOMNo_6kyeXl5uhm7WhL6crrJius7TFvYK-isBUwcXC7MM6w23QH9DQ0PXXz9te2-fjhOjW7BjviO_r8Gvy4ffX-Tf5pP6z?accountName=ragbasti&characterName=OMGaPooPooSparker




The long term goal is to farm Essences of Woe and to enchant the bow until I get +1 Gem level. Projectile speed would also be nice but worst case I can craft that on.
Last edited by ragbasti on Sep 24, 2016, 8:59:14 PM
Updated with new video explaining swap to Storm Call instead of Arc.
Theorycrafter/Build Creator for PORTAL guild
@BlightScourge -> guide @ view-thread/1382667 (Retired till Mjolner is fixed)
Lvl 94 Crit Mjolner Marauder
twitch.tv/savagewolves

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