[3.3] The Poet's Pen Volatile Dead/Bodyswap "Shaper Down"[Inquisitor ✌]

Hi Guys, i'm playing this build now a few days. At first it was just amazing and fun. But now, as i try to optimize it, its totally frustrating. Thats on the one hand because of missing knowledge and on the other hand, it seems just imposible to optimize it the way i want to do it. But maybe i'm missing something.

I really like to play with Bodyswap. Its a faster and more enjoable playstyle compared to hit and run. So i really try to optimize the damage and APS for this. But that is the first problem... what is the optimal APS for something with 2 active skills (Unearth + Bodyswap) in Pen1 and only 1 active (Volatile) in Pen2?

I really had problems to get informations about this. Furthermore, the way this combination works seems to make more Problems than other two to one spell combinations. Because of the corpses needed for Volatile.

As far as i understood. For one Spell in each Pen on 4 APS it would look like this:

250ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: Volatile (theoretically, in fact, on the first cast, it does not cast, maybe because of no corpses?)
500ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: Volatile
750ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: Volatile
1000ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: Volatile

So i get 4 full Volatile Casts in one second.

But as soon as i use Bodyswap in it it looks like this:

250ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: does nothing, like above
500ms Pen1: Bodyswap ||| Pen2: Volatile
750ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: - (because of no corpses left if used the +1 helm enchant)
1000ms Pen1: Bodyswap ||| Pen2: Volatile
1250ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: - (because of no corpses left if used the +1 helm enchant)
1500ms Pen1: Bodyswap ||| Pen2: Volatile

So if i use Bodyswap as second spell, i cut my Damage by simply 50%? Is there any way to handle this?

The thing is, even if i use a second aktive Skill in Pen 2 with Volatile, that costs me a more Multiplyer Support Gem to get what? I don´t know which spell would be worth it. It just seems to make it worse.

And besides. Thats the reason why i don´t understand the often used combination of:

Pen1: Unearth, GMP, Crematorium
Pen2: Volatile + 2 support Gems

That should exactly cause the same Problems like Bodyswap. There are just no corpses for Volatile to be used in bossfights. So that should cut the Damage by nearlly 50% too.

Do i miss something? Am i right that the Problem are the missing corpses for a 2 to 1 Pen Spell Combination? Is there any way to handle this?
Last edited by Rake7 on Jan 1, 2018, 10:30:41 AM
You are exactly right. Crematorium is complete garbage for this build. Bodyswap is only good for speed-running easy content.
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Rake7 wrote:
Hi Guys, i'm playing this build now a few days. At first it was just amazing and fun. But now, as i try to optimize it, its totally frustrating. Thats on the one hand because of missing knowledge and on the other hand, it seems just imposible to optimize it the way i want to do it. But maybe i'm missing something.

I really like to play with Bodyswap. Its a faster and more enjoable playstyle compared to hit and run. So i really try to optimize the damage and APS for this. But that is the first problem... what is the optimal APS for something with 2 active skills (Unearth + Bodyswap) in Pen1 and only 1 active (Volatile) in Pen2?

I really had problems to get informations about this. Furthermore, the way this combination works seems to make more Problems than other two to one spell combinations. Because of the corpses needed for Volatile.

As far as i understood. For one Spell in each Pen on 4 APS it would look like this:

250ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: Volatile (theoretically, in fact, on the first cast, it does not cast, maybe because of no corpses?)
500ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: Volatile
750ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: Volatile
1000ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: Volatile

So i get 4 full Volatile Casts in one second.

But as soon as i use Bodyswap in it it looks like this:

250ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: does nothing, like above
500ms Pen1: Bodyswap ||| Pen2: Volatile
750ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: - (because of no corpses left if used the +1 helm enchant)
1000ms Pen1: Bodyswap ||| Pen2: Volatile
1250ms Pen1: Unearth ||| Pen2: - (because of no corpses left if used the +1 helm enchant)
1500ms Pen1: Bodyswap ||| Pen2: Volatile

So if i use Bodyswap as second spell, i cut my Damage by simply 50%? Is there any way to handle this?

The thing is, even if i use a second aktive Skill in Pen 2 with Volatile, that costs me a more Multiplyer Support Gem to get what? I don´t know which spell would be worth it. It just seems to make it worse.

And besides. Thats the reason why i don´t understand the often used combination of:

Pen1: Unearth, GMP, Crematorium
Pen2: Volatile + 2 support Gems

That should exactly cause the same Problems like Bodyswap. There are just no corpses for Volatile to be used in bossfights. So that should cut the Damage by nearlly 50% too.

Do i miss something? Am i right that the Problem are the missing corpses for a 2 to 1 Pen Spell Combination? Is there any way to handle this?


bodyswap mostly for mapping, it also proc the first ascendancy point that i forgot the name.
also he switch to cremation setup on hard bosses
Wowww I just found these in a random map this morning, i'm pretty stoked.


Here is my full gear which gets me to 5.15 APS and (yet TBD but under .2 sec cooldown). Where is the best room for improvement?

Just a minor correction - Under gem links, you have...

"Flame Dash - Faster Casting - Arcane Surge - Inc Duration"

Flame dash is incorrectly colored Red when it should be Blue. Stupid for me to correct, I know, but I figured it might save people from incorrectly socketing and wasting currency.

Anyway, GREAT guide. I appreciate you putting so much time into it. This is one of the funnest builds i've played in a very long time. and the leveling is INSANE. From now on, this will probably be my go to leveling strategy regardless of what build I switch to end game.
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weoilikeher wrote:
bodyswap mostly for mapping, it also proc the first ascendancy point that i forgot the name.
also he switch to cremation setup on hard bosses


It doesn't proc the ascendancy, only self-cast spells do.
Cremation is equally terrible because it reduces the amount of VD casts drastically.
Whoops? =)

Currently the PoB link is for a witch variant instead of the Inquisitor.

(unless your telling us that the Witch is actually better than the Inquisitor!!! nooooo. heh)
Ok guys, I think its time to share my opinion about the build ;) Cleared 157 atlas (uncliding grandmaster), shaper, uber atziri and red Elder with this build so i think its 100% content viable (killed only 2 breachlord tho, but shouldnt be a problem - the two i killed just vaporized in a sec). Pretty fun but also expensive build. Uber atziri requires some practice but is doable deathless. ++ for the build, thanks a lot for guide ;) Elemental reflect is the only one mod u cannot run, rest is not big of a deal. here is my pob if u are curious how my char looks like: https://pastebin.com/KcnSvc7y
Last edited by suitonek on Jan 1, 2018, 4:21:58 PM
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weoilikeher wrote:
bodyswap mostly for mapping, it also proc the first ascendancy point that i forgot the name.
also he switch to cremation setup on hard bosses


It doesn't proc the ascendancy, only self-cast spells do.
Cremation is equally terrible because it reduces the amount of VD casts drastically.


Do you have a source on this?

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