[The Berserker] A Marauder Dual Wield Axe Pure Melee Physical Damage Build

Preface:

This template has not been used in merciless or cruel yet. I am only level 40, but it has an insane livability and I have no doubts it will do just fine in both damage and surviving. I will update as I progress although I am working on 3 different templates at the moment for melee. I highly encourage new comers to use this template for a first go at the game. I have made many casters, dual wield dagger, and bow templates and this by far is the best of all worlds.

Absolutely love this build. It is a complete wrecking ball that so far has been almost impossible to die using aside from Vaal which I had to teleport back to get full flasks or I would have died soloing him. The strongest I have built and used in Act 1-3. I was able to solo every boss with extreme confidence and the damage was incredible for pure melee. I went pure axes and strength for melee damage. For the majority of the time I lost almost no mana or HP. It is godly at tanking so far. It has the most livability out of anything I have tried so far. It may not be new or an original template, but I figured I would post anyways.

Melee Attack Skills used: Cleave and Heavy Strike

I use Heavy Strike on Bosses when they are solo.

Curses: Warlords Mark, Punishment, and Enduring Cry

Warlords Mark I use the most. Almost every large group encounter. You have enough mana to use all generally but it is pretty much over kill to do that. I could seriously sit in Vaal Temple with a gigantic room of fire, ice, and chaos magic casters and take almost no damage. I truly felt like a powerful damage dealing tank.

Support Gems: Melee Damage On Full Life, Life Gain on Hit x2, Item Quantity, and Item Rarity.

I do so much damage I connect Life Gain On Hit, Item Quantity, and Item Rarity on Cleave when I am at the level they are usable (24). I also wear all item rarity and quantity armor. That may change in harder modes but I doubt it.I also connect Life Gain On Hit and Melee Damage On Full Health to Heavy Strike. I finish bosses with Cleave for the loot bonus.

Melee Damage On Full Life simply rocks since I am at full life the majority of the time. I almost never used flasks for the first 18 levels.

Passive Tree:

1-28 skill points
http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgEAHOcg8CECKS49_ETnUFBUSVcNWGNfP2oeajt7jHy4jM-ezacwqBi53cbY0iHZYedS7w7yL_ZI974=

26-52 skill points
http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgEAAecFLRznIPAhAii1KS426D38QKBE51BQVElVqVYEVw1YY1ivXz9gS2CIYLthUmRSZadqHmo7dO1673uMfLiGYIcpjM-Vm5e0ns2nMKgYrLquULndxtjSIdlh4mHnUu8O707yL_ZI974=

Final Build
http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgEAAAYB5wUtEiAS4RNMFfYYTRjbGlUc5yDwIQIhYCb4KLUpLjBPMHcyCTboPfxAoETnUFBUSVWpVw1YY1ivW69dAF6LXz9gS2CIYLthIWFSYnlkUmSjZadngGoeajtrKXTtdPF4SXrve4x8uIN8hymMz5VnlZuXtJ65ns2i6qcwqAeoGKy6rlC53b5WwaPG2M_40O7SIdQS2WHiYedS7w7vTvIv9kj3o_e-_2E=

I found one on another character and bought one of these for 2 Chaos Orbs to speed leveling up for all my character templates I am using. On this build I used them until level 25. I should have simply used Alchemy Orbs past level 18 or 21 to make some rare axes to increase my damage. These swords require no level or skill checks so using them at level 1-15 pretty much one hits everything =)



I did not get this until level 25 but damn is it useful, I believe it only cost me 2 Chaos orbs so really cheap imo like the swords:



If anyone else decides to give this build a go let me know how you like it.

im sorry this build will not work late game.

Well, missing out on blood magic, resolute technique,iron reflexes and generally a defense mechanic like armour will make you squishy as hell. Also you should have atleast 200% to maximum hp with such a melee build.

"

Rasec1 wrote:

Well, missing out on blood magic, resolute technique,iron reflexes and generally a defense mechanic like armour will make you squishy as hell. Also you should have at least 200% to maximum hp with such a melee build.

Thanks for info I will look into adjustments if possible. 200% health nodes? Seems like you need every one they have on the whole map for that? I will go add up and see what I can get.

And currently I never run out of mana. In fact it almost never even goes down so why would I want to take precious health away by getting blood magic?

Is evasion a big deal end game? I am almost never evaded now and don't even have my accuracy nodes I eventually get that add a lot of accuracy? /shrug I see zero benefit currently in losing damage just to hit every time when I barely ever miss but maybe this changes.

I do see a benefit in Iron Reflexes so I made a revision with some extra HP to boot. I will switch to it if things do not go well late game.

I see other Tank builds on Hardcore with 140-160% hp doing quite well according to those posting on the builds.

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgEAAecFLQ6tEuEYTRjbGlUc5yDwIQIhYCb4KLUpLimlMHcyCTWGNug6sz38QKBDnESeROdKfVBQU7tUSVWpVw1YY1ivW69fP2BLYIhhIWFSZKNlp2eAZ6BqHmo7ayl07XTxeEl673uMfLiDfId2jM-VZ5Wbl7Sdqp65ns2i6qcwqAeoGKy6sHO5zbndvla_1cbY0iHUEtlh3Q3iYedS7LbvDu9O8fTyL_ZI9778xf9h

If anyone has any feedback/criticism it is much appreciated.

Sorry, this build is terrible, I recommend nobody (excluding masochists) to follow it:

Passive skill tree
1. No accuracy nor Resolute Technique means 5% hit chance
2. Little life will cause merciless critters 1-hit ko you. 200% is a minimum.
3. Lack Unwavering Stance will cause in perma-stun (aka pera-death) on 60+
4. Shitloads of useless dps nodes. Taking 10% increased damage node wont increase your dps by 10%. More like 1%, because of the way damage is calculated in PoE
5. Get armor nodes only if your base armor is over 4k. In other case you won't see any difference.

Support Gems:
1. You are never on full life, so Melee on Full Life never applies. You may see 'always' full life, but it's due to regen. Whenever you fight critters they always hit you, means you always have lower than full live.
2. 2x Life Gain on Hit -> Only one support gem apply at the time
3. IIQ and IIR does not pay off at lower levels, because item there has low ilvl. It's better to force-rush merciless and then farm.

This, that you are nor dieing before merciless means NOTHING. Really.

"

NinjaArabStrategist wrote:

Sorry, this build is terrible, I recommend nobody (excluding masochists) to follow it:

Passive skill tree
1. No accuracy nor Resolute Technique means 5% hit chance
2. Little life will cause merciless critters 1-hit ko you. 200% is a minimum.
3. Lack Unwavering Stance will cause in perma-stun (aka pera-death) on 60+
4. Shitloads of useless dps nodes. Taking 10% increased damage node wont increase your dps by 10%. More like 1%, because of the way damage is calculated in PoE
5. Get armor nodes only if your base armor is over 4k. In other case you won't see any difference.

Support Gems:
1. You are never on full life, so Melee on Full Life never applies. You may see 'always' full life, but it's due to regen. Whenever you fight critters they always hit you, means you always have lower than full live.
2. 2x Life Gain on Hit -> Only one support gem apply at the time
3. IIQ and IIR does not pay off at lower levels, because item there has low ilvl. It's better to force-rush merciless and then farm.

This, that you are nor dieing before merciless means NOTHING. Really.

First of all thank you! Most constructive and detailed yet.

"

2. Little life will cause merciless critters 1-hit ko you. 200% is a minimum.

The gigantic thread with the groundslam marauder only has:
89% HP bonus

Your basic Marauder build only has:

143% HP bonus

The changed Marauder build I put up above has 123% HP bonus + 178% armor increase with iron grip. I will add a revision below to further improve.

"

1. No accuracy nor Resolute Technique means 5% hit chance

I have 56% accuracy bonus in my axe skill tree. I was hoping this would be enough but I will change it and get Resolute Technique and Unwavering stance.

"

2. 2x Life Gain on Hit -> Only one support gem apply at the time

One gem is for Heavy Strike and the other is for Cleave.

Ok, now here is a completely redone version that I think fixes the issues you bring up. What does everyone think now?

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgEAAecFLQ6tEuEY2xkuGlUc5yDwIQIhYCftKLUpLimlMgk1hjboOrM9_ECgQ5xEnkTnSn1QUFO7VElVqVcNWGNYr1uvXz9gS2CIYSFhUmSjZadngGegah5qO3KpdO108Xrve4x8uHzZg3yHdozPlZuXtJ2qnrmezZ_LouqnMKgHqBisqqy6sHO5zbndv9XG2NIh2WHdDeJh51Lstu8O707x9PIv9kj3vvzF

5% max res=u take only 20% damage not 25% so its like -20% elemental damage in total...op - must have.
u can take 3%as+18% phys damage in one handed for 2 point, and 4% atack speed with 18% phys damage for 2 points with ambidexterety
2*12% hp what u can take>3*8+30 str couse u have 2 points free in this way...

u lost 30 str
u got +1% as, +21% phys dmg, +5% max res
even if u dont like it - u must grab this +5% max res man..

"

Kralk wrote:

5% max res=u take only 20% damage not 25% so its like -20% elemental damage in total...op - must have.
u can take 3%as+18% phys damage in one handed for 2 point, and 4% atack speed with 18% phys damage for 2 points with ambidexterety
2*12% hp what u can take>3*8+30 str couse u have 2 points free in this way...

Spoiler

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgEAAecFLQ6tEuEUIBR1GNsZLhpVHOcg8CECIWAn7Si1KS4ppTIJNug4ljrtPfxAoEOcRJ5E50p9UEdQUFO7VElVqVcNWGNYr1uvXz9gS2CIYSFhUmSjZadnoGoeajtyqXTtdPF673uMfLh82Yd2jM-Vm5e0nrmezZ_LouqnMKgYrKqsurBztxe53b_VxtjSIdlh3Q3iYedS7LbvDu9O8fTyL_Pd9kj3vvzF

u lost 30 str
u got +1% as, +21% phys dmg, +5% max res
even if u dont like it - u must grab this +5% max res man..

Ok, got you! I will roll with this then and thank you for your time.If hp becomes an issue I suppose I can always use regrets or something.

Hi,
I like the concept of your build.

Could you let me know your progress? I was considering a hybrid dual wield marauder myself .

I thought using 1 handed axes/ maces rather than swords will do more damage.

hybrid meaning good survivability and decent enough damage to get to highest level. something in between glass cannon vs pure tank.

hi,
I'm playing dual strike marauder at hc. I'm using this build:

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgEBBLMFLQ48Dq0UIBRNFHEUdRjbGS4aOCFgJ-0otSmlMgkyiTWGOJY6UjqzOtg67UCgQ5xKfU3YUEdQUFRJVgRXDVfiWGNZ81uvXQBfP2BLYIhhUmegcql07XTxdud35XrvfNmDOIZgh3aMdozPkFWdqp65ns2fy6IApzCnhKyqtPm3F7nNud3AGsbY0iHUj9lh3Q3fv-dS7DjvDu9O73zwH_Iv8932SPe-_MU=

I use added fire dmg, increased phys dmg and life gain on hit on cleave
and added fire dmg and life leech on dual strike.

i use most of the time warlords mark.

Atm I'm at merciless act1 and i keep on farming. Playing melee in HC= man-Mode and needs a very good gear. I don't know if i can do maps with this build.

But maybe it helps you a bit.