[Updated for v0.11.2] DW Claw - Still using Iron Reflexes, Life/Mana Leech

Skill tree update for v0.11.2:


Hi guys,

I just killed Merciless Piety last night and I'm just wondering how endgame stats should look in terms of HP, Armor and Resistances.

I currently have a level 67 DW claw shadow.

My build:


My current gear:


Auras I use:
Grace
Determination
Purity (swapped with Grace depending on situation)

Other skills relevant:
Molten Shell
Warlord's Mark

AOE skill combo:
Fire Trap + Concentrated Effect + Increased Burning Damage
Whirling Blades + Melee Physical Damage + Culling Strike
Lightning Strike + Lesser Multiple Projectiles

Rough Stats (If memory serves)
*Around 2100 HP
*Armor 9k without auras
*13.7k with Grace + Determination
Resists:
Fire: around 70%
Cold: 75%
Lightning: 70%
Chaos: -46%

Resistances with Purity on:
All 77%

*I can post the exact numbers as soon as I get home.

Having these, I still find myself dying around late game areas in Act 3 and in Catacombs. Usually by those Blackguard Mages in Act 3 and When I get perma-froze by Cold Skeletons in Catacombs. Do I still lack anything here? Or am just being careless since being speed based melee I tend to rush at mobs... :|

I plan on reaching more +HP nodes as I level since I plan to reach at least 3k HP before I start doing maps. Please let me know if you have suggestions or opinions on my overall build and gear setup or if you know other ways to give more survivability on my character.

Looking forward on your inputs. Thanks!

You just need to replace most of your gear and get A LOT more life, taking more +life nodes won't do much with your current gear.
The rest looks okay, I'd say. Pretty standard build.

For Catacombs grab a Sapphire Flask with "Dispels Frozen And Chilled" and a Flask with "Removes Curses"

"

Delirii wrote:

You just need to replace most of your gear and get A LOT more life, taking more +life nodes won't do much with your current gear.
The rest looks okay, I'd say. Pretty standard build.

For Catacombs grab a Sapphire Flask with "Dispels Frozen And Chilled" and a Flask with "Removes Curses"

Really? Well, I read somewhere that you need at least 50+ HP on every gear to reach 4-6k Life. I guess I need to scan through the shops again to find gear with + HP, and at least 2 high resists stats. *sigh*

Thanks for the inputs! :)

Update since v0.11 patch

Giving you an update on one of the most under appreciated DW builds in this game.

My level 73 build



Pretty solid build ever since I hit 50. Now rocking with



ensures survivability and "tankiness" especially on 1:1 boss encounters. Just be sure you hit something before your HP drops. ;)

What skills you use?

Whirling Blades and Lightning Strike?

Both of them in dual wield alter hands on attack. That means you don't get boost in damage from second claw. And if you wield different claws (because uniques is not the end), your dps actually lowers.

Lets presume you have 1 claw with 100 damage and another is 80.
Your skill will alter hands in attack so you'll be hitting like this: claw 1 - claw 2 - claw 1 - claw 2 with 10% attack speed MORE (Multiplicative, not additive).
Final damage = (100 + 80) * 1.1 = 198
Lets presume someone cut your left arm. Your damage will be claw 1 - claw 1 - claw 1.
Total damage = 100 + 100 = 200
And wearing a shield in left arm will boost your surv enormously.

I'd think of using Haste instead of Determination. Mostly your leech should compensate HP loss from hits. Its smth like: I live as long as there are monsters to leech life from.

Also Leather and Steel > Amour because your DEX add +% evasion as additive. Aslo it provide with +4% movement speed, because it cut movement penalty.

Is you still want to use Dual Claw, then think of getting Dervish at Duelist Tree.

Fencing in Ranger tree also good point investment since with second point you can get +24% phys damage finisher.

Life nodes at start good ones: flat 20# life and +6% and +10%.

"

JCar17 wrote:

Really? Well, I read somewhere that you need at least 50+ HP on every gear to reach 4-6k Life. I guess I need to scan through the shops again to find gear with + HP, and at least 2 high resists stats. *sigh*

Thanks for the inputs! :)

85+ HP, don't look for half mods.

I just wonder...
Do you really need so much Life Leech? ))

9% on claws (since attack alters only 1 claw works)
2% gloves
2% belt
12% passives.
Total: 25%

Max life leech possible is 20% from max life per second.
Lets presume you have 3k life. So your max leech is 600 HP per second.
To make 600 HP leech you need to provide 2400 physical damage per second.

If you do 4000 phys damage per second you'll get only those 600 HP anyway, because leech cap says so.

So, do you really need all that leech mods? ;)

I'd take celerity. +8% movement speed for 1 point it worth it.
Faster to get to the victim and tear it with your claws, wolverine :)

I am pretty sure LL is global, like LoH, so having 2 claws gives double LL even when you only hit with 1 claw.

Ok, now I'm confused. :| Let me add in a few details on my build.

I use Dual Strike as my main attack, with these support gems



This nets me around 4k DPS. I had a similar configuration trading Melee Physical DMG gem which nets me around 6k DPS. I just tried swapping Splash with MPD to test out a pseudo-DPS attack from my main attack and so far it works for me on clearing out mobs.

My main AOE skill is still Lightning Strike with these support gems,


I still find it too low for DPS but it has its purpose.

For my secondary, more slow finishing skills, consists of Fire Trap + Whirling Blades with these support gems



I opted for whirling + culling to compensate for the low DPS these skills grant me and I just use them as an alternate approach to some unsafe mobs (Whirling negates damage during travel)

and finally, I use these auras all at the same time.

Hatred adds another 1k to my DPS for a total of 7k with MPD or 5k with Splash.
This also caps out the damage reduction for me giving me 61% reduction which I think is as high as the game can give me.. adding more will just give me diminishing returns.

I' am not sure about my life leech and its drawbacks, I think my total LL is around 30%. Does that apply each time I attack (1 hit at the same time using Dual Strike) or it still computes the leech differently/alternately for each hand?

A few points I would like to ask regarding your inputs, I figured Haste doesn't give too much benefit than what Determination gives me. Determination gives me around 3-4k armor on itself.

Also, I read somewhere that Leather and Steel does not compliment Iron Reflexes as it should since devs thought the skill would be too OP so only a fraction of evasion applies to the total armor which makes armor nodes a better option.

I agree on taking Celerity though. Will work on that. I'm curious about the leeching info you have given me... I'll make some tests later.. I hope I can at least see the difference. lol

"

I' am not sure about my life leech and its drawbacks, I think my total LL is around 30%. Does that apply each time I attack (1 hit at the same time using Dual Strike) or it still computes the leech differently/alternately for each hand?

34% then... What makes even more Leech on the wind.

"

Also, I read somewhere that Leather and Steel does not compliment Iron Reflexes as it should since devs thought the skill would be too OP so only a fraction of evasion applies to the total armor which makes armor nodes a better option.

I'm too tired to argue now about that. Nevermind.