Spectral Thrower - 2H Axe Physical Damage based Thrower [BM, RT, UWS, IG]

This is the new build I'm using, it's been optimized over the last few pages and it's settled at 103 Points, below in the spoiler tags is the build I can currently building towards if you see any problems with it or believe you can optimize it let me know. I have summarized the statistical values I feel are important from the Passive Tree below the spoiler box.


Spectral Throw Chain - AOE / Main DPS
1 Link: Spectral Throw
2 Link: Lesser Multiple Projectiles / Greater Multiple Projectiles
3 Link: Added Fire Damage
4 Link: Life Gain on Hit
5 Link: Blood Magic
6 Link: Faster Attacks or Faster Projectiles


Double Strike - Single Target
1 Link: Double Strike
2 Link: Faster Attacks or Multistrike
3 Link: Added Fire Damage
4 Link: Blood Magic
5 Link: Life Gain on Hit (Or Leech, whichever you prefer)
6 Link: Melee Splash or anything else.

Defensive 4-Link [R, R, R, R]
1 Link: Cast when Damage Taken
2 Link: Enduring Cry
3 Link: Immortal Call
4 Link: Molten Shell

If you'd like to add additional gems to this feel free, I've seen Ice Nova and Frost Wall be rather effective in this link with the first option (Ice Nova) being superior to the second (in my opinion).


Preferred Aura's
Hatred (Recommended / Core)
Determination
Haste
Anger
Purity
Wrath

Hatred + Reduced Mana will allow you to run a second Aura of your choosing, I believe Hatred is an absolute requirement for this build as it allows us to deal another type of damage and also allows us to slow our enemies with cold damage.

The next contenders are either Haste, Anger, Purity or Wrath however whichever one you choose is up to you I feel like Anger or Haste are probably the top contenders but if you can boost your DPS more by picking up Purity and removing some of the resist requirement on your gear in favor of additional DPS statistics.

I've found so far that using Hatred is required, I've added Determination to my aura link and currently utilize that to achieve additional armor while I level.


Other Gems
Early Game: Raise Spectre, Animate Weapon
Movement: Leap Strike
Sustain: Rejuvenation Totem


Bandit Rewards
Normal: Help Oak (+40 HP)
Cruel: Help Oak (+18% Physical Damage)
Merciless: Kill All (+1 Passive)


PERSONAL Builds - (Modify to your liking)



Statistics at 99
- +320 Strength
- +90 Dexterity
- +20 Intelligence

Defensive
- +260 Max Life
- 204% Increased Max Life
- 4.4% Life Regenerated per second
- 34% All Resists
- +2% To Maximum Resists for Fire, Cold & Lightning.
- 30% Increased Armor
- 30% Reduced Extra Damage from Critical Strikes

Offensive
- 26% Projectile Damage
- 55% Attack Speed with Two Handed Melee Weapons (46% with 6% for Axes and 3% for 2H)
- 267% Physical Damage (only when using 2H Axes, 196% + 59% + 12% = 267%)


Miscellaneous
- Resolute Techniques
- Unwavering Stance
- Iron Grip


------------------------------------------ Answers -------------------------------------------

"

Your guide sucks, how do I do this, which reward should I take or any questions similar to these.

This isn't meant to be a guide, this is a log of my personal build, I'm looking for help to make it better, if people want to use it then they are more than welcome to do so but I do not get enjoyment out of helping people in Path of Exile because I personally am not experienced enough to know if what I am recommending is correct.

"

What is spectral throw effected by?

- Increased Physical Damage
- Increased Physical Damage with Two Handed Melee Weapons (Axes, Swords, Maces, Staves, etc)
- Increased Projectile Damage
- Increased Projectile Speed
- Increased Attack Speed

These are what I believe modify spectral throw, I will not mention other passives until I have found suitable confirmation for the ones I have listed. Melee Physical Damage does not increase the damage of Spectral Throw, the nodes to the bottom left of the Scion starting area are useless because of this.

"

Is this good for Hardcore Leagues?

I personally believe everything is viable and usable in Hardcore Leagues, there is however a noticeable lack of defensive choices taken in this build when compared to either a Mace or Staff focused spectral thrower. Using a mace would provide you with more armor and using a Staff would allow you to grab several block % passives as well as use the block found on staves to be a bit more defensive.

To be honest I don't play hardcore leagues, I do not like permanent death and preferred the systems where dying would put you in negative experience that you needed to work off.

"

Rufnet wrote:

i dont get it why u guys for for phys dmg nodes?
its not like it affects spectral throw or iam missunderstanding something?

They increase the physical damage of attacks, Spectral throw is an Attack, Projectile so it gains the bonus damage from these nodes.

"

Koxk wrote:

Why no vaals pact?

Personal preference, I didn't view it as a requirement for the build to function, if you keep playing the build past 103 passive point investment it would eventually take Vaal Pact and Hatchet Master by 115 Points (like this).

I don't consider it vital, some people might and if they do then dropping some passive points from around the tree is a viable option, if your gear gets high enough you could probably drop the Dexterity node on the top left and 2 of the Damage or Life passive nodes (or Resistances) to grab Vaal Pact.

"

Physical Damage with Two Handed Melee Weapons / Axes

These nodes (Reaver as an example) do modify the DPS of Spectral Throw, this answer has been provided by Mark of Grinding Gear Games, you can view the discussion from October 19th, 2013 here.

Reserved

look for this type of build and it seems a very good build !

will definitely try it tonight :P thanks!

There are many other options too.

To be honest I think Sword might be a mistake, two handed swords by default spawn with accuracy on them, with RT accuracy is a wastes stat so Axe or Mace might be better for a ST based character or dropping RT may be an option as well.

I'm probably going to consider either an Axe or a Staff for this build and rework the passive tree.

is Spectral Throw physical damage?
is it effected by projectile passives?

Below is the version I'm changing to, Axes do not have any implicit statistics but feature more raw DPS so this build will do more damage as a result of the stats not being dragged down by the inclusion of accuracy on a two-handed sword.



As always if you see any mistakes please let me know, I'm wondering if dropping two passives somewhere (probably on the uppermost axe passives on the left side) would be worthwhile if I pick up Lava Lash which does 30% Increased Fire Damage with weapons. (Unsure if this works with Added Fire Damage / Spectral Throw).

In the build above you have the following notable changes in comparison to the first version (sword) posted in the original submission.


Defensive
- 200% Max Life (26% more than 2H Sword)
- 6.6% of Life Regenerated per second (1.4% more than 2H Sword)
- 82% Increased Armour (30% more than 2H Sword)
- 30% Less Reserved HP with Auras (30% more than 2H Sword)

Offensive
- 46% Attack Speed (Same)
- 216% Invrease Physical Damage with Axes (-4% Than with 2H Swords)
- 12% Increased Physical Damage (Same)
- 26% Projectile Damage (Same)
- 6% Attack Speed with Axes (+6% more than 2H Swords)
- 34% Increased Physical Damage with Two Handed Melee Weapons (Same)
- 3% Attack Speed with 2h Melee Weapons (Same)

In total that's 26% more HP, 1.4% more HP Regenerated per second, 30% more Armor, 30% less HP Reserved with Auras, 6% More Attack Speed (with axes) for a loss of 4% Physical Damage which will be more than compensated for with the better itemization of axes.

"

etrin wrote:

is Spectral Throw physical damage?
is it effected by projectile passives?

Physical Damage, it's an Attack, Projectile.

Will this viable for nemesis ?

"

wFPwns wrote:

Below is the version I'm changing to, Axes do not have any implicit statistics but feature more raw DPS so this build will do more damage as a result of the stats not being dragged down by the inclusion of accuracy on a two-handed sword.

Spoiler

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgABAecDlgUtDjwTTBQgFHEX4RkuGlUb-iW8Jd8m-CftME8wdzGeMgkyfjWSNug6UjrhOyhAoEGqR35KyE3jTjJQR1BQVElYY1ivWfNZ_lpSXz9gQ2BLYLthIWRSZKNlTWWnaHRsRm49bqpu2HJscql07XgNeu982YMJhNmE74Zgh2qIj4jxjM-QbJSglZubXZ65n8ukGaZXpzComqluqZSrxaxZrKquULXyud3Bo8bY1I_YTdpi37_iYeW951LnY-8O8i_yRfKX8932SPZV9zL3vvjr-ej-Cv6P

As always if you see any mistakes please let me know, I'm wondering if dropping two passives somewhere (probably on the uppermost axe passives on the left side) would be worthwhile if I pick up Lava Lash which does 30% Increased Fire Damage with weapons. (Unsure if this works with Added Fire Damage / Spectral Throw).

In the build above you have the following notable changes in comparison to the first version (sword) posted in the original submission.


Defensive
- 200% Max Life (26% more than 2H Sword)
- 6.6% of Life Regenerated per second (1.4% more than 2H Sword)
- 82% Increased Armour (30% more than 2H Sword)
- 30% Less Reserved HP with Auras (30% more than 2H Sword)

Offensive
- 46% Attack Speed (Same)
- 216% Invrease Physical Damage with Axes (-4% Than with 2H Swords)
- 12% Increased Physical Damage (Same)
- 26% Projectile Damage (Same)
- 6% Attack Speed with Axes (+6% more than 2H Swords)
- 34% Increased Physical Damage with Two Handed Melee Weapons (Same)
- 3% Attack Speed with 2h Melee Weapons (Same)

In total that's 26% more HP, 1.4% more HP Regenerated per second, 30% more Armor, 30% less HP Reserved with Auras, 6% More Attack Speed (with axes) for a loss of 4% Physical Damage which will be more than compensated for with the better itemization of axes.

"

etrin wrote:

is Spectral Throw physical damage?
is it effected by projectile passives?

Physical Damage, it's an Attack, Projectile.

You're going to need a lot of Dex on your gear. You have almost none in the build that I saw.

I am using something a bit different, I am planning on using blood magic support gem rather than blood magic because then I can run two auras and reserve my entire mana pool. I am using this right now http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgABAecCcQOWBLMFLRLhFCAUTRfhGlUm-CftKS4wdzGeMgkyfjWSNug6UjrhOyg8LT0PPfxGaUrITP9N404yUEdQUFhjWK9Z_lpSXz9gQ2BLYSFko2WnZ5tsRm49bqpu2HJscql07XfjeA1673y4fNl99YMJhO-HKYjxjM-Vm5tdn8uiAKZXpzComqlurFmsqq4-r2y0-bXytz7EFcT2xYrGrsbY4mHnY_Af8kXyl_Pd9kj3vv4K_o8=
I am wondering about increased aoe if it has an effect on skills or not so I leave myself open to take those and give myself more stat leeway.

"

skrillexmaus wrote:

Will this viable for nemesis ?

Everything is viable for every league, it might be extremely dangerous but that's a topic for another day. As for this build specifically I'd probably take a Stave (Staff) based ST build or something with a One Handed weapon + Shield when playing anything where dying matters to be extra careful

"

Fashir wrote:

You're going to need a lot of Dex on your gear. You have almost none in the build that I saw.

I can get +30 Dex for free with a minor change and keep it at 108 which puts me at +60 total Dex from passives, for an additional point I can grab the one by Fell the Weak for +90 Total Dex. If I need even more dexterity there are several Dex nodes within reach, by my count one 20 and 6 10's with only 1 passive point investment.

That should be enough, good catch. Updated build below @ 109, remove the point from Fell the Weak's dex node to bring it back to 108.