[lvl70 OB videos]Double Arcing Penetration Totems/Curse Traps and Summoner

New Open Beta Vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfmY2YaI9sg


Link to my current talents



This is a glass cannon build that currently is running maps. It can do any map but, chaos of time maps. Well, at least I haven't tested it on chaos overtime maps. I don't really want to.

I'm still playing with this build after the Ancestral Bond nerf. Kinda torn atm. My playstyle has changed a bit and is continued to evolve even from the video.

For example, in an indoor map. It can become difficult to use traps without putting yourself in significant danger. So, I use frenzy to gain frenzy charges for 15% extra cast speed. Outdoors maps, tend to be easier overall, but, for most classes this is true. Mobs are alot harder now than they were back before closed beta. Coupled with the Ancestoral bonds nerf, killing speed is significantly lower than what it was before.

To Level Up

Use spark+fork+faster casting. This is a very powerful leveling combination. You may even want to use sparks for your totems end game. This build is entirely an end game build, and you will have to find ways to level up before you can start playing this build. For bosses later on, summon skeleton+spelltotem can indefinitely tank bosses.



Gear selection

Still up in the air for me. As I am trying to adjust to Open Beta, and encourage trying out new things.

Currently I am using a shield, but, end game I will be Dual Wielding Wands with 20%+ faster cast rate on each hand.

I Suggest Saving Alira, in Cruel for the 4% cast speed buff. As, faster cast becomes increasingly stronger end game.



Minions
Secondary to your main attack of Arcing Crit Pen totems, minions provide excellent damage and redirection of mobs, so that you can get your totems out without interruption.

Zombies: They protect you, primarily and are good for picking off hard to kill rare mobs.

Skeletons: Use these protect your totems firing at mobs screens away. With high faster cast rate, you should beable to summon 9+ in less than 2 seconds.

Specters:Since mobs have become stronger, Spectres also have become stronger... very much stronger.

One in particular is Burned Miscreation will kill bosses in less than 5-6 seconds. It has a castable aura that burned a percent of HP away, with 2-3 of these bad boys you can pretty much one shot mobs.

Casts
Arcing Totems: Faster Casting and Lightning Penetration are the only required gems, with Spelltotem and Arcing. You can choose this to be your 5 or 6 linked armor, but, works fine in 4links.

Curses: The 2 curses you will use are Conductivity, Elemental Weakness. Curses are highly mana intensive, at lvl 17, each will cost 100. Link them with Reduced Mana Cost and Increased Area of Effect. You can obtain a 3rd curse via a unique item, but, it is rather a waste of time, magic find and mana really.

Traps: Remote Traps are more useful than just regular trap support, as regular trap cooldown simply isn't viably sustainable. Remote traps can actually do significant damage, and one shot many hard to kill rare mobs.
You will use remote traps in group play with slow killing speeds. However, remote traps are a bit buggy atm. Don't place traps under a totem or against the wall, they might not be able to be detonated.
There are a variety of shotgun type casts you can use with remote traps, that are highly effective.
-Lightning Warp, can do significant aoe damage. But, the cast time can be difficult to deal with.
-Spark can do high burst damage to mobs in range.
-Arc can do the highest burst damage to only 3 mobs if traps are stacked ontop of one another. Even if 1 trap is capable of killing that mob, all trap arcs will target the dead mob. I am currently leveling another Arc to try this out.

Strategy
Quite simply, lay down your totems, cast Conductivity and Elemental Weakness. Use frenzy to gain frenzy charges for 15% cast rate. Haven't thought of a good way yet to garrentee a frenzy charge per hit.

Shock is now pretty useful. with very fast casting totems you can actually achieve 120% extra damage on mobs very quickly.

Totems can block doorways, fire around corners and be used as a shield against projectiles. Discipline is the only Aura I use. Arc's range is really far, and capable of hitting mobs 2+ screens away, our around 4 corners.

Great video and the build is really cool. However you can spend 2 points and gain 80% mana regen. Why haven't you taken those with such a mana intensive build?

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wyoungb wrote:

Great video and the build is really cool. However you can spend 2 points and gain 80% mana regen. Why haven't you taken those with such a mana intensive build?

I took them for reduced mana by 10% cost in the Templar tree, since, most of my mana comes flasks really. Totems cost about 175 each, both curses amount to 175, costing 525 total.

So you're saying you grabbed the 3% and 7% reduced mana nodes in the templar tree?

Also I'm trying out this build because it seems really fun and I wanted an Arc build; however the leveling early on is a major challenge lol. What kind of strategy do you suggest for progressing?

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raafiq wrote:

So you're saying you grabbed the 3% and 7% reduced mana nodes in the templar tree?

Also I'm trying out this build because it seems really fun and I wanted an Arc build; however the leveling early on is a major challenge lol. What kind of strategy do you suggest for progressing?

yes, the 10% mana reduction helps alot.

It does start out as a challenge. Pick up lightning arrow if you have it or use sparks.

Ok thanks I'll try that

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PSGMud wrote:

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wyoungb wrote:

Great video and the build is really cool. However you can spend 2 points and gain 80% mana regen. Why haven't you taken those with such a mana intensive build?

I took them for reduced mana by 10% cost in the Templar tree, since, most of my mana comes flasks really. Totems cost about 175 each, both curses amount to 175, costing 525 total.

what mana/sec regen are you at currently? it seems like the 17.5 mana could easily be created by a 80% increase in mana regen unless yours is incredibly low. just curious as I wouldve thought nearly doubling your regen would account for any 10% reduction in cost

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wyoungb wrote:

what mana/sec regen are you at currently? it seems like the 17.5 mana could easily be created by a 80% increase in mana regen unless yours is incredibly low. just curious as I wouldve thought nearly doubling your regen would account for any 10% reduction in cost

(729total mana*1.10)/60. I have 13.365 innate mana regen. x1.8 would result in 10.692 more mps.

10% of 525 is 52.5 mana saved total.

Totems cast 1.93 per second. Curses in 2.34. Which is roughly slightly more 2 seconds worth of casting of 525 mana. 80% mana regen would be around 21 total mana for the cast of 2xtotems and 2xcurses. And, roughly around 5 mana restored per cast. Where as mana reduced by 10% for 175 mana costing totems save 18, conductivity saves 10, and elemental weakness 8.

So, its slightly worse for casting. But, probably more useful against longer battles with alot of mobs like seawitches vs but less useful for maps like all range where you're speeding through, constantly setting your totems.

Since I feel like I am casting 24/7 on most maps, I think mana regen nodes are not even worth getting.

From flasks I get 810*1.2(from belt) over 7.5*1.20 seconds. Which amounts to 108 mps.

Build is a work in progress as far as I am concerned.

Should I wait to get minion life and dmge nodes till later on? I feel like they are super weak early :(

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raafiq wrote:

Should I wait to get minion life and dmge nodes till later on? I feel like they are super weak early :(

I got a few summon nodes first from what I recall. Not really sure what the best progression for this build. But, I would suggest from experiencing it, to get some lightning nodes. And, party up. Lightning arrow makes it easier in the beginning, but, make sure to lvl your other gems as well.

Skelies are good for like scouting goatmen, and butcher, early, he will hook them instead. Allowing your team to dps freely.