Need help with getting my scion build to map running status

Ok so my passive tree is this



Not sure if the melee nodes improve dmg to spec throw or not. I'm sort of new to PoE but not to the genre. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Not sure how to link my gear but I am using a 2h mace. Geofri's Baptism I believe.

bump

Here are my thoughts.

No. Melee damage does not effect Spectral Throw. It is a projectile. BUT "X damage with Y Weapon" does work, so does "% increased Physical damage". it's the Melee part that kills it.

Getting Mapping is easy, and contrary to what a lot of people are doing, you don't need a specific melee ability to do so.

I run with 2x Spectral Throw Skills, both linked differently. "AoE", and "Single Target" is how I refer to them, but the difference is more than that.

It is really hard for me to start tinkering with your tree, because in the end, I'm just going to want to turn it into what I'm running. So instead of saying "This is what I would do with your tree, I'll point out the problems that your build has, I'll let you decide how to go about that.

First, you need to decide. Are you going to bother with accuracy, or not? You take both accuracy nodes, and Resolute Technique. Don't do both. Path of the Hunter is not worth wasting three passives to get to, since you have Resolute Technique.

I would stick with 2h'd maces. It's a high quality build. I'm level 77, and I'm working through maps just fine. (I've not had a problem with any map I've run, I have cleared up through 69 on all maps, and I've done 2 70 maps solo. They were slower, but still doable. Slower, meaning I had alched them, and they weren't the "magic snoozefest" that the 69 and lesser maps were.

So, you have the Accuracy / Path of the Hunter Cluster that is not optimal.
You have the melee damage at the start of the scion tree that is not optimal.
You have the single +12 life node that isn't optimal.
Try to avoid using +30 nodes if you can. They work, in a pinch, but they are really bandaids. I don't like relying on them, unless they are part of the natural progression of the path. Neither of the two you took are. They are bandaids you are using to meet requirements for Gear / Gems.
You Went REALLY out of your way at the bottom of the tree under the duelist area to get more resist, and some life. There are better places to get that from.



I'll also give you a link to my build. Click Here to see my build You will see a couple of things that I've done.

I headed for the Shadow area of the tree. Why? There are some nice things to be had that direction, and it covered all of my dexterity needs in the natural path of the tree, so I didn't take +30 nodes. I will actually be picking up a few more nodes in that area as I level, but you will notice too, that levels start to slow down north of 75.

You will see that I have gone towards the Templar area. This was an obvious no brainer for me. Res Tech is on the way. MOre Mace Damage. More Armor. More Life. More Resists.


This, is where I will be at 80. That should round out the damage nodes that I'm taking, until the very end of the character's leveling. 2 more dps nodes, and a life node. From there, I'll be spending the 80's packing on more life, all 10 poinds of the 80s. From the 90's up, I'll be honest, I don't have a game plan for those last 10 points. They are REALLY few and far between at that level of progression, so I figure at that point, I'll be playing it by ear on what I feel that the build needs.

Now. Gear. You link it, but making sure your cursor is in the reply portion of the post, open up the profile at the top of the page, and CTRL+Click, on the gear. Like so:



Now, you will notice, my gear is not amazing. I don't have a 5L. I don't even have all 4L's on my gear yet. But I'm still cruising right along, killing things, having a grand ol time.

I would say, that with 89 points allocated in your build, the 2h'd mace that you mentioned (Geofri's) is a little long in the tooth. You are going to want to upgrade that thing, unless you somehow have a 6L that is allowing you to pump out SERIOUS DPS. a 20% Geofri's is putting out 203.5 DPS.

you can EASILY find a mace that does more DPS than that at your level (should be >66 in level right?) I could even float you an upgrade if you are playing in the Domination League.



Those are all "nice" upgrades to a Geofri's. If you wanted to go say.... 2h'd axe, I have a few of those that are better than a Geofri's.



This would be the best one I have that I could part with. It's actually the biggest upgrade I have over a Geofri's, (axe is 344 DPS) but it would require you to invest in some Axe related passives as opposed to my build which is mace related. Not a big deal though.

If I were to take my current build to an Axe build, I would do something more in line with what you have This would work.

because I'd want to take advantage of Axes to the fullest, including critting with them. You don't have to. You could easily turn my build into an axe build by swapping the points from maces to axes, and running with it, but you would be losing the crit factor of an axe to stay resolute technique, which in my mind, makes axes less "fun". People do it, but it isn't what I would do.

I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out Shoju. When I get home tonight I will have to tweak my build.

This is my Current Gear as of right now

First,

Wow. You have good gear for being "new" to PoE. Kudos to you for not being terribly geared. I was afraid you were going to post a lot of bad gear (it happens when people are new. Gear can be terrible in this game)

I would try and add some DPS to the Heavy Strike supports if you plan to continue to use it. Added Fire works nice, as it scales off physical damage.

Keep up the good work on the gear end of things, and the DPS will come as you tweak the build, and what not.

one of the reasons I avoid running a melee skill, is because as you questioned, the "melee" nodes, don't affect Throw, but they do affect Heavy Strike, which leaves you with some that work for one, but not for the other.

You are on the right track, and your build is definitely "fixable" depending on where you want to go from here.

If you did want to go the route of "melee" with ST for AoE, Here is how I have my current Heavy Strike Marauder's HS gemmed.

Thanks again Shoju for all your help man. I tweaked my build. I will have to get a few more regrets so I can finish up but ran a couple maps without much issue. I just need better resists and I should be good I believe.

Also picked this up last night as well

That is a very nice mace, and a good upgrade from Geofri's. Good to hear that you are progressing well.

Feel free to add me in game. My IGN is Anoxtik.

I don't have many regrets, but if I come across some, I will check with you, and see if you still need them. I have my build pretty well dialed in now, with a good plan, so I wont be needing them, and would enjoy helping you out.

Will add you for sure man. I don't really play with anyone. None of my friends play and I have really only partied to get past progression points mostly dom fights. The mace is actually the only thing I have bought from someone all my other gear I was super lucky and it dropped for me. My IGN is DeathsDesign in case you get a chance to add me before I get home.