[Build Idea] Chaos damage Build (with Flameblast)

Well here's a build I threw together in 2 minutes that would seem to work well for this type of thing. I specifically avoided crit nodes because I feel like scaling crit with this skill is silly, you'll either do no damage or overkill damage and considering the buildup time it's too inconsistent. Just get Conc Effect and get spell damage on gear, it should scale fairly well.

Considering that your goal is to use Flameblast as a delivery mechanism for Chaos Damage, a few insights:

1) Faster Casting is better than larger area - The default area is large enough, and Concentrated Effect being a More multiplier makes it suboptimal. Instead of increasing the multiplier, it's best if you increase the BASE. 10 times zero is still zero, but 10 times 1000 is ten thousand, and if you regularly deliver that kind of damage every second, it's better than delivering 11k damage every 4 seconds, if you get what I mean.

2) Consider Totem usage - Although you have a 5/6 link with Flameblast and Added Chaos, consider using a totem to put in Flameblast and Added Cold. The chill effect acts as both an offensive and a defensive debuff. You don't need to spec into Dual totems or any totem passives, just Flameblast+Spell Totem+Added Cold+Minion and Totem Resistance is fine since this would be your secondary ability and you can afford to let the totem draw aggro/die.

3) Defenses - You cannot expect to stand and channel 4 seconds and live to tell the tale. Shrine Piety, Dominus, hell even Kole would laugh if you try to do so. Find a way to draw the heat off you while you channel.

A bit of simple math here:

Level 20 added chaos damage hits for around 216 average damage,

Assuming you can get around 200% increased damage between gear and passive tree nodes, that brings it to around 650 damage.

Multiply by 10.9 and you get around 7000 damage per hit.

This seems strong, but a little weak when you consider the fact you're channeling for at least two seconds (assuming plenty of faster casting speed).

Add in Concentrated Effect and you have close to 12k damage per hit. Seems a bit more capable of not getting hung up on trash mobs, but blues will still likely take two casts, and rares four or more.

Overall I think the biggest problem the build will have is going to be chaos-resist mobs. A rare chaos resist mob could see you doing a heck of a lot more kiting and casting than your gear level would normally allow.

Added Lightning is also a Blue gem.

When faced with Chaos resist Mobs, swap out the added chaos and slot in the Added Lightning.

Pray that you never face chaos resist ele reflect mobs.

Actually, it would probably be better to simply swap out the level 1 flameblast gem with a leveled gem :)

How would you sit there and channel without ending up bloody poopstain on the floor, especially without leech? If you can really do this much damage with power charges and gems alone, wouldn't it be possible to make it into a build that favors survivability or summoning or do you really need passives other than power charge ones to boost that mediocre base crit chance? I am looking at this and all I see is "free damage"

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NeoRussia wrote:

How would you sit there and channel without ending up bloody poopstain on the floor, especially without leech? If you can really do this much damage with power charges and gems alone, wouldn't it be possible to make it into a build that favors survivability or summoning or do you really need passives other than power charge ones to boost that mediocre base crit chance? I am looking at this and all I see is "free damage"

By having something draw aggro off you.

Examples:

a) SkeleTotem
b) CwDT Decoy Totem
c) Zombies (no need to spec into summoner, just Zombies on a +2 to Minions helm, along with Minion Speed, Life and Resistance, is fine).
d) Party play
e) Cast on Death + Animate Guardian with a lot of HP gear
f) Ranged Attack Totem, Barrage, Blind
g) Cast When Damage Taken + Enduring Cry + Immortal Call
h) Ice Nova + Spell Totem + Curse on Hit + Temporal Chains.

By the way, Flameblast has 50% damage effectiveness.

i.e. Lvl 20 Added Chaos damage will have an average base damage of (161+242)/4 = ~100

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Sachiru wrote:

2) Consider Totem usage - Although you have a 5/6 link with Flameblast and Added Chaos, consider using a totem to put in Flameblast and Added Cold. The chill effect acts as both an offensive and a defensive debuff. You don't need to spec into Dual totems or any totem passives, just Flameblast+Spell Totem+Added Cold+Minion and Totem Resistance is fine since this would be your secondary ability and you can afford to let the totem draw aggro/die.

I heard a totem with Flame Blast never actually fires it off. It just keeps channeling and channeling...

Chaos damage resistance mobs are too common. That is what you will find out if you make this build.

I would heavily recommend against it.