Coup de Grâce ~ The ultimate magic find culler. ~

This is a build that resulted from my Poorman's Culler build.

What is it?
- 4-6 auras.
- 3 totems.
- Curser.
- MF Culler.
- 91% to all elemental resistances. (97% while under flask effect).
- Meant to be played in parties.

This is the most effective culler build around; you have three totems which are enough to cover the whole screen without interruption. No other culler build is even close to achieve the effectiveness that this one has.


READ THIS FIRST!

This build requires expert micro, high APM, and quick reflexes. It isn't an idle-totem-culler build.

While you have high resistances to elemental damage, you have no block, low evasion and low armour, making you vulnerable to physical damage. Surviving requires constantly moving, timing your flasks and teleporting to the right places at the right time.

If you find yourself dying often while using offensive builds with high hp, then you'll have a very bad time using this build.
On the other hand, if you enjoy a good challenge and a build which requires you to do something other than right clicking until a map is over, then I think you'll really enjoy the experience.

Finally, while it's entirely possible to play this without dying, I wouldn't suggest this build for hardcore leagues. Do it at your own risk.


Skill Tree / Leveling Strategy

Pretty much the same than my other build:

- 20 points
Grab that first health cluster so you can go at a fast pace. You can skip that +30 Dex node (I took it because I used Spectral Throw to level), but you will need it later. Use whatever you like to use to go through normal. Make sure to start leveling your auras.

- 40 points
Going through cruel will be a bit harder than normal. Especially because we aren't taking any damage nodes. Join a party if it's taking you too long to advance.

We're going to pick another two health clusters on our way towards Ancestral Bond. You should also be getting your first three reduced mana nodes by this point. Once again, only pick that Dex node if you need it.

- 60 points
Time to grab more reduced mana nodes on the right side, and another life node at the top. It's also the time to get Ancestral Bond.

You should be around level 50 at this point. If you have a Heartbreaker, you can equip it now and start culling, and now that we have Ancestral Bond it's finally time to equip the spell totem.

- 80 points
By now you have a barebones version of the build: You're culling with whatever MF gear you've found/bought, you got all the reduced mana nodes, are now running six auras and have enough health to start doing maps. Everything you do from now on will just keep increasing your survivability and MF.
Don't forget to pick that totem cast speed node.

- 100 points
80 - 100 is nothing but life nodes. Allowing you to play higher level maps according to your level, without having to worry about getting killed with a couple of hits.

- 120 points
The final steps. We get extra max resistances and life. Replace the 3 Int nodes by the start for the 3 flask ones.
Feel free to swap a couple nodes according to your needs; there are many nice nodes one step away from this tree, like the +16% chaos resistance one, or the 1% life regen. Pick whatever suits you the best.

Notes: This tree allows you to easily pick one thing or another, without having to delay any important nodes, so feel free to get health earlier, or to pick the aura nodes before some health cluster. It's up to your needs.


Bandits

Help Oak on Normal. We need all the extra health we can get.
Kill everyone on Cruel and Merciless.


Auras

Must run: Purity of Ice, Fire and Lightning. These will increase their respective element resistance cap by 4%.

If you can't max out your resistances with your gear and nodes, then run Vitality and Purity of Elements. Otherway, you can swap those two for one of the defensive ones (Grace, Determination, Discipline). Use the one that gives you the most benefits.


Curses

You should level two curses, so you always have the right one for each situation.
I'll list the ones I consider the most useful.

1: Elemental Weakness. This one will greately increase map clearing speed for your party.
Use somethign else if the map or a player have Elemental Equilibrium.

2: Warlord's Mark. To keep tanks and other melee characters happy and healthy.

3: Enfeeble. Very good against powerful mobs. Reducing the accuracy and critical chance of a strong monster can turn a tough battle into a fieldtrip.

4: Temporal Chains. Great support skill which not only slows the enemies, but also increases the duration of status ailments and other stuff. Particularly good against packs of ranged mobs, to keep them at bay while you clear the melee ones.

Notes: This is for those who party with different people. Those who always play with the same party should use whatever suits that particular group.
Also note that cursing is a secondary skill, and you should only do it if there isn't a dedicated curser in your party.


Skills

Listed links are the minimun required.

6L: Item Rarity + Item Quantity + Faster Casting + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Faster Projectiles + Incinerate.

4L: Reduced Mana + Purity of Lightning, Ice, and Fire.

3L: Cast When Damage Taken + Molten Shell + whatever you like.

1-2L: Curse + Blood Magic (if running 6 auras).

2L: Lightning Warp + Reduced Duration.

The configuration for the rest depends entirely on what auras you are running, and what items you're wearing. Just make sure to run all auras with a Reduced Mana gem.
You can see my gear below for an example.


Gear and costs

Prices are based on Standard League.

Minimum currency required: 35ex.

Mandatory gear:
2 - 4ex.
Required for the culling. Otherway we'd waste a socket for the Culling Strike gem.
Buy the cheapest one you can find. The roll is irrelevant.
No need to corrupt it.

x 2. 5 - 12ex.
No rare ring can get that ammount of IIR.
Start with what you can afford. Aim for two 15/70 ones.
Corrupting them would be dumb.

10c - 10ex.
To increase the resistance cap.
Get a normal one (4%) if you don't have a lot of currency, but aim to eventually have a 5% one. Also try to get the lowest spell damage roll possible; that way your totems will last longer against elemental reflect mobs.
Corrupt it if you can max out your resistances without it implicit mod.

18 - 20ex.
Extra totem and a free slot for an extra gem. Build enabler.
Aim for low spell damage and high energy shield.
Corrupt at your own risk (if you have tons of currency to spare). It's possible to get great armour mods with a Vaal orb, but there are also many which would render it unusable.

1c - 1ex.
They're really cheap, so feel free to corrupt many pairs until you find one which you like.

1c - 2ex.
Same as with Saffell's; get a cheap one if you're low on currency, but aim to get a legacy one.
Corrupt away if you can afford buying a new one in case of an accident.

1 - 30ex.
Same thing; buy what you can, aim for a legacy pair.
Corrupt if you have enough currency to buy more pairs.

8 - 35ex.
Same thing; buy what you can afford, but aim for a legacy one.

Must craft.
You must carry at least two flasks of warding to remove the curses casted on you when your totems die. The prefix can be whatever you prefer.

Must craft.
Carry one Granite Flask, with the affixes that you like the best. This one will make a big difference, given that physical damage is the biggest threat for this build.
I use the of Resistance one because I only get 82% lightning resistance from gear and nodes, but ideally you'd use one wich gives extra % to armour.

Other:

Amulet: A Gold Amulet with the highest IIR that you can afford. Resistances and health are a nice bonus.

Helmet: Same mods as the amulet. Base can be any kind.


Totem Placing Strategy

Totem placement will be of great importance for this build, given that you want to maximize the ammount of enemies that are being touched by the flames of your totems at any given time.

- Your totems will always aim for the closest enemy, so when placing them you need to make sure that your totem and the cclosest enemy form a direct line towards the center of the pack of enemies. Avoid placing totems in such a way that they're only hitting one or two enemies, while the rest are fighting 180° away from the flames.

- Know the range of your totems. There are many factors which will affect this range: Incinerate Quality, GMP quality, Haste aura, bonus to buffs.
You'll eventually end up knowing by heart the area that each of your totems can cover. This is very important, because then you will be able to spread them correctly and cover the whole screen at any given time.

- Learn to prioritize: When dealing with rares or bosses, use at least two totems (all three with bosses) to focus fire on them. You don't want them to kill your totem at the last second, just to have a discharger give the final blow to the boss. This is particularly important against special enemies which move all over the place, such as the spider with flickering strike, or a rogue exile who can teleport or leap slam.
That said, if you see that it will take a while to kill the boss, it's safe to focus on the whites first. That way everything will be cleared by the time the boss is on low health, making it so your totems will focus fire on it, no matter how far they are.

- Learn to find safe spots for your totems. Is there a cliff close to a melee boss? Perfect spot. Two areas separated by an empty space? Place a totem on each.
Always place your totems around the pack, never in the middle.
Use tanks as a shield for your totems, but don't place them behind a player who's constantly kiting.

- Your totems can do some other stuff: You can use them as outposts to lure enemies before entering a room. They also block enemies, so you can use them to block narrow areas such as tunnels or those 1x1 paths in the sewers.

- Keep an eye at the health bar of your totems and respawn them when necessary.
When dealing with rares or bosses, make sure that at least one of your totems has over 70% of its health at any given time.

- When dealing with rares or bosses, spread your totems. This allows you to cover a wider area in case the enemy moves, while also providing them safety.
Placing both totems together can result in a boss destroying them both with a single AoE attack.

- When dealing with bosses that you know will last for a while, don't place your totems until they're at 30% health or less, otherway you risk your totems dying and you stacking curses on you, and boss battles rarely include extra minions that you can kill to refill your flasks, so keep an eye on that.


General Strategy

- Don't be a cowboy. It may be hard for those of us who are used to be in the frontline, but it's very important that you always stay behind your party. You sacrifice a lot in order to have a high MF, and you an't afford to teleport into the middle of a pack, or to be running around a couple feet away from the boss.

- Related to the previous point: When entering a new room or area, do a quick check for rares or any important targets. Place your totems and move a few steps back, then keep moving back and forward to check the state of the battle and to recast your totems if necessary.
Just make sure that you don't back away too much, otherway your party won't benefit from your auras, which wil lforce them to kite, leaving your totems vulnerable.

- Time your flasks so you don't waste charges. Spam them in risky situations, but save them up while in safe spots.


The ideal party

Your ideal party will give you protection; between all the players, you should be running 10 auras at the very least. There will be tanks and/or summoners to go on the frontline, keeping you and your totems safe.

You want them to do high enough DPS to clear maps quickly, but you don't want a group filled with Lag on Critical builds which will one-shoot everything and spread all over the place; there's no point in being a culler if there's nothing to cull.

Your ideal party will stay together and leave no monsters behind.


Best and worst map mods for this build

Good mods (look for at least on of these):
- Extra magic/Rare monsters.
- Double boss/Exile.
- Extra pack size.

Why are they good? More monsters and/or more special monsters = More and better loot.

Undesirable mods (avoid when possible):
- Enfeeble.
- Fractured.
- Curse immune.

Why should you avoid them? All of these mods result in slower clearing. Slower clearing means more time for the monsters to hit your totems or to spread out, making you less effective and vulnerable.

Terrible mods (avoid like the plague):
- Blood magic. - Will force you to turn off your auras.
- No life/mana regen. - You may run out of flask charges, impeding you to cast totems in key moments.
- Goatmen. - They jump all over the place, they can hit you and your totems, plus they are always spreading all over the place, making your totems less useful.
- Elemental reflect. - Your totemes will suicide all the time, stacking a bunch of curses on you.


Weaknesses

- Arc Mages: Will obliterate your totems.
- Chain-projectiles: Same as above.

When dealing with these enemies it's better to not cast totems until they're dead, or when they're close to cullign range if they're rares or bosses.


Map boss strategy

I'll only cover the ones which are a bit difficult for this build.
For the rest the strategy is always the same: Stay away, keep moving around and checking the boss' health. When lower than 30%, spread your three totems around and enjoy the loot.

Jungle Valley (72): This one depends entirely on your party. If you don't trust them to kill the tiny spdiers as soon as they spawn, then skip it. Otherway just teleport straight to the furthest place from the boss and wait for it to be in culling range.

Labyrinth (72): This beast will crush you in a second. Stay behind the wall that spawn a few steps away from the entrance, and cast your totems from there.

Maze (74): Stay behind the wall at the entrace of Vaal's room. Watch out for the rocks. Use your granite flask and run inside to cast totems whenever tehy die or are out of Vaal's range, then move back to safety. Repeat until it's over.

Residence (74): Do not go upstairs into Dominus' room. Ask your teammates to let you know when he's in culling range. Spam your flasks, go upstairs and kill him.

Crematorium (76): Always bring a Ruby Flask into this map. That along your Granite one will keep you alive while you teleport away from the firestorms until she's ready to die.

Academy (76): Stay next to the entrance. Evade whirlwinds and go throw a totem when it's time.

Courtyard (77): Ask your teammates to lure the bosses away from the entrance. Wait a few seconds for them to do it and then jump in. Stay away from the fight and cast a totem when necessary.

Palace (78): See Residence. Careful not to go up when it's raining.


Last edited by Senekis on Apr 29, 2014, 12:49:44 PM
Last edited by lurzum on Apr 19, 2014, 7:06:56 AM
Interesting concepts.
Although they give up a bit more than that (ie; both have 6% less health since you take 6/8 nodes instead of the 8% cluster by Ghost Reaver, and the first one also lacks a key +30 Dex node).

Gonna update them replacing 30 Int by the 3 flask nodes. I totally missed those since flasks weren't an important thing when I started making this build.

Thanks for the reply. (:

both have 6% less health since you take 6/8 nodes instead of the 8% cluster by Ghost Reaver

no)
+10 int and 3*8%hp (4 nodes) = 24% hp
or
4*6%hp and 8% mana (4 nodes) = 24% hp, 32% mp (only -10 int)
(iner force, EE 1 node 6%hp 8%mp)
Oh, you're right; I missed the other 6/8 node at the left side.

"
Senekis wrote:
Oh, you're right; I missed the other 6/8 node at the left side.


Is your current build up to date?
"
Boltonsquads wrote:
"
Senekis wrote:
Oh, you're right; I missed the other 6/8 node at the left side.


Is your current build up to date?


Yup.

Currently leveling with the build however I have a few questions:

- How are you able to run 6 auras
- Currently level 40 and my totems do no damage, should I stick with spectral throw for a few more levels?
- Are you able to upload some gameplay of the build or no anyone who has videos on this build.

Thank you
"
Boltonsquads wrote:
Currently leveling with the build however I have a few questions:

- How are you able to run 6 auras
- Currently level 40 and my totems do no damage, should I stick with spectral throw for a few more levels?
- Are you able to upload some gameplay of the build or no anyone who has videos on this build.

Thank you


- With all reduced mana nodes plus Reduced Mana gems, it's possible to run all five 40% auras off your mana. I run Clarity with Blood Magic.

- Yeah. Use whatever you usually equip to level up until you're ready to start culling with some MF. Then start playing in parties.

- Hmm I might be able to after I level up, since recording while playing tends to derp my laptop, and I don't want to risk dying because of lag or something.

I made and posted my own variant of your older 120-point build, before I saw that thread is now defunct. I've taken a look at your current build and made my own variant of it as well. I feel the giant life circle near scion's start is inefficient if you need more than a point or two to get there, since you're grabbing a large number of 6% life nodes when other areas have either 8%-12% nodes, or 6% nodes with other bonuses (8% mana or 6% armor).

The Net Changes are:

-10 Dexterity (and corresponding small hit to Accuracy and Evasion)
-12% increased Physical Damage

for

+20 base mana
+16% increased Spell Damage
+20% increased Mana Regeneration Rate
+18% increased Armor OR +24% increased maximum Mana
+6% increased maximum Life
+30% increased Critical Strike Chance
+15% increased Attack Speed

Everything else should be the same, unless I messed up my counting somewhere. The Critical Strike Chance and Attack Speed aren't really useful, but they come along with the other improvements for "free" by being the most efficient route. I think the 6% max life and increased armor/mana (points can be moved from the Marauder start into the Life/Mana circle near Grave Intentions) are worth the 10 dexterity.

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