<Theory> Lightning Ball build - Need some help

I'm currently trying to work out a build that would work well with lightning ball.
I figured the best way to increase lightning ball dps is to prolong the duration in which the enemy is in ball range. The way i did this is by increasing the AoE in combination with slower projectiles. This principle is where i made this build around. The build i came up with provides 94% increased AoE, which is absolutely massive.

The problem with slower projectiles is that you need to be up close and in their face, which requires a good amount of defenses. To achieve those, i plan to use MoM + Grace + Iron Reflexes + 74% eva ration from passives. I also plan to use a 1H + shield.


The build:
Lightning Ball Build

This is the build I'm planning to use. I think everything is pretty obvious. IR and MoM for defensive purposes, EB for a bigger manapool and regen for MoM, static blows to give your balls a high shock rate, a lot of AoE nodes and sovereignty to make 2 60% auras + clarity and have enough mana left for MoM possible.
I know there are probably ways to improve the tree. This is something i came up with to get the main idea across. Any improvements would be greatly appreciated.

Planned uniques:

Carcass jack:
A nice balance between ES to boost mana/regen with EB, A good amount EV to turn into armor, a decent amount of life and all resist, and best of all, 20% increased AoE. I know the area damage is kind of wasted, but since the increased AoE increases the damage in and of it self it is still well worth it.

Alpha's Howl:
Do i really need to explain why?

Doryani's Invitation: (Lightning)
An all round good item for this build, 30% lightning damage, 350 armor, 70% total resist, 10% shock chance when a flask is active and most importantly, 1% life leech with lightning damage.

Doryani's Catalyst: (Optional?)
All round good item, the thing that makes this weapon more sexier than a higher rolled wand is that it leeches life from elemental damage.


Planned links:

6L: Ball lightning - Incr. AoE - Faster Casting - Spell Echo - Slower Projectiles - Lightning Pen

4L: Reduced mana - Clarity - Discipline - Grace

4L: Enduring Cry - Immortal Call - CodT - Incr. Duration

4L: Conductivity - ?? - ?? - ??

3L: Spell Totem - Summon Skeletons - Faster Casting

3L: Lightning Warp - Faster Casting - Reduced Duration


Concerns:

I have a couple of concerns related to this build.

First of all, is this build going to be viable at all? Are there things i overlooked etc?

Will 2% leech be enough to get enough regen rate with ball lightning? As far as I am aware life leech does not stack, and only the highest regen rate will work. Considering that ball lightning deals a lot of small hits rather than big hits i fear that the regen might not be that great, should i consider changing the build up and maybe pick up vaal pact instead?

I'm also not really sure that my mana regen is gonna be able to keep up, ball lightning is going to cost crazy amounts of mana, 192 per cast. On top of that we need to keep MoM in mind. With this build we will have somewhere between 300 and 400 mana regen, but will it be enough?

What to do with the remaining 3 gems slots? <- Serious concern right there



Any feedback or improvements would be greatly appreciated.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated

hi

i have a BL build - http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/969630

difference is - instead of Slow Proj i decided that Knockback provides me with similar dmg bonus but with immense defensive quality as well

your concerns:

1) leech. i have Atziri belt and sceptre for total 2% leech. it is absolutely enough. for tight spots just pop Atziri flask for that extra leech and you should be fine. double reflect maps are scetchy but if someone is decided to run them - topaz flask and replacing knockback with life leech makes them a no problem experience. in my setup it might help to replace added lightning with added chaos for a bit of non-reflectable damage

2) with EB and MoM it is not the regen that is important but buffer you have. i have 223 mana regen but i do not use MoM (i can, just replace Carcass with Cloak of Defiance - boom, MoM 'build'). it is enough to constantly spam BL and run AA. from my experience - AA is way better than MoM anyway. if you have to select one - do not rush that decision it is not obvious one

my setup:

rest of my gear and setup is linked in the guide

added lightning deals less 'paper dmg' than added chaos but due to static blows it allows for much easier shock stacking enemies resulting in higher real clear speed.

BL in general does not like paper dps - it means VERY little for this skill.

Im not sure knockback is much better than slower projectiles. Slower projectiles has bonus projectile damage on top of reduced proj speed, which should outclass knockback significantly in raw dps, however, knockback has a defensive bonus.

I'm also not sure which one is better, MoM or AA. Sure, AA is a lot better vs smaller hits, but VS big hits MoM should do better, and it helps vs all damage sources, MoM essentially increases your health pool with your mana buffer. Considering you will have about 7k+ armor i think MoM will be better overall, but i am not sure.

i have one MoM + AA character (incinerator) and it is definitely the best defensive option

BUT!

BL + knockback has such IMMENSE defensive synergy that i run with 3300 life, 700 (not 7k!) armor and bit of evasion and 26% block + AA

and it takes extreme measures for me to die! (like going afk or starting a map without auras and AA..)

BL + knockback in practice removes all melee threats - these are simply never in range. charging rhoas etc? knocked back - these never land a hit

dangerous stuff like some exiles, dangerous bosses like kole/butus/oak-likes? piece of cake - these are literally kicked out of the screen and never pose a threat

slow proj deal more damage - this is indisputable

but knockback deals 'enough' damage while providing defensive qualities hard to believe if not experienced personally

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5KX2-ywypA that was with lvl17 ball lightning and bit worse gear/passives setup than currently

i run 74 maps WITHOUT a granite currently.. and.. nothing happens

First, nice build u have there! Looks really interesting.

As for tips.
I'm playing in the Monthly race atm and found that Ball Lightning is indeed a very cool spell to use but its not good just on its own.
I use Glacial Cascade and a small army of minions to keep me alive while using it with Curse on hit to spread frostbite.

However it could also be used to spread other curses.

Here's what i use.

Ball Lightning-Curse on Hit-Frostbite-Greater Multible Projectiles.

Glacial Cascade-Cold to Fire-Added Lightning Damage-Faster Casting.

Increased crit strikes-Raise Spectre-Raise Zombie-Minion Damage.

As well as some support spells like Vaal Skeletons and Vaal Fireblast(great crowdclearer)and Ice nova together with Desecrate to make sure i could always summon new minions.

My point is that with Ball Lightning u can spread curses to alot of ads and then clear them with Glacial Cascade or another spell of your choice without having to rely on certain uniques(altrough it might come in handy in the end-game)while using minions as distractions. For me this build works quite well since i'm still lvling.i'm lvl 49 atm.

as for passive skills, focus on getting the Blast radius node for increased AoE radius and damage and then build out to whatever u want to go.
I went for some minion nodes and frost and lighting ones coupled with some mana regen ones but i mainly got that from my gear.
Enhancing your potions and using that mana regen aura also helps alot.

As for build alternitives, u could go for a Curse on Hit build spreading Conductivity and another curse(using Wispers of Doom) to soften up enemies while u hit em with anonther skill.

Main point is, don't rely on only 1 skill(no matter how well enhanced.)to get trough the game, since u never know when u get in a situation where it won't be eneugh to get trough them all(like in a corrupted area).

1 last thing, i found out that the Slower Projectile speed gem does't really work with ball Lightning, it only limits the range and lowers the damage quite alot.

Hope this helps a little :)

Sure slower projectile increases your dps, but you get reduced aoe since your balls don't travel as far which results in slower clear speeds. Knockback makes the mobs get pushed alongside your lightning balls so you end up having to spend less time casting to clear a pack -> faster clear speeds.

"

Main point is, don't rely on only 1 skill(no matter how well enhanced.)to get trough the game, since u never know when u get in a situation where it won't be eneugh to get trough them all(like in a corrupted area).

RF

Arc

Detonate Dead

Spectral throw

Flameblast

Do i need to go on?

All these builds work with just 1 skill, there is no reason not to. The best builds out there use 1 skill. I dont think u should even use a Vaal skill lategame when you have your links occupied anyways.

Not to hate btw, its just good to know 1 skill is probably better than more, just figure out a better way to link that skill ;)

I figured that CoDT + Lightning Warp + Faster Casting + Reduced Duration might be a good link to use when you are rolling with slower projectiles. Defensively its pretty strong, it can teleport you away from melee, away from incomming projectiles and you are always in range of enemies.

I'm also considering picking up a arc totem rather than a skelly totem, that should be a considerable dps gain.

Vaal gems are also great for mid to late game to keep in slots, just put another one in there for a while and then switch to them when they are charged,works great for me.

And sorry if i insulted u in any way, but did't know what other gems u were using and seemed like a 1 skill (not counting LW) build to me that way.

And i'll definitly gonna try out knockback with my own(5 way split) BL,see if it triggers alot.