Where are the caster builds?

So I'm looking forward to the new leagues and wanted to try something a bit different from my pure STR ground slam marauder. I played a firestorm prolif/summoner witch in closed beta and it was great fun while also being pretty powerful all the way into maelstrom/maps.

Having a look through the build lists and class forums all I see is attacking builds, expensive lowlifers, RFers and soon-to-be-extinct summoners with possibly arc being the only viable mid-price caster build. I'm just looking for an interesting pure caster (maybe based on Pyre) that can actually play high tier maps and whatnot - any suggestions?

One word, ARC.

basically anything is viable if you fiddle around a bit, but arc is the best spell in terms of clear speeed atm so that's why there is such a focus on that.

Ethereal knives are good, with the recent buff/nerf (whatever your opinion is). Spell echo opened nice room for many other builds IMO, if they change the leech mechanic from total garbage to something viable for freezing pulse I'll play that. Incinerate has been the silent but really efficient kid in the corner for a long time, especially with three dragons.

I personally find flameblast, incinerate and DD brutal. They are also relatively gear-independent spells.

I recommend a 100% fire flameblaster with elemental proliferation, chance to ignite, and fire penetration wearing cloak of flame for further ignite bonuses.

EK is a spell

IMO, best casting is to cast via CoC

Flameblast and Detonate Dead are the two easiest to use, fastest clearing builds in the game. Arc is most well rounded (vs bosses/atziri).
You can get any spell to be viable end game, to various levels of efficiency. Me and a friend both made CI Crit Storm Call casters for fun. It doesn't work as well as others, but it's perfectly viable.

Head to this post to get some ideas.

I'm playing arc builds and fireball builds atm, with Elritch Battery. Look at my signature.

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karaknic wrote:

....I'm just looking for an interesting pure caster (maybe based on Pyre) that can actually play high tier maps and whatnot - any suggestions?

with pyre + three dragons you can make your cold damage skills shock ;)