[1.2.0] Elemental Cascade: TD Crit GC+Surge (Cheap for the new league)

Build is now updated for 1.2.0!

This build uses a heavily augmented Glacial Cascade for rapid clearing and to set up massive single target DPS via Flame Surge. As in the screenshot above, Glacial Cascade can rapidly shock and ignite groups though use of the Three Dragon’s Mask and the embarrassingly cheap Nycta’s Lantern.

All this makes for an unconventional and cheap crit build, aimed at completing the highest maps while still being reasonably survivable.

Both the build and guide were inspired by Kenzorz Crit Glacial Cascade Witch, which is a great guide for a more traditional approach to Glacial Cascade. This is my first guide, so please ask questions for stuff I missed.

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Build
Witch (Hybrid Life/ES Passive Tree)
I love the fact that 1.2.0 made life/ES viable, so I went for it. I like playing it like Halo, running and gunning till the shield starts to drop, then running to hide for a few seconds before getting back to it. I realize that it's not the current meta, and that I'll likely catch flak for it. So it goes.

Scion (Life EB+AA Passive Tree)
This is the Life/EB/AA variant which should also be quite effective and more current-meta friendly. Since both the Shadow start and Scion life wheel are so strong for life-based casters, I built this as a Scion. This lets us get all the good stuff we need and still get the much needed AoE nodes without having to take the walk of shame to Templar.

Bandits
Normal – Kill all (life build) or kill all (hybrid build)
Cruel – Kill all
Merciless – Help Alira

Theory

Gem Setup


Uniques

Looks effective, and its a good budget option for someone who doesnt have a 5/6link of course.

Shocking with Glacial cascade through Cold to fire and TD instead of the usual Added lightning is a different approach.

A couple of notes:

Pcoc is extremely effective for crit builds. The fact that you do pick up throatseeker but dont pick up power charges is weird. Crit multi only becomes worth it when you actually invest in crit.

Static blows is arguable. Either go crit or static blows, both is a bit overkill. Especially in passive tree investent.

Coordination is a very effective node, sometimes. If you need the dex. But since you also pick up the other 2 dex passives. Its a weird choice. Dont expect to need the full 80 dex from the tree. You should get enough on gear, if you even need it. You dont seem to.

176% life for a 111 point tree is very low for a GC build. Maybe loose a bit of your overkill dps youve specced into, aim for an 100 point tree with around 200% life. Dps can of course still be picked up after.

For item choices:

If you go crit, Maligaro's are recommended, saffels not. especially not if you also go for Cloak of defiance. An high ES, life and spell crit shield is preferred. Keep in mind that they can roll 100~% spell crit easily.

Ohh. Btw. You have a 6link cloak but dont use that for Glacial Cascade? If you'd use that you also could ditch the lantern and use Divinarius instead, giving crit chance, and AoE, while also not having to use fire pen and added fire in the links meaning:

Glacial cascade - spell echo - ele prolif - Cold to fire - Faster casting - pcoc?

Just throwing stuff around here, but the 6link cloak should make for a more effective setup than a nycta's lantern setup.

Thanks for having a look and for the tips. I'm interested in honing a few issues, and its interesting that they're exactly the ones you brought up - I'll try to explain some of what I've been thinking. Also, the intent was indeed to work on a budget for new leagues, so I'm glad that came across.

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leary93 wrote:

Pcoc is extremely effective for crit builds.

Static blows is arguable. Either go crit or static blows, both is a bit overkill. Especially in passive tree investent.

I have to admit I've gone back and forth on using PCoC, and the point you make on static blows is one I hadn't considered. Those three points (and possibly removing throatseeter) should free up enough to invest substantially in power charges without sacrificing shocks.

I've reposted the passive tree with these changes (and some of those below) in mind. I removed points from static blows, thoatseeker, and nimbleness to add additional life from templar starter and power charges.

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leary93 wrote:

Dont expect to need the full 80 dex from the tree.

You're absolutely right - this build initially used an additional aura (haste or grace) that needed the extra dex investment - and I forgot to drop them when I made the change. I'll include this when I next update the tree.

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leary93 wrote:

176% life for a 111 point tree is very low for a GC build.

I think I'll head for the extra nodes in the templar starter if I can free up the nodes. I've considered repathing through the ES wheel instead of going left after the witch starter to get access to the life/mana nodes on the way - so I suppose this could be an option as well. Short of that, the witch just doesn't have many life nodes available, though this issue is supposed to change with the new patch.

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leary93 wrote:

If you go crit, Maligaro's are recommended, saffels not. especially not if you also go for Cloak of defiance. An high ES, life and spell crit shield is preferred. Keep in mind that they can roll 100~% spell crit easily.

Good point on Saffel's not synergizing much with the rest of the build. I may remove it as a recommendation for this build, but I am just such a big fan of the % max resists. I've found in the past that breaking 80% max res can do wonders for survivability, but with Cloak of Defiance it may again be overkill.

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leary93 wrote:

Ohh. Btw. You have a 6link cloak but dont use that for Glacial Cascade?

Totally agreed, GC should definitely be housed in a 6L if you have one - but I wanted to build this for use in new leagues. I figured linking my 6L one from standard could be confusing, I'll have to pick up a basic one to post instead.

New tree looks quite solid. I like the idea of nycta's Lantern being used btw. Its a really cheap option to approximating a 5link.

I'm currently leveling a crit GC Nycta's/Three Dragons Templar, heaps of fun. Was trying to find a decent single target attack, the synergy with flame surge is very cool. My build is set up around AoF though so I'd have to use fire trap to create burning ground.

I'm interested to test whether Fire Trap + Inc. Area + Curse on Hit will be a worthwhile combo with the change to the curse on hit gem in 1.2.

Question: how do you maintain your life? I have a fire leech corrupted Stone of Lazhwar and when I get to 68 will be able to use Doryani's Invitation for a total of 2% fire damage leeched as life (at the moment I'm lvl 65 with only 2100 life and 1% is sustaining me ok) but I'm a bit concerned that if I spec out of AoF I won't do enough fire damage to sustain me.

i would love to try this in the new league up coming in a couple of days. However, I was never good at planning builds. So, could you be able to create a skill tree that fits the new league the best? Thanks.
(With the released 1.2.0 Forsaken Masters patch skill tree)

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themoleium wrote:

Question: how do you maintain your life? I have a fire leech corrupted Stone of Lazhwar and when I get to 68 will be able to use Doryani's Invitation for a total of 2% fire damage leeched as life (at the moment I'm lvl 65 with only 2100 life and 1% is sustaining me ok) but I'm a bit concerned that if I spec out of AoF I won't do enough fire damage to sustain me.

I honestly don't have a lot of experience with AoF, so I can't much speak to it. I was previously sustaining with a few percent of fire leech, similar to your method, but 1.2.0 presents a few more options. Katerina can craft 1% LL onto rares, life flasks are much bigger now, and leech from Warlord's Mark works for elemental damage now (would have to replace Assassin's Mark or go dual curse). With the new options, I think you'll be fine.

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ArKaze wrote:

i would love to try this in the new league up coming in a couple of days. However, I was never good at planning builds. So, could you be able to create a skill tree that fits the new league the best? Thanks.
(With the released 1.2.0 Forsaken Masters patch skill tree)

Sorry to get to this late, I've been too busy playing Rampage! Anyway, I got two new skill trees up, a life-based EB/AA Scion and a hybrid/life Witch. The witch is going a bit out on a limb to test how viable hybrids work now, so you're probably better off with the Scion.