[3.10] Sovyn's Lazy Pally - Tanky Templar with Max Block

I would like to get some personal opinions from other players who use this build. I started playing this class yesterday and he is at the moment lvl 12 and it is has been really fun to play.

But i am a bit uncertain if i should stick with Molten Strike or switch to Infernal Blow. I used Molten Strike till i got Infernal Blow, and then i tried Infernal Blow for a while. ( Well actually only until it hit level 2. ) I could be mistaken in this since i only started playing PoE since this month, but from trying out both with my Templar i get the feeling that Infernal Blow is not really a skill that is effective for low level characters?

Also it does not seem to have a wide AoE compared to Molten Strike? So would all of you advise to stick with Molten Strike till i hit the mid or higher levels with my Templar ( As advised by Sovyn. ) or does it not matter in the long run if i switch to Infernal Blow now or later. ( Despite the fact that it uses a bit more Mana then Molten Strike. )


I also realize that it is a personal preference for everybody, but i am still curious about the opinion of others on my question.
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Fessels2903 wrote:
I could be mistaken in this since i only started playing PoE since this month, but from trying out both with my Templar i get the feeling that Infernal Blow is not really a skill that is effective for low level characters?


I used Infernal Blow while leveling, but that was ages ago, new skills are available now that I feel are better. A bit later along Infernal Blow needs to be used with melee splash support and blood magic support due to the resulting high mana cost in my opinion. That alone makes Molten Strike better.

You can also see where infernal blow falls in the testing of clearing efficiency (these results are pre molten strike release, but it would fall somewhere slightly below reave and cyclone:

Spoiler
Here is some research I've been working on.

Update 02.01.2014 added ground slam and reave with increased area
Update 01.22.2014 added heavy strike with splash, cyclone with concentrated
Update 01.18.2014 added cleave, cyclone, spectral throw.

I've been full clearing the Merciless Archives (over and over and over) with no movement speed items or skills (which obviously would speed things up, but to make the results more consistent, I did not use them). The Archives is a fairly good and somewhat consistent testing area.

This is all to show (approximately) which skill combos are most efficient with this build. The DPS tooltip number actually has little to do with it, thus this research.

Of course, I am limited as I don't have many linked items to choose from. But it is still interesting.

Each skill has been run several times with a stopwatch until the area is fully clear and the run times averaged for greater accuracy.

Here are the average clear times for various skill and support gem configurations, ranked from good to terrible:

reave - multistrike - melee physical damage - faster attacks - concentrated effect
456 seconds

cyclone - concentrated effect - faster attacks - blood magic - life leech (note: risky)
518 seconds

cyclone - melee physical damage - faster attacks - blood magic (note: risky)
583 seconds

double strike - multistrike - melee splash - faster attacks
594 seconds

heavy strike - multistrike - melee splash - melee physical damage
607 seconds

ground slam - multistrike - melee physical damage - faster attacks - mana leech
613 seconds

infernal blow - multistrike - melee splash - melee physical damage
625 seconds

reave - multistrike - increased area of effect - faster attacks - concentrated effect
627 seconds

double strike - multistrike - melee splash - faster attacks - concentrated effect
656 seconds

double strike - multistrike - melee splash - melee physical damage
657 seconds

heavy strike - multistrike - melee physical damage - faster attacks
776 seconds

double strike - melee splash - blood magic - faster attacks - increased area of effect
817 seconds

cleave - multistrike - melee physical damage - faster attacks
858 seconds

spectral throw - lesser multiple projectiles - faster attacks - added fire damage - blood magic
958 seconds

infernal blow - faster attacks - mana leech - melee splash - concentrated effect
1031 seconds

infernal blow - mana leech - melee splash - melee physical damage
1223 seconds


Yeah if i read that correctly it proves what i already thought. Infernal Blow is better at mid to high levels due to the support gems needed. So i will stick with Molten Strike then, thanks Sovyn.
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Fessels2903 wrote:
Yeah if i read that correctly it proves what i already thought. Infernal Blow is better at mid to high levels due to the support gems needed. So i will stick with Molten Strike then, thanks Sovyn.


You also have to consider a few other things.

1. Most low game abilities are absolute naff without multistrike. MS makes reave, cleave, most of the pally go to abilities etc waaaaaaay better. Like trying to walk without legs, the early game can feel like most of your options aren't great. IB combined with MS cleans house very quickly (although there are better abilities, particularly against reflect mobs which can kill you when they pop) even before you factor in increased dmg mods.

2. Infernal blow is mana hungry. Most of the time, you're probably bottoming your mana pool in 5-6 hits and then doing some normal hits waiting on regen.

That's not to say you shouldn't use MS, it's a decent ability and relatively cheap to run, just that it doesn't hurt to keep other gems leveling up to test a bit later on.

And in regards to that, get a 3 socket mainhand/offhand ASAP and but it in your second weapon set are. Any gems socketed there will level up from the XP gained on your main weapon set, so you're leveling up 6 gems for free. If nothing else you can grind them to 20 and convert them to currency, or just level up something to test for later... =)
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Saviourself wrote:

And in regards to that, get a 3 socket mainhand/offhand ASAP and but it in your second weapon set are. Any gems socketed there will level up from the XP gained on your main weapon set, so you're leveling up 6 gems for free. If nothing else you can grind them to 20 and convert them to currency, or just level up something to test for later... =)


Hey i hat not thought of doing that...thanks for those tips Saviourself. :)
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Fessels2903 wrote:
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Saviourself wrote:

And in regards to that, get a 3 socket mainhand/offhand ASAP and but it in your second weapon set are. Any gems socketed there will level up from the XP gained on your main weapon set, so you're leveling up 6 gems for free. If nothing else you can grind them to 20 and convert them to currency, or just level up something to test for later... =)


Hey i hat not thought of doing that...thanks for those tips Saviourself. :)


Np, I only recently was informed that it was possible... I'm kicking myself because my 84 has only really used it's mainhand set (although I do have a spell block set based on Saffels in my quick change now) for all of those levels. I could have a hell of a lot more options (or currency) by now if I'd slotted em earlier.
Currently testing several 6-link combos for the build.

reave - melee physical damage - concentrated effect - multistrike - melee damage on full life - added fire damage
run 1 : 7:05
run 2 : 6:13

molten strike - concentrated effect - faster attacks - multistrike - weapon elemental damage - added fire damage
run 1 : 6:38
run 2 : 7:46

double strike - melee physical damage - melee splash - increased area of effect - multistrike - added fire damage
run 1 : 6:19
run 2 : 6:17

heavy strike - melee physical damage - faster attacks - increased area of effect - multistrike - melee splash
run 1 : 6:02
run 2 : 3:26
run 3 : 7:41



That last one (heavy strike) -- I think that 3 minute time was an anomaly, and I now tend to agree with early posters to this thread that the knockback is annoying. It's viable if well played, but annoying. :)

Will continue gathering data.
I'll have the full data up within the next couple of days, but it looks as though there is minimal benefit to having a 6-link vs. a 5-link for this build. Happy news for most players, as they do not own a 6-link. Just another reason why this build is affordable.
Hey guys, just now getting back into the game, haven't played in a year so and I think I have a respec. My character is level 76, I used to have a Lighting strike build but I was not geared enough to be able to farm stuff properly. Would this build help me farm and build up gears and currency properly ? If not, could someone point me out to a good build that would serve me well for that purpose please ?
Last edited by Pittnacke on Jul 9, 2014, 1:58:10 AM
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Pittnacke wrote:
Hey guys, just now getting back into the game, haven't played in a year so and I think I have a respec. My character is level 76, I used to have a Lighting strike build but I was not geared enough to be able to farm stuff properly. Would this build help me farm and build up gears and currency properly ? If not, could someone point me out to a good build that would serve me well for that purpose please ?


Hi Pittnacke :)

This build works - I got my start from nothing with it, so it's certainly possible.

Farming effectively depends on good clear speed while not dying. Clearing efficiency depends on a good AoE so we take the Amplify node. Reave with Increased AoE support gem is a possibility instead of the concentrated effect if you prefer a very large AoE size. Otherwise, same as per the guide. I find concentrated to be slightly better but it feels like more work.

I'd suggest trading for a 5-link and a weapon around 290 DPS. Both are pretty cheap if you are patient. I've even found stuff like that myself over time.

Best of luck whatever you choose, and let us know if you have any more questions.

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