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

Today's changelog update:

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02-26-2015 -- Added DPS comparisons between various attack skills to FAQ

A couple more minor tweaks today as follows:

before:

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Chest -

For Most Folks - The best armour-based chest you can find with armour bonus, life, resists (chaos/elemental), and as many linked sockets as you can get. Bramblejack is nice when just starting out. Belly of the Beast is a good option a bit later on as it offers a lot of life.

For Rich Folks - Kaom's Heart is a good choice, if you feel you can get by with only a 4-link for your damage skill gems. For most, I suggest an 5-link or 6-link rare Astral Plate with the mods listed in the "for most folks" section when you reach level 62. The extra resists that Astral Plate provides will help you to free up other pieces of equipment for other things. You can alternatively go for an evasion-based chest (e.g. Carcass Jack) instead, but you would need unusually high armour on your other equipment to compensate. Another interesting choice is Lightning Coil -- excellent synergy with Abyssus above -- you should run a high level Purity of Lightning aura if you go this way.

after:

"

Chest -

For Most Folks - The best armour-based chest you can find with armour bonus, life, resists (chaos/elemental), and as many linked sockets as you can get. Bramblejack is nice when just starting out.

For Rich Folks - Belly of the Beast is a good option a bit later on as it offers a lot of life -- it tends to be expensive with a high number of links. For most, I suggest an 5-link or 6-link rare Astral Plate or Glorious Plate with the mods listed in the "for most folks" section. The extra resists that Astral Plate provides will help you to free up other pieces of equipment for other things. You can alternatively go for an evasion-based chest (e.g. Carcass Jack) instead, but you would need unusually high armour on your other equipment to compensate. Another interesting choice is Lightning Coil -- excellent synergy with Abyssus above -- you should run a high level Purity of Lightning aura if you go this way.

Comments: I moved belly from most folks to rich folks as it can be fairly pricey with a lot of linked sockets and for some reason some people were not seeing that it was in fact mentioned. Maybe it will have better visibility in the rich folks' section. Removed Kaom's Heart as a suggestion as I don't think anyone has ever used one with this build. The initial idea of adding the mention of Kaom's a year or more ago was that, if someone just happened to have one already, it might be useful as the build can do most content just fine with a four-link or even a Rime Gaze for effective 5-link in the head slot. The possible uses of the item were spelled out but again, some people failed to see that and assumed I was recommending buying a Kaom's specifically for this build which is not the case at all, so I thought it time to remove the mention of the item.

before:

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Bandits
As you progress through the game, the question will arise - what is the best way to do the bandit quest? The answer:
Normal: Side with Oak for the 40 life, unless you own a Kaom's Heart that you plan to equip later.
Cruel: Kill all bandits for the skill point reward from the townsfolk.
Merciless: Kill all bandits for the skill point reward from the townsfolk.

after:

"

Bandits
As you progress through the game, the question will arise - what is the best way to do the bandit quest? The answer:
Normal: Side with Oak for the 40 life, or kill all bandits for the skill point reward from the townsfolk if you like ease of re-allocation later.
Cruel: Kill all bandits for the skill point reward from the townsfolk.
Merciless: Kill all bandits for the skill point reward from the townsfolk.

Comments: Changed only recommending Oak in normal to suggesting either Oak or the point as either is just fine. Did NOT change the recommendation of the point in Cruel as I believe the damage is better had on the tree, I'll take the skill point and get a damage node as good or better with it. Controversial I know. I just picked up Retribution for example, which I would not have otherwise been able to afford yet. 14/5 is better than 18.

If it hasn't already been mentioned, starting with the Scion can save some skill points compared to any of the other characters because one of the needed nodes is the Scion's beginning melee damage node leading into three block nodes. The full 120 point build can get 15% extra resistances and 80% more shield defenses for example. Here's a 120 build with exactly that.


A Scion can get to Resolute Technique and those three starting block nodes with exactly 20 points. From there she'd branch up into the Templar stuff then down into Maurader to get almost the same setup the Templar gets at 40. 40 point build.


The 50 point position would probably look like this.

And so on in line with the Templar build probably.

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Jackinthegreen wrote:

If it hasn't already been mentioned, starting with the Scion can save some skill points compared to any of the other characters because one of the needed nodes is the Scion's beginning melee damage node leading into three block nodes. The full 120 point build can get 15% extra resistances and 80% more shield defenses for example.


....

yessir it has been mentioned a few times ever since the Scion came out. :)

I originally introduced this build over two year ago and it has seen many iterations predating the existence of the Scion. I'm not about to start over but in the guide's FAQ I do state that all classes except the witch and shadow work just fine. Sure, I may be "wasting" 3 points (oh, no!) at the Templar start, but still, we get a little life, strength and mana regen there, we get earlier access to the best single damage node on the tree, Resolute Technique, and we don't have to play a girl. Good trade.

I take 40 to all elemental resists on tree, I don't see most builds having nearly this much as it is. Elemental resists are not hard to cap.

Shield defenses, we have enough already as we want to block more than evade due to the counter-attacks. What we have is enough to take advantage of Ondar's nicely. Either way on that one really.

Today's update:

From the changelog --

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02-28-2015 -- Added Bringer of Rain data to "What attack skill will do the most DPS" FAQ

Notes: I took a tabula and a BoR and stuck the gems in each then went out and casted blood rage/gained 3 frenzy charges for each to simulate typical endgame combat dps with the build and linked the item with gems in it as illustrations and added the results. Spoiler: 6-link or tabula with quality gems is best, static strike is best as it does the highest total damage by a lot. Lightning strike does highest tooltip damage but highly directional so clear speed feels slower than any of the other skills listed. Recommendation of static strike stands of course due to convenient AOE shape and additional damage from explosions.

With that passive tree, how is it possible to get 75% block without bor?

It's not really possible is it with that passive tree for 120points. Unless you build the tree like this and just have a slightly less dps static strike

http://goo.gl/FXsM7R

or

with bor and enough resistances, below tree for extra tankiness.

http://goo.gl/KRiJCY

Your tree is for max DPS whilst using bor, I just give other alternatives for more tankiness or a tree for the people that cant afford bor or dont want to use it :) Then the first link is better for 6link chest players that wants max block

Updates on my endless tinkering....



Looks like DPS scales up to 56,581 calculated total with static strike + Doryani's Catalyst. I've been experimenting with this weapon again and trying to get used to leap slam which feels strange compared to whirling blades for linear movement. leap is great in the the 77 Shrine map though, easy to leap from cage to cage. I don't think the mana recovery is quite as good but seems to be OK except in half regen maps where a high physical DPS weapon is a bit better. The main attraction to Doryani's is that the cost is a lot sexier so I'm determined to give it a go now. Too bad there is no cheap high physical DPS unique sword.... yet! :)

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spazman6117 wrote:

With that passive tree, how is it possible to get 75% block without bor?

To answer your question, spazman:

+ 5% block from Tempest Shield thanks to the increased effect of buffs nodes.

+ 32% block from my shield

+ 36% block from the tree

+ 2% from an inexpensive 2% corrupted stone of lazhwar

That's my 75% block

I also have 60% spell block:

50 from Laz = 37%

25 from rainbows = 19%

4% from my corrupted shield

Total spell block = 60%

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Sovyn wrote:

"

spazman6117 wrote:

With that passive tree, how is it possible to get 75% block without bor?

To answer your question, spazman:

+ 5% block from Tempest Shield thanks to the increased effect of buffs nodes.

+ 32% block from my shield

+ 36% block from the tree

+ 2% from an inexpensive 2% corrupted stone of lazhwar

That's my 75% block

I also have 60% spell block:

50 from Laz = 37%

25 from rainbows = 19%

4% from my corrupted shield

Total spell block = 60%

ah ok, awesome for clearing that up :) I forgot about Tempest shield ^^

"

Sovyn wrote:

Updates on my endless tinkering....

Looks like DPS scales up to 56,581 calculated total with static strike + Doryani's Catalyst. I've been experimenting with this weapon again and trying to get used to leap slam which feels strange compared to whirling blades for linear movement. leap is great in the the 77 Shrine map though, easy to leap from cage to cage. I don't think the mana recovery is quite as good but seems to be OK except in half regen maps where a high physical DPS weapon is a bit better. The main attraction to Doryani's is that the cost is a lot sexier so I'm determined to give it a go now. Too bad there is no cheap high physical DPS unique sword.... yet! :)

Chris did hint at some love for melee in the upcoming expansion, so we can always hope for some good new melee unique weapons. Maybe a good one handed sword as an alternative to Doryani's Catalyst :)