VarthDaver's 2H CI - Flicker Ash Prolif Build




***Softcore Disclaimer***
This is a Softcore / Rampage build. While you could in theory use this build in HC, I would advise against it. Desync will eventually catch up to you, and you will die for reasons beyond your control. You have been warned.
***Softcore Disclaimer***

2H CI Flicker Herald of Ash – No Crit Wasted
This is the updated version of my Flicker Ash Prolif build adapted to use CI, Vaal Pact, and extremely high crit chance and multiplier.

I have gotten quite a few requests for a 1.3 update. I will as soon as I can spare the time, but until then, here is roughly the tree I would run:Rough Tree for 1.3

I am not doing as large a write-up, but want to have some basic information for those considering something similar. Here is a link to my health based build, I am only going to go over the main changes from it here.

Why go CI?
The reasons for CI are:
1) the ability to use an additional MORE damage modifier, Melee Damage on Full Life.
2) You can obtain extremely high crit rates. At one point, I was at 95% crit and 95% chance to hit, but scaled it back a bit.
3) Vaal Pact: With enough ES, you can survive more reflect, and thus increase relative clear speed.

How much damage is it?

Current Flicker Tooltips
In Town Base Flicker

Fully Charged (7 Power, 5 Frenzy)

Charged, Flasked, No Splash

Defence


Fully charged, I hit for an average of (3454+4711)/2 = 4,082.5, 6.6 times per second.
My critical multi is 678%, so the average critical hit is 27,676.
My effective crit chance is 85.5% * 94% = 80.37% or 4 out of 5 hits are crits after the double roll.

Even though multi works with all crits or not, you can still model the damage using effective critical strike chance (ECC)
(ECC ( Average Damage of Crit) + 1-ECC (Ave Dmg of no Crit)) * Hit Chance * APS
((.80(27,676) + .20(4082)) * 94%) * 6.6 = 142,428 dps adjusted for hit.

However, since we are using Melee Splash, the numbers get much larger.
Watch my videos, when I am not de-synced, I easily hit at least 3-7 mobs at a time.

Single Target Estimated: 142,428 dps
Group of 5 Estimate: 712,140 dps

*This is still not counting prolif damage. There is another 30-50% on groups of mobs as a result.*

You can argue about where in this range is lies, but the reality is that real delivered dps is likely upwards of 1M dps on something like a Gorge Speed Clear.

I try to avoid doing calculations like this as I would rather not argue over it, in-game number vary a lot, though this is one of the highest dps builds available.

How much ES do you need?
This is where it gets hard. I would not recommend going 2H CI flicker with anything under 7500ES. Since you cannot get a shield, this means you are needing some rather optimal gear.
I am currently at 7,684 with Abyssus, and 8,777 with Crown of Eyes.

I want to level with XXXX, can you...?
This is for endgame only. This is a follow up to an endgame build, please do not contact me with leveling questions.

Current Gear
Spoiler



Skill Tree
Spoiler
Current Tree

Bandits - I went with Talent, Talent, Power Charge respectively. None of these are mandatory, but the power charge is extremely helpful.

Tree Breakdown

Health
190% increased maximum Energy Shield
65% faster start of Energy Shield Recharge
Life Leech applies instantly at 40% effectiveness. Life Regeneration has no effect.
34 to maximum Energy Shield
15% more maximum Energy Shield
1.5% of Life Regenerated per Second
Maximum Life becomes 1, Immune to Chaos Damage

Mitigation
68% increased Evasion Rating
28% increased Armour
24% to all Elemental Resistances
13% additional Block Chance With Staves
1% to maximum Lightning Resistance

Damage
190% increased Critical Strike Chance with Two Handed Melee Weapons
142% increased Critical Strike Chance
126% increased Accuracy Rating
90% increased Global Critical Strike Chance while wielding a Staff
40% increased Critical Strike Chance with Staves
35% increased Critical Strike Multiplier
35% increased Melee Physical Damage
30% increased Global Critical Strike Multiplier while wielding a Staff
24% increased Physical Damage with Staves
20% increased Physical Damage
16% increased Accuracy Rating with Staves
12% increased Spell Damage
12% increased Melee Damage
5% increased Movement Speed
4% increased Spell Damage per Power Charge
2% of Physical Attack Damage Leeched as Mana

Other
250 to Intelligence
180 to Strength
100 to Dexterity
60% increased Mana Regeneration Rate
36% increased Power Charge Duration
20 to maximum Mana
20% increased maximum Mana
18% increased Endurance Charge Duration
10% reduced Mana Cost of Skills
3 Maximum Power Charge
1 Maximum Frenzy Charge
1 Maximum Endurance Charge


Videos
Spoiler
The play-list finishes with my other health based runs.. They are endgame maps, and I tried to get some to show how close the runs come.

Youtube Playlist
2:19 Gorge Speed Clear
L78 Courtyard
L77 Shrine


FAQ's

Did you try XXXXX? - Yes, I have played flicker for years, and used it in almost every combination. I try to the the parts that were the most fun, and successful. This is in no means inclusive of all the information.

Why don't you use Hatred? - I gear / gem / talent for clear speed. Hatred will boost your tooltip dps, but a big tooltip has never been my goal. I did quite extensive testing, and found I was consistently 10-30% slower when using hatred in addition.

I suspect the reason is due to how hatred destroys the bodies, and in my setup, if a mob is killed by Herald of Ash, the body will continue to proliferate. This does not happen with Hatred, even when using Pyre.

Wouldn't it be better without Multistrike / Melee Splash? Isn't a big hit better? - It all depends on what you are trying to achieve. I focus on clear speed, and swap these gems in and out constantly to test in between and during maps. Nothing compares to Multi+Splash.

Try it, test it, record it, share it.
I would encourage you to post your results also in Gorge Clear Speed Thread

My Other Guides (out of date)
2H Flicker Ash Prolif
Disfavour Blood Magic Flicker - 2H Auraless
Low Life RF Blood Magic Incinerate
CI Arctic Queen Kongor Flicker
Witchslap - CI Facebreaker Death's Oath IB
Self-Righteous Fire DPS
Last edited by VarthDaver on Jan 28, 2015, 5:14:40 PM
"
sherkhan wrote:
This build wrecks maps and pvp-ers.

Notice the forum tag - beware in the new unique map ;>


Thanks! And yes, I am planning to submit a version very close to this in the Grandmaster Hall. Everyone will get to enjoy this build!
wow! i was going to follow ur life-based version of this build, but nvm. The CI version looks lots more fun. I`ll be testing out this build on my witch, as the passive tree looks good for witch. Lemme just ask something: can u run atziri with this build? i know its a clear speed build for maps, but it could be atziri viable. On my opinion, every end-game build should run atziri easily.
"
wow! i was going to follow ur life-based version of this build, but nvm. The CI version looks lots more fun. I`ll be testing out this build on my witch, as the passive tree looks good for witch. Lemme just ask something: can u run atziri with this build? i know its a clear speed build for maps, but it could be atziri viable. On my opinion, every end-game build should run atziri easily.


I actually did this build on my witch in testing in standard, so its definitely viable. I think Scion actually have the best position, but any of the three (also Templar) can work without much modification.

Let me say that I "have" ran Atziri, and it is not hard, but it is very hard to do without dying if you plan to flicker. I have likely killed her 20-30 times with it, but here is what I have found:

-Vaal's are a joke, I can kill them before they go into the ground, nothing special here.

-Guardians, try to swap to extra endurance charges and keep granites up, the unique granite is great there as well. You really are just trying not to die, Chayula is sometimes worth using (corrupted for mana gain on damage ideally). Adding a second of the charge gen flasks can make a huge difference here, as well as Vaal Summon Skeleton.

-Atziri, they time it so you will lose your charges in phases. The Zombies are laughable, but try not to kill them all and leave corpses at the spawn too soon, you want to ideally let them die as they spawn from them, but want to avoid 1-2 coming up at the end from each. The 4 statues is not flicker compatible due to the stupid reflect (mirror holding) one. I have another staff in my weapon swap that I can use at about the same dps as era. I find heavy / double strike seem to work best for burning down a single statue. Alternatively lightning strike is very effective.

I do not personally find Atziri to be a target for an endgame build unless you are planning to do Uber, and I would strongly advise against using a flicker build on Uber Atziri. You would be better off focusing on a build with far less clear speed, but more controllable dps. The second fight is far more difficult than the actual Atziri fight for many builds, but Atziri is more about predictable control, rather than actual challenge. Once you do it a few hundred times, there are no surprises in it so the most consistent build is the best for it.

Flicker is highly dynamic, and despite some of the maps where things go right, requires you to constantly adapt to things going wrong. You could potentially build a version for Atziri that doesn't use multi-strike or melee splash, to land some very big hits, but you would want to build frenzy as a strong second attack (and you will have mana issues from that).

This ended up being longer than I expected, but I would just caution that the gear I have to make it smooth is very high end. While I crafted most of it myself, if you had to buy it, its not cheap, and the life version is much more accessible.
Planning something similar, i think if u got a acuity, you'd be unkillable especially if u have a good self cast immortal call.
"
jiggyji wrote:
Planning something similar, i think if u got a acuity, you'd be unkillable especially if u have a good self cast immortal call.


Acuity is one of the few items I do not have to test with, but its on my list for when I go back to standard, shame they spiked so much :(

That said, I am not sure they prevent you from dying if you do enough damage to kill yourself in 1 hit. I will be testing it after league merge, and will update accordingly. Just being able to lose vaal pact may be enough to regain the points spent for vaal pact and add them to ES.
if you cant get 7.5k+ es like him, try without ci, vaal pack and keep ghost reaver passive. 1k hp(less stun) 4k es at level 75 helped me too much. 3 hp flasks, , cast when stunned+molten shell helped me very much. also pressing hp flask buttons with panic saves me a lot of time.
Last edited by karapipi on Nov 18, 2014, 9:52:15 AM
Any update on this since the patch? I didnt see the tree before it was broken
Last edited by TomRaidcrash on Jan 4, 2015, 2:04:17 AM

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