Defense questions

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bhavv wrote:

You don't understand. INT shadows still have access to three +30 dex nodes for bows or rapiers, plus a +20 dex node with 12% IAS but I think its melee only. You take those then travel up to the witch area and take whatever elemental passives you want.

Even a Templar can build elemental bow builds using +30 and +20 dex passives. You just need enough dex to equip and use a bow, that's not hard, and then focus on elemental damage passives.

'INT shadow' simply means your going up to the witch area. 'DEX shadow' means going down to the Ranger area / far bottom right. Either build is valid and can become very powerful, and they can do either melee or ranged, and even spells.

Hmmm... And those few dex nodes give you enough accuracy?

If so, then maybe ES is the better way to go (as opposed to evasion with Iron Reflexes).

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VideoGeemer wrote:

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bhavv wrote:

You don't understand. INT shadows still have access to three +30 dex nodes for bows or rapiers, plus a +20 dex node with 12% IAS but I think its melee only. You take those then travel up to the witch area and take whatever elemental passives you want.

Even a Templar can build elemental bow builds using +30 and +20 dex passives. You just need enough dex to equip and use a bow, that's not hard, and then focus on elemental damage passives.

'INT shadow' simply means your going up to the witch area. 'DEX shadow' means going down to the Ranger area / far bottom right. Either build is valid and can become very powerful, and they can do either melee or ranged, and even spells.

Hmmm... And those few dex nodes give you enough accuracy?

Maybe, but you would definitely want to take the one nearby bow circle that has +40% bow accuracy among it, and then focus on an element, most likely lightning for arcing blows, something like this:

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgYBBAcFtQj0DPIOSA-rEHsRUBGWE54VUBZvFr8Z1x4aHwIkPCaVJ6kqWysKLR8ucDGINj02ezbFO-FJO0lRTLNTNVVLVcZabV_hYeJnvWskbRltbG17cn5yu3YReQN-M35Zfq9_xofbiGuLeow2jRmPRpXpmZqboaKjpJGly6cIpyunNKdctDi0xbVItYW297vWvjrBAMG0wfPDbcqPy0HN6s9l0NDSGdbR2CTZX9pk2t3bGt2M4BLi9-OE5OzlGeZM53TrY-wY7m_wQvDZ9On1S_v1_5M=

Thats just a general HP + ES elemental bow shadow idea, you might want to swap out all the health nodes and go CI + Crit instead, and if you plan on CI then dont take anymore than 6 health nodes to start out with as they would take too many respec points to change.

With a build like that you'ld just waltz through the entire game spamming lightning arrow and kill everything, and also you can use spells like arc, spark, conductivity and wrath. Even that teleport spell can be handy.

Templars can also do the same thing with accuracy, precision, and dex +30 nodes, they get easy access to two of each, and get a lot more elemental damage bonuses.

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Regarding melee elemental builds, this is the one I'm currently working on:

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgYBBbUM8g5IEHsRLxGWE54WvxnXHhomlSepKCorCjBUNj02QjvhVUth4m0ZbXt-M3_Gh9uIa4w2mVeZmqKjpJGly6Z_pzSoGq7PsbO0OLTFtUi29746wQDBxcHzw23N6tsa44TlGetj647sGO1B9Uv79f-T

I started off with having the three 8% health nodes right from mind drinker too, and then when I was done with the nullification trees, I respecced those three towards Unnatural Calm + Arcane focus which I will have soon. I was actually going to got health + ES like the bow idea above first, but it takes far too long to progress with that many health nodes so I'm just going to use ES and then CI later on instead.

The first three health nodes I have are worth keeping hold onto until I change to CI in merciless, and then I'll swap them to the three projectile damage passives. So here would be an idea of how that would be at level 60:

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgYBBbUM8g5IEHsRLxFQEZYTnha_GdceGiepKCoqWysKLL8tHy4IMFQ2PTZCO-FE-0wtYeJtGX4zfll_xoIeh9uIa4t6jDaNGZlXmZqio6SRpcumf6crpzSoGq7PsbO0OLTFtUi297vWvjrBAMHFwfPDbc3qz-nSGdbR2xrdjOAS4vfjhOUZ62PrjuwY7UH1S_v1_5M=

And then I just keep going towards the rest of the lightning stuff. Melee probably wont be viable on this build in merc, so I'm likely going to have to swap to my bow + spells instead by then.

Those are basically what I consider to be 'INT' shadows, because they mainly go up to the Witch area. You can also make a pure caster shadow as well, but the melee and ranged builds they can do with arcing blows are very nice.

Also Im not sure if such a build also needs more energy shield cooldown passives to be viable, I'll try to make do with just the ones I have there, and can always add more later if I think I need it.

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bhavv wrote:

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VideoGeemer wrote:

Hmmm... And those few dex nodes give you enough accuracy?

Maybe, but you would definitely want to take the one nearby bow circle that has +40% bow accuracy among it, and then focus on an element, most likely lightning for arcing blows, something like this:

Spoiler

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgYBBAcFtQj0DPIOSA-rEHsRUBGWE54VUBZvFr8Z1x4aHwIkPCaVJ6kqWysKLR8ucDGINj02ezbFO-FJO0lRTLNTNVVLVcZabV_hYeJnvWskbRltbG17cn5yu3YReQN-M35Zfq9_xofbiGuLeow2jRmPRpXpmZqboaKjpJGly6cIpyunNKdctDi0xbVItYW297vWvjrBAMG0wfPDbcqPy0HN6s9l0NDSGdbR2CTZX9pk2t3bGt2M4BLi9-OE5OzlGeZM53TrY-wY7m_wQvDZ9On1S_v1_5M=

Thanks for your reply, man. It's much appreciated, and very helpful. :)

Man, that's an interesting build you have there. A lot of it is similar to what I was thinking, but you've gone further East and grabbed the ES boosts there, rather than going toward that arc near center, between shadow and witch (which I had thought more beneficial as there are resistances and mana passives in that area as well). I also noticed you went the route of a couple frenzy passives rather than going around them. I've never been clear on the benefit of frenzies, and I'm honestly not sure where to look for an explanation on that.

You also got some +30 STR nodes. Are those really important? Because I wasn't thinking about grabbing any of those. However, I was thinking about getting some elemental resistances in there, but it seems nobody else thinks they're worth getting. Maybe ES builds don't need individual resistance nodes as much as armor builds?

Oh you probably dont need the frenzy charge for a ranged shadow, I took it for my melee one because it gives an extra 4% attack speed.

Theres also no crit stuff at all on that build I made. if you want to add crit you would need to drop some HP or ES nodes.

As for resistances, Nullifications are resistances. They might not be enough though but you can add more if you like.

Actually if you need more resistances, you could pick up fire walker + frost walker too, those would also give a significant elemental damage boost too, 4 skill points for +18% fire and cold damage, and +15% fire and cold resistances.

Ok, lot of great info from everyone...

Thinking of going this route for my assassin.



I was thinking that maybe going down to unwavering stance may be a decent idea. Just not sure where to pull the points from if I did. Also if I was in that area I was wondering if i would get a double boost from armor & evasion nodes. I am pretty sure its a no, but decided to check anyways.

Kind of feel golem's blood, thought a bit out, is still worth getting as the regen will help against DoT's and blood rage.

somewhere around 156% life increase
41% all resists + an additional 15% to lightning/cold

It is low on +dmg nodes but there are plenty that are close by that could be reworked.

Thoughts?

p.s. Around what level should I grab Iron Reflexes?

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bhavv wrote:

Oh you probably dont need the frenzy charge for a ranged shadow, I took it for my melee one because it gives an extra 4% attack speed.

Theres also no crit stuff at all on that build I made. if you want to add crit you would need to drop some HP or ES nodes.

As for resistances, Nullifications are resistances. They might not be enough though but you can add more if you like.

Actually if you need more resistances, you could pick up fire walker + frost walker too, those would also give a significant elemental damage boost too, 4 skill points for +18% fire and cold damage, and +15% fire and cold resistances.

Awesome, man. Thanks for the explanation. :)