[WARBANDS] Mixed Defenses on Melee Eva/Acro/DW Ranger - what would you suggest?

Hi all,

really enjoying The Awakening and Warbands League at the moment.

I am currently leveling a Ranger. She is lvl50 atm, end of Cruel ACT2, no difficulties so far.
What I am bit worried about, is the fact that armor, and to a lesser extent Fortify (which I did include in my gem setup already), seem to be pretty mandatory in Merciless and Maps.

My question is, for Eva/Acro/Dual Wield, what kind of defences would you suggest ADDITIONALLY?

- endurance charges?
- Block? (event though I run with Acrobatics and Dual Wield)
- more life nodes? (I am currently at 83% increased maximum life, and plan to go at least up to 150%)
- Life Leech? (maybe even Vaal Pact?)
- what else?

And to which extent would you mix those addtional defenses, given my tree below.

I am bit afraid I'll be hitting a wall once I progress to Merciless.

This is my current tree:



Please let me know, if you need more info on my char/equipment/skills.

Many thanks!

bump

Lots of life and probably a Lightning Coil.

Pure eva/dodge works for until mid tier maps. But after even 10k life without mitigation is not enough to tank 2 hits of physical damage. Can go for pure evasion/dodge if you play ranged, but it is dangerous in end game. But if you play melee you need absolutely something to mitigate physical damage, it is mandatory if you want to play high level maps.

In my opinion, the priority in defense for endgame level is

- Caped resist
- Life at least to 150%
- Armor - Endurance charges - Fortify - uniques that mitigate damage
- Block / Dodge
- Life above 150% - Evasion - Life leach

Get lightning coil and think of including fortify/enduring cry into use since you are unable to scale any actual armor with acrobatics. Plus huge lots of life, every item and node should be tested for +HP alternatives.

Yes to endurance charges (use Daresso's Defiance, which also gets you some leech, and CwDT + IC + Increased Duration).

No to block. It's not worth your time when you have Acro. In fact, I'd drop the block chance node to the right of Finesse and take the dex node below it instead. Also, don't take the frenzy charge duration node to the left of Fervor.

If you're going crit, Vaal Pact might be good by the time you start mapping so you can do physical reflect maps, but it's not necessary.

Hi again!

Thank you so far for your good input - I must admit though, that I am now very tempted to try a Flame Totem build :D
There seems to be a very narrow path in 2.0 for melee builds, especially the quick, stabby ones.
I never have played a caster or ranged build yet (and probably never will). I love melee :D
In Torment I had a CI-Crit-Dagger Shadow, which was very fun to play, but with changes to Blood Rage, the biggest Plus for me going CI is no longer...

"

Get lightning coil

I fear, that will never be possible.:
1. This league, I wanted to see how far I can get Self-Found
2. even if not (I think I can't resist the urge to trade, anyway:), I think I won't have the currency to afford one^^
3. Also, I wonder why MELEE needs to rely on an armor like Lightning Coil (or Belly etc). Sure I can see the advantage. But it is mentioned so often, that I have the impression that melee can not work at all without it (or similiar armors)

I will now try my initial build plan, furious, flashy and fast swordsplay, and see how I fare, rerolling or respeccing is always an option.

"

Caped resist

Sure, will do.

"

Life at least to 150%

Yes - and goodbye wonderful DW/Runspeed/Evasion/graceful assault nodes.. (looking at you, Twin Terrors)

"

Armor - Endurance charges - Fortify - uniques that mitigate damage

Planning on using Enduring Cry, fortify is already in

"

Block / Dodge

Check. Specced into Acro - don't know, if DW block nodes are worth it with Acrobatics, being reduced by a 30%?

Thanks for all the input!
looking forward to more ideas/advice

Cheers
-ROTEREVOLUTION-

EDIT: typos

"

Tempada wrote:

No to block. It's not worth your time when you have Acro. In fact, I'd drop the block chance node to the right of Finesse and take the dex node below it instead. Also, don't take the frenzy charge duration node to the left of Fervor.

Thank you Tempada, good advice - will change that

Cheers
-ROTEREVOLUTION-

"

Tempada wrote:

If you're going crit, Vaal Pact might be good by the time you start mapping so you can do physical reflect maps, but it's not necessary.

Actually, I planned on a few crit nodes - was thinking of Twin Terrors, and also the Swort Crit Cluster (Fatal Blade)- what do you think?

I know that base crit chance of swords is not as good as for example daggers, but if I can't get Static Strike to work, I wanted to change to Cleave, which forbids daggers.
Also, I played a Dagger Shadow in Torment, and I never had the currency to afford good daggers. So I decided to try a Sword build this time.

Cheers
-ROTEREVOLUTION-

You can add Arctic Armor to the mix, if you are not using Cyclone. I have a self-found 2H Eva+Acro melee Duelist in Warbands, with 6 Endurance Charges, Fortify, AA and low lvl maps are fine, so far (just got to lvl 68 yesterday).