Support Gems for Lightning Strike (is Chain/Iron Grip good?)

Hey guys,

I'm approaching high level content on my LS Templar (Level 49), and was wondering - do you think it's worth it to use Chain in Lightning Strike in higher level content? I lucksacked when I entered Act 3 on Cruel and found a Chain support gem on my way to town, and am not sure if I should be using it or selling it to get something else (like a higher quality Lightning Strike...). I grabbed a 30 Dext node, so I can support probably up to about a Level 5-6 Chain.

It makes the mana cost ridiculously high when combined with the % Weapon Elemental I was using before (40 per strike..up from about 20..ouch). Which I can't sustain without mana potions, even with Clarity (though I'm also running Wrath). Obviously the effect can be really nice for clearing mobs, but I'm beginning to wonder if its worth it.

Another one I was considering was the Iron Grip support gem, since I'm very heavily invested in the Marauder side of the tree (I have like 240+ strength). I know this will interact with the projectiles, and I can see it comboing pretty well with Chain. What do you guys think of this one (or should I eventually just go all the way down, 7 nodes out of the way on the passive tree, to get the Iron Grip keystone?)

On a side note, right now, before Chain, my DPS is somewhere around 900 with Wrath and Lightning Strike on, and closer to 450 on LS WITH Chain attached to it because of this sweet weapon I found in A3 normal (ignore the gems: I'm just leveling them so I have them): .

Long story short, what do you fellas think I should do to be viable at higher content levels?

my plan for lighting strike for my character is in this order of importance based on what I can get and socket colors

elemental proliferation -> Lesser multiple Projectiles -> Pierce -> melee physical damage -> weapon elemental damage (depending on how much damage my auras are doing) -> Added Lighting damage -> Added fire damage -> added cold damage -> life on hit -> Iron grip.

Elemental Proliferation is my top priority because I found out that shocks from this will apply to everyone around and will also stack around as well. and with the shock passive and conductivity, you have a 30% chance to shock, and if you hit a large group, your chance to shock skyrockets, and will apply to everyone around.

Lesser multiple projectiles will help cover a large amount of ground, though will further reduce your projectile damage by another 30% but the increase coverage is well worth it, going for greater will be a bit over kill and the extra casting cost and 50% reduction is a bit steep in my opinion.

with lesser multiplie projectiles covering more ground, the pierce will help make sure all enemies will get hit. especially if you can get quality lighting strike to help hit more people.

melee damage will do much more overall increase in damage while elemental weapon damage is only going to increase the elemental portion of it only. the elemental one will only out do the melee physical damage if the aura and elemental bonus damage on your weapons will exceed that of the melee physical damage. you'll have to do some math to figure this one out.

the added elemental damage is always great, lighting to help shock duration stay much longer, fire damage since it is based off your weapon's damage and you'll be increasing that quite a bit. and cold to help slow enemies down and help mitigate the damage you take from them.

Life on hit since multiple targets are getting hit, it'll help with survivability. though not requierd, it does help especially if your going blood magic.

iron grip is last simply just cuz I dont feel the increase in this is very worth it, the amount of str require to make this gem better than any of the others will be end game amounts and even then its only better by too small of a margin.

I dont get chain or fork because these only affect people behind the targets that got hit, and chances are it wont hit much at all. plus the amount of damage reduction to projectiles and the cost in mana are too much, pierce and lesser multiple projectiles do the same job at much less cost and with higher damage potential.

That was an amazing post - thank you so much for taking the time to think it out. I actually am invested in Static Blows, of course, and I also use Conductivity, so I can see this being worth it. I actually didn't know about the existence of Elemental Proliferation - I'll look to pick it up.

Also, your logic behind LMP and Chain was spot on. I just can't deal with the mana costs from Chain.

I think the next logical step for me will be to sell off Chain for big $$$ and then invest in LMP, a higher quality lightning strike, and Elemental Proliferation (which hopefully isn't too expensive).

Thanks!