Budget Mjolner Berserker: Optimization
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Current Gear
Gear Choice
The most obvious might be the Tabula. I'm using it because it offers a guaranteed six-link AND because the gems can be swapped out regardless of color. Despite having res and life on a rare, I'd rather have the guaranteed six-link and not have to worry about socket color. This is a minor hit in survivability.
The next most obvious thing would be the Perandus Signet rings. These are for the experience boost to make leveling more worthwhile, even in lower level areas. This basically guarantees some sort of progression. They also are used for the wisdom drops, which, believe it or not, is worthwhile. I can ID items as often as I wish and sell wisdoms for chaos now and then for some income. Sadima's ties in to the farming. Don't believe I should elaborate here. I plan on using Sadima's over Repentance indefinitely. Wanderlust is used to remove freeze as a threat. I plan on swapping to Death's Door whenever possible. Shields are swapped out depending on content.
Gem Choice
Arc/Ball Lightning is used because it is the safest I know. Arc hits enemies regardless of location, so long as they are close enough to either myself or the most recent chain. Ball Lightning deals with annoying immortal auras. Molten Strike and Sunder are the single best two skills to use. Cyclone only offers immunity to stun at the cost of fewer possible hits in any situation.
Now, there are times Sunder does proc more hits than LS and there are other times LS is superior. LS is much better against scattered enemies, since the chains can go to the enemy instead of being limited to a short-range shockwave. However, the tie-breaker came down to the simple fact that LS does not grant fortify when hitting enemies at range, Sunder does. Thus, Sunder is used over LS. LGOH is used in place of Blind when I don't use Kongming's Stratagem. Sunder is swapped out for GMP against tougher bosses. Wrath should be obvious. Haste is chosen over other reservations because of the utility it offers. I'm well aware Herald of Ice and/or Thunder would boost my DPS, but not significantly. CWDT + Arctic Breath + GMP + Chain is used to slow enemies without risking a threat to myself. For instance, CWDT + Enfeeble + Temporal Chains in Windscream would be refected to me in a Maelstrom of Chaos. Not often, but it's more reliable. It also works against cursed enemies. I'm so open to ideas that I've considered using one or more Sacrificial Harvest jewels and making use of four Vaal Cyclones in the boots, and spamming that against bosses or huge packs of enemies. Last bumped on Aug 24, 2016, 10:15:03 AM
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You might want to try Shock Nova for very good AoE damage around your character. It's something I've been considering testing myself on a few of my own characters, if playing a non discharge Mjolner.
IMO Arc + Shock Nova would probably do a lot more damage than Arc + Ball Lightning. Biggest thing with Ball Lightning is that it has a 'buggy' interaction with Romira's Banquet: Every hit on an enemy inflicted with an elemental status condition (shocked, ignited are confirmed; probably freeze and chill too) from the BL will generate a power charge (as long as the BL wasn't a crit, of course). Theorycrafter/Build Creator for PORTAL guild
@BlightScourge -> guide @ view-thread/1382667 (Retired till Mjolner is fixed) Lvl 94 Crit Mjolner Marauder twitch.tv/savagewolves | |
" Shock Nova will only ever hit enemies twice, at most, and only within a specific area. However, it's true advantage is hitting a large area around the person instantly, which is good against strongboxes. The reason I choose BL is that it will travel, so it will eventually get to the source of the immortal aura. Shock Nova will not do this. I would consider Storm Call, but SC has a 1.5 second delay and that can be a pain in the ass. Edit: Also, Shock Nova requires positioning. BL does not. Last edited by Natharias on Aug 22, 2016, 12:10:22 AM
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You can try Frost Blades too, they work pretty well with Mjölner (but kinda sucks with single target)
The plan is simple: win! If you do not win, you did not follow the plan
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" I did minimal testing with Frost Blades. What testing I did do led me to believe Sunder is superior. Frost Blades seems like it will chain and track despite of enemy positioning, but it is limited to some 1 + 14 hits, at most (assuming memory is correct about seven projectiles and the one chain). Each "direct" hit with Sunder is one proc, plus one shockwave that can get as many as are around them. Against huge packs, this is the best skill to use in Mjolner. It so surpasses LS that LS looks useless. The other advantage is it auto targets at range, and doesn't move you automatically. I'll do some more testing with Frost Blades. | |
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So I did some more testing, thorough testing.
Molten Strike still remains the best possible single target skill for Mjolner. Absolutely nothing beats it. If you fit in GMP, and even LMP if you're crazy enough, it chews through tough single enemies like butter. Against dense packs, Sunder is the best ranged option. The amount of direct hits creating shockwaves creates so many procs that you almost don't have to worry about attack speed or damage increases for your spells. Against spread out packs at a distance, Lightning Strike is best. It requires the use of "attack in position" but can be used at range. Fortify will not trigger from these projectiles. Against spread out enemies within attack range, Frost Blades is the best. The projectiles will chain to nearby enemies (short distance), or travel a longer distance behind the initial target. I'm unsure whether the projectiles proc Fortify, but the initial hit-which is ranged-does proc Fortify. Edit: In theory, dual Mjolners would want to use Frost Blades for ranged attacks. The two total chains would make it insane. Last edited by Natharias on Aug 22, 2016, 8:32:56 PM
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Yup, that sounds about right.
Myself, I'm using Shield Charge with inc AOE for moving/killing, Cyclone to kill the stragglers while moving, and Molten Strike for boss killing. If you can clear with Cyclone, it is way faster than LS, as you can kill on the move, Shield Charge even better still. But if you have to stop and Cyclone around an enemy to kill him, then LS is probably better. I have never tested Sunder with Mjölner, so I have to give it a try. The plan is simple: win! If you do not win, you did not follow the plan Last edited by Gilgamesjh on Aug 23, 2016, 9:52:50 AM
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" Sunder is vastly superior to Lightning Strike, assuming you have Frost Blades available. I never travel without Molten Strike. As of now, Frost Blades is my second and only other skill for Mjolner. I cannot see myself using LS or Cyclone or Shield Charge. I don't have sufficient damage on spells to make Shield Charge a primary AOE killer. | |
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You might wanna try lightning strike/frostblades + vaal glacial hammer + multistrike for singletarget. If lightning strike/frost blades projectiles hit a vall galcial hammers/frost walls wall it can chain to enemies nearby. Iirc if you also take the chain gem, after chaining to the boss they will chain in a random direction and chain from the wall to the boss again.
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Natharias,what exactly you want to optimize?
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