Best HC SSF build for a new league? Opinions?

As the title says. Would like to try one, but haven't played hc for a long time. Would appreciate your opinion!

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MaidenPain wrote:

As the title says. Would like to try one, but haven't played hc for a long time. Would appreciate your opinion!

I have a very limited scope on builds but I know the ED/Contagion build is pretty much handed to you by Act 3 (through quest rewards or vendor buy). By Cruel your DPS will start to get pretty high. Im sure there are totem builds that may be even easier.

ED
RF Totems

It isn't easy to say yet though, since we don't know if there will be any changes made that will make something either a great option or a terrible option. Patch Notes needed!

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EwokVillage wrote:

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MaidenPain wrote:

As the title says. Would like to try one, but haven't played hc for a long time. Would appreciate your opinion!

I have a very limited scope on builds but I know the ED/Contagion build is pretty much handed to you by Act 3 (through quest rewards or vendor buy). By Cruel your DPS will start to get pretty high. Im sure there are totem builds that may be even easier.

Thinking about totems or whispering ice, but:

1. Do not like passive builds like totems, when you can't attack/cast by yourself
2. It would be hard to get Whispering Ice in solo self found mode, and also we do not know what they will do with Es / Vaal Pact / Ghost Reaver

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Docbp87 wrote:

ED
RF Totems

It isn't easy to say yet though, since we don't know if there will be any changes made that will make something either a great option or a terrible option. Patch Notes needed!

You are right about patch notes :)

Totem builds are always going to be a safe HC option, and require less investment since they work off skill levels rather than equipment.

Summoners too. Same principle.

Still don't know what I'm going to run for it... did totems last time and only lasted a few weeks.

My surviving HC builds are totem-based, and I think this is no coincidence. All SSF of course.

There are various uniques which are helpful, but you don't have to have any; and if you go caster totem you're not worried about weapon upgrades either (I wouldn't recommend Warchief totems as a first build for this reason).

Not sure about top-level content with them though, I never went past T10 in HC and haven't cleared the Uber lab either, so this might be harder. Then again, SSF in leagueplay isn't designed for top content, unless you play *a lot*.

I did like my Champion archer, using Lioneye's (jewel and bow) with peranent fortify, that was decently tanky. Changes since made it less ideal for the ascendancy, so maybe better going for Slayer for leech and reflect protection. But this still needs a decent bow so not ideal as SSF as first character.

If you consider playing SSF HC you can throw away 90% of builds.

RF totems are, from my personal experience pretty hard to keep up in the cadiro bubble things.
ED similarily, will make you get out of the comfort zone of "outside of beeing hit" range.

SSF and melee might sound counterintuitive, but slayer is pure awesomeness for confined area multitarget fights like breach/cadiro bubbles. Beeing able to keep up a constant 20% regen rate is boss. Good twohanders similarily are overabundant, including several really common leveling ones. And even using really crappy ones is no problem at all, all you risk is temporarily heaving the damage output of a one-hander.

It is going to be my personal go to as a next league starter.

cwc firestorm with scorcing ray?