Best defensive gem setups for ranged/bow characters...

Just curious what most users run in terms of defensive gem setups.

I'm an ele/crit bower built around Arcing Blows, so I'm lightning based, and I've tried a bunch of different options - none of which seem stellar.

I've tried various CWDT setups using blind and/or freezing.

I've also used a few CoH setups w/ heralds which, while the cold-based variants seem relatively safe and useful when you are built to ensure freezing/shattering are...okay. The cursing is lackluster compared to a blasphemy setup in high level maps. I'm not built to generate charges of any kind, and I'm a raider with near-perma onslaught running Avatar of the Chase/Veil.

I've been considering moving toward a much more evasion-centric build since I'm running QotF, as well, but that just feels like tempting fate.

A bit of a glass-cannon at about 4800 life.

Just wondering how glass-cannons try to mitigate and what everyone has had success with.

I can only see one of your characters, and it's lvl 31.. Guess it's not that one.

Arcing Blows is hardly a passive you build around, it's just a notable.

If you run QotF, the only things that makes sense is Evasion/Dodge. For CWDT setup I would go for the classic: CWDT - Immortal Call - Increased Duration. Maybe Enduring Cry for extra duration.

That is your only way of physical mitigation. Since you shouldn't get hit that often, you needsome defense against the ones that actually does hit you. Armour is not a good idea, since it get's halfed by Acrobatics.

You could throw in Arctic Armour for extra defense when you stand still.

Apologies. I wasn't clear -- play almost exclusively on console these days. This character is from several years ago. Just waiting and hoping for eventual forum integration.

Also, diction error with Arcing Blows. It's not the *core* component of my build; it's just that I've constructed an ele/crit bow build, around the highly questionable Shrapnel Shot, with Arcing Blows being a very significant portion of the direct damage lightning base.

Keystones: VP, Acro, Phase Acro, Point Blank

I've considered tracking down a 'Perfect Form' unique and reconfiguring into a more cold-centric build, but it seems like, with the best cold supports, it would have been best to opt for Frenzy charge generation in that case.

I tried the CWDT setup with Immortal Call -- not horrible, but duration seems lackluster.

I don't know, why every guide has a CWDT-IC setup but only a few mention Enfeeble, which is criminally underused.

Don't follow that herd. You get yourself either a low lvl CWDT-IC-Enfeeble-X setup or if you want an even higher protection and have the INT for that, go for high lvl Blasphemy-Enfeeble.

Know that you can (by default) only have one curse on a given enemy at once but you can still make use of several curses for different uses. For example the CWDT-Enfeeble doesn't negate a potential Herald of Ice-Curse on Hit-Assassin's Mark setup.

X can be inc duration, but I'm not a fan. Immortal Call only needs to last that split second when too many porcupines die at once. You may put your golem in that slot (which will give you much more golem uptime but at a lower level) or any defensive spell like Vortex, Frost Bomb etc that hinder your opponents. X can also be nothing, so the setup fits into a weapon.

edit: My preferred lvl for the CWDT is lvl6 because that enables Enfeeble lvl9 which is the highest lvl that fits below the INT requirements of blue lvl20 support gems.

I had been running CWDT-Frostbomb-Blind-Inc AoE

...works reasonably well, alongside Blasphemy-Wrath-Poacher's Mark.

Sheet dps is around 33k, but Point Blank and the two SS threshold jewels give me plenty of multipliers. I can run the vast majority of maps with little issue up to tier 15. I haven't done guardians yet on this character.

If I run a curse w/ Blasphemy, can CWDT still *trigger* a curse? Because I honestly had not even thought of that, and it sounds SUPER useful. Low CWDT proccing Enfeeble w/ Inc AoE and Duration? Yes, please.

I don't see why you would need to run a cold build if you use Perfect Form?

Shrapnel Shot - what are your support links? Do not make the mistake of using GMP with it - the explosion will only happen once.

Dunno why you would use increased aoe on the curse, seems like a waste of gem slot.

haha...because I misread its traits. It's -30% COLD RESISTANCE to you, with evasion increase based on the amount you are below resistance cap.

For some reason, I had it in my brain after perusing uniques a couple of days ago that it was 30% Cold PENETRATION...which seemed excessive...but also awesome.


As to Inc AoE -- it seems useful? It's hard to find a 4th gem for that slot, it seems, unless you're using something like GMP and a Blind. I guess I could run something like Enlighten? That seems like a better candidate for a Blasphemy setup, though, with the reservation % reduction?

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aiglos78 wrote:

If I run a curse w/ Blasphemy, can CWDT still *trigger* a curse? Because I honestly had not even thought of that, and it sounds SUPER useful. Low CWDT proccing Enfeeble w/ Inc AoE and Duration? Yes, please.

Yes, it can. However those curses will overwrite each other to the effect that nearby enemies will mostly be cursed with your Blasphemy curse and far away enemies with the CWDT-curse.

Also no need for inc aoe or inc duration, most enemies will trigger low lvl CWDT all the time.

edit: There's a unique pair of boots called Windscream that allows for a second curse. They don't have life but if you rely on a certain curse, they enable you to run Enfeeble on top of that, which has a dramatically higher impact on your EHP than any life roll could.

Have those boots -- running a pair of Atziri's right now, though, for the spell dodge and evasion. I would need to run the numbers and see which has a bigger impact on my EHP.

Maybe I should just drop PM and opt for Enfeeble anyway? Doesn't alter my DPS, really. I'm already running an Overflowing chalice, so the flask boost from PM is...meh. I was really just running it for the decrease to evasion and life/mana on hit. I get no benefit from the Fury charge generation anyway.

Or switch it to Warlords Mark for endurance charge/life leech.


But enfeeble is indeed quite strong. But curses lose some effectiveness (around 60%) vs bosses, and that is where you need them the most.