Dead 3.9 Chain Gun Necromancer: Sirus/Uber Elder/Shaper/Elder down

As of 3.10 this build is dead in its current form. Perhaps with the ignite neck and ring like the forbidden build guy.
"Spirit Offering
Repeated, rapid casting of Spirit Offering was far too efficient as a means of protecting and recovering Minion Life (and player Life through Mistress of Sacrifice). This still provides valuable protection for minions without it being significantly better than almost every other tool available.

No longer grants a portion of the minion's maximum life as Energy Shield.
Now grants +20% to Chaos Resistance at gem level 1, up to +30% at gem level 20."

Hello Exiles! I came back from hiatus to 3.9 and have spent the league making and testing 15 different builds, this is my favorite by far. It takes an ascendancy that is normally a summoner, and turns it into a quite powerful and tanky self caster. All thanks to the necromancer keystone Corpse Pact!

Playing this build makes you feel like a heavy in TF2, standing there absorbing blows with your chain gun ramping up from 6 casts a second to 14+ over 4 second and then as long as you cast often can maintain immense cast speed pelting out spells to take down Shaper, Elder, Uber Elder, and Sirus!

2/27/2020 announcement for a future update:
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The build here is purifying flame, but for a friend I have POB'd a frostbolt/ice nova variant which he will be playing next league and I will update the guide with it. The damage is insane. The interaction of spell echo and greater spell echo with icenova on frostbolts, and its ability to shotgun means 8 icenovas per cast. With the great amount of cast speed of this build that means a lot of damage, but also a lot of self inflicted damage as you don't get manaless spellcasts from spell echo (since they just happen without needing to do an animation for them). So the majority of the build is ES and Life to try and keep up with the enormous self damage. Even still, it does far more than my original build. I will drop my initial POB here if you are interested: https://pastebin.com/Ruu7VUGs - I will also update this guide with any new info, thanks!


The Stats:
Spoiler
With the build I ran, using Purifying Flame, it does over 4 mil shaper dps unbuffed, has almost 9k effect HP (5.8k life and 3200 constantly regening ES) with both life and es leech. It also has 36% block and 43% spell block.


How the build works:
Spoiler

This helmet hurts you when you cast spells, especially when your spell casts are over 100 mana, as they are with this build. This means you can reliably trigger cast when damage taken supports (CWDT) nearly on cool down (not exactly on cool down, as they do not start taking damage into account until the .25 second cool down is finished).
I use CWDT to trigger desecrate with a spell cascade to create 10 corpses and unearth with GMP and Volley to create another 7, 15 of these corpses are then consumed with all three offerings (the extra 2 are to trigger the Corpse Pact and Plague Bringer keystone debuffs). This means that the build in perfect conditions is consuming about 60 corpses a second. Corpse Pact gives 2% increased attack and cast speed for every corpse consumed recently (the last 4 seconds). This mean 240 corpses, or 480% increased attack and cast speed. Now since there is a slight delay on triggering I would put the actual amount consumed at 210 at best. That is still a substantial amount of cast speed (enough for around 14 casts a second with Spell Echo).

So, how do I deal with all this damage? Well spirit offering give ES based on max life, and it is triggering with every CWDT. This not only offsets Scold's Bridal's damage, but gives you a decently sized constantly recharging energy shield. With this belt:

I ensure that that buff is always up, as well as getting extra damage and block as well as move speed and cast speed from the other offerings. The offerings make the build rather tanky, and the cast speed allows for high damage even without high damage gear.

So, how do I cast so many spells without running out of mana? Easy, with the craft that gains mana back from damage taken we can get 18% of the damage taken as mana back over 4 seconds. We deal 400% of our mana as damage to ourselves, so we get 72% of our mana back. This is bolstered by clarity and some mana regen from tree. (It can even be done with the level 2 version giving 15)


This build can be run cheap, or run expensive. It has flexibility on tankiness verus damage in both gearing and the passive tree. It also has flexibility on what spell to run with it, as you can use pretty much any spell, but a physical base is best imo to take advantage of Spirit Offering. The only real downside is that it is a little hard to see when you are triggering offerings constantly, and can be hard on low end computers.


Passive Tree/Pastebin
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Level 92, when I killed all the bosses: https://pastebin.com/LJyBeNkh

Poe Planner link: www.poeurl.com/cHHg

Suggestions regarding the tree:
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There is a decent amount of flexibility in this build between tankiness and damage. You can sacrifice a lot of tankiness to get, say, more power charges, Divine Judgment, Heart of Flame. You could do this by anointing counterweight and dropping life or ES nodes. However, I prefer tanky builds, so I did not.


Notes regarding POB configuration:
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I have it set at 180 corpses consumed to ensure that the damage I'm looking at is what it would likely be on a boss. However, as previously stated this build can do about 210 corpses consumed.
I don't have flasks on. Because of the extra corpse generated from unearth there is always at least one by the mob you are fighting, and they are shocked/chilled. The storm brand ignites (although I just now realized I don't have any flat fire in my current build, so you will need it on something to trigger ignite on storm brand). You are always leeching ES, as you are never at full es except for a split second if you haven't been dealt damage recently. Finally I have the more spell damage multipliers which POB does not calculate on my jewel. 9% from inner conviction, and 12% from increased arcane surge buff effect.


Gems
Spoiler
Staff: Purifying Flame / Spell Echo Support / Arcane Surge Support / Energy Leech Support / Concentrated Effect Support / Intensify Support
Body Armor: Cast When Damage Taken Support / Unearth (level 8 max) / Power Charge on Critical Support / Greater Multiple Projectiles Support / Volley Support / Wave of Conviction (level 7 max)
Helm/Gloves: Cast When Damage Taken Support / Desecrate (level 7 max) / Spell Cascade Support / Elemental Weakness (level 5 max)
Helm/Gloves: Herald of Ash / Clarity / Discipline / Flame Dash
Boots: Cast When Damage Taken Support / Spirit Offering / Flesh Offering / Bone Offering


Gear
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What I killed Sirius in (The Gems you see socketed in this gear is not accurate for the optimal build, please read the gem section to see what is suggested):
Spoiler


Suggestions regarding gear:
Spoiler
The only necessary pieces are Scold's Bridal and Leash of Oblation as these facilitate the combo. Life leech on amulet or rings is required as well. The only other required thing is the mana craft that gives mana back based on damage you take, you need this at at least level 2 on your rings and amulet to maintain the large amount of spells this build casts.

Otherwise you can gear how you want. Personally I like tanky builds so I build all my gear almost entirely for life or life and ES. Even building strength for more life. You could easily build more crit, crit multi, added damage, etc. And sacrifice tankiness.

You could also play without a staff, but that would mean losing out of some CWDT stuff as you become less gem efficient. It would also mean the loss of the power that is stave nodes. However, this is up to you.

A unique chest of your choice could be used. But I went with a rare chest with the added bonus of getting increased offering effect which is not only more damage, but also more tankiness.

If you are on a budget, then the best unique staff I used in POB was Martyr of Innocence, but a rare staff is going to be best.


Lab Enchants
Spoiler
I just got the mana regen boot enchant, and used it instead of going for the level 3 ring/amulet mana craft. Idealy I would go for something defensive like spell dodge, but damage or pen if you haven't killed is also good.
As for helm I never use them, but anything for purifying flame would be good or whatever spell you decide to use.


Pantheon:
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Your choice, I would run Lunaris or Solaris and then almost always use Shakari since this build is basically hybrid and poison hurts.


Flasks
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Flasks I used:


If you have the money a bottled faith is going to be amazing, and wise oak is defiantly good. But I just switched to a cinderswallow urn to help with clear plus its 10% increased damage. Since you don't really need a defensive flask, you could think about switching out my basalt flask for one of these.


Jewels
Spoiler
In my pob work flat damage is not as good as other mods in my experience, but generally go for crit multi, crit, increased damage, and flat damage. Cast speed is irrelevant since this build gets so much.
Militant faith is a wonderful jewel as it gives at least 9% more spell damage (thanks to inner conviction).


Kill videos
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Sirus Kill (my first kill): https://www.twitch.tv/videos/530197041

Uber Elder Kill (very not clean, its been a while) https://www.twitch.tv/videos/531099330

Shaper Kill: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/530196534

Elder Kill: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/530195759

Please note these kill videos were made before I realized my error and fixed the build, the damage output with the adjusted build is far greater than what is presented in the videos. I may make new ones for it given that.


End Note:
This build glides through maps better than any self cast build I have done given its increased move speed and cast speed, as well as large aoe. It is very fun to play, if you can get beyond the constant offering triggers. It can also be done on a budget, or done with other spells. To be honest thats my favorite part, I must have over 20 POB builds using the basic idea of this build. Even attacks could be used if you can scale their mana cost up high enough! Side note: I did not level up with this build, and I don't think its entirely possible as it requires some uniques. But it would be possible to switch to it fast, as the uniques are cheap.

If you have any suggestions or comments I will try to get to them! And I hope you enjoyed this build, and I hope to update my other guides soon so that people can enjoy them as well. Until the next one, see you exile and thank you!

1/7/20 update: I didn't realize desecrate had a maximum of 10 corpses, but was informed as such. I have altered the build so that there will be enough corpses to maintain the combo (16) by using GMP and Volley with unearth. I cannot believe I killed Sirus without nearly as much damage as I had POB'd.

Last edited by Legarto on Mar 10, 2020, 9:17:45 PM
Last bumped on Jan 18, 2020, 12:51:20 PM
Sir, your POB link is error :(
POB link has been fixed, ty for noticing that.
If you are returning to this guide please look at the update at the end. I have made alterations based on an error I had in the initial design. Thanks for looking at my guide :D
Last edited by Legarto on Jan 7, 2020, 10:06:12 AM
How did you manage to craft a staff like that?
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How did you manage to craft a staff like that?

I didn't, I bought it unlinked for like 4 ex the second week of the league and linked it for a different build. TBH it only has 2 mods on it other than the crafted one. Despite multi-modding's nerf it would make a better staff than what I have. Though it would be a lot of alterations to get +3 roll and something else. You could fossil craft with aethirics and an elemental fossil or something, but thats going to be a big gamble. That being said, you could get something real juicy.
"
How did you manage to craft a staff like that?

I didn't, I bought it unlinked for like 4 ex the second week of the league and linked it for a different build. TBH it only has 2 mods on it other than the crafted one. Despite multi-modding's nerf it would make a better staff than what I have. Though it would be a lot of alterations to get +3 roll and something else. You could fossil craft with aethirics and an elemental fossil or something, but thats going to be a big gamble. That being said, you could get something real juicy.
edit: IDK why it posted twice. And by elemental fossil I mean like scorching or something like that. Adding a prismatic into the mix would only make it more expensive, IDK if it would be worth.
Last edited by Legarto on Jan 10, 2020, 5:50:02 AM
Looks like a really fun build im thinking of switching to this from my soulwrest necro because its kinda to squishy for super buff metamorphs. A 6L Pledge of hands has about the same dps as your Staff in PoB. Should work just fine with a pledge, right?
Last edited by Zerber on Jan 12, 2020, 12:18:27 PM
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Zerber wrote:
Looks like a really fun build im thinking of switching to this from my soulwrest necro because its kinda to squishy for super buff metamorphs. A 6L Pledge of hands has about the same dps as your Staff in PoB. Should work just fine with a pledge, right?


Short answer, no pledge of hands is real bad. Long answer: So the reason why I didn't go with pledge of hands is that greater spell echo support on it doesn't increase your cast speed but does add repeats. I assume that just like spell echo the repeats do not cost mana. To be able to keep the combo up and consume a lot of corpses you need to spend mana. Spell echo actually lowers your mana consumed per second, but since it has a more cast speed modifier it nearly makes up for it while also increasing damage a lot. Since greater spell echo doesn't have a more cast speed modifier on it, you would only be doing about two CWDT trigger a second at best, instead of 3-4. This would devastate your dps.

Edit: My ability to math right now is pretty bad though. SO it is possible that it would work out, it just may take longer to scale up the CWDT triggers. But at 180 corpses you are looking at almost enough mana consumption to do all the triggers, I am just unsure if you can get up to that amount of corpses consumed at a reasonable speed
Last edited by Legarto on Jan 12, 2020, 4:02:32 PM
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it doesn't increase your cast speed but does add repeats.


Ok I might be wrong but afaik greater spell echo doesnt change the amount of times you spend mana per second when casting a spell.
Lets say you spend 5 times a second mana on a spell. with greater spell echo you would still spend mana 5 times a second, it only adds a repeat to your spell that costs no extra time.

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