[3.24] The Pestilent Viper 🐍 New video : The Viper (improved) & The Mamba (saved from nerfs !)

@Vacoh : you're right, the end of the first post is outdated. Please refer to the infos at the top of the msg, for the PoB links and my current gearing.

@Nizreb915 : wow, cool AoE !
I like the idea of Arctic armour.

I can't play the game atm, due to a problem with my internet connection, which is slower than usual. It's been more than one month already.
So 3.19 is probably a complete skip for me.
This is why I don't come here as often as I used to.

I hope things will be repaired for 3.20 :) Can't wait to play our naughty girl again >:->

Hi Exiles,

here are some updates.
The first post has been updated and clarified. Removed all outdated infos (they have been moved to the second post, in case I need them).

Here is a new video, the first one in 3.19 (better late than never !) where the Viper is more toxic than ever, as Veritania found out !

The Venom In Your Veins

"When exposure has begun
There's nowhere left to run !"

Hope you like it !

Good luck and have fun ;)

Buffs and nerfs in 3.20

* Curses are buffed against bosses, especially Pinnacle bosses.
> Temporal Chains will slow unique bosses a lot more
> Despair effects are changed :

"

Despair no longer causes Cursed enemies to take 15-25% increased Damage from Damage Over Time effects, and it no longer adds 9-46 to 12-76 Chaos Damage to Hits against Cursed Enemies. It now causes Cursed enemies to have -15% to Chaos Resistance at gem level 1 (previously -20%), up to -30% at gem level 20 (previously -29%).

We'll have to wait for PoB update to see how large a buff it is overall.

Also, Temp Chains and Despair will last longer (8sec and 11.8sec, respectively).

* On the Ascendancy, Profane Bloom now has 50% chance to make enemies explode (up from 40%).
We lose Malediction and the increased curse effects.

New video before the end of 3.19 :
Caustic Alchemy

Some farming with Pestilent Strike (I should use it more often) and testing Alchemist's Mark. Seems good. But with the rework of curses in 3.20, I will go back to Despair : the build is currently not strong enough against bosses, as you can see in the video during the fight against the Minotaur.

Hope you like it and see you in 3.20, Exiles :)

*

You may also like other of my builds that I'm currently creating or improving on my YT channel :

Exsanguinate Trickster, aka The Vampire

The Witch From Cerberus, an Incinerate Elementalist.

The Ice Golemancer.

Hey, the build is very interesting and I am looking to start the league with it since the curse changes are super spicy for DoT builds imo.

Do you think I can leaguestart with this build? If so, any advice on how and what items should I go for first? Thanks in advance!

"

Nandann wrote:

Do you think I can leaguestart with this build? If so, any advice on how and what items should I go for first? Thanks in advance!

Hi,

thanks for your interest.
I've league-started with this build in 3.14 Ultimatum and was eventually able to do some tough T16 encounters.

Video at league-start.

T16 Ultimatum.

I have gathered levelling PoB links in the first post, I'll copy them here.


1- Viper Strike is available from level 1, but is not sold to the Witch by Nessa in Lioneye's Watch as a reward for killing Hillock. So either you buy it or you quickly create another character (Shadow, Ranger, Duelist or Scion) to get the gem.

2- The Mahuxotl's Machination shield is very expensive (currently 25 divine in league) and will probably remain so in 3.20.
So you might want to begin with the Apep's version of the build :
https://pastebin.com/VW8KxxmT

Apep's Slumber is only 5 chaos, while the superior version, Apep's Supremacy costs 150c.

Good luck and have fun :)

Hi Exiles,

here is a first update of the build for 3.20.

The Viper and the Spider

PoB 3.20 beta : https://pastebin.com/pYnB5Mdz

1) Profane Bloom is even stronger now, with 50% chance to explode enemies (up from 40%). When I started this build, it was 25%. Now farming feels smoother than ever.

2) With the rework to curses, I have chosen to self-cast Despair, instead of having it on hit with the gloves.
To compensate for the loss of inc effect of curses on the Ascendancy, I have added the new Steeped In The Profane cluster, and removed Fatal Toxins.

3) I've discovered the Covenant body armour, which was buffed in 3.19. Gems are supported by level 29 added chaos damage, which is massive.


With the buff to Despair and this armour, DPS has doubled ! Even more than that, from 2.8M to 6.2M !

I've bought the armour with no link : 20 divines in Std. It's Christmas, so it was time to break my piggy bank and make this spoiled child of a Viper happy !
Then I put 6 sockets and 6 links + colors at the bench.
Note that I haven't added quality, as I don't need the ES with the Mahuxotl setup, on the contrary.

I barely feel the life cost of the skill (currently 25 per hit). But without the Sacrificial Garb, I don't recover %ES on kill, so it takes longer to proc Everlasting Sacrifice (+4% all max res).


> The DPS is very satisfying now, but the build feels weaker. So I may remove the gloves and/or the helmet and get rares with tons of life. I think it's worth losing some DPS for life.


I'll keep you informed as soon I have finished this new version. All in all, I'm confident that 2023 will be a good year for the Viper !

Good luck and have fun :)

Hi Exiles,

PoB 3.20 : https://pastebin.com/GBt21VAT

With the Covenant body armour and the rework of curses, DPS has doubled !



Gearing



The helmet was bought in Ultimatum league.

Added gloves with life.


Now my concern is the physical dmg reduction, which is very inferior to the previous version.

Demo video with this setup :

Steeped In The Profane Bloom.


An example of a symbiotic relation between a spider and a viper !

Have a great holiday season, Exiles!

Quick update

PoB 3.20 : https://pastebin.com/7VRXH5ej

I've just realized that the Basalt flask was pretty useless.


It grants me +1% phys dmg reduction.

I've replaced it with an optimized Granite flask : +27% phys dmg red !

Update

PoB : https://pastebin.com/XYBjLTgE

The base melee range of strike skills has been nerfed in 3.20 (like we really needed that...), so to compensate, I've replaced Awakened Ancestral Call with the Divergent quality version, which grants +4 melee range. Even though I lose 1 target, it feels better to clear and also against single targets. Without it, it felt like I lacked accuracy, when in reality, my hits can't be evaded.



I got a request on Youtube to do some boss fight with the build, so here it is :
#2 : Ten Boss Fight

Bosses have extra life, crit chance, crit multi and extra cold dmg.

Upcoming video :
The Cortex, with desecrated ground everywhere !

Good luck and have fun :)