How do you cast your vortex?

Just wondering how you fellow vortex exiles cast your vortex.

I normally play ranged characters so this, what seems to me, is melee style of play is taking some time to get the hang of.

Seems the main form of defence is to keep moving so you don't get hit. So that I can concentrate on the movement and not worry about casting I put it on my move button, that way I am casting all the time I am moving.

All the videos I watch however seem to have the vortex on the right fire button and left button move only.

Where do you put yours and why?

When I played Vortex I just put it on my LMB. With a low CD you can practically phase through maps. But I can understand why some people would want to be more precise with it

I would not put Vortex on move, simply because that takes away your ability to choose when you use it. (As ArtCrusade said, that's a preference thing...) It's a very different animal from something like Withering Step. And honestly, it's already a 1-button build. I don't think I would want a 0-button build, even if it could work for me.

I would also consider adding Cold Snap to your build. That should scale more easily with Vortex than Freezing Pulse, since they are both area DoTs. Also, Vaal CS offers a really nice offensive/defensive combo.

I did notice that most builds use cold snap. But my reason rightly or wrongly, besides lack of experience, of using freezing pulse is to freeze things like the Porcupines from a distance so they don`t kill me with their exploding spines when I kill them at close range.

CS can also be used at range, and the inherent chance for FP to freeze drops off rapidly over range.

Note that it's also possible to build your Occultist with a lot more defense than you have, and be pretty much immune to porcupines, unless you decide to one shot a pack from the center with flasks down. (Your flasks could use a bit of work as well...)

Have a cold snap I have been levelling will try iy out once I reach the next level, 60% there, usually fie a lot when trying new things.

My flasks could do with a lot of work :). Same for all my builds. I know flasks are an important part of the game but I like a simple play style using a few fingers as possible. Only really use the flasks to get rid of bleeding, freeze etc or a quick injection of life, which incidental is not very useful on a low life build as I`m now finding. Unlikely to remember to press them, or even find the right key, to be any use for "proper" play.

Not sure what I could do to the tree, followed a video guide, without lowering my DPS which is already low compared to most builds.

I call this my MSPaint build, it reminds me of the erasure function where you just wave the cursor over the screen to get remove unwanted things.

ShakCentral's guide will give you some ideas for improving the build, including flasks. https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/2661120

On gear, Rime Gaze is an excellent helmet to create a 5L Coldsnap. Prism Guardian is really the goto shield for a LL build.

You can swap out those life flasks since it's a LL build, and the build shouldn't need mana flasks either. That gives you a lot to work with.

As far as flask use, it's more about developing habits. When you're clearing, you can just "piano" on a rhythm. A little practice and it will feel quite natural.

ShakCentral's guide was the one I started out with but recently respected to make it like Phoenixs as posted in his video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57jFGe9rkVI
Seemed to give me more energy shield and DPS but will recheck Skakcentrals one to see what I missed.

Did use the Prism Guardian for a while, still have it in my second slot, but by swapping to my current one my ES went from 5.8K to 7.4K so think I would lose to much ES by going back to it.

Yes the Rime Gaze is nice but going by POB didn't make much difference to Vortex DPS which is why I haven't used it but see that would be useful if I put CS in it. Seem cheap enough, if I can sort my lightening resistance out, current helmet give 33%, may well move to it.

Yes, the builds are quite different. Phoenix is going max ES while Shak uses block and phys mit. Total damage looks comparable, but achieved different ways.

If you are generally feeling good about your current build, I would look at the most cost effective ways to get closer to where Phoenix is.

Tried putting your tree on my gear and must admit yours is better in all aspects. Makes me wonder why I felt the need to respect my tree as I did.

The main problem, for me and maybe this is why, with your tree is that the required jewels are expensive and I’m 49 light on strength and 39 light on dexterity so would have to change a lot of gear or waste passives on might and agility.

Will try to keep this experience in mind if I go vortex in the next league.