Are DPS builds not a thing? Does POE empasize with defensive passives too much? Life % nodes?

Chaos Inoculation (CI) builds ignore % life. Any build focusing on deep delve often does as well. You can function with less life if stacking several other layers of defense (though just as much defensive investment). Your willingness to die is a factor. What kind of gear you have is a factor. The fact is you have to balance dps with defense. Glass Cannon builds exist but have a very small nitch in meta play.

Personally I'm hovering around 4200 life + almost block capped + Fortify + 10% less damage taken. It works for me, but I'd still like more. People asking for basic build tips like this rarely have enough game mechanical knowledge to survive without the minimum, and the minimum requires investment.