Help with Mana Regeneration

I'm interested in how people typically handle creating a sustainable mana pool for Shadows/Rangers. I've made two claw shadows and the path I have liked to take is to the right side of the tree to grab the claw life leech passives. But heading that way in the tree, there are not really any great mana nodes to be taken except for the mana leech node that gives 2% (and I haven't found a good enough DPS claw where that by itself is enough). I'm talking early game (~level 40) here but I would be interested in people's opinions for long term mana management as well. How do YOU tackle mana? Potions, passives, mana leech, gear with +mana/mana regeneration, clarity?

In respect to mana nodes, which are the best to aim for:

% maximum mana
Mana regeneration
% cost reduction of skills
+mana after kill

And roughly how many do you take of each (if any)? Is there any specific gear you find that drastically helps?

There is a mana geyser node between ranger and shadow, which I have never picked up since it is probably about 6 nodes out of my way to grab it, but it seems extremely good with 16% max mana, 40% regen and +10 intel for one node. I'm facing an internal struggle of wanting to spend 7 levels to get it versus chugging potions.

I was running grace and clarity at low gem levels before my last shadow bit the dust. However between those two auras, they ate over half my mana pool which made it difficult to utilize potions effectively because they would fill my remaining mana pool up quickly, but I could burn it back down to zero pretty fast as well.

Don't forget about the manaleech gem that applies to all dmg, not just physical. Though you do have to sacrifice a linked socket for it.

The problem with clarity is that it takes what it takes from your pool, regardless, but only returns more efficiency based on your +regen%, so you still need that from gear and passives

manaleech is always superior to manareg/clarity playstyle, also considering the fact that manaleech does not get any drawbacks from no mana reg/50% manareg maps.

It is one of the major imbalances that still has to be fixed.

When you play with manareg/clarity you need to get at least 2/3 2xRing +1xAmulet high manareg, get some manareg nodes and use clarity to have enaugh mana. Still the mentioned map mods will set you behind then, after you wasted like 10 passives to get this manareg + 2 gear + 1 aura.

This all stands vs using 1 gem: manaleech = fixes all.


its not balanced at all.

As a pure Physical Shadow, I've found the 2% Mana Leech is more than enough.

If you're a caster, you can go into Witch starter area Mana Regen nodes, or use like an Atziri's Foible or something :P

yeah I would just use clarity, regen and max mana % nodes, a mana pot with the 'increased amount + slower refill time' mod and try to get leech in as soon as possible for early game. Mana on kill stats can be very useful early on, its sort of a mix and make do situation until you can either spec eldritch battery or do enough damage to sustain through a leech gem.

I had a mana based phys damage duelist who had 2% leech from gear and was able to sustain 5 attacks per second skills with only about 10% of my mana unreserved just off phys damage, no leech gem, but you need the dps to make it happen. Long term its all about leech gem/leech stats/eldritch.

or bloodmagic of course.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm still new and had forgotten there was a mana leech skill gem, I'll have to keep an eye out for that. I had been considering running up the tree to grab Eldritch Battery, just wasn't sure if I wanted to sac my energy shield for an increase in mana pool since I'm playing hardcore. It just seems hard to run higher level auras though as the amount of +mana on gear quickly gets outpaced by leveling these gems. And while potions work, it's tough when your available max mana is around 100.

If anyone else has suggestions for mana management while leveling, I'd be interested.

ManaAnd let's bear in mind the op is talking about early to midgame, not endgame, iso if he leeches 2% of 500 dps that's only 10 mana/sec, which is not much.
When the char has matured you can always spec off the regen nodes.

What jewelry and boots are you wearing?

I get +39% mana regen from wanderlust shoes.

ManaAnd let's bear in mind the op is talking about early to midgame, not endgame, iso if he leeches 2% of 500 dps that's only 10 mana/sec, which is not much.
When the char has matured you can always spec off the regen nodes.

What jewelry and boots are you wearing?

I get +39% mana regen from wanderlust shoes.