Shadow- Viperstrike build

So i tested arround abit now with melee splash and multi strike.

I will drop melee splash now because since 1.0.2b it dont have more the -attack dmg multiplier. No it has now the "less" multiplier. and this affect our viper dot too. so its not a viable option in my eyes. multi + faster attacks will spread it to many enemys too, very fast, and viper isnt our "aoe" skill, so why tuning down the dot damage ?

source:



Edit: i read abit forums: New possible method for Viper Dmg Increase:

Chest:
Viper Strike
Melee Splash (160%)
Concentrated Effect (160%)
Increase AOE (150%)
+add Chaos Damage (150%)
+multi (180%)

so, to make viper "aoe" viable we need to pay this mana: 88 Mana at lvl 20. you NEVER EVER will sustain this needed mana!

So the only possible way to use melee splash is: to use conc + increase effect. otherwise melee splash will only hurt the dot dmg and dont give us anything in return.

But as i said before, viper isnt our aoe source in this build, so i wont play with melee splash

i will go:

Viper
Multi (180%)
Faster Attacks (115%)
+chaos dmg (150%)
-not sure-
-not sure-
maybe ll + blood magic as the last ones... im not sure...

manacost: 48,95 Mana. even with added ll it dont cost so much as the "aoe" variant


Edit 2:

While playing, another idea crossed my mind. A 2 Variant Viper Strike Combo. 1 for Single targets and 1 for Aoe

Thats the Idea:
4L: Viper Strike + Multi Strike + Faster Attacks + add Chaos Damage
6l: Viper Strike + Concentrated Effect + Increase Area of Effect + Melee Splash +Faster Attacks/Multistrike + add Chaos Damage

Problem : Where the hell we take the Leech?! We cant sustain this Idea i guess.



Atm i preffer this way to go:

Single: Viper + Multistrike + Faster Attacks + Add Chaos Damage + Life Leech + Mana Leech
AOE: Cyclone + Faster Attacks + Life Gain on Hit + add CHaos Damage

hmm i feel that the cluster of DoT nodes near CI is rather useful

not sure whether empower would be good for this build. After all, empower can add 2 levels to viper strike, thus increasing theoretical dps. I was interested in considering a aurumvorax viper striker then trying to get a +2 melee skills sword later on

Viper Strike is not for the faint hearted. It's a struggle to get the dps near to where it needs to be and if you stress damage to heavily you will suffer my fate: not enough defense.

VS was going fine till I hit act 3 merciless - approximately level 64/5 - and suddenly I start dying. The main reason was lack of hp/block/evade. Because of the need to max dot/chaos damage the defensive capability was severely nerfed.

The short answer is you need strong defensive gear PLUS there needs to be life leech capability.

Here's my current build:

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgAAA5YFtQzyDq0RlhR1GNsZhhmKGo8c3B6UIuokPCepKk0shS9vMHEwfDpCOyg-zz8nQ5xGcUkTSVFKyEt4UUdSr1YtWhpabWBDZ_xuPW-ecLt0QXTxdoJ3138rf8aDCYngjb-TH5Mnm7Wly6dcqrisP6xHrH-tSrQMtNG7Tb3mwzrGosgMykrNJs3q1CPWitkT3FfdX92o5ljo1uss7Bj22vsJ

There's significant problems with maintaining damage output so I've resorted to using desecrate plus vulnerability.

Defensively I've tried to compensate with Acrobatics/Phase Acrobatics/Ondars Guile which do help BUT without high evade gear and sufficient points in block (which as you can see I a do not have) then inevitably you need to either strip dps/damage passives in favour of defensive passives or quite simply spend a large amount of cash on shit-hot defensive gear.

The bottom line for me has not been damage but defense. DPS has been quite workable though not spectacular. Speed is crucial. Melee splash with faster attacks and multi-strike really spread damage fast but it just doesn't tick fast enough. So inevitably you have to be able to tank it longer than necessary and THUS... gear is paramount.

On the upside the build can work with a four link: VS + Multi + FA + Splash.
Additionally, max your chaos resist and use Blood Rage for life steel. You've already got resists if you've chased chaos damage nodes so why not capitlalise and get the benefit of BR. Of course once you get to merciless the equation swings against you and getting high Chaos resist is no mean feat when you've also got to worry about evade and block. Chaos resit gear is rare and usually expensive.

I like the idea of two VS attacks - one for groups and one for bosses - but you still face tankablity issues in end game content.

My verdict is: problematic and expensive if you want to make it work.

So far I haven't seen a viable end game build.

Let me know if you have a link to such.

Grats to all who have posted here and struggled with this cursed aspect of a great game.

The post was not updated for 6 months...