[Up to date 0.10.0 skill tree] Elemental Bow Templar Build (Lightning Arrow)

I've been thinking of ways to make a viable lightning arrow (or any other elemental damage) bow templar build for some time and I've come up with this:


(It does not utilise as many skill points as the final character would but I imagine expanding into the centre would be my next step)

The basic premise of the build is rather than abandoning crits for resolute technique as others have I keep my crit chance and and try stack shock with lightning arrow (recently nerfed so that it no longer has a base shock chance). If inaccuracy becomes an issue there is a precision node connected to slaughter at the templar start I could choose, along with the accuracy nodes connected to the other precision in-between marauder and templar.

I intend to use gear to up my hit and crit chance and given the buffs to increased accuracy support I could indeed use that.


Are there any glaring holes in this plan? Currently my biggest concern is mana consumption. Any suggestions?


Thanks

Near 300 views and no replies? I can only hope that's a great thing in regards to my build haha.

No replies because everyone's busy playing :)

The lightning arrow build depends on shock stacks. However, with the nerfs to lightning arrow (including but not limited to reduced no of AOE hits), nerfs to chain, and the recent changes to local weapon crit chance, it's going to be hard to build up enough stacks to kill-them-before-they-kill-you.

I'd recommend looking at elemental proliferation if you decide to run this build. But it's still not going to be anywhere remotely closed to what it used to be.

Since you specifically asked and there's nothing better to do at work now . . .

1) I'm not really sold on this "lightning arrow is nerfed to hell" feeling. The big nerf is the damage effectiveness % change. The shock chance and number of hits changes aren't so bad. The 3 additional hits for 12 mana (not even counting the +projectile damage you now get) is 33% less than the 18 mana you used to pay (min) for 3 additional hits. The first upgrade to 4 additional used to cost 28 mana - almost 2.5x the mana cost. You're REALLY going to feel this if you ever played the old LA. Second change is shock chance . . . it's kind of meh. Shock fading was semi-based on damage, so shocks from +shock percent faded fast and shocks from crits were the real debuffs. When you chain or pierce LMP LA you are going to lay down some full shock stacks on crit if you don't outright kill everything, that's just how it is.

2) Crit LA is . . . . interesting. You have to really pay attention to not accidentally one shot yourself in maps.

3) Actual build thoughts:
1 point from elemental adaptation and you didn't take it? Why do I keep seeing this in builds? That's a full 25% more effective HP when you try to one shot yourself on ele reflect mobs.
Blood magic: Who knows, maybe the new 12 mana cost is sick enough to make it so you can run anger + wrath and just throw a mana leech gem on your LA. Go for skipping BM and if it sucks respec to it. In the end it's going to be based on how you feel.
Iron Grip: Probably your highest priority next node.
Inner Force: You want this early - earlier than shock chance. It's still huge with anger + wrath.

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samuraiduel wrote:

3) Actual build thoughts:
1 point from elemental adaptation and you didn't take it? Why do I keep seeing this in builds? That's a full 25% more effective HP when you try to one shot yourself on ele reflect mobs.
Blood magic: Who knows, maybe the new 12 mana cost is sick enough to make it so you can run anger + wrath and just throw a mana leech gem on your LA. Go for skipping BM and if it sucks respec to it. In the end it's going to be based on how you feel.
Iron Grip: Probably your highest priority next node.
Inner Force: You want this early - earlier than shock chance. It's still huge with anger + wrath.

I intended to get elemental adaptation - the build isn't fully fleshed out for higher levels yet but thanks for pointing it out. As for BM I'll see how it goes without it and I can respec for it if need be. Inner force is something I'd daftly not thought about, thanks!

Does anyone know at what stage you find LA on a ranger btw?

and what kind of armour do you use ?

That's where there's a minor problem. I don't know whether to go full armour or be hybrid with ES. Thoughts anyone?

Well instead of getting BM you can get EB, in the first case just toss a coin and in the second case that question doesn't even arise - hybrid armor and body and soul for crabloads of mana.

test

Will this build have difficulty with mana? I've noticed that as far as mana goes, you only have a bonus 28% to your capacity and a bonus 60% to your mana regen rate?