Attaining max block while dual wielding a lost cause?

I'm sure it's possible to get max block while dual wielding, but at what cost? I feel if I use a few regrets and get a few of the good DW block passives and use one or both of the DW additional block chance 1H weapons my DPS and/or health will take a major hit and my entire build would pretty much have to change.

I need spell block pretty bad but I don't feel it's worth getting it if I can't maximize the potential of having it. Yes, I have 30% spell dodge, but would say that and around 30% spell block be viable?

Should I just wait and see if DW block is changed or any new passives are added to the tree? I really like this build and don't want to change it too much. Any constructive criticism would be appreciated.

Passive Tree:

Gear:


My current build' problem is with spells. I do have max resists (~-40chaos res) but my health pool is too low to sustain constant spell damage when not in melee range to benefit from life leech. My life regen is negated by use of Blood Rage. I throw out Enfeeble on large packs and/or rare mobs/bosses and try to keep up Molten Shell, but MS is proving to be more of a hassle having to recast it every 10sec. The few map runs I did last night I didn't even use MS except for bosses and even then I only initially cast it when battling commenced then just left it alone. I might not even run it anymore.


My dodge when at max frenzy charges (8) is 62% and evasion with Grace aura is 50%. When I get hit from physical damage it hurts but I regain that lost health way before the next blow.

I think the best (=easiest) way to get maxblock on dualwield is to use both Bringer of Rain and Wings of Entropy.

If you try it without, you sit on low DpS weapons (like Ungil's Gauche) and/or a weird skilltree.

BOR + Ungil's + some nodes investment = max block

BOR + Prismatic + heavy nodes investment = max block

BOR + Wings + heavy nodes investment = max block

Also there's the Anvil.

About spell block there are well known rainbows and lazhwar.

And see there's the issue right there. BOR isn't an option for me. I guess I'm just trying to stay creative as BOR is over used in my opinion. I know it's good and If I wasn't going DW this wouldn't even be an issue.

BOR + Ungil's = big hit to DPS as Ungil's coupled with Bloodseeker lowers my DPS too much

BOR + Prismatic = is about even to the DPS loss as using Ungils since I'd have to invest further into passive nodes to make up for the lack of additional block chance

BOR + Wings = would be the best choice I suppose but I'd have to pick up even more passive nodes. I'd alse lose instant life leech from Bloodseeker but I guess with block up so high i'd not really have to worry about it as long as I had alot of life leech, which I wouldn't after losing 9% from removing Bloodseeker.

The Anvil is doable to help in any case but if I can't use Lazhwar then I'm only receiving 25% of my block chance in spell block which would be pointless (except with WOE but still it'd be rather low.)

Using Rainbow strides completely changes my build to where dodge would be a moot point especially in conjunction with BOR.

Maybe I can try an uber low life build and just use Granite flasks all the time? I'll do some more figuring and playing around with different gear sets and passives when I get off work. lol.

Anymore ideas? Thanks for the comments so far :D

The Anvil mate.
But DW isn't really meant to be a max block build.

It's pretty much a lost cause if you don't want to be stuck wearing specific unique items.

It's an issue of how the skill tree is designed:

Shield Block: Starts at 24-30%. There is 77% worth of shield blocking nodes on the tree. There are three node groups with 14-16% block, with smaller node groups here and there that don't require much investment and are located on main paths.

Dual Wielding: Starts at 15%. There is 42% worth of DW blocking nodes on the tree (so right off the bat, it's impossible to max block just from passives). There is one node group above 10%, with the rest scattered in small amounts and located mostly in places that are off the beaten path.

Hopefully GGG will add some more DW blocking nodes to the tree to make that particular play style less gear-dependent.

Prismatic Eclipse also has +10% block chance while dual-wielding. It looks like a pretty bad weapon in every other aspect, though.

Edit: Here's the tree closer to what I would have been aiming for. Same number of points:

>Build<

Changes:

"

Zadmeir wrote:

It's pretty much a lost cause if you don't want to be stuck wearing specific unique items.

It's an issue of how the skill tree is designed:

Shield Block: Starts at 24-30%. There is 77% worth of shield blocking nodes on the tree. There are three node groups with 14-16% block, with smaller node groups here and there that don't require much investment and are located on main paths.

Dual Wielding: Starts at 15%. There is 42% worth of DW blocking nodes on the tree (so right off the bat, it's impossible to max block just from passives). There is one node group above 10%, with the rest scattered in small amounts and located mostly in places that are off the beaten path.

Hopefully GGG will add some more DW blocking nodes to the tree to make that particular play style less gear-dependent.

Prismatic Eclipse also has +10% block chance while dual-wielding. It looks like a pretty bad weapon in every other aspect, though.

Edit: Here's the tree closer to what I would have been aiming for. Same number of points:

>Build<

Or make some of shield block clusters work for both DW and Shield.

"

iron_Faust wrote:

I'm sure it's possible to get max block while dual wielding, but at what cost?

I started my Duelist off with Ungil's and added The Anvil at lvl-45. That gives you 78% chance to block just by taking the Dervish cluster in the Duelist area. Works as advertised, but The Anvil's speed drawbacks are pretty stifling. If you take this route, I'd recommend using Blood Dance boots and maxing Frenzy charges.

At lvl-64 I upgraded to a pair of Essentia Sanguis claws, and that gave a huge boost in DPS, with a loss of 10% chance to block. There are enough +2% Block Chance nodes in the Duelist and Ranger areas to make up the difference, and three nodes in the Scion circle as well, so max block is still easy to get.

In the end, however, I ditched The Anvil for Daresso's Salute. The huge boost in speed was a welcome relief after the sluggish pace The Anvil imposed on my build. It's still practical to get 75% chance to block by using all available nodes from the Duelist to the Shadow areas, and I'll probably get there around lvl-80.

If you run Anger + Wrath + Weapon Elemental Damage, Dual Ungil will deal a very respectable amount of dps.

Just saying.

You skipped the Dervish cluster for some reason; that's 14% block! You can pick up another 4% near Ondars in the Swagger cluster. And not too far is Blade Barrier at the bottom for another 6%.

Also you might try using a higher level CoDT with MS and IC. Move endurance gem to your chest in the free red slot and cast it manually. That way when you take a big hit, you are protected until you heal up and cast endurance again.