3.7 Rusty Poisonous Steel (Lancing Steel Pathfinder Poison build) 2.6 M shaper dps

I figured out a new skill tree for 3.6 with better defenses:
- 84% chance to evade attacks (69% from evasion + Blind)
- 24% block chance
- 30% dodge chance
- 30% spell dodge chance
- 5.6k life @ lvl 90

This sums up to 92% chance to avoid attacks altogether, which is huge. We can also drop "acrobatic" and take "Iron Reflexes" for easy 69% physical damage reduction and we still evade some attacks thanks to blind....

Here's the PoB link with 580k shaper dps: https://pastebin.com/MS93vdup

But please keep in mind it's more expensive version "The perfect Form" used on chest slot, and it's just a theory I didn't put to test yet.

Definitely a good build that I'm enjoying a lot but the clear speed seems to be a bit limited due to only piercing 2-3 enemies (before getting Beltimber as I mention later on in the edit). I felt that 2 pierces was way too little so had to get the 3rd pierce passive node, but even with 3 it can feel limited when there's 10 enemies to go through in the pack and there's not really an easy way to get more than 3 pierces without also using pierce support which would make you lose out on a lot of DPS. The poison spreading from Nature's Reprisal ascendancy node does help somewhat with clearing but more pierce would be much better although as I said before it's not really viable to get more pierce easily.

Still very happy with how its going. Decided to try the Fenemus' helm, boots and gloves as they all synergise well and gave a nice damage boost. The free power charges and 20% inc poison damage per power charge is especially nice. Sadly there's no power charge nodes within reasonable reach on the passive tree though. They are by no means BiS but they work well enough to start off for a good enough price.


Don't mind the gems slotted in them. The chest is also not bad but a bit expensive for me. Only bad thing is that they are ES bases and makes you have very low HP but it's somehow working for me. Did Uber lab with them and only 2.5k hp. The 2 heralds/wither totems can tank things surprisingly well.

EDIT: After getting dual Beltimbers my clear speed increased a LOT, more projectiles definitely help very much for clearing.

I will say I do have a bit of a HP issue and will most likely be forced to replace the Fenumus stuff with HP rares, the build already has weirdly low HP (only 4.4k in the front page endgame PoB) and I've just made it worse. The damage gain from the Fenumus stuff is nice but losing the hp is too big a deal.


Nevermind this next paragraph, I just realised that the 60% double damage mod doesn't even affect DPS in PoB so it's actually very misleading.
Also no matter how good mods, I cant get close to a 1H sword on PoB that competes with Beltimber for DPS. I tried custom crafting some similar ones to the swords listed in the main post endgame gear section and they were quite a big DPS loss over 2 Beltimbers. Around 10% less DPS and also losing the extra projectiles which is quite big. Although the ones in PoB are around 20-30% better. I may have to look into crafting some when I get enough currency. Although I am a little worried about losing the projectiles from Beltimber, maybe I can weapon swap for harder bosses where I need the extra damage from the rares.

Changes in 3.7 is coming soon, and Pathfinder don't seem to have any change this league. Though Herald of Agony have got major nerf.

"

Herald of Agony has had its minion damage per Virulence reduced, as the skill provided a huge amount of power for very little passive investment.

Staying at Max Virulence is certainly one of main reasons to be Pathfinder, and now that's up for debate. We gotta wait and see, I guess, but we might end up dropping HoA support altogether and go for full straight dps..

3.7 Update:

1. Patch notes changes:



2. Build Changes:

* [Freeing more Mana for the new auras]
Due to introduction of new auras, and the severe nerf to Herald of Agony, I intent to drop all support gems from it.

Also dropping "Aspect of the spider" and "Herald of purity" in favor of having both: "Malevolence" and "Precision"
along Herald of Agony with no support. We might need to use Enlighten, or keep Precision at lower level since mana reserved scale with gem level.

* [Lancing Steel damage is now a real deal]
Lancing Steel Gem lost 20% attack speed, got 113 to 169 flat added physical damage, and double added damage effectiveness. That's super huge buff on its own. We don't have the new gems in PoB yet, but simulating [113 to 169 added physical damage] on any other item is direct 33% more dps. so 13% more dps if you subtract the attack speed.

Then there's the damage effectiveness that's almost double dps! It's presumably going to take build to next tier. Assuming that shotgun lose is only at very close targets, not at long range.

* [Smoother movement]
We already are fast moving Pathfinder, with good attack speed to escape harm with whirling blade , but the new change to movement skills will make it even smoother. Especially with less Mana cost. Fortify from the gem will last longer, making a little safer during big boss fights as we don't have to get close often.

* [New better nodes in skill tree]
Two things: "Swift Venoms" and "Dirty Techniques" while the first is new, both now have "poison deal damage 5% faster", along with poison duration on nodes leading to them. It mean our poison last longer, and do more damage at same time.

There are a lot of new things in the bottom of the tree, which needs a lot of testing. But many are very appealing already like "Dazzling Strikes" which is both offensive and offensive at same time, and have good synergy with attack speed and big number of projectiles.

A lot of accuracy nodes everywhere is also appealing, though "% increased" nodes will get more powerful with the flat added physical/chaos damage, so we are presented with more interesting choices.

Overall, it looks very good.

3. Itemization geared towards smoother leveling:
That was one big down side for playing Lancing steel poison as starting build. Early levels was tough, and needed to constantly upgrade weapons and get certain uniques asap.

Now that made easier by three things:
- Better gem scaling. Making it less dependent on weapon.
- Better stats on leveling weapon. (look point number 1) Making weapons stay powerful for extra few more levels.
- Buffing some early game supports, especially "lesser poison" which gives veyr good flat chaos damage and chance to poison early while we still build our way around skill tree.

In the end, all of these small changes to leveling gear and supports will probably not matter at red maps and above, as the core weapons/supports haven't been touched. But it will help us get there faster and easier, making build more viable as a league starter.

4. Other ideas to brainstorm/contemplate

* Automated CWDT + Immortal call might not be that effective anymore. Considering other options for defense.

* Flesh and Stone sounds like a win/win aura. Blind nearby enemies, and take less damage from ranged enemies. But we need to see if it works without Blood and sand aura. Then we have to seek someway to reserve other 25% mana!

* Frenzy + power charge on crit + increased crit chance .. Good way to get frenzy and power charges at bosses?

* New skill "Perforate" have same shotgun capability as Lancing Steel, but for Melee (which have bigger damage support gems now!) Need to keep an eye on it, it could probably outperform Lancing Steel in poison building. Depending on the number of "spikes" compared to the less damage multiplier (which is whooping 69% !!)

3.7 PoB link Updated:
https://pastebin.com/XV8NHJWq

* 2.4 Million shaper damage [WITH good POISON SWORDS]/1.5 million with cheap uniques.
* 6k life
* 83% Melee and Projectile avoidance (72% evade chance - 15% Block - 30% dodge)

Note: The jewel on the right over "Acrobatic" is put to simulate the damage from the delve mod (60% chance to deal 100% more damage with poisons inflicted by this weapon). We have one mod on each sword, so it sums to 60% more poison dps overall.

Update day 3:

Simple leveling gear, with lucky drops:


I was lucky getting "Maligaro cruelty" and "essence worm" among Legion drops.

So my buffs with Essence worm are:
- Malevolence (0% mana reserved)
- "Herald of Agony" on 2L (42% mana reserved)
- "Flesh and Stone" (35% mana reserved)
- Level 1 "Precision" (30 flat mana reserved)

Maligaro cruelty always gives power charges, but almost never gives Frenzy charges as things die too fast to stack many poisons.

Note on changes to support gems:



tldr progression version of support gems:

* 3L: Lancing Steel - Pierce - Lesser Poison

* Get "Piercing shots" from tree
* 3L: Lancing Steel - Faster Attack - Lesser Poison
* 4L: Lancing Steel - Faster Attack - Lesser Poison - Added Chaos damage

* Get two "Insubry edge" swords (around level 48 - 50)
* 4L: Lancing Steel - Faster Attack - Lesser Poison - Void Manipulation
* 5L: Lancing Steel - Faster Attack - Lesser Poison - Void Manipulation - Added Chaos damage

* Get enough attack speed from tree (Faster than 0.38 second without attack speed support)
* 5L: Lancing Steel - Lesser Poison - Void Manipulation - Added Chaos damage - Vile Toxins

* Get 95~100% chance to poison without gem
* 5L: Lancing Steel - Void Manipulation - Added Chaos damage - Vile Toxins - Unbound Ailments
* 6L: Lancing Steel - Void Manipulation - Added Chaos damage - Vile Toxins - Unbound Ailments - Deadly Ailments

Hello givemelight.
I really want to try out this build, and im curious about one thing. You went for Nature's Adrenaline ascendency, isnt Master Alchemist better choice with its immunity to ailments?

I guess you move with whirlwind blades mostly, so movement speed isnt that necessary, which leaves only attack speed bonus. Do you really need that 20% more attack speed for lancing steel to feel good?

"

Prezydenciak wrote:

Hello givemelight.
I really want to try out this build, and im curious about one thing. You went for Nature's Adrenaline ascendency, isnt Master Alchemist better choice with its immunity to ailments?

I guess you move with whirlwind blades mostly, so movement speed isnt that necessary, which leaves only attack speed bonus. Do you really need that 20% more attack speed for lancing steel to feel good?

Edit: I made long reply so here's short answer:
tldr,
Yes, both "Master Alchemist" and "Nature's Adrenaline" are options now. It's matter of choice between styles. Nothing as core part of build.

Full answer:
Well, it's possible, as playstyle is a very personal preference. And this 4th ascendancy node is more flexible to change.

In betrayal I liked having both: Attack speed for fast whirling blades, and movement speed for micro management while clearing many packs with tanky rares. So it's basically altering between two methods:

Movement speed:


Whirling Blades


"Nature's Adrenaline" used to be well tailored towards the alternation between these two styles, and it gives more dps. And you don't need quicksilver flask with it.

Now [In Legion 3.7] with less attack speed on Lancing, it might be better or worse. This needs extensive testing, but I dare to say that dps from it is smaller than before (in endgame).

We really need attack speed while leveling, but we take "Nature's Adrenaline" last at eternal lab, so it honestly doesn't matter. And the new animation canceling makes whirling blades and movement in general so much smoother that opens up new possibilities. If we have better defenses (especially if we take flesh and stone and stay in sand stance), we can play more aggressively than ever.

TY for reply. My bad assuming movement speed was kinda useless. I wish i had more time for poe, im eager to test this build on endgame content.

Tell me how are you aproaching bosses in 3.7? are you sticking close to them (and try to avoid big hits) or are you keeping them at distance?

In 3.7 map bosses are much easier than before, just stay wherever I can do two things:
- To get as many projectiles as possible hit same target
- And to hold my ground as long as possible

Usually if something can die within few seconds, I just hold my ground and take all the hit and let leech and flask do my bid while I maximize dps.

If something is getting tanky (takes more than 10 seconds because of map mods or w/e), I just pick two safe positions at certain distance and keep switching between them, passing through boss with whirling blades to get my fortify up.

Stay on right --> dps for 2-3 seconds --> whirling blades through boss --> stay on left --> dps for 2-3 --> repeat.

In good scenario, you can keep boss at half distance between you and edge of screen, that way you aim slightly behind boss to keep projectiles close and not spread, and you don't need to move mouse so much when you need to whirl through boss.

In perfect scenario, you don't need to move at all, just dps them down and don't be faint hearted when you get hit. Especially if boss is within blind range in Sand stance where he will be missing more than hitting and never hits you twice in row.

If you willing to sacrifice some dps for maximum leech (in low tier maps and legion encounters):
6L: Lancing Steel - Vile Toxins - Withering Touch - Unbound Ailments - Void Manipulation - Added chaos damage

The reason why Withering touch is an option in Legion is the nature of the league encounters. You need super fast clear speed and great area coverage. Your totems will not help here, but in fact hinder your clearing speed. Having 3-4 wither stacks from main attack skill is just great with Legion.

This setup gives maximum leech from a single projectile, so if you avoid being 1 shot, you are good wherever you stand.