[3.16 - RETIRING BUILD] VD Brands: S-Tier Bosser, A-Tier Map! -- MURDERED BY GGG_INTERN SOMEWHERE--

Even with the nerfs (hopefully VD will get a slight buff in the final patch notes since there is no valid way of applying it now without a trigger which all got nerfed), I think I’m still going to go with this build. I play in a duo and the build is just perfect for what the other person is running. As a minion build they need base crit for their minions to crit and brittle literally skyrockets their damage without a way for them to apply it. He is a guardian, so his buffs (onslaught, cast speed, more damage, block chance and increased AOE) all help cover the nerfs easily too.

Im considering my own goofy build. CoC rage vortex ice spear occultist. Rage vortex hits fast like cyclone and can be used like a dot. This means you can stay far away from bosses, dodging their attacks, and ice spear will be able to achieve 2nd form, which is difficult with cyclone. Also, you’ll only need some rage generation just so you can make a rage storm, you won’t have to go full in berserker with red blade banner.

Btw Prim, are you going to post that trickster build that I saw you had a placeholder for?

so sad
One of the last fun builds you could play casually after all the nerfs of the last 2 updates. Seeing it grow with each new item and investment was amazing
Tnx for the build Primaeva
I'll probably quit the game altogether now

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primaeva wrote:

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IceColdPorkSoda wrote:

GGG obviously didn’t like this build seeing as how it is the only arcanist brand main in the entire fucking game.

Ahh we had a good run mate.

Hahahha pack it up boys! I am declaring the build officially DEAD!!

ahh crap, really? I was looking hard at this for 3.17 before the announcement and was thinking that the DPS loss from the desecrate nerf wouldn't be the end of things as long as VD got the same ~45% more spell damage boost

Sounds like I was lying to myself....

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justanotherbody wrote:

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primaeva wrote:

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IceColdPorkSoda wrote:

GGG obviously didn’t like this build seeing as how it is the only arcanist brand main in the entire fucking game.

Ahh we had a good run mate.

Hahahha pack it up boys! I am declaring the build officially DEAD!!

ahh crap, really? I was looking hard at this for 3.17 before the announcement and was thinking that the DPS loss from the desecrate nerf wouldn't be the end of things as long as VD got the same ~45% more spell damage boost

Sounds like I was lying to myself....

Arcanist brand negative damage multiplier is massive and applies to corpse explosions too. SAD!

AB's multiplier went from 46% to 63%

If the spell hit does 10 damage...

Before: 10 * (1 - 0.46) = 5.4 damage
After: 10 * (1 + .45) * (1 - .63) == 5.365 damage

assuming VD gem actually gets the advertised 45% damage buff


.. but that assumes the fire damage is the core of the damage. If it was the explosions then the build is just out 1/3 of the damage :-(

Spell hit was nothing compared to the corpse explosion. The build got assassinated.

Can you please let us know why you think this build is dead? A lot of DD players think the desecrate changes don't really matter and they added a lot more cast speed. I planned to play this build this league

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FunkyM0nkey64 wrote:

Can you please let us know why you think this build is dead? A lot of DD players think the desecrate changes don't really matter and they added a lot more cast speed. I planned to play this build this league

Desecrate changes nerf damage for hit based builds. DD ignite won’t really care. It’ll just make uptime on big ignites a little more challenging. Arcanist brand changes nerf damage. Build lost 30-40% of its damage? Probably still fine if you swap to it with a level 95+ necro and fully decked out gear, but I wouldn’t recommend swapping before that. All in all there are other builds with just as much or more damage and a much smoother progression curve.