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

Very interested in your update. Right now I’m playing a DD ignite necro, so the respec would probably be pretty easy. I like the build (got to red maps without a single purchased item pretty comfortably) but more single target damage would be nice for sure.

I could probably just swap out the links for DD and change desecrate to the arcanist setup just for a trial run. I’m at the stage where I wanted to actually invest in the character so don’t want to do that if I end up going this route as the next few things I would buy wouldn’t be the same.

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jeremy_u_s3 wrote:

Very interested in your update. Right now I’m playing a DD ignite necro, so the respec would probably be pretty easy. I like the build (got to red maps without a single purchased item pretty comfortably) but more single target damage would be nice for sure.

I could probably just swap out the links for DD and change desecrate to the arcanist setup just for a trial run. I’m at the stage where I wanted to actually invest in the character so don’t want to do that if I end up going this route as the next few things I would buy wouldn’t be the same.

The self-cast EO version is absolutely wrecking bosses right now but it feels so mechanically bad to map I can't recommend it. You need 3 buttons now to not feel gimped:

Desecrate, because waiting for Arcanist Brand to generate corpses sucks.

Desecrate Arcanist Brand (Single Target)

VD-self-cast.

On the bright side the VD buff + self-cast buffs (cast speed everywhere) is clearly working out. For an EO version the damage is outstanding (1.5m without Spectre shenanigans.. yet.)

The question is, how can I make this smooth enough to play..? I suppose a gem swap of Arcanist Brand for Spell Echo might work for bossing vs mapping.

Overall, clunkiness increased majorly, but so did damage (I'm imagining full 30ex investment will deliver some 20-40m DPS at the cost of standing still.)

Could you use body swap as a clearing skill? It scales the same way and doesn’t need corpses. Doesn’t take much to kill trash mobs.

Here’s porksoda’s hot take:

Use crystallized omniscience for massive penetration and the new influenced boot implicit that drops brittle ground to inflict brittle on bosses.

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IceColdPorkSoda wrote:

Here’s porksoda’s hot take:

Use crystallized omniscience for massive penetration and the new influenced boot implicit that drops brittle ground to inflict brittle on bosses.

Hmm Leadership still has Scorch (-30 res shred) but you're right, that is a new way to scale it.

I've been perfecting my Shadow build and I'm glad to say it's gonna drop this week! Filming has started.

After that I will pour some currency into the self-cast VD. I have a huge idea. I think we could go 40+m DPS :D

Well, this is a shameless mid-league plug about my new build, Flicker CoC Ice Nova / Ice Spear Assassin, what I consider S-tier mapping but A-tier bossing all over again! XD


https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3225536/page/1

I do include a "dual-spec" swap though for Ice Spear bossing. Honestly, CoC Ice Spear delivers insane DPS for 15ex and I wonder why it isn't more present in the meta (most likely because it's not SSF friendly and so many streamers are SSF).

And here's the showcase/music vid as is tradition :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spF491zM5HI

The price of corpse pact forbidden flame/flesh gems are not that expensive this league. About 20ex for both at the time of writing. I wanted badly to play this build last league but couldn't afford the gems. Has anyone tried the Elementalist/Occultist version of this build? My brain isn't big enough to modify builds efficiently.

Leveling a necro right now. Going to revive the build as my Uber boss killer. If I can do it right I’ll upload some footage.

Update:

Messed around with this build going for Alt Quality shenanigans, using stuff like Ashes of the Stars and Canes to get 100% Flickershade corpses (which have 400% health compared to top tier spectres of 800% health).

Wore the unique new Ziz gloves to get an additional 250% cast speed.

So basically, a 600% cast speed version of the build. Interestingly, as pointed out before, past a threshold your balls get deleted before they have time to detonate, about halving the DPS. Using DD instead is also easier on the framerate.

Gonna miss the good times with the build. They need to make some Brand-based uniques soon (that isn't Witchhunter's lol)

Pob pls.