(past stream): Discussing the Mayhem Race

Bring questions! Also feel free to ask questions before the stream (in the Youtube comments). I'll try to answer as much as I can.

Mayhem Event
- What is it, a quick recap
- You start at level 1 with no Atlas, and it's 166 hours only then voided, this event won't be for everyone. Heist and Standard remain available, and/or you can watch streams here or on Twitch. I'm going to test streaming my gameplay on Youtube.
- Impact of VOIDING. No point hoarding currency, much less 'Path of Economy', much more 'use it now' mentality. Especially late league. An exalt on day 6 is to slam with, not to hoard. This means more barter, and less value in mirrors/HH. Remember, you have less time to use amazing items too, this reduces the payoff on them.
- Impact of hourly rotation & community. Recap of how this felt in Tempest/Warbands. Chat parsers, external aggregation sites, dealing with bad faith posts
- Impact of 20 exiles, low level item economy, low level unique farming, Vaal Rain of Arrows, Essence Drain and Ground Slam exiles
- Impact of strongboxes. Which ones to roll (Alch or Vaal) and why. Adds lots of monsters but at the expense of slowing you down. Interaction with the premium strongbox sextant (500% quantity/enrage)
- Impact of Invasion bosses. Price of Protection drop level is 1 again (it was 80 last Mayhem) - this will drop a LOT & can be Horizoned into all natural tier 14s. May enable some ridiculous early mapping strategies. Shivershell and Granitecrush have 'haha you're dead' tricks although they are not hard.
- Impact of Breaches. All breach items super available except Chayula jewels (still available just a bit less so) and Chayula amulet (pre-upgrade item is a universal drop, not a breach item)
- Impact of Tormented Spirits. Nil in SC, in HC these are a big deal. Tormented Martyr is scary. These actually aren't terrible on Beach/Strand/Tropical Island as you can just kite them through packs. In group play, you can do scary things with these.
- Impact of Harbingers. 'Default' correct choice, adds huge amounts of monsters to a map. VERY effective for divination card target farming. You can save Volcano maps for when Harbies are up there, then run them all to chase Kaom's Heart cards. etcetc.
- Impact of MTX draws - these just aren't all that big a deal as the number of people in the draws will dwarf the number of prizes, even at 95. Set goals you will find fun, if you get any MTX prizes, consider them a bonus.
- Impact of Demigod's race. I expect trade-enabled softcore and HC SSF to be most popular/competitive. HC trade and SC SSF will be less popular, and may be good choices if you want to try for a Demigod.
- FAIR WARNING: Don't try for a Demigod unless you can play a lot, cutoff will be 98-100.

Strategies
- Read whatever the tracking site ends up being each hour.
- Low level you can target low ML uniques, find a compact zone with Exiles.
- Overlevel via harbingers.
- Harbingers are the best. XP/loot/everything.
- You can and sometimes should 'transmute and go' map.
- Atlas consequences. Preferred maps.
- Spirits are dangerous, unrewarding. Skip Torment zones.
- Invasion bosses are dangerous but do have meaningful loot. In HC avoid, in SC engage. Dangerous ones: Shivershell (crab like the A1 Dweller of the Deep) is by far the most dangerous, in its second form it casts Vaal Detonate Dead upon hitting 35% hp.
- Docere Incarnatis is nasty mostly because she looks human, if you see a Mortality Experimenter with prox shield, fear it. Bladeback Guardian is what spiky porcupines call their God. Granitecrush casts Discharge.
- Breaches are fine, just do them fast not thoroughly.
- Mostly skip Exiles.

Builds
- Make a serious decision. "Do I want to contest Demigods?" If yes, play an off-meta ascendancy that's the second or third best way to play a meta build. e.g. don't play Champion Call of Steel/Big Bonk; instead play it as Slayer, or Berserker. Don't play Trickster Toxic Rain, play Raider Toxic Rain. Don't play Assassin Power Siphon, play Deadeye.
- It's fine to answer "no" to that question, in fact, most people should. In that case, play on-meta if a meta build looks fun.
- Remember, you CANNOT respec ascendancy.
- Seven options to consider:
- Necromancer Melee Skeletons - very strong on bosses with bad gear
- Wintertide Brand Occultist (with Vortex, Cold Snap)
- Ball Lightning Totems Hierophant
- Chieftain Burning Arrow Ignite (I made a build outline for this)
- Slayer Call of Steel/Ground Slam
- Flaskfinder Poison Proliferation with any poison skill
- Assassin Blade Vortex (not for Demigods, Assassin will be played a lot)
- I'd avoid Scion unless you are very familiar with them, they are bad at low gear level.