[2.2] A Storm of Ice and Fire - Avatar of Fire CI Whispering Ice - Uber Viable!

MFW I see the Scion Ascendancy class tree

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Expect a 2.2 update to this build. This build is going to become hideously strong.

Gearing up my WI Scion and waiting for the update. Really fun and strong build to play!

Hey good to see you're planning on updating the guide. I've been following it for a few days and I now have a lvl 60 scion transitioning into CI/ER/VP, right on time for ascendency.

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Baalorlord wrote:

MFW I see the Scion Ascendancy class tree

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Expect a 2.2 update to this build. This build is going to become hideously strong.

Nice, I'm thinking the ascendancy classes for this build would be Elementalist (free pen and iirc 60% increased damage) and Hierophant (just a ton of flat es for this build).

*Edit: Actually nvm, I think the Elementalist wording means you get 30% increased damage based off of which golem you have active (with Flame Golem, that is only 30% increased Fire damage). In which case, it's debatable whether or not Occultist is better than the Elementalist.

Just some screenshots of my current stats in 2.1 for reference before all of the OP ascending happens. Keep in mind this is with two leg Perandus Signets (a.k.a. the typical standard gear).
http://imgur.com/a/RzaxA

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FangedLion wrote:

Just some screenshots of my current stats in 2.1 for reference before all of the OP ascending happens. Keep in mind this is with two leg Perandus Signets (a.k.a. the typical standard gear).
http://imgur.com/a/RzaxA

Nice! I plan on smashing those numbers with my own character - in particular, I am pretty sure I can break 14k ES.

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Nice, I'm thinking the ascendancy classes for this build would be Elementalist (free pen and iirc 60% increased damage) and Hierophant (just a ton of flat es for this build).

The Ascendancy classes I have been eyeing are Berserker (for the 1.5% free leech - that potentially frees up a support gem!) and raider for the frenzy charge generation.

It may also be worth getting only one ascendant class and grabbing the +80 int from the three starting nodes of the ascendancy tree.

I will be very extensively testing various passive trees once Ascendancy hits, I have over 500 regret orbs in standard waiting to be used :D

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Baalorlord wrote:

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Nice, I'm thinking the ascendancy classes for this build would be Elementalist (free pen and iirc 60% increased damage) and Hierophant (just a ton of flat es for this build).

The Ascendancy classes I have been eyeing are Berserker (for the 1.5% free leech - that potentially frees up a support gem!) and raider for the frenzy charge generation.

It may also be worth getting only one ascendant class and grabbing the +80 int from the three starting nodes of the ascendancy tree.

I will be very extensively testing various passive trees once Ascendancy hits, I have over 500 regret orbs in standard waiting to be used :D

Berserker indeed is interesting. I'm thinking about going with Juggernaut, that chill immunity and stun immune when max. endurance charges is reached is pretty useful, specially with the overcharged nodes, or with warlord's mark blasphemy aura to generate charges, that I could skip Unwavering stance.

Hmm, apparently very slight nerf to int on our build, the Fertile Mind down to Vaal Pact no longer will reach the first dex node that it used to reach back in 2.1. So rip 10 int, but it seems weird though because apparently every other jewel socket got shifted and no longer reach the same nodes like they did before. It's not that big of a nerf, but still thought I should mention it.

I want to post a final 2.1 update on my variation of this build as well, seeing as Baalorlord kinda skipped the biggest thing that happened in 2.1: Blasphemy + Warlord's Mark.


Video showcase

I stopped at lv 96 and had a lot of fun doing some of the stuff I always wanted to do but would never dare to even attempt until I started playing this build.

Roflstomping Atziri
Malformation: double boss + double reflect
T12: Double (quad!) boss Village Ruin
T13: Double (six!) boss Courtyard
T13: Double (six!) boss Excavation, with Temp Chains too
T14: Double boss Conservatory, curse immune, temp chains
T14: Double boss Shrine, with chilled ground
T14: Double boss Palace, enfeeble, -max res, +dmg
T15: Double boss Abyss, +dmg
T15: Double boss Colosseum
T15: Full deathless Core run: the minis and the boss fight

Feel free to use any of these in the updated main post.

Apparently, there is no double boss Core. Makes me a sad panda. I spent several hundred Alt/Augs trying to roll it before concluding that GGG couldn't make it work and simply disabled that mod for that map.

I really wanted to try Uber after hearing the horror stories about the changes to her Puncture damage in 2.1, but Mortal Hope is 4 ex on Standard. Screw that! My chest armor was 4 ex. I'd much rather spend the currency on another upgrade. If anybody has an extra Hope and wants to see if I can handle Uber 2.1 - PM me :)


Skill trees

Lv 90: the build is complete and fully functional
Lv 94: add more ES because you really hate dying even occasionally


Differences from the original build

1. Auras: Discipline, Arctic Armor, Warlord's Mark+Blasphemy. Dropping Herald of Ice is a no brainer. Warlord's Mark is a much better curse for us than Temp Chains. And it's always on, covering most of the screen. Additional 2.2% life leech, 2.2% mana leech and a ton of endurance charges just can't be beat. AA is also more useful than PoF. You can tank almost anything.

2. Lv 20 CWDT + Immortal Call + Inc Duration. Almost 5 sec Immortal Call! And it triggers when you actually need it, not on some tiny hit that you won't even notice with 10k ES.

3. This belt:

It's almost as important as taking Unwavering Stance. Not getting frozen and chilled by everything that deals cold damage is priceless. You get US to get rid of stun, why suffer from freeze? Everybody knows Merveil, Daresso and good old Haast. Not everybody knows that Core Malachai's tentacles deal part cold damage. Without Auxium, if he ever touches you - it's game over.

4. Kill all bandits on Cruel, don't help Alira. Skill point is far more useful than 5% cast speed saving you 0.02 sec.

5. Trade the jewel socket near GR for the AoE nodes and use Conc Effect permanently with almost the same AoE radius and 60% MORE damage. If/when you want Faster Casting, swap Controlled Destruction (45%) for it, keep CE. I had no problem adapting to slower but more efficient casting using CE + CD (see the Core video). I used FC for Double Daresso but it turned out to be unnecessary.

6. As a personal choice, after lv 90, I took the 4 ES nodes near the Witch start instead of Alchemist. Those 38% increased ES saved my butt more often than the improved flasks would. However, the build is complete at lv 90 and whatever you do after that is just a matter of play style. I can take them at lv 97 if the flask changes in 2.2 look worth it. But from what I've heard so far, new flask affixes may obsolete Alchemist instead.


Current gear and stats

11561 ES (with Discipline)
6396 avg Icestorm hit (with Flame Golem)

Gear
Not quite as awesome as the OP's.


Jewels
I need to start looking into 4-mod ones.


Flasks
Only need to switch for things like Uber. Most everything else (including Core) is done with these.



Looking forward to the new stuff in Ascendancy!