[2.3] Beginner-friendly Easy-Peasy Arc Caster

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Bhannndoefvh wrote:

Hello, really loving the build, don't know whether go for the 5% cast speed or the skillpoint as you call out both as viable, can you help me out with this decision?

Thanks :-)

I think the difference is marginal at best, and personally like the ability to respec easily out of a 3% Cast Speed node instead of having to use the recipe to respec a bandit choice, which is far more expensive.
Also remember that Cast Speed will make you use more mana, so they should only be used once mana is no problem. With a 6L that is doable, but requires thinking about mana regen.

The 10% Spell Damage and the 3% Cast Speed nodes at the end of my skill tree example are pretty optional. Yes, they do provide damage, but not decisively so. Also note that the 3% Cast Speed gives more damage than the 10% Spell Damage.

For example, I've just gotten to the point with my Talisman self-found character where I'd have to start choosing those, but I've not yet decided to do so.
Instead, I'm thinking of either heading up to Unnatural Calm for more Energy Shield, over towards Foresight and Path of the Savant for more Energy Shield and a bit of damage, or down towards Warrior's Blood for more Life and Life Regen. Another tempting option would be up to Whispers of Doom for +1 Curse.

Hopes this helps :-)

Redid the skill guide slightly.

* Moved the Bandit choices to their own section
* Added some alternate builds in the 'Skill tree' section

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Tabula Rasa farming progress: 7 down, 2 to go...

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And... a type of corrupted area not to do :-p

TADA!!!!


equals


Basically, farming a Tabula Rasa is very viable. I'd found one card in either Normal or Cruel, and farmed the rest in about 4-5 levels on Merciless. I'd usually farm Dry Lake to level to around 80, but this time I did The Aqueducts until halfway through L77 when I got the 9th card.

It enabled me to add Faster Casting and Lightning Penetration. I lost some Energy Shield, and had to re-jig jewellery a bit to make up 5% Lightning Resistance.

Stats after: 13.6k tooltip DPS (35% Lightning Penetration), 0.5k Energy Shield, 4.5k Life, mana stable (though I did have to finally spend two skill points on Dynamo).
Not using Clarity as I've never founds a L1 and didn't want to waste a regret. Never found a Wrath either (and Templars can't buy them).

I wanted to give my thanks for sharing you're very thorough build for us to follow. I had finally bought a Mjolner in hopes of finally trying out arc but found most builds have Voll's Devotion which I may never obtain so I tried a witch that didn't use Mjolner or Voll's Devotion but the build didn't use Arc until late game... I'm excited to play as a templar for the first time and use arc right away. I'm going slow because I'm so used to Melee builds so I'm trying to force my hand to be range. I look forward to trying out other builds you may have. Thank you!

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GoldenGoblet wrote:

I wanted to give my thanks for sharing you're very thorough build for us to follow. I had finally bought a Mjolner in hopes of finally trying out arc but found most builds have Voll's Devotion which I may never obtain so I tried a witch that didn't use Mjolner or Voll's Devotion but the build didn't use Arc until late game... I'm excited to play as a templar for the first time and use arc right away. I'm going slow because I'm so used to Melee builds so I'm trying to force my hand to be range. I look forward to trying out other builds you may have. Thank you!

Thanks :-)
This is (so far) my only build.

Small Status update :-)

The character is now L81, and is zipping through lower maps. I haven't got a great map pool yet, so progress from here will be slow. I'm concentrating on challenges anyway, and should comfortably get 14 or 15 done before the league is over, maybe 17 if I'm lucky.

Tooltip DPS for Arc is 14.3k, life 4.7k, ES 0.5k, and mana 1.5k.

I chose to go for Whispers of Doom on the skilltree, so I can now double-curse.
I'm keeping Warlord's Mark on with Blaspemy, and is using Ball Lightning to apply Elemental Weakness and Conductivity. With Lightning Penetration, this gives -114% Lightning Resistance.

I have still not found a Wrath skill gem, which would boost damage somewhat when replacing Herald of Thunder. As I'm not trading for this character, I'll just have to do without.


EDIT: A number of skill gems just hit L19, including Arc. Tooltip DPS is now 15.5k.

Note that tooltip DPS is a relative number. Due to the massive lightning penetration, and the chaining, effective DPS is far higher. Currently, my guesstimate of effective DPS is around 230k.

Finally got a Wrath skill gem \o/

It is still only L2, but damage is already up to 18.8k when replacing Herald of Thunder.
Mana may seem tight at 236, but it is working well and I don't seem to run out. If I did, just lifting the hand from the Arc button for a second should replenish reserves.

And what about maps? We can't do "20/40/60/80% Slower Life/Mana Regen",right?

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bida2 wrote:

And what about maps? We can't do "20/40/60/80% Slower Life/Mana Regen",right?

I do 20% without problems. Higher than that will slow you down due to the high mana cost of Arc...

heya cyzax, well i've been a full out mele only solo none trade player since the start of poe since closed beta testing to now, so far i'm likeing your build slowly working my way but tempted to melee lol.

now lvl 34 and still doing good but starting to get a bit to cocky for my own good lol havent died yet.