[2.3-2.6] Budget Hardcore Abyssal Cry Berserker

Glad to hear people are taking advantage of the build.

My reasoning for taking EO is that even with controlled destruction your crit chance can't go below 5% so it'll still proc and for only one point it should be worth it.

In retrospect - and having checked my buffs in the preview video - it doesn't really proc all that often so it might not be worth taking. It will likely improve your damage against bosses that don't have adds since you'll be spamming flame surge against them so it's a matter of opinion.

Good catch on that one, though.

I played contagion/ed in talisman, had a fairly crummy build and gear, but I always got huge mileage out of abyssal cry on that character, especially in groups (zana rotations/etc). One quick note about conc effect though, it is the largest more multiplier you can possibly get, AND your poison will double dip on it. I haven't looked at your skill tree, but if you get at least a few AOE increases from gear/passives/gem, I can't see it doing anything but send your damage through the roof. I only play softcore though, so that definitely impacts the playstyle; I'm never afraid to run neckdeep in shit and wait for the enemies to gather round before I pull the trigger. Well, you said you wanted some ideas for softcore, so there you go :D

only just got around to testing the character and making changes for 2.6, been very busy recently. if you're starting lhc late this'll be a great league starter.

unfortunately, patch 2.6 hit this build really hard. We were stacking a ton of aoe before and to make up for the aoe nerf most skills got a flat increased radius per gem level - abyssal cry did not. I was entirely expecting to drop the scion aoe nodes and get more tank or jewels but, having done some testing, we really need the aoe, as little effect as it will have. I even considered adding a hierophant variation using the 40% increased aoe for skills in gloves and then dropping bino's for redblade banner to *try* and make up for losing the berserker's 2 second warcry cooldown (and actually i still might) but, as it is, the build as a berserker unfortunately can't change its skill tree.

regardless, abyssal cry still has good clear speed for very cheap, it just isn't as op as before. you'll have to actually stand close to mobs and use your warcry more often.