[3.6] Milky's Scorching Ray Totems (updating process)

"

DGTLDaemon wrote:

@Milkyslice, Andizlack - thanks for you replies, guys :) Gives me something to think about. I really wanted to run this build as a low-budget league starter, so I wanted to avoid any mandatory uniques, but since Soul Mantle appears to be the best option... A couple more questions:

- The guide states that Soul Mantle build "Has to use curse removal flasks OR 2x Kikazaru". Does it mean that you never have to use curse removal flasks if you have 2x Kikazaru? I really don't like the idea of gulping a flask all the time :)

- Andizlack, you said: "I'll probably grab the +1 curse from the skill tree so I can run 2 Kikazaru's". What do you mean? You have to take the +1 curse node to equip two Kikazaru's?

- And finally, I know no one has a crystal ball here :) But based on past experience, what kind of prices for a 5-6 link Soul Mantle and Kikazary can be expected during the first couple of weeks of the league?

Soulmantle is cheap as dirt. Day one it costs 5chaos, day 2 its down to 1 chaos in general, after that 1 alch. Same for kimazarus.

1. no you dont need a curse removal flask with kikazarus, just 153 elemental resists to be overcapped for elemental weakness + single element curse.
But if you got no kikazarus at the start a curse removal flask is the way to go (or you dont like to use the rings).

2. dunno what he means either. Dualcurse is not bad but i dont like it that much anymore due to curse related mapmods.
You can use the rings without it ;)

3.depends on when you buy the stuff, how fast you level etc.

On day 1 every unique is more expensive than a week in ;)

after a few days each of those costs 1 chaos, maybe a tiny bit more for really good rolls. 5 link prophecy is around 25-30 chaos early on. A 4 link (remember, soulmantle is a pseudo 5link) is enough until red maps tho.

"

A 4 link (remember, soulmantle is a pseudo 5link) is enough until red maps tho.

To clarify: Righteous Fire + Elemental Focus + Increased Area of Effect + Rapid Decay (+ Spell Totem from the mantle), correct? With Increased Burning Damage for 5-link and Totem Resist for 6-link, if I manage to get one? Just checking, because you posted about changes in 3.0 on page 1, but apparently haven't updated the gems section of the guide yet ;)

"

DGTLDaemon wrote:

"

A 4 link (remember, soulmantle is a pseudo 5link) is enough until red maps tho.

To clarify: Righteous Fire + Elemental Focus + Increased Area of Effect + Rapid Decay (+ Spell Totem from the mantle), correct? With Increased Burning Damage for 5-link and Totem Resist for 6-link, if I manage to get one? Just checking, because you posted about changes in 3.0 on page 1, but apparently haven't updated the gems section of the guide yet ;)

no i havent done it yet since its 2 week left with a race and legacy ;)

rf + totem + aoe + burning dmg + ele focus + rapid decay + efficacy if i remember the values correctly. Not sure if ele focus or burning dmg is the higher multiplier atm

I was saying that because we'll be running 2 Kikazaru's to take care of the curses from our body armour, which is a great deal given how crazy good Soul Mantle is for us, that we won't have space for the common +1 curse ring (Doedre's), and will have to grab the +1 curse skill on the tree instead if we want to run 2 curses on a budget. Sorry for not being clear!

"

Andizlack wrote:

I was saying that because we'll be running 2 Kikazaru's to take care of the curses from our body armour, which is a great deal given how crazy good Soul Mantle is for us, that we won't have space for the common +1 curse ring (Doedre's), and will have to grab the +1 curse skill on the tree instead if we want to run 2 curses on a budget. Sorry for not being clear!

Gotcha :) I'll probably stick with 1 curse and crits for my OoS setup, to proc Elemental Overload more reliably. Looking forward to trying out this build in the new league, never played totem builds before, so it's gonna be a fun experience. And if I suddenly become rich (like, if I get a mirror drop ;)), then I guess I can swap Soul Mantle for Tukohama's, which will open a whole lot of opportunities like Belly of the Beast etc., although I'll loose the free spell totem that way.

Right on, that's definitely a good option. That'll give you very quick EO buffs. I did just test this on standard a bit with an old Berserker and it still hits relatively quickly and reliably at my very low 8.2% crit chance (if I cast in a pack, it's instant), and like I mentioned, the dps changes on path of building (of 1 curse resist debuff vs 2 in this case) were enough to make me rub my eyes in dismay. :P

I've really enjoyed it so far. My character is nothing special either, just a 5L Soul Mantle, 2 kikazaru's, a Hrimnor's, and a Doryani, so something that we could easily achieve in 2-3 days of grinding in the new league. It has solidified my decision to play chieftain though, the extra damage berserkers take is pretty noticeable with crap gear and low life.

Never played a totem build?!? Just kidding! I really hope you like it. My first build when I came back to POE 3 or 4 leagues ago was a reverse knockback tornado shot totem build (vacuum totems!) that I played on hardcore. That was my first totem build too. I wanted something extremely safe and effective, and it was not only that, but LOADS of fun.

The Soul Mantle's awesomeness for this build really can't be understated. 50% increased totem life alone is such a giant damage boost that I won't ever consider taking it off, not to mention that it can 7L, and give you another totem. It's best-in-slot imo, even with a huge budget. If you do get rich and grab a Tukohama's later, just use them both and profit! 2 totems is totally doable, but like Milky said in his videos, 3 just feels way better for map clearing if you can make it happen. I'm in the same boat with you, I would totally grab Ancestral Bond if it didn't make procing EE such an annoyance. DPS wise though, dual wielding Doryani's is gonna be more damage than wearing a Tukohama's, so very high damage is very affordable on this build. My own plan is to leave the build at <1 exalt cost and use it to farm currency and get my atlas ready for a more expensive, better clear-speed character.

Can you tell I'm excited? geez, sorry for the tome post... lol

"

Andizlack wrote:

DPS wise though, dual wielding Doryani's is gonna be more damage than wearing a Tukohama's, so very high damage is very affordable on this build.

Or dual wielding Doryani's Catalyst with Daresso's Passion to use Whirling Blades as a movement skill... Yeah, I know, it's gonna be less DPS than with 2xDoryani's, but I really liked Whirling Blades on my FP Inquisitor, so Im' considering it as an option.

"

DGTLDaemon wrote:

"

Andizlack wrote:

DPS wise though, dual wielding Doryani's is gonna be more damage than wearing a Tukohama's, so very high damage is very affordable on this build.

Or dual wielding Doryani's Catalyst with Daresso's Passion to use Whirling Blades as a movement skill... Yeah, I know, it's gonna be less DPS than with 2xDoryani's, but I really liked Whirling Blades on my FP Inquisitor, so Im' considering it as an option.

I am not a huge fan of daressos, not because of the damage... its the high dex requirement. Dunno if burningdmg rolls will be aviable on daggers, some firedmg + burningdmg dagger could work even better as a offhand if you choose to.

"

My own plan is to leave the build at <1 exalt cost and use it to farm currency and get my atlas ready for a more expensive, better clear-speed character.

Can you tell I'm excited? geez, sorry for the tome post... lol

Thats basically my plan as well, get a 4l mantle, farm atziri the first 3-4 days... unlock the atlas for my needs (ggg wants to change something with the strand meta), then get a 5l mantle and head to Shaper/Uber Atziri asap to farm their asses.

I will invest all the currency into maps the first week to unlock t15/16 maps and into sets for atzri/uber atziri.

I am glad you're already excited :)

Well I'll make that my plan too! Hopefully I'll be able to keep up, but I seriously doubt it since you've done this way more than I have. lol.

It's funny that they're trying to change the shaped strand stuff, I was so against it for the last 3 leagues and insisted on preferring to just fill my atlas instead for more variety and better tier level upgrades due to higher atlas % completion, but was planning to actually do strand, coves (haven't decided on this one yet), and shore this time. The time they say they're gonna change it, argh!

On another note, I never really did understand the love whirling blades gets. Lessening your DPS for a movement skill, even if it's marginal, doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but everybody has different priorities. It doesn't even go across gaps like something like leap slam or lightning warp does, so I'll almost surely opt for one of those. I'm currently considering having a Saffell's Frame with fortify / faster attacks / shield charge on my offhand (2nd set of gear I mean) for longer, more dangerous boss fights, and use lightning warp as my primary movement skill on my main pieces. That way I won't spend the precious slots on fortify all the time (as a chieftain we'll have endurance charges up 99% of the time clearing maps, so I'm convinced that plus defensive flasks will be enough for general physical mitigation until bosses), and also get that sweet +4 maximum resists. The only problem is that means I have to procure ANOTHER elemental dps weapon - hopefully I can find something decent and cheap :P

Well i don't have as much time to play as i would like with wife, kid and job :p

I would see myself killing shaper on day 3-4 depending how my mappool progresses and sets are aviable... with enough playtime ;)

Offtopic: i never thought i would enjoy sweep so much. 93 and not bored, wonder happen from time to time :D