3.8 New Queens Escape + Baron - super fast physical skeletons + zombies

"

Also, I threw in this jewel and goddamn I feel a lot tankier now

Holy moly, that jewel is friggin fantastic.

"

Minor guide note, the 'Pantheon' heading/content is nestled in the spoiler for the preceding section (Jewels)

Really enjoying this build. Any thoughts around utilising a reduced Hatred/Haste reservation enchant on the Baron? Or is the build intended to kite away more than the AOE of the aura?

Thanks for the guide note, have now fixed that heading.

On haste, this is a great synergiser for the build, but it's hard to give up defences for it, and we have no spare mana.

That's why if you get a spare curse and some mana, vulnerability or temporal chains are my preferred choice.

For slow moving and attacking minions, our already fast minions get diminishing returns from haste too. To clarify: 100 to 120 percent attack speed is a 20% increase in damage. 200 to 220% attack speed is only a 10% increase in damage. Since skeletons have a high base attack speed, haste is a bit less sexy on them.

Yet.. while levelling, essence worm and haste is superb, and leaves plenty of mana for purity of elements...

"

Thauma wrote:

Based on NSUCK's suggestion, I have been testing using the following staff:

My conclusion thus far is that the DPS is definitely superior to Queen's Escape (POB shows that a 6-link + Empower + 7 Abyss jewels = 100k DPS per skeleton). It absolutely crushes bosses. Having 1 fewer spectre is not a problem (I use 1x Carnage Chieftain and 1x Host Chieftain).

However, clear speed is decreased due to the lack of Skeleton and Zombie move speed. It's not a huge deal but you will need to adjust your play style to casting onto packs and managing your Skeleton positioning when doing breaches.


I'd recommend getting one of these staves cheaply if you can and keeping it handy for end-game bossing.


One other nice thing about this staff - very easy to colour as it naturally produces red and blue sockets.

Is empower level 4 superior to the suggested gems by OP with this staff? I'm trying to squeeze every drop I can out of this build for uber elder.

"

NSUCK wrote:

"

Thauma wrote:

Based on NSUCK's suggestion, I have been testing using the following staff:

My conclusion thus far is that the DPS is definitely superior to Queen's Escape (POB shows that a 6-link + Empower + 7 Abyss jewels = 100k DPS per skeleton). It absolutely crushes bosses. Having 1 fewer spectre is not a problem (I use 1x Carnage Chieftain and 1x Host Chieftain).

However, clear speed is decreased due to the lack of Skeleton and Zombie move speed. It's not a huge deal but you will need to adjust your play style to casting onto packs and managing your Skeleton positioning when doing breaches.


I'd recommend getting one of these staves cheaply if you can and keeping it handy for end-game bossing.


One other nice thing about this staff - very easy to colour as it naturally produces red and blue sockets.

Is empower level 4 superior to the suggested gems by OP with this staff? I'm trying to squeeze every drop I can out of this build for uber elder.

I've just finished maxing my gems, so I can give you numbers right out of my build. These numbers are DPS as calculated by Path of Building.

20/20 Vaal Summon Skeletons
20/20 Brutality
20/20 Minion Damage
20/20 Melee Physical Damage
20/0 Melee Splash

5-link:
75,775 DPS

6-link:
20/20 Maim: 99,876 DPS (maim damage buff active)
3/20 Empower: 99,096 DPS
4/20 Empower: 108,556 DPS


What if we add Ruthless instead of Melee Splash? (AKA Boss mode)

20/20 Vaal Summon Skeletons
20/20 Brutality
20/20 Minion Damage
20/20 Melee Physical Damage
20/20 *Ruthless*

5-link:
105,983 DPS

6-link:
20/20 Maim: 139,666 DPS (maim damage buff active)
3/20 Empower: 138,602 DPS
4/20 Empower: 151,832 DPS

Conclusion: Empower is best for raw damage. However, it must be level 4 or it's not better than Maim Support.

Hello,

I have a 5-Link Belly that I now need to color.



I already have a BBRRR 5-Link Escape for my skeletons, so the belly will be used for my Zombies.

My plan is to use Vorici to create 3 blue sockets and hope for the best on the remaining two.

BBBRR - I win life is good
BBBGG or BBBBB - I loose big time and will need to come up with 120 Chrom's to try again. Maybe I could make a fortune selling the BBBBB :)
BBBBR, BBBBG or BBBRG - Not sure what to do, but I think it will work temporally. May be worth selling anything with 4 blues.

My question is, what blue or green gem should I use if I do not get the optimal BBBRR roll?



--- edit With a little more research into this thread, I think that I have answered this question. If Green use 'Faster Attacks'. If Blue use 'Concentrated Effect' or 'Minion Speed'. Plus only two blues are really required. Using Vorici for one blue, it only took me two try's to get BBRRG and I used Zombies>Brutality>Minion Damage>Melee Physical>Faster Attacks. Not perfect, but it will serve my needs for now :)


Grimlock9999 gave aa good description on this back on page 20 https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/2114607/page/20



As a side question, is using Vorici to create the 3 blue sockets the best way to go or should I just use him to create one or two? According to the 'Vorici Chromatic Calculator' I would be better of using Vorici to create one blue. The way I see it, creating 3b would let me know right away on what I have.


One last question, in the OP the order of Ascendency skills was:

Commander of darkness
Invoker
Bone Sculptor
Flesh Binder

But in later posts it is stated to rush Bone Sculptor to help with incursions, so is it better to take Invoker then Bone Sculptor first?

"

Skua99 wrote:

Hello,

I have a 5-Link Belly that I now need to color.

I already have a BBRRR 5-Link Escape for my skeletons, so the belly will be used for my Zombies.

My plan is to use Vorici to create 3 blue sockets and hope for the best on the remaining two.

BBBRR - I win life is good
BBBGG or BBBBB - I loose big time and will need to come up with 120 Chrom's to try again. Maybe I could make a fortune selling the BBBBB :)
BBBBR, BBBBG or BBBRG - Not sure what to do, but I think it will work temporally. May be worth selling anything with 4 blues.

My question is, what blue or green gem should I use if I do not get the optimal BBBRR roll?


As a side question, is using Vorici to create the 3 blue sockets the best way to go or should I just use him to create one or two? According to the 'Vorici Chromatic Calculator' I would be better of using Vorici to create one blue. The way I see it, creating 3b would let me know right away on what I have.


One last question, in the OP the order of Ascendency skills was:

Commander of darkness
Invoker
Bone Sculptor
Flesh Binder

But in later posts it is stated to rush Bone Sculptor to help with incursions, so is it better to take Invoker then Bone Sculptor first?

There is a calculator that you can use. Just google 'vorici calculator' you will find it :)

"

One last question, in the OP the order of Ascendency skills was:

Commander of darkness
Invoker
Bone Sculptor
Flesh Binder

But in later posts it is stated to rush Bone Sculptor to help with incursions, so is it better to take Invoker then Bone Sculptor first?

Well spotted, this is now edited with the suggestion that for incursion league, rush bone sculptor. Temple runs need the extra damage, but if you are not running incursions as you level, feel free to get the defences from COD first.

"

grimlock9999 wrote:

"

Also, I threw in this jewel and goddamn I feel a lot tankier now

Holy moly, that jewel is friggin fantastic.

4 ex, feel like it was definitely worth

So this is the best build I've played in several seasons, so thanks for that Grim! Sitting on like 30ex and not really looking to do another build, but looking at min/max mode. Can't really find any ways to add life outside of stacking a ton of strength, as that is where I would actually need to push as I'm only sitting at 7104 at level 93. I'm a horrible min/maxer so maybe I could get some input? Stomped all content thus far. I've seen some posts on using a rare staff, but I LOVE the move speed on minions from QE...

"

WeaponizedSP wrote:

So this is the best build I've played in several seasons, so thanks for that Grim! Sitting on like 30ex and not really looking to do another build, but looking at min/max mode. Can't really find any ways to add life outside of stacking a ton of strength, as that is where I would actually need to push as I'm only sitting at 7104 at level 93. I'm a horrible min/maxer so maybe I could get some input? Stomped all content thus far. I've seen some posts on using a rare staff, but I LOVE the move speed on minions from QE...

Your Astramentis could use some better rolls - even if you just use a few Blessed Orbs to get 16 to all stats on the implicit :D


You can also try getting more STR rolls on rings and belt. STR gives you extra life!