[Saboteur] Arc miner: from budget to all endgame content

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3portas wrote:

I see. But the phase run should be in the first socket or whatever?

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xelax11 wrote:

Good work! Add leveling tree plz and it will be amazing

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3portas wrote:

The build is nice. There's room for clarity maybe.
I just can't feel confortable with shield charge, seems so slow and clunky, and the sound is bad. Maybe with a crafted Insanity gloves it will feel better. Using lightning warp instead and almost not using brightbeak setup.

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Legedric wrote:

First of all thank you for this build guide!

I started with PoE just a couple of weeks ago and in Incursion I leveled an Arc Totem Hiero up to Level 79 before I started my Arc Miner (using this guide) in the Incursion Flashback Event - currently Level 68.

Somehow I am still undecided about what to pick as a starter character for the upcoming Delve league (of course not taking any major changes to both setups into account).
Note: My main focus will not necessarily be to get deep into the infinite dungeon but mainly to be able to play as much content as possible (for fun).

Totems feel a bit safer as it is quite easy to keep the distance but on the other hand this miner build with Shield Charge (I bought a Brightbeak) seems to be so much faster in terms of clear speed...
I must admit that it took quite some time to get used to the mine playstyle with detonate and the totem with detonate mines did not help much as the duration is quite short ( I mostly use it for boss fights, not for regular zones/maps).

After I completed my Mercenary Labyrinth it got somewhat better, I guess mainly because the mine laying speed got boosted which feels way smoother now. However, I find it still hard to decide on what to use. From a cost perspective both builds seem to have a good budget options and more expensive options to max out the build's potentials.

Any tips or advice for undecided guys like me regarding (Arc) Totems vs. (Arc) Mines?

Another question: On the totem build I am using the Clear Mind jewel for +40-60% damage (using only Wrath slotted in an Essence Worm Ring) when no mana is reserved. Wouldn't this also be an option for this Arc Miner build as no mana is being reserved when you do not slot Clarity etc.?

Thanks and regards,

Legedric

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reliq wrote:

Change log

Spoiler

25/06/2018: added new POB with latest gear + leveling tree
24/06/2018: added uber atziri run
20/06/2018: added gameplay video

Intro
Why this version of arc miner and not another?
This version of arc mine is very versatile with 2 main features:
- weapon swap for clear speed (brightbeak + Shield) and boss dps (dual shimmeron)
- Freeze and shatter to map safely and avoid on-kill mechanics like porcupine (call of the brotherhood + shroud of the lightness)

This build might not be beginner friendly but I will try to put as much information as possible.

Mine versus trap?
I have been running Glacial Cascade miner with the 3 last characters I have played and I love mine. In incursion I decided to try out arc like most people and it's no surprise it's OP. I must say that I prefer arc over Glacial cascade due to the most efficient clear speed. And even though the single target dps can't scale as high as GC (no stat stick etc.), it's still very powerful and destroy anything in the game.

What's awesome with the build is that it scales very well. You can start with <10c and spent hundred of exalt if you want to min-max the build.

Therefore, trap or mine ? My preference goes to mine (with Saboteur ascendancy) for the following:
- auto targeting
- Faster due to instant detonation and arming speed bonus
- more DPS

Some people find mine clunky and it's true that originally I didn't like it. But once you get use to it, it feels really good.

Pros/cons

Spoiler

Pros:
-build scales very well with gear upgrade and can achieve millions of shaper DPS.
-Can run all mods and do ALL content (including HOGM, chayula etc.)
-Fast clear speed
-Good defense (5k+ hp, 1k+ ES, MOM = 8k+ EHP)
-Really cheap to get going

Cons:
-need get use to the playstyle
-cannot facetank anything since no instant leech. It's possible depending map mods or encounter but you will need to make the right call based on your experience.

Videos

Spoiler

gameplay with twin carcass map (T15)
Uber atziri (die once in trio because trying to kill Q'ura last for the challenge)

more to be added... Uber elder down with this build

DPS calculation for mine/trap build

Spoiler

POB will give you the damage per mine/trap, so you need to multiple this by the number of mine/trap you lay/throw per use and then multiply again by how many time you can lay/throw mine/trap per second.

Ascendancy

Spoiler

I take the saboteur nodes in that order:
1-Pyromaniac for life regen & immunities
2-bomb specialist (for speed)
3-Demolition specialist (for speed)
4-Born in the shadows (very OP node, 10% less dmg & avoid 50% of melee hit)

In HC I have leveled 2 GC miner in the past and I tried different order. I thought taking Born in the shadows (4) before demolition specialist (3) is safer but if you know what you are doing it's not necessary and you can take the speed nodes before it. I tried both scenario and succeeded in doing uber lab either way.

I always took pyromaniac first, it's really good especially the shock immute to avoid damage spikes.

Skill gems

Spoiler

-6L dps setup: arc/vaal arc + remote mine + minefield + trap/mine damage + increased critical strike + lightning penetration (last gem not needed with shroud of lightness as it's included in the body armour)
-helm with +1 mine (see trick and tips): CWDT lvl1 + Immortal call lvl1 + increased duration + phase run lvl3
-Gloves: spell totem + detonate + increased duration + totem resistance
-Boot: CWDT lvl20 + ice golem lvl20 + enfeeble lvl20 + free choice (portal, ...)
-Main hand: movement skills
- shield charge + faster attack + fortify on brightbeak
- Flame dash + faster casting + arcane surge with shimmeron.
-Off hand: CWDT lvl3 + enfeeble lvl7 + vortex lvl1

Flask setup

Spoiler

The only one flask that I believe is really required is Lavangia's spirit. It's too good to pass on for MoM build especially with high mana cost skill like mine.

For the rest it's up to you but I also like blood of the Karui because it will boost the regen from your mined detonated recently and it has the highest life/sec with a bonus to put you on full life at the end of the effect. This build doesn't really need instant life as it has high eHP.

Then, an anti curse + anti freeze flask is a must (with increased duration mod is even better). For instance:

Finally, anti bleed is recommended for incursion league (see trick and tips)

The damage of this build is high enough you don't need unique flask such as atziri's promise. It's better to use utility flask with QoL/defense.

Tree and POB (include leveling tree)

Spoiler

The tree focuses on:
- as much life as possible
- MoM and bit of mana boost
- all power charge nodes for shimmeron
- Effective dps node

Tree

Latest POB = 1.6m shaper DPS with no flask, only PC which is guarantee
Leveling trees are including
https://pastebin.com/rYQZw8rF

There is still room room for improvement with for instance 4 x GG mods jewels but after defeating pretty much all endgame content I have no interest and prefer have fun with another character now.

Old POB

Spoiler

POB with current gear = 1.2M shaper DPS with no flask
https://pastebin.com/NL9Q5GQp

Ultimate form of my build (gear)

Spoiler

You can adjust of course with your preference but the ultimate goal of my build is explained below.

Overview of all the gear pieces

Use weapon swap for clear speed / boss kill

For clear speed I use brightbeak with shield charge.

For single target dps I use weapon swap with dual shimmeron

Use call of the brotherhood to freeze and shatter everything

The main reason to use this ring is for safe mapping. Porcupines can be very deadly and shattering is the most effective mechanism.

Since we convert some lightning into cold, lightning penetration gem lose effectiveness. To solve this we are using Shroud of the lightness. It gives ele penetration for all elemental damage and a tons of perks for the build (ES, life, mana, temporary damage immunity)

Specifically for uber elder

Kaom's root is just too OP for not using it in this fight. So I swap for it + essence worm for more dps with Wrath gem and I also have another ring I didn't link simply to re-balance resist at 75/75/75.

The lack of movement speed is a bit annoying because the only movement skill I have with Shimmeron is flame dash and you can't spam it. So you have to know the fight mechanics and use it carefully. When Elder is spamming his tentacle, you better swap weapon for brightbeak and spam shield charge.

Budget version

Spoiler

Arc mine is so strong that you don't need much to start red map tier. The budget version would consist of:
-Brightbeak (1-3c depending on the time of the league)
-a 5L (2-3c) or tabula (10-12c)
-the rest doesn't matter, just life and resist.

So for 10c you can have all your gear and clearing very fast maps.

In terms of upgrade I went with the below:
-+1 mine shaper helm asap (+25% more dps)
-shroud of the lightness + call of the brotherhood (makes mapping safer. If you don't have shroud you would lose a bit of dps on the cold portion and it wouldn't penetrate as much as lightning)
-Shimmeron x 2 (farm elder in T6+ map asap, I got one myself, in incursion it's 4-5EX)

Trick and tips

Spoiler

Now you had a look at the gear, here are some trick and tips:
-The +1 mine comes with a downside. It's because the mod is mine support/+1 mine and the mine support is going to support any spell skill gem in the helm slot:
- CWDT setup will not be working
- Totem or golem can still work but it would lay first a mine and you need to detonate it to get the totem/golem.
- Phase run is a spell but you can still use it !
- So what should you put in the helm ? Before having shimmeron a good setup is shield charge + faster attack + fortify + culling (Quality provides attack speed). Once you have shimmeron, my setup is CWDT + IC + duration + phase run for additional defense. I'm thinking to sneak in blood rage before IC gem so I can proc "Soul of Arakaali" but so far I prefer to have "Soul of the Brine King" to avoid stun lock.
-Normally for mine build, bleed immunity flask is not necessary because the life regen can over heal it and you will never get 20 stacks of blood corruption. However in incursion league I died a few times in incursion/temple because there is this pyramid applied stack of bleeding and the range is long, so I recommend one during incursion.
-The build lack naturally of dexterity and Strength (for brightbeak) so you will need to sneak in a bit wherever possible.
-Flame dash main hit can crit, hence avoid flame dashing into a pack otherwise the degen from Shimmeron will put you in danger. The burning ground effect though cannot crit since only hit can crit.

How to scale the dps?

Spoiler

-+1 mine on shaper helm
-Scale crit multi with good jewels. Jewels are always very expensive when looking for life and good dps mod.
-Look for extra chain which is flat 15% more dps for each additional chain (helm enchant, and lvl21 arc)
-Get additional power charge to boost shimmeron bonus (amulet corruption)

Leveling tips & leveling tree

Spoiler

- When leveling, use alternate weapons to level additional arc skill gems so you can try get 21/20 later with vaal orb. The +1 at level 20 is huge dps boost because of +1 chain (15% more dmg) and the regular damage scaling.
- At level 12 you can swap from whatever you were using to arc + mine
- You can use whatever trap you like until level 40-50 also in parallel as it's really Op since 3.3 (I love bear trap as it increase as well mine damage).
- focus on getting 4L and then 5L asap.
- I'd take MoM very late once I have a good mana flask like Lavianga's spirit

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Legedric wrote:

Thanks for your advice, it is much appreciated.

My Arc Miner is now at Level 79 and I (as a somewhat PoE Newbie) find it kinda difficult to complete Maps safely. This may be caused by the variety of map mods in the Incursion Flashback event but it seems like I do struggle quite alot not to die with this setup although my Life sits at around 3.2k with MoM etc. already going.

The DPS is insane but I feel like I do have to get quite close to some bosses, especially those with ice-bolts like the Spider Lair boss or some guy that spawned on an Elder influenced map that I was unable to beat as I died to the freeze (yes I now, Flask setup would help here).

The Arc Totem build on normal Incursion seems to have alot less DPS but feels safer over all as I died days ago for the last time as I can place my totems way out at range and run circles around the boss or play the mechanics whatsoever.

Whatever, I do like both setups and I think I will stick to totems for my personal league starter and will switch to a miner once I feel like doing so.

Thanks for the great guide again!

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mic01851165 wrote:

Curious, what's the distinct difference between arc mine and arc trap.
The playstyle looks kind of identical.

Do mine trigger fast but requires more input, and traps trigger slower but less input?

I only played an arc trap before, donnu the advantages/ disadvantages between the arc mine and arc trap.