[3.16 - RETIRING BUILD] VD Brands: S-Tier Bosser, A-Tier Map! -- MURDERED BY GGG_INTERN SOMEWHERE--

Is the build still viable for 3.15? Will there be an update before league start? The build sounds kinda cool and I wanted to give it a try it in 3.15:)

Heya, I've totally not done any research, but I'll updatae as soon as I have information.

With other builds getting hit so hard this one may even rise up the ladder as one of the most viable endgame/bossing builds!

Sup Man, im really interesting for your build, still viable for 3.15?

I'm giving this a try as my league start. I did armageddon brand until 3rd ascend. Just switched to arcanist brand last night and am working out the kinks. The biggest issue is that arcanist brand counts as a 'trigger' for your other spell so those now cost mana. When the chain gets rolling my mana drains incredibly fast on a 5 link.

I've got a + mana on spell hit ring and enduring mana flask which seems to help a lot, but I think mana management will be tricky.

You can use essence glutton, inspiration support, and clarity if you need it to mitigate the mana cost until you can get other ways (-mana cost crafts, disciple of kitava etc) I league started this and it has been working great so far just about to kill my first sirus tomorrow after work can check my character if you want ideas but it definitely isnt optimal at the moment (immolate on helm should be conc etc but i hit immolate on first essence so kept it at the start until later).

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jroxstarblade wrote:

I'm giving this a try as my league start. I did armageddon brand until 3rd ascend. Just switched to arcanist brand last night and am working out the kinks. The biggest issue is that arcanist brand counts as a 'trigger' for your other spell so those now cost mana. When the chain gets rolling my mana drains incredibly fast on a 5 link.

I've got a + mana on spell hit ring and enduring mana flask which seems to help a lot, but I think mana management will be tricky.

Yikes. This is horrendously bad news. The build didn't lose too much in other departments since it can inherently tank through Corr Blood etc, and corpse damage didnt get touched, plus it didn't really need a diamond flask at late stages. The mid power levels got hurt though, mana sustain for spell builds is crap. I'm slowly getting back in and we can crack this together.

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Manadrained wrote:

You can use essence glutton, inspiration support, and clarity if you need it to mitigate the mana cost until you can get other ways (-mana cost crafts, disciple of kitava etc) I league started this and it has been working great so far just about to kill my first sirus tomorrow after work can check my character if you want ideas but it definitely isnt optimal at the moment (immolate on helm should be conc etc but i hit immolate on first essence so kept it at the start until later).

Wow! glad to see players still pushing it. i will follow your career with interest :)

at least duskdawns are like 20c now.

Im just doing non crit with elemental overload at the moment but might try the dusk dawn route soon once I fix up a few pieces of gear to suite crit better. Also killed a few sirus and the damage felt fine im just not used to fighting him with this build yet so took a bit of learning to keep the brands on him. I was thinking of trying disciple of kitava (it's expensive though) so I can drop clarity but im not sure if it eating corpses would lower the damage a bit with awakened spell cascade or if -mana rings might be better need to try some stuff out but its been fun working through the mana stuff :p some sort of clarity/discipline watcher's might be insane but probably expensive as hell.

I've pivoted my build to this and it feels pretty decent already, but it REALLY feels like -mana cost rings/amulet are basically a requirement to make it feel smooth.

I also decided to go for leap slam-fortify-endurance charge on melee stun setup - and that feels amazing and gives permanent endurance charges and fortify. With all the AS from Corpse Pact, it feels fast and flexible even with Duskdawns terrible base AS.

I will probably switch to a sceptre+shield setup eventually, because I REALLY want a triggerweapon for Bone Offering, Wave of Conviction and Flammability (WoC and Flammability currently in Curse on Hit-setup) - juggling the 2 brands, keeping up offering and WoC on tough enemies is a struggle.

Also, I dropped Glancing Blows - with Duskdawn, and a lvl 20 bone offering, I can hit natural attack block cap by allocating Whirling barrier, the one block node before it, the 3% staff block node before steelwood stance - all of which are in a large Thread of Hope at the templar jewel, together with Spiritual Aid (40% increased damage), Discipline and Training+Lifenodes, and Amplify - Souvereignity+RMR minors too if that's required later on for a good watchers eye - and Enigmatic Defense. All in all, natural maxblock for 6 passives (I'd take Whirling Barrier anyways for the PCharge generation), and saving 4 passives by not pathing to GB. Puts me to true 75% attackblock and 32% spellblock (instead of 75/52 GB Block).

EDIT: Also, since Arcanist Brand now costs mana on trigger, we can link a level 20 arcane surge into the desecrate-brand and have that up 24/7. Helps a little with mana (increases cost too though), but also gives a nive boost to the fireballs' damage :)

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Manadrained wrote:

Im just doing non crit with elemental overload at the moment but might try the dusk dawn route soon once I fix up a few pieces of gear to suite crit better. Also killed a few sirus and the damage felt fine im just not used to fighting him with this build yet so took a bit of learning to keep the brands on him. I was thinking of trying disciple of kitava (it's expensive though) so I can drop clarity but im not sure if it eating corpses would lower the damage a bit with awakened spell cascade or if -mana rings might be better need to try some stuff out but its been fun working through the mana stuff :p some sort of clarity/discipline watcher's might be insane but probably expensive as hell.

Thanks, these are grat insights!!

I also love that your name happens to be Manadrained and you picked a mana intensive build riight in the league that it happened lmaooo!

One thing that may help you out is the left thread of conviction that touches res nodes i believe. but that is lategame, too.