ZiggyD's Etheral Knives Mana Shield Scion/Shadow Build Guide - Hardcore (Updated for 1.1)

To not get 1 shot? With this build :D

You don't need a shield to not die with this build. At least not to one-shots.

Normal block is handy, but not a big deal for us, Spell Block (if you have enough) is VERY handy for some special fights (Piety, Crematorium). Otherwise, Spell Damage, Life and some Resist is what you need on your shield.

In other words, is hard to beat.

There is not mod you can't do, but Blood Magic is ugly (no auras).

Maps I avoid? None, but I don't do some bosses alone (Dominus 78, Crematorium, Torture Chambers, mostly).


If you have decent gear, this is the tankiest build I even played, so content may not be light speed, but it's safe.

K so I have sort of the same CWDT setup and I'm not seeing the Molten Shell, like at all. Is that normal?

cast on damage taken lvl 1 - max lvl 31
molten shell lvl 8 - required 32

CWDT isn't levelling for some reason. :(

Nvm figured it out... Dumb again lol.

"

CantripN wrote:

To not get 1 shot? With this build :D

You don't need a shield to not die with this build. At least not to one-shots.

Normal block is handy, but not a big deal for us, Spell Block (if you have enough) is VERY handy for some special fights (Piety, Crematorium). Otherwise, Spell Damage, Life and some Resist is what you need on your shield.

In other words,

is hard to beat.

There is not mod you can't do, but Blood Magic is ugly (no auras).

Maps I avoid? None, but I don't do some bosses alone (Dominus 78, Crematorium, Torture Chambers, mostly).


If you have decent gear, this is the tankiest build I even played, so content may not be light speed, but it's safe.

Thanks for this! I am on nemesis so I take dying pretty seriously lol

Would you still recommend rithpath then?

Hey there!

My questions is related to the the effectiveness of armor vs. avoidance for this build.

I've recently been playing in the Domination league with a variant of ZiggyD's EK+EB+MoM build, where I use the unique chest Cloak of Defiance to get the upgraded MoM keystone.
My current passive skill set looks like this: http://tinyurl.com/phbtus8 It is my intention to use Prism Guardian and Alpha's Howl to run: Clarity+Discipline+Hatred+Grace+Determination and possibly Haste as well. I will also use a max level Arctic Armour at all times, and it is my intention and the purpose of this character to do maps at the highest level possible. (Gear in spoiler at bottom)

My main question is as follows: Would my survivability improve if I dropped Iron Reflexes and specced into +block% nodes instead? My spec would change to this: http://tinyurl.com/oea34p4 (giving me +22%block and a significant, but unknown amount of evasion%? No idea how much I would gain from max grace + base evasion at 80+)

The idea behind this is that smaller hits are already reduced significantly by Arctic Armour, which is where the %mitigation from armour is the strongest. Non-bosses would thus not be dealing any threatening amounts of damage. Large hits from bosses are not mitigated very well by armour due to the penetrating effect, and thus losing armour in return for %based block/evasion would be favourable - provided I still am capable of not being one-shotted. Furthermore, avoidance would also synergize well with MoM as it will allow the unreserved mana-buffer to recharge between hits.
However, I have no idea how large hits I would be taking at the highest level maps and whether my life+mana buffer is sufficient after reductions to not get one-shotted. Is the armor from Iron Reflexes really necessary? As an alternative I could spend the points to get Iron Reflexes on +%hp nodes.

A relatively unrelated question is whether I would be better off dropping Prism Guardian and get Rathpith Globe instead, and in the process probably only run 3 auras on mana.

Hello, I am a fairly new player in Domination and I enjoy this build.
I am currently level 77 and I managed to get this gear with the help of some friends (gave me chaos orbs) and poexyz.

My current gear looks like this and I think it's very good. The only 2 things that need improvement are the wand and the chest. I know I badly need atleast a 5link chest with ES.



My current skill tree is


I have skipped Thick Skin life nodes since I play in Domination League. Now I am working to get the Life and Mana nodes and Inner Force, tho I have a feeling that I should go for Ballistic Mastery, Charisma and Mana Geyser. But You would have to be lvl 90 for that.

I run with 3 auras, Clarity, Discipline and Hatred. Arctic Armour at lvl 15 only because my mana regen is not that great.

My selfbuffed stats are: 3642HP, 865/3156 Mana with 212 mana regen, Ressist capped ofcourse (12% chaos resist) and 6408 DPS on EK. (Buying a lvl 20 EK gem was a good decision).

I am unusure about my CODT setup. Should I level it to 6? I absolutely love Enfeeble linked on it. Also decoy. I even think that Enduring cry is better then Molten Shell.

So, what do you guys think? Any tips or suggestions on what I should improve are welcome.

"

ithanium2 wrote:

I am unusure about my CODT setup. Should I level it to 6? I absolutely love Enfeeble linked on it. Also decoy. I even think that Enduring cry is better then Molten Shell.

So, what do you guys think? Any tips or suggestions on what I should improve are welcome.

Keep in mind I am playing domination so different considerations may apply for hardcore leauges. Also note that I have made it 73 so far with this build and now have run many end game maps so my opinion should be at least semi-vaild ;)

I found that in at least the end game maps the decoy totem and molten shell were instantly dying and popping (basically providing little defense) So I went a little further than the suggested values.



And so thats my opinion on it. Hope it helps.

Had a quick question this build doesn't really benefit from the phys buff from cruel oak does it? or would I be better served in taking the extra passive point?