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

Just a quick question, I got this:
instead of this: , why does that make my mana regen decrease by 12?

Just one question, Cloak of Defiance is worth it to try out ? It gives a lot of mana and mana regen and an additonal 10% damage reduction. I know it wont give you hp or resist, but you have 3 more skill points with it, and if you left out the iron reflexes passive too it gives you about at least 11 skill points overall, and this 11 skill points can be invested on hp and resist or anything else. I dont have a good chest armor so i just want to know maybe this armor can be good on this build by any chance ? Thank you for your response.

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AvocadoCake wrote:

Just a quick question, I got this:

instead of this:

, why does that make my mana regen decrease by 12?

Because the old chest gives you energy shield(mana with EB) + mana that gives you higher total mana = more mana regen.

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Swiftlard wrote:

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AvocadoCake wrote:

Just a quick question, I got this:

instead of this:

, why does that make my mana regen decrease by 12?

Because the old chest gives you energy shield(mana with EB) + mana that gives you higher total mana = more mana regen.

Ah thanks, didn't realise more mana=more regen

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AvocadoCake wrote:

Ah thanks, didn't realise more mana=more regen

For future reference : http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Mana
That's the reason why you could want to use discipline later on, it takes its toll on your unreserved mana, but boosts the total, hence the regeneration.

Quick note for newer players who would start mapping with this character : avoid chaos maps at all costs unless you can get 25+% chaos res, especially if you're playing hardcore. Lower level "trap" maps coming to my mind are wharf, museum, spider lair, spider forest (the boss spawns poison zombies that really hurt when they die), and overgrown shrine.

All of these maps can pretty much kill you in less than 3 seconds if you get unlucky. Also pay attention to "chaos damager per second" paired with "players are cursed with vulnerability".

Apart from that - Thanks a lot to you ZiggyD for sharing this build ; My character is only level 74 yet feels funnier and stronger than my level 86 Freeze Pulser.

So I just found a Saffell's Frame last night. I gave it a shot and I was unimpressed. I had 80 to all resists, but no physical block seemed worse. I'm only level 65 with this character so it could just be too early to be good. Do you guys have any thoughts on Saffell's?

Thanks to your guide ZiggyD I have, for the first time ever, beaten Merciless Piety! And in the Nemesis League as well. I'm currently level 71 and I feel incredibly strong. I'm going to avoid maps for a fair while until I level up a bit as I've never ran a map before. Do you have any advice in regards to mapping? What maps/affixes this build should try to avoid?

Thanks again! This is by far my most successful and fun character :D

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jasonjrr wrote:

So I just found a Saffell's Frame last night. I gave it a shot and I was unimpressed. I had 80 to all resists, but no physical block seemed worse. I'm only level 65 with this character so it could just be too early to be good. Do you guys have any thoughts on Saffell's?

Saffell's will mostly be good for boss fights such as temple piety and the likes, where the physical block doesn't matter. Rest of the time a Rathpith globe willd do the trick :)

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Twilliger wrote:

Thanks to your guide ZiggyD I have, for the first time ever, beaten Merciless Piety! And in the Nemesis League as well. I'm currently level 71 and I feel incredibly strong. I'm going to avoid maps for a fair while until I level up a bit as I've never ran a map before. Do you have any advice in regards to mapping? What maps/affixes this build should try to avoid?

Thanks again! This is by far my most successful and fun character :D

Hey man can you farm piety solo? if so whats yours damage and stats.

Hey Ziggy your EK mana shield was the first build i used to get into merc but the problem was that i was just not doing enough damage at around level 68 i only have about 1.8k damage which i dont think is that great cause it took quite a while killing things. The tankyness of this build was great its just the damage that was lacking and i had some pretty big increased spell damage gear on so idk whats the problem. please help