[2.5]The Spell Master - 3 specializations in 1 build (Projectile/Freeze/Thunder) 8400hp,35 block

NOTE:This is NOT the main innovation of this post.
Simple idea: Scold Bridle + Last Breath + a brunch of fevered mind jewel and a brunch of CDWT setup on gear + Mind over Matter.
Triggering spell: Leap slam.
Each Leap Slam cost you a lot of mana (due to fevered mind) => mana turns into 4x physical damage => CDWT spell are casted => Last Breath heal you to full health => Cast another
During the process: mana would not be full due to MoM => allows 100% up time of Last Breath.
NEWS: Last Breath is now displayed as buff! (there wasn't such a thing in 2.2)

Readers are encouraged to read "The Masochistic Magician - Duelist" for discussions in 4. Mechanics, 11. WEAKNESSES AND FIXES and 14. TIPS AND TRICKS and "COLB - Witch/Scion" for discussions in Mechanics and Math.

Anyone who had tried the two above builds would know that this CDWT build has a devastating feature - if you keep on pressing your skill without drinking the Last Breath you would end up killing yourself. This feature lose all playability of the build. This build is trying to fix this problem with at least a time window which is sufficient for you to react (to stop holding the button)

How to achieve this? See the video. https://youtu.be/tDxpOBsGHgM
(Yes, it can be laggy. So this build is aiming for those who have good computer equipment, or people who can find way to eliminate the spell effect on the screen to get rid of the lags. And yes, I am from the Taiwan server (but not from Taiwan), and might soon migrate.)

So the basic is to have health a MULTIPLE of your “mana cost + Scold damage” such that you would end up with a little health which does not allow you to cast your triggering skill ( and you can start to drink your health pots and last breath to get health up again).

This build benefit nothing from energy shield ( as Scold Bridles keeps you energy shield at zero). Also, we would NOT want too high an armor (as Scold Bridle’s damage take armor into account. Hence, the defense stat we can rely on are health and block (dodge is hard to get, if you find one, please tell me). Therefore, we hope to get health as high as possible and we rolled this a Gladiator to get some block stat (credit goes to Masochistic Magician ). Here, we sacrifice max block for more health (and hence a higher playability).

Since we are casting 6-9 spells simultaneously which are not possible to be linked in one items. Hence, if we want to increase our spell damge, the best way is to increase your spell damage GLOBALLY. Yet, since most of our skill points are for maximizing playability and survivability ( i.e. health). We need to find way to increase our damage. Luckily, the item Repentance (Iron Will embedded ) provides us with the solution. Since 2 strength = 1 health, getting more strength would hence be both beneficial for your damage, survivability and playability with this single item.

Another crucial point is that, from 2.4, a number of spells get buffed at level 20. Hence, we would love to cast level 20 spell or level 21 spell with level 20 CWDT (which requires 3272 damage taken). As “COLB - Witch/Scion” does not allow this possibility. We make it possible here by boosting our health to around 8400.

We also use Elemental Overload, as in the two previous builds.

We just jump around (Leap Slam) and mobs die. (all credits go to “COLB - Witch/Scion”)

Why this skill?
On one hand, we are looking for skill which can be used very often to trigger your spell. On the other hand, we need it to have high mana cost such that it triggers your scold damage. Leap Slam satisfies all of the requirement, while Duelist (Gladiator) has skill points which can further increase attack speed which gets you to use this skill more often.

(One thing to note is that the incinerate as triggering spell in “The Masochistic Magician” is not viable anymore - GGG has changed channelling spell such that it won’t consistently derive health from Last Breath.)

Here are the most original ideas kick in. This build does not have any skill point on the tree which specifies us to play any type of spells (yep, there are some elemental nodes). Merely with 6 fevered minds and Repentance, we already have 120~180+146 = 266~326 increased spell damage. Any spell can benefit from this. I am now introducing to you guys further specialization which themselves could have very different playstyle.

Projectile build


Freeze build


Thunder build


Currently there isn’t a fire build for this. Since there are only 3 fire spells that 1) can be triggered, 2) have no CD, and 3) no mobility. It might be possible in the future when more this type of fire spell is released.

The skill tree differ a lot from “The Masochistic Magician - Duelist”, but look kinda similar to the witch in “COLB - Witch/Scion”

Level 93 Gladiator for Projectile

Level 93 Gladiator for Freeze/Thunder


Basically these two are the same. Except for three nodes.

For jewel, we uses 6 fevered mind.
For Bandit,
Oak +40 health
+Skill point
+Skill point

The gears are where the math kicks in.
Firstly, we have 5 fixed items choices.

Pots: Last Breath x 3
Head: Scold Bridles
Hand: Repentance
Main Hand Weapon: Brightbeak
Off hand Weapon: Bitterdream ( Vaaled with lv 12 Weapon Elemental Damage Support )

To get more health, to wear Repentance and to use aura/mana reserved skil, we need:

Body: Belly of the Beast
Amulet: Astramentis (get +16, +96 or above)
Rare Unset Ring

The Astramentis stat is important. With this +16, +96 or above, we are free from any intelligence stat from other gear (or jewel sockets).

Lastly, to get around ~8400 health, we need

70+ or even 80+ health from each ring
140+ health from belt (Leather Belt is a must)
100+ health from boot

The health stat include both + max health and + strength ( 2 strength = 1 health).

Also, get -16% or above Flask Charges Used on belt would be nice, which gives 3 sipping of Last Breath per each full charge (credit goes to "The Masochistic Magician - Duelist" )

After that, trying your best to cap your resistance, and that’s it.

If you can still have some freedom in your Modifiers, get increased attack speed on ring would be nice. And then strength for mildly more damage and health.

Also, try to keep your gloves and armor have no quality, such that it gives lower armor. Try to get str&dex or str&int boot to prevent too high an armor. Your end game armor should not exceed 2000. ( Avoid any armor stat from boot!)

We need no ES, so the items shall be affordable.

Head Enchantment : Blood Rage grants additional x% increased Attack Speed

glove Vaal : +1

Boot Enchantment (a lot of choices):
Projectile build:
Damage Penetrates x% of Enemy Elemental Resistances if you haven't Killed Recently (good for boss)
Freeze build:
Damage Penetrates x% of Enemy Elemental Resistances if you haven't Killed Recently (good for boss)
Adds x Cold Damage if you've been Hit Recently
Thunder build:
Damage Penetrates x% of Enemy Elemental Resistances if you haven't Killed Recently (good for boss)
Adds 1 to 160 Lightning Damage if you haven't Killed Recently (good for boss)

NOTE: avoid reduced mana cost! avoid added fire/cold if you use EE!

Blood magic


Math


Effective health

Elemental Reflect is to be avoided. Your block chance is not enough to get your survived. Use higher level blood magic gem for Invulnerability cursed and reduced armor map.

My computer is really slow, and there are some trouble for recording sound. You are referred to “The Masochistic Magician - Duelist” or “COLB - Witch/Scion” for more videos of map clearing.

Projectile
demo
https://youtu.be/jt5i5dhmGRQ
T11
https://youtu.be/hqO70COUBVo


Freeze
demo
https://youtu.be/O2FtFjqz_K0
T8 boss
https://youtu.be/tncLv65jMzI


Thunder
demo
https://youtu.be/tDxpOBsGHgM

Pros
-Heal up instantly
-almost immune to mobs attack
-fun to play
-fun to watch
-can kill youself in hideout
-try different version of spell
-can potentially be benefit from new skills in new patches.

cons (I should strategically expand it to infinity such that GGG wont nerf this)
-effective health is always the max health minus ~4150.
-not amazing damage output
-can be as laggy as I do
-get kicked from party
-no one wants to play with you
-forever alone
-easy to die
-easy to kill yourself
-cost you a lot of experience
-cost you too much time for playing the game as you lost exp
-extremely easy to die
-very extremely easy to die
-very very extremely easy to die
{-very^n extremely easy to die} n=3 to infinity