[2.6][SSF Hipster][Theory Craft] Blade Vortex Gladiator [WIP] - Feedback is welcome

Hello Exiles,

I want to share my planned build which I will start in the next days. But before I do this, I want some thoughts from you guys.

I want to try this with SSF in mind and tailored to my playstyle. I'm easily distracted and tend to pay not that much of attention. So my builds need a solid defence to keep me alive.
In the past I really enjoyed a max block gladiator with cleave. But I want a caster. A Hipster if you will call it so.
We're also missing some solid caster duellists. Someone who can do Uberlab and T15 at least. Maybe more.

The Infos below are under construction and I add things over time. If you have any feedback so far, let me know! :)

### Tree ###



### Gems ###



### Gear ###

Weapon

What do we want to use here? We have serveral options and a final goal.

We can use here what we want. A Dagger with spelldamage or a Wand or Scepter. We can use Uniqs like Cybil's Paw or Heartbreaker. Obliteration Wand is also a solid choice. But our final Goal is the Unique "The Scrouge"
Why you ask?

"

Increases and Reductions to Minion Damage also affect you
70% increased Minion Damage if you have Hit Recently

This is the unique power of the Scrouge and Double Dips our Damage. Side note, Miniondamage counts as general damage.

Keep in mind, if you use a Wand as a weapon of choice, you can't use shieildcharge!

Shield

*to be added*

Chest

Our Bodyarmor does not only keep us warm, it should also protect us. But which piece is the best for us?

Cospri's Will is here our final piece. While we try to get it, we can use serveral other Bodyarmors like Tabula Rasa, Belly of the Beast, Carcass Jack or any Rare with Life & res.

Helm

What do we Wreaclastians wear to protect our fancy hair?

This highly depends on your Weapon. If you are a proud owner of The Scrouge then you want a Bone Helmet for the juicy 30-40% inscreased Minion Damage. Which is Our Damage with The Scrouge.

If you have any other weapon, then you can use what ever you want or have.

Possible Helmets with various benefits:

Doedre's Scorn: Increased Damage per curse on the enemy.

The Gull: An Item with an interesting Shrine interaction. Should be funny. :D

Gloves

*to be added*

Boots

*to be added*

Belt

*to be added*

Rings & Amulet

*to be added*

Leveling Process - What works and what not

First of, Duellist is a really bad start for a caster. We don't get the needed gems nor do we get good starter nodes.
This means we can not comfortably level as caster. But we can as Melee or Ranged.

Keep in mind: In Act 3 when finished the Libary we can buy most of the needed gems from Siosa. Like Faster Casting, Conc (later Inc & Echo) only Added Chaos is a drop only gem.

After we know this, grad Molten Strike or Frost Blades when you start, and hit things with that. I choosed Frost Blades, to get a smoother leveling. Grab a good 1h weapon and a shield and you are fine for now.

You can do this until Act 3 till Siosa and buy there the gems you need. Actually I don't know if they are leveled or not. So maybe you need at first to level them.

My Personal way as a twinked char was a bit different. I had some of the needed gems and a starter gear to use.





If you get your hands on a Ashrend early on, do it. Mine is actually 4-linked and effectivly a 5L. And you can use it from level 17 on. Doesn't matter if you go melee/ranged/caster its useful.

I switched at level 12 to Blade Vortex, and I do not advice this! So early on without Spell Damage, it feels clunky and slows you down. I would at least wait until level 18 when you get (possibly) faster casting. This ramps up the speed alot.


Tree at 24 points: Go for Golems Blood first. After allocating it, went straight for Blood Less near Unweavering Stance. Take the Int node if needed.

Tree at 39 points: Take Unweavering Stance and went for Heart of the Warrior. At this point we can try Normal Lab and you should be done with Act 4. (or at least stand right before Malachai) - Fist Two Ascendancy Points should go to Painforged.


Tree at 57 points: Take Iron Reflexes and the two Jewel Slots (for Damage via Jewels). Take Juggernaut and Barbarism. If thats done, we aim for Command and Steel (at the right dise near Duellsit Start) for the last Blocknodes.

Tree at 83 points We take the Command of Steel nodes and head then to Constitution and take the tree to the Area Nodes (Amplify).

Tree at 99 points This tree is around level 80-ish we take the last blocknodes (Testudo) and go for Devotion and Light of Divinity.


After we got all the needed nodes, we fill out the rest of the tree, means the Jewel Slot near Command and Steel and the remaining life nodes from Constituon. As well as the life nodes near Marauder start.


###

Labyrinth experience

I'll write down here, how the labs are going with this build.


Normal Lab - Done with level 40 after killing Kaom and Daresso.

Gear at this point


This was one of the smoothest labs ever. I had about 40% block chance or so at the time I done the lab. 1.8k Life. I facetanked Izzaro even with a Darkshrine which added 18x% inc crit chance and 40 crit multi or so. I didn't even noticed. I stay next to him and stupidly cast Blade Vortex. I may need a Life Flask but thats all. I didn't cared about the Leutenants or Gargoyles. (Same goes for Malachai btw)


Cruel Lab - Done with level 59 after I finished Act 1 Merci

Gear at this point


I thought I can try a full key run. I thought I would fail badly. Well. I didn't it was as smooth as the first lab. Even smoother. And Izzy had his nasty fonts up. No Problem.

Todo list
- Fomating
- more details
- Q&A?

Things to Test
- Witchfire brew with Grace as Aura
- Blood Rage
- Obliteration (but then no Shield Chagre)



I should respec my Standard Gladiator...

I somehow forgot Tempest Shield, this further increases the diffuculty with the gems.
I might drop red duration or FC from Lightning Warp I have to switch the movement gem.

The section is now updated.

If I have time today at work, I'm updating the Item Section further.

I started the Build yesterday to find out what does work and what not. I'll write down my process.

If everything works out how I imagine it, I'll create a guide in the future, but no promisses yet.

Hello i was thinking in the same build now, and for lucky i found your post.

One question i do, what happend with dexteniry?, blade vortex need it

And sorry to post again, but "Melee Physical Damage" i think it dont affect blade vortex damage.
And "Increased Physical Weapon Damage" only affect with a good base damage weapon. Not with that dagger.

or i am wrong?

Hey there, dex comes for the most part from the pathing in the tree, and we may need around 30 dex on gear, which shouldn't be a problem. If needed you can grab one of the 30 dex nodes.

About Melee Physical Damage and increased Physical Weapon Damage, they indeed do not count for Blade Vortex. In my planned Skill tree (btw subject to change) we grab some, only for pathing issues. Maybe I'll find an other solution for that.


Cheers

Broken faith best in slot shield. Use in conjunction with blood rage for a tad more armour, synergy with ascendancy (dmg on full frenzies)
Obliteration wand is great for phys/chaos build. Otherwise Scourge = 70% doubledip dmg. For ssf obliteration can take you to t15 no sweat. Spell dmg does not double dip poison so stacking spell dmg takes less priority in poison build if you can stack chaos dmg instead.
Witchfire brew = level 21 blasphemy vuln which saves you 35% mana reserve for arctic armour.

SSF hipster build will just not bring it to its full potential Im afraid, seeing that unique items required to leverage the build are not easily available.

This build with cospri + broken faith + scourge + Bone helmet + witchfire brew, using grace + iron reflex can actually be good. Thats a lot to ask for in ssf however.

"

habeo escribió:

Broken faith best in slot shield. Use in conjunction with blood rage for a tad more armour, synergy with ascendancy (dmg on full frenzies)
Obliteration wand is great for phys/chaos build. Otherwise Scourge = 70% doubledip dmg. For ssf obliteration can take you to t15 no sweat. Spell dmg does not double dip poison so stacking spell dmg takes less priority in poison build if you can stack chaos dmg instead.
Witchfire brew = level 21 blasphemy vuln which saves you 35% mana reserve for arctic armour.

SSF hipster build will just not bring it to its full potential Im afraid, seeing that unique items required to leverage the build are not easily available.

This build with cospri + broken faith + scourge + Bone helmet + witchfire brew, using grace + iron reflex can actually be good. Thats a lot to ask for in ssf however.

Hm, Broken Faith is indeed an option tho. And I fully forgot that Poison does not scale or more double dip with spelldamage. Thx for the reminder.

About the gearing, I plan this for myself, thats why SSF. I know that getting a Cospri's will and other uniques are hard to obtain. Not impossible, but hard.

Scrouge is a good endgame Weapon when you actually can farm Guardians. I'll keep that in mind.

While Witchfirebrew is a nice flask, I don't want to rely on a ~5sec Vuln. But at this stage, I can't really tell. This needs some tests. But thats also an option tho. At least it keeps up space for grace or haste, thats not that bad either. I need to find out how the damage feels in later maps to give here a proper answer.

About Blood Rage, I'm not sure if I can fit it into the build. The benefits from it are great of couse and we have enough regen to counter the degen from BR. But we need some space to slot it in. I'll keep that in mind too.



ps: I realized that my plans are really hipster. lol

Thank you habeo for your feedback, its very appreciated! :)

First off, thank you for maintaining the Duelist build list :)

In regards to your build, have you considered Aegis Aurora? You'll have high block chance with the Gladiator, thus making great use of Aegis Aurora's ability to maintain Energy Shield. Furthermore, since you're already planning on taking Iron Reflexes, both armor/energy shield and evasion/energy shield would apply, thus giving you much flexibility in gearing.