2.6.6 - Captain Crimson and Akkhan Set Synergy

Crusader
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Edited for Accuracy:

There are great benefits happening with Akkhan and Captain Crimson. I used to run Justice Lantern when playing Heaven’s Fury. Instead I cube RoRG and wear CoE.

With Captain Crimson, the A2 set bonus provides another 50% DR. Without ANY RCR rolls on gear, i’m getting 64% DR. (10% from paragon, 20 % from Captain Crimson’s 2-piece).

Laws of Valor:Unstoppable Force gives an additional 50% RCR, and in the final release of patch 2.6.6, it now increases sheet toughness without snapshotting. This is enough DR to keep Spender Holy Shotgun safe in solo play, it helps other Akkhan builds too including Condemn and Blessed Shield.

Anyhow, since we run Akkhan’s with high CDR, we’re getting roughly 56%+ additional damage.

FYI: It’s no longer DIBS, as it was on PTR, now it’s entirely multiplicative.

Condemn builds around based Akkhan/Crimson/Aughild have significantly improved – please see the second list of build variants here on post #28:

LoD is still stronger, but it’s a welcome synergy none the less.

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You could make an Akkhan codemn build with captain crimson and aughild’s together. Too bad Akkhan set bonus is so low that it doesn’t even worth it.

1 Like
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Hey Kani, i just saw your post in the PTR forum, yes it works beautifully with Akkhan Condemn. Keeping the Akkhan set amulet, cubing Illusory and swapping out String of Ears and for Capt Crimson is quite nice. No RoRG necessary.

In theory, it can be done with other Akkhan set builds.

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Captain Crimson is going to need a cap, since with this, people will be able to get 100% damage reduction.

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Nobody can get to 100% DR. It’s multiplicative.

One other comment in case you didn’t see the bug report:

~ Laws of Valor Unstoppable Force Does Not Buff Capt Crimson - #5 by dmkt-1267

There is a bug where A2 does NOT buff toughness until you adjust your gear after casting AC. I discovered this after making the original post.

Kani had conflicting findings, so i looked into it and found you have to unequip, then reequip the Capt Crimson 3-piece set while AC buff is active to obtain the DR bonus from A2. Do this before opening a grift, enter the grift, then port back to town to collect your DR snapshot.

In the bug report, I recommend they should just allow A2 to buff toughness. They should even allow laws of valor to work as well, it’s not game breaking to have a 64% and or 82% DR buff (8 or 9 item requirement) on top of Akkhan’s 50% considering and wiz/barb have rings that grant 80% DR (1 item requirement).

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While you wouldn’t need RoRG to keep the Akkhan 6-piece bonus, wouldn’t you still need it to get the Capt. Crimson 3-piece bonus? Unless you are just running Crimson for the extra CDR and RCR.

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Yes – i feel like i spread misinformation in previous posts, i’m going to clean that up. Actually, you’d use the Akkhan’s amulet and cube RoRG:

Akkhan: Shoulders, Gloves, Helm, Chest, Amulet
Capt Crimson: Belt, Legs

Theoretically, you could squeeze in Aughlid too if the build has a free bracer slot.

Aughild: Bracer, Shoulder

10

Let me be more clear since you misunderstood.

You do the belt swap BEFORE opening the GR.

After you open the GR, enter it, then port back to town, your toughness will be buffed automatically, go back into the GR with higher toughness. Does this make sense?

Regarding the build analytics shenanigans, i doubt they have a human looking through aggregated lists of the most popular used skill combos. Let’s say they did, given the history of decision making for today’s top builds, (Vyrs Chantodo, Bazooka, Thorns RGK) – don’t act surprised if a build mechanic is approved even if caters to a botter or macro user.

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Akkhan’s bonuses are too low to trade either CoE or Focus/restraint away for RoRG.

The additive damage from captains is not enough. The RCR provided damage reduction is overkill for this already tanky set.

I d be interested in testing Captains synergy in Rolands. Zodiac is crucial for these but more for prophet up time. Captains should provide enough damage reduction to offset it to some degree. EDIT: nvm, forgot 35% damage during AC up time.

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I asked Darkblizzard to try 4-piece Rolands with both Aughild and Crimson, he wasn’t digging it. He did like just Crimson mixed in.

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Augilds+capt felt bad. Jst Crimson felt ok. With 50.xx CDR (57 ish with gogok), was able to cover 2/3 fire cycle by AC. Similar to how Raekor HOTA beserker cycle. Must say the tankiness felt good outside of AC. RCR was 38.xx, with aquila, was +69 ish DR.

Hope they change Captains to multiplicative damage %. Peaking 57 mil sheet dont feel that strong overall. One upside of captains is you no longer need to lower spam frequency of Law/Steel Armor to allow more zodiac for AC.

Unfortunately GR 12x mobs are too tanky to replace furnace with Messerschmidt’s Reaver.

I havent tested with squirts (dropping EW). I might try augilds instead of Captains see how it feels.

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Prioritizing these buffs is like a puzzle, but for damage i’m going to order them like this:

  • 6-piece Roland’s = 3x @ 5 stacks (worth even more on the rift guardian)
  • Endless Walk = 2.0x
  • Convention of Elements = 1.75x (if you play well)
  • Capt Crimson = 1.43x w/ 56% CDR and 30% in sweeper rolls) | 1.35x same conditions but with Aughild
  • Aughild = 1.3x vs trash|1.56x (w/ furnace against elite) 1.69x (w/o furnace against elite)
  • Furnace = 1.5x vs elite (w/o Aughild) 1.38x (w/ Aughild)
  • Zodiac = 15% (~40% extra uptime on Akarat’s)

4-Piece (really was no good)
Aughild + Capt Crimson
Furnace -> Echoing Fury
OrotZ -> RoRG

The only way I made 4-piece work was by cubing Echoing Fury. There is just no way to recuperate from the loss in attack speed, and playing it out on PTR confirmed this. I simulated Pig Sticker w/ Gogok + Fervor, we end up at 2.25 APS and it’s probably complete crap on a rift guardian with no adds. I think it’s a dead end build.

6-Piece
So let’s talk more about the 6-piece situation, where you sacrificed OrotZ. I replicated this and thought it felt pretty good. I also tried Hold Your Ground with Akarat’s Awakening and it was smooth on trash, but the elites were hanging around too long, a trash only build.

Aughild + Furnace = Probably best setup for groups.
Aughild + Awakening = A little weaker than standard setup.
Crimson + Furance = Comparable to standard setup.
Crimson + Awakening = Good for Trash, Poor on Elites and RG.

Squirts
I’d be curious what F&R/EW + Squirts + CoE Cubed is like. I think you have to run Laws of Hope, and/or cube St. Archew’s. Perhaps this could work in groups where another player is giving a Mantra of Healing+Inner Sanctuary:Intervene.

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For Condemn build If you lose CoE for RorG you also get 20CDR from Crimson meaning that you get 55,3% CDR and free slots from both rings and gloves to get additional 60% AD. That might make playing little clunky since you have to watch out that small amount of time when Akkhan is not up.
I also like the extra 20% RCR.
But im not sure if it is still enough to compensate CoE loss.

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Here is a more true comparison wearing Akkhan Amulet & F&R, I saved the best for last.

Standard Condemn
Akkhan pieces: Shoulders, Helm, Chest, Gloves, Legs Amulet,
Rings: Focus, Restraint
Bracers: Strongarms
Helm: Leoric’s Crown
Cube: Furnace, Illusory, CoE

F&R: 2.25x
CoE: 1.5x
Additive DIBS: 1.45 (Skill %) + 1.3 (Strongarms) = 1.75x
Additive Elite: 1.5x (Furnace)
Total vs Reg = 5.9x
Total vs Elite = 8.9x

Crim / Aughild Condemn
Akkhan pieces: Helm, Chest, Gloves, Boots, Amulet,
Crimson Pieces: Belt, Legs
Aughild Pieces: Wrist, Shoulders
Rings: Focus, Restraint
Cube: Furnace, Illusory, RoRG

F&R: 2.25x
Additive DIBS: 1.45 (Skill %) + 1.3 (Aughild) + 1.56 (Crimson) = 2.31x
Additive Elite: 1.5 (Furnace) + 1.3 (Aughild) = 1.8x
Total vs Reg = 5.2x
Total vs Elite = 9.36x

Crimson Condemn
Akkhan pieces: Helm, Shoulders, Chest, Boots, Gloves, Amulet,
Crimson Pieces: Belt, Legs
Rings: Focus, Restraint
Bracers: Strongarms
Helm: Leoric’s Crown
Cube: Furnace, Illusory, RoRG

F&R: 2.25x
Additive DIBS: 1.45 (Skill %) + 1.3 (Strongarms) + 1.56 (Crimson) = 2.31x
Additive Elite: 1.5x (Furnace)
Total vs Reg = 5.2x
Total vs Elite = 7.8x

Aughild Condemn
Akkhan pieces: Helm, Legs, Gloves, Boots, Amulet,
Aughild Pieces: Shoulders, Chest
Bracers: Strongarms
Rings: Focus, Restraint
Cube: Furnace, Illusory, RoRG

F&R: 2.25x
Additive DIBS: 1.45 (Skill %) + 1.3 (Strongarms) + 1.3 (Aughild) = 2.05x
Additive Elite: 1.5 (Furnace) + 1.3 (Aughild) = 1.8x
Total vs Reg = ‭4.6x
Total vs Elite = 8.3x

CoE is worth more than 1.5x, but Strongarms doesn’t work on CC immune enemies These setups involve adding Illusory to the cube. There are other little optimizations, such as running higher CDR with Laws of Hope, which may allow other choices in the cube armor slot.

Recently, I tested Akkhan Blessed Shield, physical w/ Capt Crimson. I could take quite a beating in GR115, no retreating running necessary (80+ stacks going on). It still felt weaker than LoN – with new GR140 solo baselines, Akkhan as well as other sets need a buff IMHO.

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Wait, but these situations you no longer have 6pc akkhan. Or did they changed the crafted gears? I thought Crimson has belt, pants and boots. Aughild has bracers, chest, head and shoulders.

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Akkhan’s is a 7-piece set.

Shoulders, Helm, Chest, Boots, Legs, Gloves, Amulet

In both of these scenarios, you’re just swapping out one of the armor pieces. Only when trying to equip both 3-piece sets at the same time do you lose a ring to RoRG.

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But if you try to get 3pc Crimson with akkhan you have wear Crimson boots, pants and belt. So you can only wear Akkhan amulet, helm, chest, shoulder and gloves so thats 5pc Akkhan.

In Aughild you use bracers and two of the slots from chest, head, shoulders. So again you lose 2pc of Akkhan from there and again you only have 5pc Akkhan.

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Sam, i’m losing my mind – probably sleep deprivation and a little bit of laziness. I’ve edited the entries. Thank for the double check.

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With cap+aug setup you’ll be so tanky that you can probably afford to make some changes to the build or even lose esoteric for BoP or gogok.

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We can be tanky enough for Endless Walk and just remain stationary.

I was able to pull it off with Physical Blessed Shield w/ Aquilas, just using Crimson, but it also works with Condemn too:

Crimson Condemn EW
Akkhan pieces: Shoulders, Chest, Boots, Helm, Gloves
Crimson Pieces: Belt, Legs
Rings: Compass Rose, CoE
Amulet: Traveler’s Pledge
Bracers: Strongarms
Cube: Furnace, Illusory, RoRG

EW: 2x
CoE: 1.5x
Additive DIBS: 1.45 (Skill %) + 1.3 (Strongarms) + 1.56 (Crimson) = 2.31x
Additive Elite: 1.5x (Furnace)
Total vs Reg = 6.9x
Total vs Elite = 10.4x

Use Iron Skin:Flash and or Laws of Hope:Wings of Valor + Stone Gauntlets in Cube. Power-wise, was comparable to regular Akkhan, but without the risk. This is almost like the build Black suggested here, you just pull everything, and walk into the oculus rings. Esoteric Alteration wasn’t needed, but it could be when pushing higher.

~https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/d3/t/stone-gauntlets/875/11?u=dmkt-1267