So continuing from my previous thread, trying 2.6.10 changes out since we couldnt access PTR from console… In that thread it was swapping out Etched Sigil for Winter Flurry and some comparisons.
I got tired of waiting for a Fragment of Destiny drop so threw some mats at it to give it a whirl. Rolled a 27% (20-30) legendary, so an okish start. Max potential of 10 stacks for 300% is still below Death wish 325%… I was using a 324% ancient with reasonable affixes when channeling.
It’s early stages and it’s kinda interesting (so far). The play style changes from what is pretty typical I thought for all of the channelling builds (which was likely a goal in itself).
Now it’s place a few hydras then smash down groups of mobs in a 12 yard area with Blizzard and Spectral blade as they allow for combined. Potentially hydra placement may be able to be tuned to avoid a degree of fire power being wasted on mobs that arent in the dmg area, but that’s at expense of movement/flow. Didnt matter too much to worry about that with the channelling style.
The 12yard area melee style less conducive to occulus rings than ranged positioning of channelling.
It doesnt have a bad feel to it at GR100 with non ancient wand and still cleared in the 4-5 minute window in a not too horrible but not great map.
I tried with a slightly lower Gogok that was handy, replacing a Taeguk just above my GR level for now.
The combination of skills feels a bit more cohesive as working together in what can reasonably be imagined as a Hydra Wizard like way. Probably intended, though I do think they’re mad destroying other builds without having equally viable replacements ready to roll.
Obvious changes made to gear and skills. Still plenty of tuning possible I’m sure.
Try bane of the trapped, enforcer, and bane of the stricken. That combo works way better.
For speed 100s i drop the deathwish for an aether walker and replace winters flurry with orb of infinite depth. Replace blizzard with explosive blast and replace channeled skill with magic weapon deflection. Just spam signature skill while holding down explosive blast. Teleport frequently and place down 1 new hydra every screen.
GR110 felt lacking in dps probably due to dropping 965k Offense on the weapon quality (dropped ancient, 7as, 99aug).
And was starting to hurt, so switched Nemesis for Ashnagarr’s… think Deathwish was taking Nemesis higher, have to check that.
9-10 minutes… it felt slower than that.
Missing my occulus rings, ranged positioning and screen clear feeling (luxury right? [monty python]).
Be interesting comparing apples for apples when a better FoD comes… and can tune the FoD/WF Typhon build some more.
Seems to be becoming more relevant at GR110 with dps slowing. Will try it out.
Quite a different path there… how’s the speed at GR100?
Aether Walker reminder is good, thanks. Made rifts an option over swapping to DH. I see what you’re going for there with OoOD/EB. Interesting alternative there for dmg buff source.
Found a 291% ancient Serpents Sparker (so just missing the 7as and 99aug and 9% of the hydra buff), so Offense loss from weapon switch down from 965k to 495k.
First GR110 now 8-9 minutes… ran with Nemesis which again pointed back to Ashnagarr’s.
When pushing, it’s still feeling it’s coming down to missing my occulus rings, ranged positioning and screen clear feeling – that is, just comparing moving out of Channeling with DW/ES to the melee area style of FoD/WF now apparent. A different (and ok) feel when one shotting much of the content in lower GRs per the first post.
Had been getting through GR123 in around 14 minutes before swapping out either of DW, ES. Swapped pieces not optimised fully yet and there may well be other things that will work in synergy better with FoD/WF. Easier to stick with DW/ES waiting for those gear improvements to come and consider if something else might improve FoD/WF prospects.
Comparing to 2.6.9 … Typhon proved lacking and LoD Hydra was pushed to GR118 with mostly optimised pieces.
Down to 7-8 minutes trying Stricken over Gogok at this level. Was mostly ok with Nemesis this time. Stricken would likely have improved the GR116 in the ES/WF only swap too.
edit (Passives):
Audacity (as before)
Galvanizing ward (as before)
Cold Blooded (switching from Unwavering Will - could explain hurting a bit earlier in GR progression as noted in my FoD vs DW post).
Illusionist if pushing, else something else to help go faster (as before)
Definitely an improvement on 4-5 minutes that either DW/ES or FoD/WF has been getting.
Unfortunately, the build only increases hydra damage. This means, in higher content, your wizard itself will not get any kills without a conduit pylon. The oculous on a follower seems to not proc unless the players themselves gets the kill. Pet kills do not count. The witch doctor had/has the same problem with pet builds.
I have posted this issue in the bug report section.
That’s interesting… I hadn’t been aware of that yet. Come to think of it I had noticed it was procing less with slower kill rate when channelling too. Seems I’d assumed the proc rate reduced linearly with kill rate.
Doesn’t seem to be by design if it behaves this way only when the occulus ring is on the follower as opposed to being on the hero.
Yeah, if you wear the oculous with a pet build, it will spawn like every other build. If another person(support) were to wear one, it would spawn like normal.
Have flipped back to DW/ES and enjoying reasonable access to occulus rings again. If the pets triggering of the rings is unchanged with this build, it must just be the wider AOE dps for their spawn and easier access due to reduced positional constraints.