Greetings barbarians!
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Build Introduction and Purpose
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Welcome to the Season 17 guide for Fire LoN HotA.
This build guide explains in details the Fire LoN HotA build, the most powerful barb’s LoN build for solo play. It is also one of the most difficult build to put together in terms of gear (stats), and it requires some skills developed through practice. This is not the easiest barb build and it is not the hardest barb build. This build is aimed at utilizing the buff for Season 17 and a skill which is supported by legendary items. We, barbarians, know very well that the power of builds is almost always due to bonuses build-in class set/sets and often other set/sets and supporting legendary items. Our builds like Fire R6 HotA, Fire IK HotA, Fire EQ MotE, Physical SS/EQ MotE, Cold SS MotE, Cold SS MotE6/IK2, Cold SS MotE6/IK4, Physical BK WW WotW, Lighting IB WW WotW, Physical IB WW WotW, FC IK6/R4, etc have 1-2 main bonuses (damage multiplicators) build-in class set/sets and 0-2 other set/sets bonuses (damage multiplicators) like EW, BoW, B-K’O, I’sPB + EW. However, the power of builds is mainly demonstrated by supporting legendary items. Therefore, a lot of barbarian’s builds are doomed to failure due to the lack of supporting legendary items. The buff for Season 17, Legacy of Nightmares Seasonal buff, gives us possibility of using the buff without having to put those 2 rings on our barbarian. This buff is: Player’s damage dealt is increased by 750% and damage taken is reduced by 4% for every Ancient Item they have equipped while having no Set Bonuses Active. Some players can make mistake and can think that those “Set Bonuses Active” means only class set/sets. It is wrong. EW, BoW, B-K’O, I’sPB, etc. can not be used with LON! The LoN set with 13 ancient legendary items buffs damage by 98.5x
(7.5 * 13 + 1 = 98.5) and gives us 52% (4 * 13 = 52) damage reduction but the LoN set with 12 ancient legendary items buffs damage by “only” 91x (7.5 * 12 + 1 = 91) and gives us “only” 48% (4 * 12 = 48) damage reduction.
So taking into consideration our bonuses build-in class set/sets which we lose, other set/sets bonuses which we lose and supporting legendary items I mean damage multiplicators which we can use we can conclude that we can only create good LoN build based on the skill called Hammer of the Ancients (HotA). Unfortunately, our lovely and favorite LON build, very very fast build (even 10 APS), Frenzy Thorns LON is too weak despite the fact that it is the most difficult build to put together in terms of gear and stats, even secondary stat like thorns in D3. So S17 Frenzy Thorns LON will be able to complete GR 100-115 @ 1000-5000 plvl with 13 Caldesan’s 120-150 lvl but Fire LoN HotA will be able to complete GR 110-125 @ 1000-5000 plvl with 13 Caldesan’s 120-150 lvl. Those GR 110 @ 1000 plvl and GR125 @ 5000 plvl will be able to be completed by skilled players with very well optimized builds. On PTR I cleared GR 116 and 117 with 3700 plvl on SC, Mefesto cleared GR 122 with 4926 plvl on HC. Of course, Fire LoN HotA will not be the best barbarian build for solo. Fire R6 HotA will be the best build. FC IK6/R4, Fire IK HotA, Fire EQ MotE, Physical SS/EQ MotE, Cold SS MotE, Cold SS MotE6/IK2, Cold SS MotE6/IK4, Physical BK WW WotW, Lighting IB WW WotW, Physical IB WW WotW will be weaker than in S16 due to lack of free RoRG buff but will be able to complete GR 100-125 @ 800-5000 plvl, etc.
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Creating the build
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The choice is:
Hammer of the Ancients
Cost: 20 Fury
Call forth a massive hammer to smash enemies directly in front of you for 535% weapon damage. Hammer of the Ancients has a 1% increased Critical Hit Chance for every 5 Fury that you have.
After checking and evaluating runes the choice is:
Smash
Smash for 640% weapon damage as Fire.
So our build is relied on Fire damage.
Therefore we need ancient legendary items which buff fire damage.
There are:
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Cindercoat
Cindercoat is a legendary chest armor.
Fire skills deal up to 20% more damage.
Additionally this chest armor reduces the resource cost of Fire skills by 23–30%. -
Magefist
The Magefist are legendary gloves.
These are the only gloves to increase damage done by Fire skills.
Fire skills deal up to 20% more damage. -
Swamp Land Waders (SLW)
These are the only pants that can specifically increase damage done by skills of a specific element. While it can (potentially) roll any damage type, it only drops for Witch Doctors via Smart Loot.
Fire skills deal up to 20% more damage. -
The Burning Axe of Sankis (TBAoS)
The Burning Axe of Sankis is a legendary axe.
It is one of the two one-handed weapons (the other being Devastator) with a bonus to damage dealt through Fire skills.
Fire skills deal up to 20% more damage…
Moreover this axe has special property which is absolutely identical to the unmodified Barbarian skill Ignore Pain with a separate cooldown; reduces all damage taken by 50% for 5 seconds, can occur once every 15-30 seconds. -
Devastator
Devastator is a crafted legendary mace.
Devastator is one of the two non-class-specific one-handed weapons (the other being The Burning Axe of Sankis) that can increase damage dealt by Fire skills.
Fire skills deal up to 20% more damage.
6.1. Bracers of the First Man (BotFM)
The Bracers of the First Men are legendary bracers.
Fire skills deal up to 20% more damage.
What is most important, these braces has to be used in this build because the unique affix greatly empowers the Hammer of the Ancients.
Hammer of the Ancients attacks 50% faster and deals 375-500% increased damage.
6.2. Strongarm Bracers (SA)
The Strongarm Bracers are legendary bracers.
Fire skills deal up to 20% more damage.
Moreover enemies hit by knockbacks suffer 20–30% more damage for 6 seconds.
7.1. Eye of Etlich (EoE)
The Eye of Etlich is a legendary amulet.
Fire skills deal up to 20% more damage.
Furthermore EoE offers the highest ranged damage reduction per item in game (up to 35% at level 70).
7.2. Hellfire amulet (HFA)
Fire skills deal up to 20% more damage.
The Hellfire Amulet is a craftable legendary amulet.
The Hellfire Amulet gives the character 5th passive skill.
7.3. The Flavor of Time
The Flavor of Time is a legendary amulet.
Fire skills deal up to 20% more damage.
This amulet has a guaranteed set of cooldown reduction and movement speed, and has a total of 5 Primary affixes.
7.4. The Star of Azkaranth
The Star of Azkaranth is a legendary amulet.
Fire skills deal up to 20% more damage.
This is one of the five amulets that can make a character completely immune to one type of damage (in this case, Fire), but this amulet is the rarest of them all in terms of drop rate!
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Andariel’s Visage
Andariel’s Visage is a legendary helm.
Fire skills deal up to 20% more damage.
In addition to guaranteed Attack Speed bonus (which is normally not available on helms), this helm also offers an elemental skill damage bonus, which normally cannot roll on a helm.
In return, this item slightly increases Fire damage taken (free 7th affix). This modifier is applied multiplicatively and does not decrease any of the character’s stats.
Let’s evaluate how many items with fire buff we should have to be optimal.
1.2 : 1 = 1.2 so we have 20% more fire dmg with 1 item with fire damage vs lack of items with fire damage
1.4 : 1.2 = 1.1(6) so we have 16.(6)% more fire dmg with 2 items with fire damage vs 1 item with fire damage
1.6 : 1.4 = 1.143 so we have 14.3% more fire dmg with 3 items with fire damage vs 2 items with fire damage
1.8 : 1.6 = 1.125 so we have 12.5% more fire dmg with 4 items with fire damage vs 3 items with fire damage
2.0 : 1.8 = 1.(1) so we have 11.(1)% more fire dmg with 5 items with fire damage vs 4 items with fire buff
2.2 : 2.0 = 1.1 so we have 10% more fire dmg with 6 items with fire damage vs 5 items with fire damage
2.4 : 2.2 = 1.(09) so we have 9.(09)% more fire dmg with 7 items with fire damage vs 6 items with fire damage
2.6 : 2.4 = 1.08(3) so we have 8.(3)% more fire dmg with 8 items with fire damage vs 7 items with fire damage
Conclusions about fire damage
- So the more items we have with fire damage the less benefits they give after adding next item with fire damage.
- I do not recommend 8 items with fire damage.
- I do not recommend Andariel’s Visage because we lose possibility to have Leoric’s Crown (CDR!) or Strongarm Bracers because we do have to use Bracers of the First Man on our barb or in cube.
- I do not recommend 2 weapons with fire damage because we have better option. I mean Sun Keeper which is a legendary mace. It provides the largest bonus (up to 30.0%) to damage against elites of all one-handed weapons.
- I recommend The Burning Axe of Sankis so I do not recommend Devastator because TBAoS has special property.
- I recommend 6 items with fire damage so you can have up to 120% fire damage. It is 2.2 multiplicator for fire skills.
- Swamp Land Waders can make some problems so we have to create WD (70 lvl) to have them
![:wink:](https://d1hnj6esvk269c.cloudfront.net/en/d3/images/emoji/twitter/wink.png?v=6" ":wink:")
They should have 18+% fire, vit, AR, 2 sockets, LpK and int so we can roll int to str. Roll int to str on barb!
To complete our build we have to have:
Pride of Cassius (PoC)
The Pride of Cassius is a legendary mighty belt. Remember mighty belt!
Increases the duration of Ignore Pain by 4–6 seconds.
Leoric’s Crown
Leoric’s Crown is a legendary helm.
Increases the effect of any non-Legendary gem socketed into the helm by 75–100%.
Illusory Boots
Illusory Boots are legendary boots. They require a Character Level of 12 to drop, and can only be found in Act II and Act IV Horadric Caches.
Their special property allows player to move freely through enemies (and walls created by the Waller affix). This applies even during the forced movement skill such as Furious Charge.
Convention of Elements (CoE)
The Convention of Elements is a legendary ring.
Gain 150–200% increased damage to a single element for 4 seconds.
This effect rotates through the elements available to your class in the following order: Arcane, Cold, Fire, Holy, Lightning, Physical, Poison.
This effect rotates through 4 elements for barbarians in the following order: Cold, Fire, Lightning, Physical.
Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac (ORotZ)
This ring can have:
Attack Speed Increased by 5.0–7.0%
Critical Hit Chance Increased by 4.5–6.0%
Reduces cooldown of all skills by 5.0–8.0%.
Reduces the remaining cooldown of one of the skills by 1 second when hitting with a resource-spending attack.
The unique affix triggers once per cast (once per tick for channeled skills) for any damaging attack that costs resource, and randomly reduces the cooldown of one currently recharging skill by one second. This ring is extremely powerful for builds relying on long-recharging skill such Wrath of the Berserker. We have to have ORotZ for Ignore Pain too because we do not want to have a lot of items with cdr to be able to have other important stats like AD, % fire, str, vit, AR and sockets.
To complete our build we should have:
Sun Keeper
Sun Keeper is a legendary mace.
It provides the largest bonus (up to 30.0%) to damage against elites of all one-handed weapons.
Pauldrons of the Skeleton King
Pauldrons of the Skeleton King are legendary pauldrons. They require character level 12 to drop, and can only be found within a Horadric Cache from Act I or Act IV.
When receiving fatal damage, there is a chance that you are instead restored to 25% of maximum Life and cause nearby enemies to flee in fear. The pauldrons can be valuable for players in Hardcore mode for giving them an extra chance to save their hero from dying. The chance is approximately 15%, but it has no cooldown.
We need in the cube:
Gavel of Judgment (GoJ) is a legendary two-handed mighty weapon. Hammer of the Ancients deals 600–800% (800% in the cube) increased damage and returns 25 Fury if it hits 3 or less enemies.
Strongarm Bracers (SA) or Bracers of the First Man (BotFM)
BoM or CoE
What should I have in cube? BotFM or SA? BoM or CoE?
Hammer of the Ancients attacks 50% faster and deals 375-500% increased damage.
500% means 6.0 multiplicator, 475% means 5.75 multiplicator, 450% means 5.5 multiplicator but 375% means only 4.75 multiplicator.
You have to divide e.g 6 : 5.75 = 1.0434 to check how many you gain/lose. In this scenario 500% BotFM is better than 475% BotFM by 4.34%.
The same way check your SA (20–30%) if you have to do it. Remember BotFM buff always when you use HotA but SA buff sometimes - usually. It depends on type of the monsters and the way of playing.
Band of Might is a legendary ring.
After casting Furious Charge, Ground Stomp, or Leap, take 60–80% reduced damage for 8 seconds.
We need at least 75+% reduced damage and good stats to even consider to have it on barb so CoE in the cube. We can have 190+% CoE with good stats on barb so BoM in the cube.
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The build
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Active skills:
Here are the essential skills for the Fire LoN HOtA:
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Hammer of the Ancients (HotA) with Smash rune
This is the build’s main skill and damage dealer. -
Wrath of the Berserker (WotB) with Insanity rune
As a separate damage multiplier, this skill is a major booster shot to the build’s DPS. It boost attack speed via ASI. It also boosts your toughness (Dodge) and movement speed. You want this active almost always or always. It depends on your cdr, ORotZ and APS. -
Battle Rage (BR) with Bloodshed rune
Bloodshed is a massive AOE damage boost. Since it does 20% of recent critical hit damage to nearby enemies every second, it scales nicely with attack speed, crit chance and crit damage, and density. You want to spam this skill, but only enough for a healing via Life per Fury spend. Don’t spam this skill non-stop because of the fact ORotZ can randomly reduce the cooldown of e.g Battle Rage instead of Wrath of the Berserker or Ignore Pain. -
Ignore Pain (IP) with Ignorance is Bliss rune
This skill mitigates 50% incomming damage, provides CC immunity, and offers a massive amount of healing. It’s vital to keep this skill up and running at all times (hence why we wear the 6-second-PoC). If you’re a little short on CDR or having trouble managing cooldowns via ORotZ, another option is to use Iron Hide for the extra uptime. This gives you more leeway, but you will lose a lot of healing which, depending on your gear and Paragon, you may need. -
Furious Charge (FC) with Stamina rune
We charge to gain BoM bonus, to move very fast, even too proc SA. Use it at least once per 8 seconds and use it when you want to skip floor. It generate 10 additional Fury for each enemy hit while charging. You can use Merciless Assault rune so your Recharge time can be reduced by 2 seconds for every enemy hit. This effect can reduce the recharge time by up to 10 seconds. Remember about fury without Stamina rune. -
Ancient Spear with rune Rage Flip
Add a chain to the spear to throw all enemies hit behind you and Slow them by 60% for 1 second. Barbarians know that density is the key so we has to create big, even huge density because of Bloodshed, AD, IP and WotB. So density, density and density so Pain Enhancer.
Passive Skills:
They are very important to make build viable.
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Rampage : Large damage and toughness boost because it increases Strength by 1% for 8 seconds after killing or assisting in killing an enemy. This effect stacks up to 25 times.
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Ruthless : Big damage boost because you deal 40% additional damage to enemies below 30% health.
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Boon of Bul-Kathos : Helps keeping almost perma-WotB or perma-WotB because it reduces the cooldowns of WotB by 30 seconds.
4.1. Brawler : damage boost (20% dibs) as long as there are 3 enemies within 12 yards and you do not have to have still active when you dump Fury.
or
4.2. Berserker Rage : Big damage boost (25% dibs) if you have 95+% Fury so sometimes and always if you hit 3 or less enemies.
Of course, you can even choose Relentless or Nerves of Steel or Superstition instead of Brawler or Berserker Rage.
Gear:
You’ll need 6 ancient items with fire damage and 7 other ancient items listed above. Good ancient items are the goal, ideal rolls are important. Good secondary rolls are absolutely crucial for pushing top tiers.
-
Helm (Leoric’s Crown)
100% effect (at least 95%)
15% HotA dmg
6% CHC
1000 Strength
socket + diamond
Secondaries: +210 Physical/Poison/Lightning resist
Augment: 600-750 Strength -
Chest (Cindercoat)
20% fire dmg
Strength
All Res
3 sockets + 3 diamonds
Secondaries: 6+% reduced ranged or melee damage, reduces the resource cost of Fire skills by 23–30%. The higher % the better. Try having 30%.
Augment: 600-750 Strength -
Pauldrons (Pauldrons of the Skeleton King)
20% AD
8% CDR
Strength
All Res or Vitallity
Secondaries: +210 Physical/Poison/Lightning resist
Augment: 600-750 Strength -
Gloves (Magefist)
20% fire dmg
50% CHD
6% CHC
20% AD
8% CDR
Secondaries: Physical/Poison/Lightning resist
Augment: 600-750 Strength
5.1. Bracers (BotFM)
20% fire damage
6% CHC
Strength
Life per Hit or Vitality
Secondaries: Physical/Poison/Lightning resist
500% HotA damage
Augment: 600-750 Strength
or
5.2. Bracers (Strongarm Bracers)
20% fire damage
6% CHC
Strength
Life per Hit or Vitality
Secondaries: Physical/Lightning/Poison resist or 7% reduced ranged damage or 7% reduced melee damage
Enemies hit by knockbacks suffer 30% increased damage for 6 seconds.
Augment: 600-750 Strength
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Belt (Pride of Cassius)
Strength
Vitality
All Res
15% Life or LpFs (if you need it to heal)
+6 seconds to Ignore Pain
Secondaries: + 10-12 Max Fury. You need only 10 Max Fury to have 160 Max Fury. Do not roll from 10 to 12!
Augment: 600-750 Strength -
Pants (Swamp Land Waders)
20% fire damage
Strength
Vitality
All Res
2 sockets + 2 diamonds
Secondaries: Life After Kill
Augment: 600-750 Strength -
Boots (Illusory Boots)
15% HotA dmg
Strength
Vitality
All Res
Secondaries: Pick up
Augment: 600-750 Strength -
Ring 1 (ORotZ)
8% CDR
7% ASI
6% CHC
socket + LGem
Secondaries: Physical/Lightning/Poison resist, Life After Kill
Augment: 600-750 Strength
10.1. Ring 2 (BoM)
50% CHD
6% CHC
7% ASI
socket + LGem
75+% damage reduction
Secondaries: Physical/Lightning/Poison resist
Augment: 600-750 Strength
or
10.2. Ring 2 (CoE)
50% CHD
6% CHC
7% ASI
socket + LGem
195+% elemental damage bonus
Secondaries: Physical/Lightning/Poison resist
Augment: 600-750 Strength
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Amulet (EoE)
20% fire damage
100% CHD
10% CHC
socket + LGem
Secondaries: 35% reduced ranged damage,
7% reduced melee damage
Augment: 600-750 Strength -
Weapon 1 (axe) (The Burning Axe of Sankis)
dmg
20% fire damage
10% dmg
24% AD (see below)
socket + emerald
Secondaries: Life After Kill
Augment: 600-750 Strength -
Weapon 2 (mace) (Sun Keeper)
dmg
30% elite dmg
10% CDR
7% IAS
socket + emerald
Secondaries: Life After Kill
Augment: 600-750 Strength
Legendary Gems:
Bane of the Trapped - dps
Bane of the Stricken - dps
Pain Enhancer because we need more ASI and this build is created to play in big-huge density (see Ancient Spear).
Gems:
helm - diamond. Always!
chest - 3 diamonds because we will not use War Cry but Ancient Spear
pants - 2 diamonds because we will not use War Cry but Ancient Spear
But if you want to have some rubies in chest armor and/or pants put into them 1-5 rubies
Distribution of Paragon points
Core: Maximum Fury, 50 Fury is like 10% CHC because Hammer of the Ancients has a 1% increased Critical Hit Chance for every 5 Fury that you have --> Movement speed --> Strength/Vitality to have 600,000-900.000 Life
Offense: CHD --> CHC --> CDR --> ASI
Defense: All Res --> Life --> Armor --> LpS
Utility: Area Damage --> LpH --> ^$$^ -->RCR (I do recommend it despite the fact it affect our healing via LpFS)
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Fire IK HotA vs Fire LoN HotA
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Those builds have BoM (80% DR). IK HotA has CotA + TaO (50% DR) and LoN HotA has 52% DR (LoN bonus). IK HotA has War Cry (Impunity or Veteran’s Warning) or Treathening Shout + Demoralize (20% DR) and Istvan’s Paired Blades (30% increased Armor for 5 seconds @ 5 stacks). LoN HotA needs more DR too so it is IP (50% DR) but it require a lot of cdr and/or ORotZ and IAS and ASI, a lot of ASI. The problem is that LoN HotA build does not have Perma-WotB too for free like IK HotA has without any problems. What is more The Burning Axe of Sankis (1.3 APS without IAS) and Sun Keeper (1.284 with 7% IAS) are slower than non-IAS Istvan’s Paired Blades (1.4/1.4 APS) and I’sPB gives 30% ASI and 30% Damage for 5 seconds @ 5 stacks. So IK HotA easily reaches 15 FPA, 4 TPS. Therefore LoN HotA needs IAS on slower weapon so weapons can have almost the same APS (1.3/1.284). In this moment our build have only 0.5 ASI (0.15 - dual wielding, 0.1 - paragon, 0.25 - WotB) and we reaches only 20 FPA, 3 TPS on both weapons. It is huge disaster. We are very very slow!
I wrote earlier about a lot of ASI which we need so it is only one possibility. So we need 7% ASI on both rings but we reaches only 18 FPA, 3.33 TPS on both weapons. It is big disaster. We are still very very slow! We can’t have more ASI on items because we need AD and cdr too so we need new source/sources of ASI. Enchantress? It is only next 0.03 ASI (Focuses Mind) and we still are at only 18 FPA, 3.33 TPS on both weapons. It is disaster. We are still very very slow! We need Pain Enhancer to have a lot of ASI. Every bleeding enemy gives 0.03 ASI.
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ASI
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ASI:
0.15 - dual wielding
0.1 - paragon
0.25 - WotB. It is the reason too that we have Ancient Spear, approx. 50% cdr, ORotZ and Pain Enhancer to have 0.25 ASI via WotB and to have Perma-WotB via Ancient Spear, approx. 50% cdr, ORotZ and Pain Enhancer and 0.25 ASI. It is consistent.
0.14 - 2 rings or 1 ring and gloves
0.03 - Focuses Mind (Enchantress’ skill)
0.03 - 1 bleeding enemy (Pain Enhancer)
This is 0.7 ASI. We are still at only 18 FPA, 3.33 TPS on both weapons. It is disaster. We are still very very slow! So guardian without adds means only 18 FPA, 3.33 TPS on both weapons. We need Saxtris, Hammelin, Binder, etc. but we can kill single-target guardian too.
GR consists of 2 parts. First part it is reaching 100%. It is a reason that we have Pain Enhancer and Ancient Spear with rune Rage Flip.
Add a chain to the spear to throw all enemies hit behind you and Slow them by 60% for 1 second.
Barbarians know that density is the key to win so we have to create big, even huge density. Why? Area Damage! Bloodshed! But there are other reasons too. It is ASI to reach FPA 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, etc. It is Perma-IP and Perma-WotB via ORotZ. We need those 0.25 ASI from WotB too. Now we can understand that creating big density, very big density, huge density via Rage Flip and Pain Enhancer causes that our build is consistent. Forget about WC or TS instead of Rage Flip. Your build will not be consistent. You can play IK HotA in this scenario but 95-99% players make big mistake when they do not use Ancient Spear playing IK HotA too.
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FPA
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So LoN HotA reaches:
1 bleeding enemy - 18/18 FPA
2 bleeding enemy - 17/18 FPA
3 bleeding enemy - 17/17 FPA
5 bleeding enemy - 16/17 FPA
6 bleeding enemy - 16/16 FPA
9 bleeding enemy - 15/16 FPA
10 bleeding enemy - 15/15 FPA
14 bleeding enemy - 14/15 FPA
15 bleeding enemy - 14/14 FPA
19 bleeding enemy - 13/14 FPA
20 bleeding enemy - 13/13 FPA
26 bleeding enemy - 12/13 FPA
27 bleeding enemy - 12/12 FPA
33 bleeding enemy - 11/12 FPA
34 bleeding enemy - 11/11 FPA
42 bleeding enemy - 10/11 FPA
43 bleeding enemy - 10/10 FPA
53 bleeding enemy - 9/10 FPA
54 bleeding enemy - 9/9 FPA
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Important numbers
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CDR
CDR - 52.69% to have Perma-IP and perma-WotB but we don’t have Perma-IP and Perma-WotB without ORotZ and IAS and ASI. Perma-IP @ 52.69% with ORotZ is easy to maintain. But Perma-WotB is not so easy. So do not spam IP because it will consume ORotZ.
In this scenario IP has 3.19 seconds downtime so we will have always Perma-IP because ORotZ reduces the cooldown for sure easily even @ 18/18 FPA . In this scenario WotB has 22.57 seconds downtime so we need this 52.69% cdr because less cdr (e.g 47.44% cdr) means 27.31 seconds downtime for WotB. So we have ORotZ mainly to maintain Perma-WotB bacause Perma-IP is possible without ORotZ because barb can have even 63.96% cdr without Gogok. Perma-IP is above 63.16% cdr without ORotZ and without Gogok. We do have to have Pain Enhancer to have consistent build. We do need IAS, ASI, AD, CHC, CHD, fire damage, str, vit, All Res too. So approximately 50% cdr is needed and 48-52% cdr is our golden mean to have other important stats.
CHC
CHC - 99%:
Native - 5%
Paragon - 5%
BR - 3%
WotB - 10%. It is the reason too that we have Ancient Spear, approx. 50% cdr, ORotZ and Pain Enhancer to have 10% CHC via Perma-WotB.
Amulet - 10%. Always you have to have 9+% CHC on this amulet.
Gloves - 10%. Always you have to have 9+% CHC on those gloves.
Helmet - 6%. Try having 5.5+% CHC on this helmet and 13.5+% HotA dmg too. You can sacrifice CHC for Vit because Vit rolls up to 1000 on this helmet.
Bracers - 6%
Ring 1 - 6%
Ring 2 - 6%
Fury - 32% (100+12+50):5=162:5=32% (rounded down) (read above about Distribution of Paragon points and about Pride of Cassius)
Do not sacrifice more than one 6% roll of CHC and if you do it you will do it on helmet to have up to 1000 Vit.
CHD
CHD - 560%:
Native - 50%
Paragon - 50%
Weapon 1 - 130%. Always put Emerald into this socket. It is not Frenzy Thorns LoN build or zbarb
Weapon 2 - 130%. Always put Emerald into this socket.
Amulet - 100%. Always you have to have 90+% CHD on this amulet.
Gloves - 50%. Always you have to have 45+% CHD on those gloves.
Ring 1 - 50% Always you have to have 45+% CHD on this ring.
AD
AD - 114%:
Paragon - 50%
Weapon 1 - 24%
Pauldrons - 20% AD
Gloves or ring - 20%
Fire Damage
Fire dmg - 120%:
Amulet - 20%. Always you have to have 18+% on this amulet.
Bracers - 20%. Always you have to have 18+% on those bracers.
Gloves (Magefist) - 20%. Always you have to have 18+% on those gloves.
Chest (Cindercoat) - 20%. Always you have to have 18+% on this chest.
Pants (Swamp Land Waders) - 20%. Remember about WD. Always you have to have 18+% on those pants.
Weapon 1 (axe) (The Burning Axe of Sankis) - 20%.
This category is 2.2 multiplicator which always works with Smash.
HotA Damage
HotA dmg - 30%
Boots - 15%. Always you have to have 13.5+% on those boots.
Helmet - 15%. Always you have to have 13.5+% on this helmet. Do not sacrifice HotA dmg to have CHC. You can only sacrifice CHC to have Vit on this helmet.
Dibs
Dibs - 93%/98%:
HotA dmg - 30%
Battle Rage - 10%
Brawler - 20% or Berserker Rage - 25% (read above about passive skills)
Strongarm Bracers - 30%
Erosion - 3% (Enchantress’ skill)
This dibs category is 1.93/1.98 muliplicator but it can be even only 1.4 very very seldom, 1.43 very very seldom, sometimes 1.6/1.65 or 1.63/1.68, sometimes 1.73, sometimes 1.9/1.95 and sometimes 1.93/1.98 because … (read above about passive skills and Strongarm Bracers).
Life
Life - 600,000-900,000.
Be alive to pull them and smash them to kill them all. You are a worrior. You need trifecta items even rolling a lot of Vitality to other good stats.
Do not be afraid of having less than 400,000 Life from items. You need 13+% Life on PoC.
See Distribution of Paragon points.
See above those gloves stats! Amazing quadfecta, even quinfecta ![:smile:](https://d1hnj6esvk269c.cloudfront.net/en/d3/images/emoji/twitter/smile.png?v=6" ":smile:")
Defense
There are different ways of reducing incoming damage.
Damage reduction - 95.2/97.6% with 50% DR from IP via Sankis:
BoM - 80%
IP - 50%
LoN set’s DR - 52% (13 ancient items)
Sankis - 50% (Ignore Pain with a separate cooldown which reduces all damage taken by 50% for 5 seconds and can occur once every 15-30 seconds.
Armor - 90+%
The more armor the better. Barb do not have issue with armor but with resistance.
Resistance - 1,100+. Lightning, Poison and Cold Resistance - 1300+. Physical Resistance - 1500+.
Paragon - 250
Diamonds - 390
Intelligence - 7
Belt (PoC) - 120+. Always!
Pants (SLW) -120+. Always! It can be very very hard because fire dmg is our goal on SLW.
Boots (Illusory Boots) - 120+. Always!
Chest (Cindercoat) - 120+ Always! Do not sacrifice All Res to have Vitality. Always roll Vit to All Res.
Try having at least 360+ Physical, 180+ Lightning, 180+ Cold and 180+ Poison Resistance in Secendary stats.
The more resistance the better. Do not sacrifice All Res to have Vitality. Do not sacrifice All Res to have Physical/L/P/C/F/A/H Resistance.
Put 5 diamonds into chest and pants because we will not use War Cry but Ancient Spear. Even though you have War Cry with Impunity you should use 5 diamonds because IK HotA players know that our resistance is not good and it is a big problem.
Ranged (Missile) Damage Reduction: 34+%
Amulet (Eye of Etlich) - 30+%
Missile Ward (Enchantress’ skill) - 6%
Melee Damage Reduction: 16+%
Amulet - 6+%
Chest - 6+%
Bracers - 6+%
Dodge Chance: 20%
WotB - 20%
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Recovery
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Recovery is very important to be alive. You will be losing life to your death without any healing even if it will last some time (e.g 5 or 10 or 15 or 20 or even 29.99 seconds). A potion grants instant 60% health refill and adds a special legendary bonus but has 30 second cooldown. Your potion can heal you but you still has to be alive to be healed. Bottomless potion of the diamond or Bottomless Potion of the Leech or Bottomless Potion of Mutilation are good choice for our potion. Only potions are not solution. You need effective healing. You can recover via LpS, LpH, LpFs and LpK. Do not underestimate LpH (on one item like e.g on a bracers), LpS, LpFs (on PoC if you need it) and LpK (in secondary stats).You have to evaluate your healing abilities to know what you need to recover in GR 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, … taking into consideration your build like one organism consisting of many parts.
LpS: 10,728 (Paragon)
LpH: 8,046 (Paragon) or 18,500+ with one LpH on a bracers
LpFs: only via IP (Ignorance is Bliss) or via LpFs on our belt too so Fury Cost Reduction can be our enemy too. Read about Distribution of Paragon points.
LpK: 20,000+ or 26,600+
Weapon 1 - 10,000+
Weapon 2 - 10,000+
Pants (SLW) - 6,600+
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Fury managment
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You have to have 160-162 Maximum Fury with 10-12 Fury on PoC. It is not negotiable.
You have to/can/should reduce Fury cost in at least 2 ways.
You have to have Cindercoat.
You have to have 30% on it.
This 30% reduces the Fury cost of only Fire skills and this reduction is very good for us.
It means that our cost is only 20 * 0.7 = 14 Fury for Smash.
Battle Rage (if you use it for healing via LpFs) is not affected by this 30% because BR is not fire skill.
You can (if you want) reduce Fury cost via 10% RCR in Utility.
It affects your healing abilities but only via LpFs and only by 10%.
30% and 10% cause that your Fury cost for Smash is only 20 * 0.7 * 0.9 = 12.6.
I have changed my point of view and now I do recommend 30% on Cindercoat and 10% RCR in Utility too.
Why?
Firstly, the most important is our damage via HotA (Smash) and we want to smash enemies so we need the lowest Fury cost (12.6).
Secondly, this 10% RCR affects our healing abilities a bit and only via LpFs.
Thirdly, you can’t only recover via LpFs. You have to recover via LpS, LpH and LpK.
Do not underestimate LpH on your items (on at least 1 item), e.g on your bracers.
Do not underestimate LpK in secondary stats. Read above about recovery, please.
Fourthly, you can have FC with Stamina rune which generates 10 Fury for each enemy hit while charging plus 15 Fury for using this skill. It means that when you hit 15 enemies you get 15 * 10 + 15 = 165 so you get 160-162 Fury (100%).
What is more, you have to use FC every 7.99 seconds to activate 80% Damage Reduction via BoM.
Additionaly, you want to use FC to be in Oculus circle or avoid some dangerous situations.
Furthermore, do not spam Battle Rage to heal. Use it when it is needed or when there are less than 3 enemies.
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Follower
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Enchantress
Forceful Push should not be used. Choose 3-4 skills so: Missile Ward, Erosion and Focused Mind.
Smoking Thurible, Oculus Ring 85%, Wyrdward, Dovu Energy Trap or The Ess of Johan or Overwhelming Desire, Thunderfury or Fulminator or Eun-jang-do or Azurewrath
Stack IAS and cdr on this weapon. Stack ASI, cdr, CHC on other items.
Templar
Choose Heal, Loyalty, Onslaught and Inspire or Guardian.
Enchanting Favor, Oculus Ring 85%, Bul-Kathos’s Wedding Band, Dovu Energy Trap or The Ess of Johan or Overwhelming Desire, Thunderfury or Fulminator or Eun-jang-do or Azurewrath, Freeze of Deflection
Stack IAS and cdr on this weapon. Stack ASI, cdr, CHC on other items. Stack Chance to Block on relic and shield if you need it (freeze).
Bul-Kathos’s Wedding Band drains life from enemies so those enemies are bleeding enemies so templar helps us increasing number of bleeding enemies if we use PE.
Wyrdward on Enchantress if you want to have a way for stun. Dovu Energy Trap increases duration of stun effects by 20-25%. You have to evaluate how many ways of stunning/freezing mobs you have and need. Do not be greedy. Do you need stun/freeze? Do you need knockback? Stunned/frozen mobs can not be knocked back. Stunned/frozen mobs can not be pulled too via Rage Flip. Remember about it.
The Ess of Johan can help us grouping mobs or hinder us. Overwhelming Desire is used to have 35% increased damage (dibs category) because it charms enemy on hit for 2-3 seconds. The chance is 15% but it is affected by Proc Rate which seems to be low.
Charmed enemy takes 35% increased damage. In this scenario we can use first skill called Charm.
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Terminology
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LoN - Legacy of Nightmares (a set consisted of 2 rings)
HotA - Hammer of the Ancients
IAS - Increased Attack Speed (can be on weapons)
ASI - Attack Speed Increase
FPA - Frames Per Animation
TPS - Ticks Per Seconds
APS - Attacks Per Seconds
CHD - Critical Hit Damage (up to 50% on an item, up to 100% on an amulet)
CHC - Critical Hit Chance (up to 6% on an item, up to 100% on an amulet)
AD - Area Damage (up to 20% on an item, up to 24% on weapons)
CDR - Cooldown Reduction (up to 8% on a item, up to 10% on weapons)
RCR – Resource Cost Reduction
LpFs – Life per Fury spend
LaK - Life after each Kill
LpH - Life per Hit
LpS - Life per Second
str - Strength
int - Intelligence
vit - Vitality
AR or All Res - Resistance to All Elements
DR - Damage Reduction
dibs - damage increased by skills
PoC - Pride of Cassius
SLW - Swamp Land Waders
BotFM - Bracers of the First Man
SA - Strongarm Bracers
TBAoS or Sankis - The Burning Axe of Sankis
GoJ - Gavel of Judgment
EoE - Eye of Etlich
HFA - Hellfire amulet
CoE - Convention of Elements
BoM - Band of Might
ORotZ - Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac
BotT - Bane of the Trapped
BotS - Bane of the Stricken
PE - Pain Enhancer
WotB - Wrath of the Berserker
BR - Battle Rage
IP - Ignore Pain
FC - Furious Charge
CotA - Call of the Ancients
TaO - Together as One
WC - War Cry
TS - Treathening Shout
IK - Immortal King’s Call set
I’sPB or IB - Istvan’s Paired Blades
Fire R6 HotA - build based on The Legacy of Raekor set utilizing HotA as main damage dealer
Fire IK HotA - build based on Immortal King’s Call set utilizing HotA as main damage dealer
Fire EQ MotE - build based on Might of the Earth set utilizing Earthquake with Molten Fury rune as main damage dealer
Physical SS/EQ MotE - build based on Might of the Earth set utilizing Seismic Slam with Rumble rune and Earthquake as main damage dealers
Cold SS MotE - build based on Might of the Earth set utilizing Seismic Slam with Permafrost rune as main damage dealer
Cold SS MotE6/IK2 - build based on Might of the Earth set and Immortal King’s Call set utilizing Seismic Slam with Permafrost rune as main damage dealer
Cold SS MotE6/IK4 - build based on Might of the Earth set and Immortal King’s Call set utilizing Seismic Slam with Permafrost rune as main damage dealer
Physical BK WW WotW - build based on Wrath of the Wastes set and Bul-Kathos’s Oath set utilizing Whirlwind with Blood Funnel runes as main damage dealer
Lighting IB WW WotW - build based on Wrath of the Wastes set and Istvan’s Paired Blades set utilizing Whirlwind with Wind Shear rune as main damage dealer
Physical IB WW WotW - build based on Wrath of the Wastes set and Istvan’s Paired Blades set utilizing Whirlwind with Blood Funnel rune as main damage dealer
FC IK6/R4 - build based on Immortal King’s Call set and The Legacy of Raekor set utilizing Furious charge as main damage dealer
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Fire LoN HotA (variant 2)
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This build is almost the same like above.
Active skills - the same
Passive skills - the same
LGems - the same
Gems - the same
Items - some changes:
I have chosen 2 daggers because they are the fastest one-handed weapons.
Base APS of daggers is 1.5 and 1.6 with 7% IAS on them. We do not have any ASI in variant 2.
Pig Sticker
1365-1700 Damage
10% Damage
10% CDR
7% IAS
1000 Strength
Socket + Emerald
30% Damage to Beasts
30% Damage to Humans
Augment: 600-750 Strength
Envious Blade
1365-1700 Damage
10% Damage
1000 Strength
7% IAS
Socket + Emerald
Life After Kill
Augment: 600-750 Strength
CoE - on our barb
50% CHD
6% CHC
24% AD
Socket + LGem
195+% Elemental Damage Bonus
Physical/Lightning/Cold/Poison resist
Augment: 600-750 Strength
Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac (ORotZ) - in cube
New numbers
CHD - 610% (better than variant 1)
AD - 130% ((better than variant 1)
Fire Damage - 100% (a bit worse than variant 1)
CDR - 48.58% cdr (a bit worse than variant 1)
Damage reduction - 95.2% (sometimes worse than variant 1)
Damage to Beasts on Pig Sticker - 30% (better in some scenario)
Damage to Humans on Pig Sticker - 30% (better in some scenario)
APS on both weapons with 7% IAS - 1.6 (much better than variant 1)
Elite Damage - 0% - (much worse than variant 1)
FPA
So this fire LoN HotA build reaches with 7% IAS on both weapons, Focused Mind, Pain Enhancer and bleeding enemy:
1 bleeding enemy - 16 FPA
2 bleeding enemy - 15 FPA
6 bleeding enemy - 14 FPA
10 bleeding enemy - 13 FPA
15 bleeding enemy - 12 FPA
21 bleeding enemy - 11 FPA
28 bleeding enemy - 10 FPA
37 bleeding enemy - 9 FPA
48 bleeding enemy - 8 FPA
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Fire LoN HotA on PTR
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GR 122 13:38 @ 4926 plvl (HC)
GR 119 14:56 @ 6071 plvl (CotA)
GR 117 13:49 @ 3758 plvl
GR 115 13:58 @ 2296 plvl (CotA + Gogok)
GR 115 14:38 @ 4400 plvl (CotA)
GR 113 11:58 @ 4245 plvl (CotA + Gogok)
GR 111 13:51 @ 2219 plvl
GR 111 14:20 @ 2529 plvl
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Change Log
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7/10/2019: Guide created in new forum.