Sup all. This is going to be a pretty long post, just wanted to put that out there now. This is a compilation of data analyzed as well as personal testing on a daily basis and I wanted to get this out before I get too busy with covid-19 restrictions letting up. I plan on giving my overall opinions at the very end.
**SKILLS**
1. Hungering Arrow: Devouring.
This is the number 1 and undisputed champion in the GoD6 setup. No other primary comes close and no other rune comes close. Only in T16 and bounty runes will it be outclassed by the Shatter Shot rune now that the bug has been fixed. In early season/low paragon, if youâre running T16 and bounties in group, Devouring Arrow may be slightly little better than shatter shot until your DH gains a little more power.
2. Smoke Screen.
Slotting smoke screen is a good choice for both speeds and high end GRâs. Just about all runes are viable in their own way, with displacement most likely being preferred in speeds due to itâs speed stacked with tactical advantage passive, while the others will depend on need or even just preference. Smoke screen, with itâs inherent 15% movement speed buff as well, allows you to get out of sticky situations that other wise may have caused your demise. Great against RGâs.
3. Shadow Power.
In my opinion, this is the sleeper skill. Youâll see more of the glide rune for speeds, but in high end GRâs, Gloom is a god send. Not only are you gaining 35% more DR, but youâre also gaining a lot of extra sustain with itâs life on hit, making you very hard to kill as long as youâre doing something. For DHâs that feel like theyâre lacking toughness, this is a great skill to use and is my âgo-toâ for my setup.
One cool and unique option that doesnât get any attention is the Night Bane rune. It has a large 30 yard, 80% slow upon activation for 5 seconds, so you can choose to apply your slow/cull/numbing at will. As a nice side effect, you gain a lot of sustain. A neat option for those that may not have an effective way to slow in their setup.
4. Vengeance: Dark Heart.
This is a self explanatory and staple skill. Due to the high DR it gives you, thereâs no reason to consider the other runes. This is basically a must have.
5. Fan of Knives: Bladed Armor.
This skill and rune adds 40% more armor upon cast. Itâs a very popular choice given that you donât have to hit anything to get itâs benefit. Paired with enough cooldown reduction, you can have this buff up almost always. A common option for those wanting more toughness.
6. Companion.
Here, the choices are wolf and boar. Wolf will typically give you very little value here at a mere ~8% damage increase and tends to die often in higher GRâs. Boar on the other hand, gives a decent toughness boost. While Fan of Knives will give you roughly ~11% more toughness, boar gives a little bit of life regen, can aggro mobs and take some hits for you, and requires no management from the user. Solid choice.
7. Strafe.
Because the set doesnât work without it. Rune choice is preference, with drifting shadow seeing the most play due to itâs speed in high end GRâs. Demolition is a decent rune if youâre trying to get slow from thrill of the hunt proc. Icy trails is also good for slow and freezes if you plan on strafing through your targets. I prefer drifting in high end GRâs and Icy trails in speed GRâs.
8. Preparation: Focused Mind.
I did not mention the other runes because the other runes are less valuable and Focused Mind just does the one job you want it to do, better than the others. This is a solid choice for those that intend to use Smoke Screen or Shadow Power and want those skills to have a high up time.
9. Bolas.
Unless blizzard does some adjustments with this skill before patch drops live, you would only slot bolas to make use of itâs pull effect with Leonine. With that said, itâs a very good skill for zDHâs as well as support-hybrid combinations.
10. Entangling Shot.
Good skill. Only used with Odysseyâs End in which will provide a big damage boost as well as a reliable way to slow. It is highly recommended to take the Heavy Burden rune over all others due to itâs duration, as itâs a PITA to have to reapply once all chains fall off.
Chain gain is a decent rune for speeds if one chooses to go this route, but quite a bit of management is necessary.
11. Sentry.
A decent defensive option for those that play more of a stop and go play style if you plan on using Guardian rune. Polar station isnât a bad option for slowing, but there are usually better options out there.
**WEAPONS**
0. Dawn and Ninth Cirri Satchel.
I mention these two weapons together as you will end up using both in almost very scenario. Thereâs very little wiggle room here and at the moment, not worth even mentioning options that donât use both. The following weapons mentioned below assumes these are already slotted.
1. Odysseyâs End.
Perhaps the highest damage option of the bunch. Requires Entangling Shot to use itâs legendary effect. It is the high risk, medium reward, high skill cap variation, with weaving being a must used technique to get the most out of it. More info on that here.
I believe this option will be the least popular due to how unforgiving this variation can be, but will be the âgo-toâ option for those looking for a challenge, enjoy a glass cannon approach, and/or want to inch out more damage with technical/mechanical skill. It is also suggested that you equip this weapon and cube the Dawn. More info on that here.
2. Vallaâs Bequest.
Most popular variant by far. In short, Vallaâs Bequest works by filling in the gap created by the internal cool-down for not being at the optimal strafe break point, thus shooting additional primaries as if itâs at the optimum break point. If you like to dual wield or 1h+ quiver, Vallaâs is a good choice as you cannot reach the optimum strafe break point with either set up. More info on that below:
3. Fortress Ballista.
This variation has a more âlaid backâ approach, requiring the least amount of management. This tough variation allows players to focus more on hitting oculus rings and being able to stay in them a little longer, thanks to the shield this weapon provides. It may not provide as much raw power as the other variations, but itâs ease of approach and toughness puts this in the same realm as the others and will no doubt be a popular variation. Highly recommended for those looking for relaxed game play or players with less experience on DH.
4. 2H Crossbow.
Iâm listing all 2H crossbows here, as they all serve the same purpose. Since strafed generators are not directly effected by attack speed, using a 2H crossbow will provide the biggest punch of any type of weapon you can possibly wear in terms of raw damage.
It does not matter which one you go with, however buriza (not for the pierce effect) is a good choice because of the secondary roll giving a nice bit of freeze chance. Hellrack falls under this similar category with the ability to root enemies.
You can also craft an Arcane Barb 2H crossbow as well. This variation gives the user many different options to achieve a nice weapon with the easiest path possible.
5. Yangs.
I know, get the chuckles out :). While Yangs will not be used in any competitive setup, I believe it is however the undisputed champion in T16 and bounties with itâs near endless hatred and discipline capabilities, allowing you to focus on other things for super speeds.
**NOTABLE MENTIONS**
5. 2H Crossbow.
Iâm listing all 2H crossbows here, as they all serve the same purpose. Since strafed generators are not directly effected by attack speed, using a 2H crossbow will provide the biggest punch of any type of weapon you can possibly wear in terms of raw damage.
It does not matter which one you go with, however buriza (not for the pierce effect) is a good choice because of the secondary roll giving a nice bit of freeze chance. Hellrack falls under this similar category with the ability to root enemies.
You can also craft an Arcane Barb 2H crossbow as well. This variation gives the user many different options to achieve a nice weapon with the easiest path possible.
6. Etrayu.
Decent choice for raw damage, and with itâs 20% to cold roll, makes it almost as strong as a 2H crossbow. If you find a good one, keep it.
7. K-mart Ten-clip.
Ok ok, so itâs actually Kâmar, not K-mart, but the latter sounds way cooler. This strafe bow rolls an additional affix which can be converted into anything you want since strafe damage is irrelevant. It also gives you drifting shadow rune, allowing you to choose a different strafe rune of your choice.
8. LIannaâs Wings.
Canât decide between Smokescreen or Shadow Power? Well, with this weapon, you can use both at the same time!
9. Echoing Fury.
An option that has quickly falling off from itâs PTR glory as weâve gained more understanding of strafe break points and itâs interaction with the 4pc GoD6. Can be useful for super speed T16, but outside of that itâs not recommended for GRâs.
**JEWELRY**
1. Flavor of Time.
This will most likely be the staple in high end GRâs, simply because of how good the legendary effect is when you get the appropriate pylons. The hardest part is rolling a good one.
2. Ess of Johan.
The least popular amulet atm, but I feel itâs a sleeper one. Hungering Arrow is godlike on pulls, meaning you need to make the most out of every pull you see when your follower procs Ess of Johan. Wearing it yourself allows you to essentially double your pull rate, which can up your damage output exponentially with stacked Area Damage. A strong contender for high end GRâs
3. Squirts Necklace.
The glass cannon option. This amulet will be rare to see outside of group play with fortress due to how unbelievably difficult it is to get value out of it during the rift. It does however, shine with shield pylons, making shield pylons the strongest one for Squirts users due to itâs effect and duration.
It is also fantastic on RGâs considering that most RG attacks are pretty easy to dodge and thus a near 100% uptime. Those wearing squirts can consider dropping stricken in high end GRâs.
4. Focus and Restraint.
This will be a staple since strafe procs Focus and Hungering Arrow procs Restraint. Easy peasy, and the damage bonus is good. Rarely will you see setups not using this set.
5. Endless Walk.
This is a good option for those who play a stop and go play style, usually found in Echoing Fury or sometimes Fortress setups. While strafing, you gain toughness. While standing still, you gain damage. Neither takes a while to ramp up. Iâm almost surprised I donât see this set being used more atm, considering how many have reported having toughness issues. This is a big help and a rare gem IMO.
**GEMS**
1. Simplicity Strength.
The staple gem. Every build and setup will use this, no question. There is never a reason to not use this. Slot it.
2. Bane of the Trapped.
Another staple gem. Triggers when you slow a target, no draw backs. Straight damage, usually taken for everything except T16 builds.
3. Boon of the Hoarder.
T16 and bounty speed gem.
4. Bane of the Stricken.
Usually taken in high end GRâs and as a possible group RGK. If the RG is taking longer than 2 1/2 minutes, then youâd strongly want to consider this gem.
5. Zeiâs Stone of Vengeance.
Good gem, but not a popular pick. Usually this gem has to fight for a place against stricken and taeguk, depending on the setup. Thereâs also some misconception surrounding the gem itself. Even if youâre somewhat close to the mob, the damage it does is based on the distance between you and your projectile, NOT the distance between you and the monsters. Since Hungering Arrow travels all over the place, often times youâre getting quite a bit of value out of the gem, no matter where you are.
The downside to this gem is the chance to stun. Because pulls from ess of johan from either you or your follow is extremely important, the stun effect will trigger CC immunity on elites, making pull effects less effective over time. This could be a reason to pick a different gem depending on the content you are doing.
6. Taeguk.
This works because of Strafe and good choice if you intend on strafing a lot. Offers high damage and a decent armor bonus for more toughness. The damage is however, additive, so not recommended if youâre using an Odyssey weapon, but will be ok with the other setups.
If you feel you need a toughness bump, this is a good choice.
**PASSIVES**
1. Steady Aim.
Decent choice if you plan on playing more at a distance. Itâs not uncommon to lose the buff while strafing through mobs and going for oculus rings, therefore itâs rare to see this passive.
2. Ambush.
Terrible passive honestly on paper, however a very popular choice due to itâs condition being met at all times thus doing what itâs suppose to do consistently. There are occurrences where a later pierce happens on a big pull and will get some big gains with this passive and AD.
3. Cull the Weak.
Staple choice for all. Easy condition to meet. Would slot it always with the exception being T16 farming.
4. Singled Out.
Good passive, but a preference choice. Not popular, but very good on the RG and a passive you should consider if you donât plan on taking Stricken Gem. Singled Out + Squirts on an RG is massive.
5. Numbing Traps.
Great passive for extra toughness. Because it debuffs mobs, itâs actually a 33% DR. Almost taken always because how good it is. However (and a big however), do NOT use this passive if you plan on using Entangling Shot as your primary way to slow. It is bugged. See the PTR testing feedback thread on PTR.
6. Perfectionist.
Decent passive choice if numbing traps isnât optimal to take. Also provides 10% RCR, which is good for Smoke Screen or Shadow Power users, potentially making this almost as good, if not, on par with numbing traps in terms of overall effectiveness.
7. Awareness.
Preference passive. Not a popular one, but not a rare choice either.
8. Leech.
Semi-popular choice. Good for those whoâs only sustain is the Simplicity Strengthâs Gem. Sustain in general is really important and should not be overlooked with the new set.
9. Tactical Advantage, Blood Vengeance, Hot Pursuit.
Speed rift passives. Do not take Blood Vengeance if using Yangs for speeds.
**GROUPS**
I believe this set will do well in group play. I do not think it will replace WD or Crus in a strict 4 man party, however I think GoD6 is a very valid âoff metaâ option that does what no other class can do, and that is offer many valuable buffs and be a serious damage dealer at the same time and thus should be welcomed in most groups.
zDHâs and support-hybrid DHâs will also see quite a bit of group play. DH parties are now considered âgoodâ and can do EXP speeds quite efficiently. Having both a zDH and GoD6 is a very good combo for any party. Add a zbarb and itâs party time (high squirt uptime, pixel pulls). The 4th man can be whatever fits. I did a 4 man party with 3 DHâs and a zbarb (2 GoD6, zDH, zbarb) and cleared a 140 with relative ease. Fun
I will say this though. I personally believe that people may be overrating GoD6 as an RGK and underrating it as a trash killer. Time will tell
**HONORABLE MENTIONS**
N6GoD4. A set hybrid in which provides the tankiest option with a higher 6pc multiplier at the expense of a few slots. As a guide comes along (looking at you dmkt), Iâll link it here.
**WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE SET**
I like how many different play styles are viable among all levels and there is a setup for everyone. The build is relatively easy to drag mobs along with during rifts, which is a major plus in high end GRâs. Super fast for speeds and a strong build overall, eventhough it is a little behind WDâs and Crus in terms of raw power (plz buff a little!). It is however the best spot DHâs have been in a very long time.
**WHAT I DON'T LIKE**
I donât like how the only primary thatâs viable is Hungering Arrow. I also dislike that the only rune thatâs viable for most content is Devouring Arrow. This rune and skill alone trumps all other setups and sets at nearly every single role.
It is ironic that a skill and rune meant for single target damage, clears tightly packed trash mobs better than anything in our DH arsenel, and is unbelievably underwhelming on stray targets. It will be confusing for a lot of players coming to play the set without knowing how to make the set shine, because it doesnât do what you think it should, and vice versa.
**END THOUGHTS**
Overall, I find the set a ton of fun to play. I also purposely did not put together full DH builds. I decided to focus on individual details of the build in which you can put together to make the best build fit that works for you based on the descriptions.
Other useful information pertaining to this set.
Happy pew pewing DHâs!