Build Guide
In my opinion/experience this is the second strongest and definitely one of the easiest to play DH builds for Solo Greater Rifts, although it is not incredibly consistent.
Note: I always keep my diablo fans guides updated and current. I will make adjustments to the guide whenever there is a shift in meta! So be sure to check back from time to time and don't forget to up-vote the guide! please and thanks!
HFA Passive = Steady Aim or Ambush
beginner alternatives
If you have survivability issues you can consider trying a few combinations of these;
Run the Leech passive for healing, this will allow you to kill reflect and recovering from taking damage much easier
Run Hunter's Wrath over Witching Hour
Run Evasive Fire Hardened over Focus for more armor
For even more toughness you can swap Convention of Elements to Elusive Ring or Unity, this will significantly weaken the build but make it that much easier to survive.
At low levels powerful usually outperforms stricken, up to around high 70s depending on player progression
advanced alternatives
If you are attempting to push your limit with the build and have a solid handle on positioning and surviving I recommend swapping Visage of Gunes to Cindercoat
swap some of the vitality/cooldown to resource reduction/area damage, specifically on the gloves/quiver/rings/shoulders
potentially swap stricken to powerful depending on how long the RG takes powerful can outperform stricken
on softcore you can consider dropping awareness for all damage passives (ballistics, steady aim, cull the weak, thrill the hunt, ambush)
Endless walks + SoJ is viable substitution for Focus and Restraint the trade-off is potentially slightly favorable toward the EW > FNR assuming optimal gameplay, so if you really want to push with UE and are experienced DH I do recommend you give this setup a shot.
group variation
swap Thrill of the Hunt to Awareness if the group is procing your slows
In group, you can also consider swapping the build to Cold, Wind Chill gives 15% crit chance to the whole group!
this will free up Ballistics for Numbing Traps (for group toughness) or Single Out (for Rift Guardian dps)
If you like the guide, have questions, or just want to see more DH action live follow my live stream >>>twitch.tv/philosophios<<<
What are your thoughts on Bane of the Powerful as a replacement for Bane of the Stricken on this build?
'potentially swap stricken to powerful depending on how long the RG takes powerful can outperform stricken'
thx for asking
This pretty much Deadset's build from Icy-veins minus actually having the needed set listed
and you say that as if I got the build from him? you should realize I know deadset personally and he frequently seeks my opinion on his demon hunter guides... as I play exclusively demon hunter full time and he plays all classes, I guarantee I have much more experience with the build than he... this is evident by the fact that I am rank 1 US seasonal with this build right now
I'm sure he wouldn't disagree
Just curious, the video is actually from a season or so ago and you mention UE is the weakest build. Would you say it's one of the strongest this season with exception of the LoN build?
UE is probably the strongest build even over LON. I didn't play PTR the last week it was available but the last day I played, the top 20 or so players were using UE.
Hey philos, love your guides, thanks for doing them.
Just one question: why do the Torso, Legs and Boots have AR as an option of stat priorities if it isn't possible to roll them in the Mystic?
I can't handle "Reflects damage" mobs at all without Smoke screen instead of Tumble
I can barely clear 76 with 10s left. Could you, please, give some suggestions about gear? I think I'm just a noob.
http://www.d3planner.com/467068568
Oh, I didn't know that secondary resistances blocked the item from having AR.
Thanks.
cubing zodiac is not recommended as it will significantly reduce the damage potential of the build
if you run the numbers in the disc calc from above, soj/manald is about 22% dmg increase and FNR is 125% dmg
what does that have to do with anything? at 1400 paragon and lvl 80 gems you could expect to do about GR85 fairly easily with this build and with 700 paragon and baby gems you could do about GR75, that's why its labeled with the range of potential...
Philos, first off thanks for the guide and video. You mention that you can drop some Vitality for RCR/AD...but which is best?! I have two nearly identical Dex/AR/CDR shoulders with the only difference being that one has 8% RCR and the other 20% AD. I also happen to have a similar situation with two quivers. Do you have any preference/numbers that'd help me decide between them?
Also...which would you pick out of these two Yang's, ignoring the augment?
vs
I was wondering, since you already have the bane of the trapped legendary gem equipped, is it necessary to use the thrill of the hunt passive skill? And, if it isn't, would it be okay to use the sharpshooter passive skill in place of thrill of the hunt?
BotT's 15 yard slow radius is extremely small. You definitely won't be keeping the slow on every enemy, which will be a pretty big damage loss. Besides, needing to stay close to mobs to proc BotT will affect the bonus damage you gain from Zei's (at 15 yards you are only getting 1/5 of the maximum possible bonus).
Philos, if my follower has full cc abilities and gear (Ess of Johan, Thunderfury, Freeze of Deflection), is it still necessary to run Thrill of the Hunt to proc BoT or can I run Steady Aim?
You mentioned that this is "the second strongest" DH build in the game. What would you consider the first? Cause so far I love this build and it has been serving me well so thanks for the guide!
If I use SOJ (with +10 discipiline) + The Traveler Pledge Amulet + The Compass Rose Ring
Is the above option a good choice vs Restraine + Force + Hellfire Amulet?
With Cubed Zodiac you get 100% up-time on wolf howl. Surely that is better than Elements?
How do you figure it's better? Wolf plus the fire cycle is too strong to not have.