Intro:
I just wanted to make a more updated video of a Hybrid Archon build in action on MP10. The original video started here, but it's very outdated and that was back when I was running mainly DPS + life steal weapon. I no longer focus purely on DPS, but stack both DPS and EHP, and forgo a life steal weapon in favor of using only Blood Magic.
Explanations:
Build uses aspects of standard Archon spec and CM wizard elements. Archon is maximized using Sparkflint Familiar and Magic Weapon. I chose to abandon Glass Cannon in favor of maximizing mitigation, replacing GC with Evocation to drastically reduce Archon's cooldown. Critical Mass is obvious, works very well with Living Lightning in reducing spell cooldowns. Pinpoint Barrier adds additional crit chance, as does Deep Freeze when 5+ enemies are frozen simultaneously. Cold-Blooded is for constant 20% damage boosts because the Scoundrel uses a Buriza (cold weapon).
For Scoundrel, the first skill is left empty in order for him to continuously use Multishot rather than Crippling Shot/Poison Bolt. This way he will maximize his chance to pierce and freeze/chill multiple enemies at once. Vanish is kept because he needs to stay alive in order to proc Hysteria more often (near constant 10% overall damage boost). He's geared fully with IAS and EHP/regeneration gear.
In the original video, I used Arcane Destruction, but it really loses out overall to the 25% bonus damage from Improved Archon, and the result can be seen in taking little to no time to kill trash mobs.
Additional Words:
MP10 is in no way, shape or form, efficient. However, it's very reliable for obtaining high level rare and legendary drops (although this video in particular doesn't show much luck regarding legendaries) because of the maxed out bonus item drop chance per enemy killed—and trash mobs take very little time to clear. It's independent from NV stacks, thus you can literally jump into Keep Depths level 2 and just plow through the trash mobs, rinse and repeat. Optimally, you'll skip elite packs, but personally I just can't pass up killing them in hope of more loot... and of course, Demonic Essences.
You don't need anything near 1M+ EHP to survive on MP10. A high DPS life steal weapon is more than enough for Hybrid Archons with 400-500K unbuffed EHP (which is what I had when I was running DPS months ago). I'd just rather avoid gear-swapping right now, thus I use just one main set of gear per spec.
^ I'd like to hear that explained as well. Also, why are you using Vile wards instead of a crafted set? How do you feel about the efficiency of only having 12% move speed?
Could you explain me the overall discussed ruby vs smaragd ? thx in advance
Actually it's pretty simple: Enter his profile on D3UP, change the marquise Ruby for a marquise Emerald, and see his DPS decrease by 500 or so.
Also, by adding +160 on the MINIMUM and MAXIMUM damage on your weapon has a linear multiplicative factor on your actual DPS, instead of a chance to proc over time, as critical chance do.
But this is off-topic.
On topic: Nice to see your playstyle, man. I envy you.
^ I was looking more at a philosophical discussion so I can understand when/why a ruby is better than an emerald. Anyone can plug crap in to see if the paper DPS works better, I was just wondering if there was a way to understand when you'd want to look into it rather than just checking a calculator for every character every time you change equipment. Or maybe you have to do that? I dunno.
^ Well, kinda that's what I meant to discuss when I said:
Quote from "Machado" »
Also, by adding +160 on the MINIMUM and MAXIMUM damage on your weapon has a linear multiplicative factor on your actual DPS, instead of a chance to proc over time, as critical chance do.
We can elaborate after this sentence, by saying that sheet DPS is just a formula, and actual DPS output is heaviliy affected by MIN-MAX damage status, as we can see that when we change an off-hand item like a shield for a source.
But hey, I'm sure you thought about that.
Pluging something into a DPS calculator saves a ton of time for me, as most of the time my sheet DPS matches my actual DPS, unless I'm running some special area-of-effect build as CMWW or CMWW-SNS variation.
In those cases, you have to use a more elaborate calculator do properly measure the effectiveness of every single change, such as adding Arcane Power on Critical (APoC) from 18 to 20. A very minor change, with effectively a huge gain in DPS. For this, I personally use http://d3cmww.com/cmww, as it's a very nice and resourceful DPS calculator for CM wizards, IMO.
But I'm hopeful to hear your opinion about the change. Would you use a Ruby or a Emerald on your weapon slot ?
EDIT:
My answer, I'd use a Ruby, if it's a marquise one. 160+160 is a huge gain on a weapon, more than 20% gain on minimun and maximum damage, even on a top-of-line weapon as the EF Jaetch is using.
Could you explain me the overall discussed ruby vs smaragd ? thx in advance
There's a mathematical formula you can use to determine which you should use. It only depends on weapon+OH+jewelery damage, weapon bonus damage, CC, CD, and elemental damage (weapon and affix from zuni boots and such if not using a black weapon). It doesn't depend on weapon APS, weapon IAS, or dps buffs like MW.
I wrote out the formula a few times in the official forums so if you really want to see the math behind it I can post it here too.
^ I was looking more at a philosophical discussion so I can understand when/why a ruby is better than an emerald. Anyone can plug crap in to see if the paper DPS works better, I was just wondering if there was a way to understand when you'd want to look into it rather than just checking a calculator for every character every time you change equipment. Or maybe you have to do that? I dunno.
Similar to how Bribous pointed it out, it's like you're hitting harder constantly, rather than hitting super-hard periodically. And of course, based on calculators, I get a smidge more DPS, which made my decision easier.
Also, why are you using Vile wards instead of a crafted set? How do you feel about the efficiency of only having 12% move speed?
...Yeah, crafting rare shoulders that are better than my Vile Ward is going to take a really, really, really long time. It's hard enough to craft shoulders over 250 int, 150 vit, near perfect AR, high armor and regen. To craft something that tops 280 int, 170+ vit, near perfect AR... I'd rather just continue working on bracers.
And 12% is fine. Lacuni destroys my stats and so does Inna's Temperance.
I can't live without 24% MS. By destroy your stats do you mean on diabloprogress? Because you have way more EHP than you need.
Not until I can get close to face-tanking Reflect, Fire Chains, Desolate all at once while standing still in Archon form! I'm at 92% damage reduction in Archon form and I would like to bump that up to 95-97% in the long-run (without Prismatic).
Bonus MS is a luxury that I can't fit onto my gear. If they revamp the way Lacuni/Inna's roll (which I can't see happening since they're already ilvl 63), I won't be tacking on MS. I have a couple of wizards on my friends list that actually run no bonus MS.
I also remembered you talking about use ice armor instead in another thread. Any reason why you reverted back to pinpoint barrier?
Well, the thing with Crystallize Ice Armor is that you have to get hit by melee mobs in order to stack up the armor. I really don't feel a difference in kill time, nor do I have more trouble with survival with one or the other, so I just run whatever I feel like usually.
Sometimes... I may even take out Evocation for Glass Cannon
Intro:
I just wanted to make a more updated video of a Hybrid Archon build in action on MP10. The original video started here, but it's very outdated and that was back when I was running mainly DPS + life steal weapon. I no longer focus purely on DPS, but stack both DPS and EHP, and forgo a life steal weapon in favor of using only Blood Magic.
Stats and gear: http://d3up.com/b/46...aesthia-3-30-13
BNet profile: http://us.battle.net...61/hero/4136297
Skills selection: http://us.battle.net...YjSO!gbW!ccYacZ
Follower skills: http://us.battle.net...#0010!.110!1100
Explanations:
Build uses aspects of standard Archon spec and CM wizard elements. Archon is maximized using Sparkflint Familiar and Magic Weapon. I chose to abandon Glass Cannon in favor of maximizing mitigation, replacing GC with Evocation to drastically reduce Archon's cooldown. Critical Mass is obvious, works very well with Living Lightning in reducing spell cooldowns. Pinpoint Barrier adds additional crit chance, as does Deep Freeze when 5+ enemies are frozen simultaneously. Cold-Blooded is for constant 20% damage boosts because the Scoundrel uses a Buriza (cold weapon).
For Scoundrel, the first skill is left empty in order for him to continuously use Multishot rather than Crippling Shot/Poison Bolt. This way he will maximize his chance to pierce and freeze/chill multiple enemies at once. Vanish is kept because he needs to stay alive in order to proc Hysteria more often (near constant 10% overall damage boost). He's geared fully with IAS and EHP/regeneration gear.
In the original video, I used Arcane Destruction, but it really loses out overall to the 25% bonus damage from Improved Archon, and the result can be seen in taking little to no time to kill trash mobs.
Additional Words:
MP10 is in no way, shape or form, efficient. However, it's very reliable for obtaining high level rare and legendary drops (although this video in particular doesn't show much luck regarding legendaries) because of the maxed out bonus item drop chance per enemy killed—and trash mobs take very little time to clear. It's independent from NV stacks, thus you can literally jump into Keep Depths level 2 and just plow through the trash mobs, rinse and repeat. Optimally, you'll skip elite packs, but personally I just can't pass up killing them in hope of more loot... and of course, Demonic Essences.
You don't need anything near 1M+ EHP to survive on MP10. A high DPS life steal weapon is more than enough for Hybrid Archons with 400-500K unbuffed EHP (which is what I had when I was running DPS months ago). I'd just rather avoid gear-swapping right now, thus I use just one main set of gear per spec.
Armory | YouTube | Twitter | Clan Site
Actually it's pretty simple: Enter his profile on D3UP, change the marquise Ruby for a marquise Emerald, and see his DPS decrease by 500 or so.
Also, by adding +160 on the MINIMUM and MAXIMUM damage on your weapon has a linear multiplicative factor on your actual DPS, instead of a chance to proc over time, as critical chance do.
But this is off-topic.
On topic: Nice to see your playstyle, man. I envy you.
EDIT:
Also: RAW POWER! Archon rocks!
Wizard | Demon Hunter
We can elaborate after this sentence, by saying that sheet DPS is just a formula, and actual DPS output is heaviliy affected by MIN-MAX damage status, as we can see that when we change an off-hand item like a shield for a source.
But hey, I'm sure you thought about that.
Pluging something into a DPS calculator saves a ton of time for me, as most of the time my sheet DPS matches my actual DPS, unless I'm running some special area-of-effect build as CMWW or CMWW-SNS variation.
In those cases, you have to use a more elaborate calculator do properly measure the effectiveness of every single change, such as adding Arcane Power on Critical (APoC) from 18 to 20. A very minor change, with effectively a huge gain in DPS. For this, I personally use http://d3cmww.com/cmww, as it's a very nice and resourceful DPS calculator for CM wizards, IMO.
But I'm hopeful to hear your opinion about the change. Would you use a Ruby or a Emerald on your weapon slot ?
EDIT:
My answer, I'd use a Ruby, if it's a marquise one. 160+160 is a huge gain on a weapon, more than 20% gain on minimun and maximum damage, even on a top-of-line weapon as the EF Jaetch is using.
Wizard | Demon Hunter
There's a mathematical formula you can use to determine which you should use. It only depends on weapon+OH+jewelery damage, weapon bonus damage, CC, CD, and elemental damage (weapon and affix from zuni boots and such if not using a black weapon). It doesn't depend on weapon APS, weapon IAS, or dps buffs like MW.
I wrote out the formula a few times in the official forums so if you really want to see the math behind it I can post it here too.
Crusader DPS and EHP Spreadsheet, meant for Crusaders
My Wizard
Similar to how Bribous pointed it out, it's like you're hitting harder constantly, rather than hitting super-hard periodically. And of course, based on calculators, I get a smidge more DPS, which made my decision easier.
...Yeah, crafting rare shoulders that are better than my Vile Ward is going to take a really, really, really long time. It's hard enough to craft shoulders over 250 int, 150 vit, near perfect AR, high armor and regen. To craft something that tops 280 int, 170+ vit, near perfect AR... I'd rather just continue working on bracers.
And 12% is fine. Lacuni destroys my stats and so does Inna's Temperance.
Armory | YouTube | Twitter | Clan Site
Regarding calcs, www.d3rawr.com/d is a good one too. Even has a simulate ruby button that makes it real easy.
Nice video as usual.
Not until I can get close to face-tanking Reflect, Fire Chains, Desolate all at once while standing still in Archon form! I'm at 92% damage reduction in Archon form and I would like to bump that up to 95-97% in the long-run (without Prismatic).
Bonus MS is a luxury that I can't fit onto my gear. If they revamp the way Lacuni/Inna's roll (which I can't see happening since they're already ilvl 63), I won't be tacking on MS. I have a couple of wizards on my friends list that actually run no bonus MS.
Armory | YouTube | Twitter | Clan Site
I also remembered you talking about use ice armor instead in another thread. Any reason why you reverted back to pinpoint barrier?
Well, the thing with Crystallize Ice Armor is that you have to get hit by melee mobs in order to stack up the armor. I really don't feel a difference in kill time, nor do I have more trouble with survival with one or the other, so I just run whatever I feel like usually.
Sometimes... I may even take out Evocation for Glass Cannon
Armory | YouTube | Twitter | Clan Site