This is a build I've been toying with since the patch. It will do ok in solo but will require you to use the templar (which I don't really like because I like using enchantress). In a group this will do really well, especially with a monk or barb leading the way. It's damage isn't as direct as most builds but the idea is built on constant damage through an economic means, or in other words: cheap spells for good damage. This build was sort of inspired by the pre 1.04 cyclone/crit monk build that's over in the monk forums.
I'll be honest up front, this build isn't the most exciting, it's a solid range build that is also flexible in what you decide to deal your damage with mainly (more on that later). It does great with large groups and also does well with single targets like bosses.
Gearwise you'll need:
30% crit (minimum 20%)
150-200% bonus crit damage (minimum 100%)
35-40k hp
minimum 500 Resist all.
shield encouraged but not required
800 LoH (minimum 500) -- this is important
You don't jungle fort or bad medicine which necessitates the higher hp and resist, additionally that's why I suggest the shield as the added armor will help.
1. Corpse Spiders (Spider Queen Rune). This is a set and forget ability, mainly because you're going to be using Acid Rain as your main damage dealing ability, spider queen is cheap and sits for awhile.
Cost vs damage: 5 Mana to deal 42% damage per second for 15 seconds Alternative ability: Pyrogeist (though this doesn't deal AOE)
2. Grasp (Groping Eels Rune). Grasp got buffed nicely so while it also has a good snare if placed well it also puts out nice damage. I'm not entirely sold on rain of corpses.
Cost vs damage: 122 Mana to deal 52% damage per second for 8 seconds Alternative: Searing Locusts (potential to cover a wider area and do slightly more damage but at a greater cost of mana)
3. Spirit Barrage (Manitou Rune). Manitou also got a great buff. To be honest this build was structured mostly around that and trying to make it work. Unfortunately the tooltip that blizzard put may be incorrect. It states that the search target radius was set to 30 instead of 20. I believe what it meant to say was diameter because at 30 yards it should almost be hitting things a little more than halfway to the edge of your screen. The good thing about this is that with good positioning this will land every spirit on the same target. So boss fights this is a GREAT damage dealer. It also crits and triggers LoH.
Cost vs damage: 108 mana to deal 83% damage per second for 20 seconds. This is extremely economic and cost effective.
4. Acid Cloud (Acid Rain). Acid rain is a good solid ability and also got a slight buff. I recommend the added range just simply because it will hit a greater range of monsters. You use this as your main spam really as you're going to be getting 115% right away and then a nice DoT after. I don't like corpse bomb because it's animation feels too slow and it's range is less. You don't really benefit from Slow Burn because the fact you're using it over and over, the extra 3 seconds for no increase in damage is irrelevant. Kiss of death isn't a bad alternative I just don't like the close range or the cone effect of it.
Cost vs damage: 171 mana to deal 50% damage per second (88% if you combine the initial acid rain) Alternative: Zombie Charger (any rune you're comfortable with) it also works with this or bats.
Secondary Abilities:
Spirit Walk/Soul Harvest combo. I use honored guest and siphon for the regen and HP bonus (and obviously the added int).
For spirit walk I've tried using severance and liked it, the only problem is that it puts you right in the middle of mobs which can be dangerous with elites with tough affixes. Soul Harvest with vengeful spirit is also not a bad added bonus. Again I use siphon simply as an extra potion basically.
The runes you use are entirely up to you.
Passives:
Pierce the Veil/Vision Quest/Spiritual Attunement. - Not much to say here other than SA can be swapped for blood ritual. At one point I experimented with gruesome feast. It's not a bad choice if you have a few pieces of gear that happen to have +yards on them but it quickly loses steam vs bosses and elites at times. All in all I think it just doesn't fit in the build but can be fun to use.
Overall:
Up front, you're going to be doing 227% damage per second for 406 mana. This doesn't count Acid Cloud's initial damage either. This may look expensive but keep in mind that you aren't refreshing every second like you would if say you were just spamming bats or bears. It's a pretty solid economic build. Over time you're putting out solid damage. If you spam Acid Cloud you WILL run out eventually, I prefer to wait a tick before hitting it again. Don't forget to drop grasp as soon as it's done.
Always remember to open with spider queen first. Also don't use spirit walk to run into a pack for soul harvest if you have full mana, just stand at the edge and do it. Use it after your initial mana pool is spent and then you'll be on a nice rotation.
About LOH:
Simply put you are going to see regen numbers like crazy. You're going to see 2K pretty often, just about every ability listed here will proc it. I'm not sure about % of damage converted to life as I don't have a weapon to test right now but perhaps after the weekend I will and append it.
Aside from that, the crit + crit damage will put out really great numbers. I don't think it's the best build right now but I think it's a nice alternative.
I would like to suggest Locust Swarm as a spell for an AOE/DOT build.
It does nice damage, it spreads very quickly (especially with that first rune) and it is extremely mana efficient considering it will probably infect every monster in sight.
What i like to do is approach a BIG pack of monsters (prefferably in spirit walk) and then Soul Harvest + 2 Locust Swarms.
Pretty much every monster is infected in less than three seconds, and if needed i can toss in a Haunt or some other "jumping" spell to finish off any survivors.
At the moment, my most fatal WD attack was 88 victims (killing blows) with one cast of Locust Swarm
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I'll be honest up front, this build isn't the most exciting, it's a solid range build that is also flexible in what you decide to deal your damage with mainly (more on that later). It does great with large groups and also does well with single targets like bosses.
Gearwise you'll need:
http://us.battle.net...UdRg!WUb!ZZZZac
Damage Dealing Abilities:
1. Corpse Spiders (Spider Queen Rune). This is a set and forget ability, mainly because you're going to be using Acid Rain as your main damage dealing ability, spider queen is cheap and sits for awhile.
Cost vs damage: 5 Mana to deal 42% damage per second for 15 seconds
Alternative ability: Pyrogeist (though this doesn't deal AOE)
2. Grasp (Groping Eels Rune). Grasp got buffed nicely so while it also has a good snare if placed well it also puts out nice damage. I'm not entirely sold on rain of corpses.
Cost vs damage: 122 Mana to deal 52% damage per second for 8 seconds
Alternative: Searing Locusts (potential to cover a wider area and do slightly more damage but at a greater cost of mana)
3. Spirit Barrage (Manitou Rune). Manitou also got a great buff. To be honest this build was structured mostly around that and trying to make it work. Unfortunately the tooltip that blizzard put may be incorrect. It states that the search target radius was set to 30 instead of 20. I believe what it meant to say was diameter because at 30 yards it should almost be hitting things a little more than halfway to the edge of your screen. The good thing about this is that with good positioning this will land every spirit on the same target. So boss fights this is a GREAT damage dealer. It also crits and triggers LoH.
Cost vs damage: 108 mana to deal 83% damage per second for 20 seconds. This is extremely economic and cost effective.
4. Acid Cloud (Acid Rain). Acid rain is a good solid ability and also got a slight buff. I recommend the added range just simply because it will hit a greater range of monsters. You use this as your main spam really as you're going to be getting 115% right away and then a nice DoT after. I don't like corpse bomb because it's animation feels too slow and it's range is less. You don't really benefit from Slow Burn because the fact you're using it over and over, the extra 3 seconds for no increase in damage is irrelevant. Kiss of death isn't a bad alternative I just don't like the close range or the cone effect of it.
Cost vs damage: 171 mana to deal 50% damage per second (88% if you combine the initial acid rain)
Alternative: Zombie Charger (any rune you're comfortable with) it also works with this or bats.
Secondary Abilities:
Spirit Walk/Soul Harvest combo. I use honored guest and siphon for the regen and HP bonus (and obviously the added int).
For spirit walk I've tried using severance and liked it, the only problem is that it puts you right in the middle of mobs which can be dangerous with elites with tough affixes. Soul Harvest with vengeful spirit is also not a bad added bonus. Again I use siphon simply as an extra potion basically.
The runes you use are entirely up to you.
Passives:
Pierce the Veil/Vision Quest/Spiritual Attunement. - Not much to say here other than SA can be swapped for blood ritual. At one point I experimented with gruesome feast. It's not a bad choice if you have a few pieces of gear that happen to have +yards on them but it quickly loses steam vs bosses and elites at times. All in all I think it just doesn't fit in the build but can be fun to use.
Overall:
Up front, you're going to be doing 227% damage per second for 406 mana. This doesn't count Acid Cloud's initial damage either. This may look expensive but keep in mind that you aren't refreshing every second like you would if say you were just spamming bats or bears. It's a pretty solid economic build. Over time you're putting out solid damage. If you spam Acid Cloud you WILL run out eventually, I prefer to wait a tick before hitting it again. Don't forget to drop grasp as soon as it's done.
Always remember to open with spider queen first. Also don't use spirit walk to run into a pack for soul harvest if you have full mana, just stand at the edge and do it. Use it after your initial mana pool is spent and then you'll be on a nice rotation.
About LOH:
Simply put you are going to see regen numbers like crazy. You're going to see 2K pretty often, just about every ability listed here will proc it. I'm not sure about % of damage converted to life as I don't have a weapon to test right now but perhaps after the weekend I will and append it.
Aside from that, the crit + crit damage will put out really great numbers. I don't think it's the best build right now but I think it's a nice alternative.
It does nice damage, it spreads very quickly (especially with that first rune) and it is extremely mana efficient considering it will probably infect every monster in sight.
What i like to do is approach a BIG pack of monsters (prefferably in spirit walk) and then Soul Harvest + 2 Locust Swarms.
Pretty much every monster is infected in less than three seconds, and if needed i can toss in a Haunt or some other "jumping" spell to finish off any survivors.
At the moment, my most fatal WD attack was 88 victims (killing blows) with one cast of Locust Swarm