Hey guys-I bring you. The Whirlwind Demon Hunter!! I started theorycrafting this build a few weeks ago. and after some testing in act 3 against a few packs. I have come up with a build that's mostly reminiscent of the Whirlwind barb currently popular. http://us.battle.net...VXjT!bXT!ZbZbYZ This is the base build. But it can have so much variation based on gear and even skills a little bit.I'll go over my theorycrafting behind each skills first. -Active Skills- -Strafe-Drifting Shadow.
-Your bread and butter, and by bread and butter I mean you can tape your left click down. Spin to win. I chose strafe because it is a constant damage source, similar to rapid fire, but unlike it. You can move!! I chose the 100% move speed rune to allow maximum kiting potential. However with some other modifications you could use the Attack Speed for more damage, or stinging steel. If i had to choose it would be stinging steel for damage, and Equillibrium(attack speed) for half hatred regen half damage. As you would be getting 20% more crits for nightsalker and mortal enemy hatred. The rocket and grenade runes seem unreliable and less damage. though i do not have exact math for this. -Caltrops-Jagged Spikes. -I chose the Jagged spikes rune for more crits through nightstalker. However if you are using Nat's set 4 piece bonus you could use any other rune for less disc spent, stronger kiting etc. -Preparation-Punishment. -This is what I use to basically turn 60%ish uptime to about 95%. basically with the optimal basic gear setup. it takes me 24 seconds to run out of hatred with strafe. and at the base 1 disc per second this skill essentially has a 25 second cooldown. See where I'm going? If you use Nat's 4 piece bonus it's possible you could swap this out and only use Smokescreen with the hatred regen rune, or Shadow power's hatred regen rune, This is probably only possible if you have a high enough crit chance to keep those skills active as much as possible however. -Smoke Screen-Breathe Deep. -again this could be the Shadow power rune also i believe, i prefer smokescreen to be straight up invulnerable when i use it, however i could see Shadow Power being used for reflect damage packs. This rune could be whatever if you still use the hatred rune on Preparation and have nat's 4 piece and/or high crit chance for nightstalker disc regen. Alternatively it could be whatever shadow power rune based on the same conditions. -Marked For Death-Mortal Enemy. -Keep this up on a mob your fighting at all times. This skill alone can get you 100% uptime(yes without prep) If you hit the mob continuously, even better if you have him standing on some jagged caltrops. This is mostly a boss scenario but works for elite packs very well. This is one skill that is probably just not going to change, no matter your gear and skills. -Companion-Bat Companion. -Another skill that simply cannot be changed. 3 hatred regen is essential for the build to function. Press it once in town and forget about it (unless you die, don't forget to re-spawn him after you res) He becomes free hatred and free damage. Need further testing to see if it can crit for nightstalker, and if his hits trigger mortal enemy's hatred. -Passives- -Vengeance- -The health globe bonuses are nice, but it's the same reason adding max disc is so good for cookie cutter DH builds. Preparation makes this extra 25 max hatred infinitley better. -Night Stalker- -Your strafe will be hitting a LOT, it's similar to a critical mass wizard or whirlwind barb, the more you crit the faster you have enough disc to press prep again and get full hatred. -SharpShooter- -Yeah this build doesn't use steady aim or archery, and instead uses this baby. This thing is free disc, and free damage. Even if you proc this on its cooldown. its a 3% crit chance boost. And that crit chance for nightstalker is vital to the build's success as with prep costing 25 disc you need as much as possible. None of these are changeable with any other passives in my opinion. -Gear- -4Piece Nat's is immensly powerful with this build. But it is NOT required. It will help you have more damage by spamming jagged caltrops, more disc to make sure you never run low on hatred (spam prep key never let go of left click, spin to win) -2handed Crossbow. This is required. Strafe's hatred cost is 15 multiplied by your attack speed, and at 1.1 attacks per second this is the closest you're gonna get. -Quiver. "Yeah okay I'm using a 2hander Bird, I'm not stupid." I specifically mean a Dead Man's Legacy. These can go up to 1.17 hatred per second. and as low as 10% attack speed. Wait what? Yes. As low. Like i said earlier, the faster your attack speed the more and more hatred regen you'll need. And these items want as little AS as possible to make the little hatred regen able to be found on gear work to our advantage. -Chest with Hatred regen. As much as you can get, I found one with 1.17, and this is the highest I was able to find in 5 minutes. I'm not sure if this is the Max but it's close and it makes the build work. For both quiver and chest get atleast 1.0 hatred regen, but again as much as possible in these 2 vital slots. -Maximize crit chance on gear. Play like a critical mass wizard. We are using caltrops with jagged spikes. Which means disc not only means more hatred but more damage and more kiting potential. So make nightstalker your best friend. Edit:Forgot to add that if you can get the Strafe skill bonus on chest. Do it! -Minimize attack speed on gear. and by minimize, I mean like don't get it, at all....ever. 5% attack speed directly means 5% faster your run out of hatred and the more you need nightstalker crits etc. If you run nat's and/or have an extremely high crit chance it can become worthwhile to stack attack speed again, as while you are running yourself out of hatred much faster you will generate enough disc to use prep enough to never get hatred starved. -Optional: Life on hit. This helps with reflect damage, and in general. You are attacking very fast, something like 6 times per second with strafe. and the life on hit can make you unable to be cornered and you can continue strafe-ing right over molten or plagued, with virtually no vit and resists/armor. with just the life on hit keeping you topped off, although i don't recommend this. -Optional:Movement speed. Okay so it's not really optional and it's almost a requirement to have 12% on boots, but if you want to get more on other pieces via legendaries it increases you kiting potential a LOT. -Optional:Cold Damage Weapon. Yeah this might sound weird, but it works similar to how multishot with a cold bow does for your scoundrel, its an immense help to your kiting capabilities. although it will lower your dps. -This is kinda off to the side but if you have a pickup radius and gold find set, along with the hatred regen and stuff. you can basically collect all the gold dropped without ever straying from the shortest path to mobs, essentially maximum kill time with no downtime of standing still or picking up gold. -Follower- -Templar- -It doesn't really matter what skills or gear you put on him, but for the sake of humanity give him the increased hatred regen skill. It only gives 1, but that 1 allows us to have the hatred regen of dual wielding (on the 1hand crossbow and either another 1hander or quiver) but without the 1.6 attack speed and possible dual wield bonus ontop of this. Basic Mechanics Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyXwKwjP6tE
For those doing the build. Best in slot pieces seem to be Hellcat's Waist- for the max disc Nat's boots+chest, I don't recommend the 4piece as it's extremely expensive and requires either the AS from ring or 1hander. you can get 3 piece with the helm if you want. Either Blackbone or Dead mans, both can roll 10% AS, 7.5% chance to crit, 1.17 hatred, and 10 max disc. If you can somehow get all of those look for socket and as much dex as u can get. Xephirian Amulet, idealy 8 max disc and high crit chance+damage. Stone of Jordan ring with 8 max disc and as high crit chance as possible. 2nd ring should just be a rare. Link to best in slot example: http://d3up.com/b/3939
And that's all I got guys! Feel free to ask any questions or give your feedback in the comments below. Tell me how it works for ya!
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I started theorycrafting this build a few weeks ago. and after some testing in act 3 against a few packs. I have come up with a build that's mostly reminiscent of the Whirlwind barb currently popular.
http://us.battle.net...VXjT!bXT!ZbZbYZ
This is the base build. But it can have so much variation based on gear and even skills a little bit.I'll go over my theorycrafting behind each skills first.
-Active Skills-
-Strafe-Drifting Shadow.
-Your bread and butter, and by bread and butter I mean you can tape your left click down. Spin to win. I chose strafe because it is a constant damage source, similar to rapid fire, but unlike it. You can move!! I chose the 100% move speed rune to allow maximum kiting potential. However with some other modifications you could use the Attack Speed for more damage, or stinging steel. If i had to choose it would be stinging steel for damage, and Equillibrium(attack speed) for half hatred regen half damage. As you would be getting 20% more crits for nightsalker and mortal enemy hatred. The rocket and grenade runes seem unreliable and less damage. though i do not have exact math for this.
-Caltrops-Jagged Spikes. -I chose the Jagged spikes rune for more crits through nightstalker. However if you are using Nat's set 4 piece bonus you could use any other rune for less disc spent, stronger kiting etc.
-Preparation-Punishment. -This is what I use to basically turn 60%ish uptime to about 95%. basically with the optimal basic gear setup. it takes me 24 seconds to run out of hatred with strafe. and at the base 1 disc per second this skill essentially has a 25 second cooldown. See where I'm going? If you use Nat's 4 piece bonus it's possible you could swap this out and only use Smokescreen with the hatred regen rune, or Shadow power's hatred regen rune, This is probably only possible if you have a high enough crit chance to keep those skills active as much as possible however.
-Smoke Screen-Breathe Deep. -again this could be the Shadow power rune also i believe, i prefer smokescreen to be straight up invulnerable when i use it, however i could see Shadow Power being used for reflect damage packs. This rune could be whatever if you still use the hatred rune on Preparation and have nat's 4 piece and/or high crit chance for nightstalker disc regen. Alternatively it could be whatever shadow power rune based on the same conditions.
-Marked For Death-Mortal Enemy. -Keep this up on a mob your fighting at all times. This skill alone can get you 100% uptime(yes without prep) If you hit the mob continuously, even better if you have him standing on some jagged caltrops. This is mostly a boss scenario but works for elite packs very well. This is one skill that is probably just not going to change, no matter your gear and skills.
-Companion-Bat Companion. -Another skill that simply cannot be changed. 3 hatred regen is essential for the build to function. Press it once in town and forget about it (unless you die, don't forget to re-spawn him after you res) He becomes free hatred and free damage. Need further testing to see if it can crit for nightstalker, and if his hits trigger mortal enemy's hatred.
-Passives-
-Vengeance- -The health globe bonuses are nice, but it's the same reason adding max disc is so good for cookie cutter DH builds. Preparation makes this extra 25 max hatred infinitley better.
-Night Stalker- -Your strafe will be hitting a LOT, it's similar to a critical mass wizard or whirlwind barb, the more you crit the faster you have enough disc to press prep again and get full hatred.
-SharpShooter- -Yeah this build doesn't use steady aim or archery, and instead uses this baby. This thing is free disc, and free damage. Even if you proc this on its cooldown. its a 3% crit chance boost. And that crit chance for nightstalker is vital to the build's success as with prep costing 25 disc you need as much as possible. None of these are changeable with any other passives in my opinion.
-Gear- -4Piece Nat's is immensly powerful with this build. But it is NOT required. It will help you have more damage by spamming jagged caltrops, more disc to make sure you never run low on hatred (spam prep key never let go of left click, spin to win)
-2handed Crossbow. This is required. Strafe's hatred cost is 15 multiplied by your attack speed, and at 1.1 attacks per second this is the closest you're gonna get.
-Quiver. "Yeah okay I'm using a 2hander Bird, I'm not stupid." I specifically mean a Dead Man's Legacy. These can go up to 1.17 hatred per second. and as low as 10% attack speed. Wait what? Yes. As low. Like i said earlier, the faster your attack speed the more and more hatred regen you'll need. And these items want as little AS as possible to make the little hatred regen able to be found on gear work to our advantage.
-Chest with Hatred regen. As much as you can get, I found one with 1.17, and this is the highest I was able to find in 5 minutes. I'm not sure if this is the Max but it's close and it makes the build work. For both quiver and chest get atleast 1.0 hatred regen, but again as much as possible in these 2 vital slots. -Maximize crit chance on gear. Play like a critical mass wizard. We are using caltrops with jagged spikes. Which means disc not only means more hatred but more damage and more kiting potential. So make nightstalker your best friend.
Edit:Forgot to add that if you can get the Strafe skill bonus on chest. Do it!
-Minimize attack speed on gear. and by minimize, I mean like don't get it, at all....ever. 5% attack speed directly means 5% faster your run out of hatred and the more you need nightstalker crits etc. If you run nat's and/or have an extremely high crit chance it can become worthwhile to stack attack speed again, as while you are running yourself out of hatred much faster you will generate enough disc to use prep enough to never get hatred starved.
-Optional: Life on hit. This helps with reflect damage, and in general. You are attacking very fast, something like 6 times per second with strafe. and the life on hit can make you unable to be cornered and you can continue strafe-ing right over molten or plagued, with virtually no vit and resists/armor. with just the life on hit keeping you topped off, although i don't recommend this.
-Optional:Movement speed. Okay so it's not really optional and it's almost a requirement to have 12% on boots, but if you want to get more on other pieces via legendaries it increases you kiting potential a LOT.
-Optional:Cold Damage Weapon. Yeah this might sound weird, but it works similar to how multishot with a cold bow does for your scoundrel, its an immense help to your kiting capabilities. although it will lower your dps.
-This is kinda off to the side but if you have a pickup radius and gold find set, along with the hatred regen and stuff. you can basically collect all the gold dropped without ever straying from the shortest path to mobs, essentially maximum kill time with no downtime of standing still or picking up gold.
-Follower-
-Templar- -It doesn't really matter what skills or gear you put on him, but for the sake of humanity give him the increased hatred regen skill. It only gives 1, but that 1 allows us to have the hatred regen of dual wielding (on the 1hand crossbow and either another 1hander or quiver) but without the 1.6 attack speed and possible dual wield bonus ontop of this.
Basic Mechanics Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyXwKwjP6tE
For those doing the build. Best in slot pieces seem to be Hellcat's Waist- for the max disc Nat's boots+chest, I don't recommend the 4piece as it's extremely expensive and requires either the AS from ring or 1hander. you can get 3 piece with the helm if you want. Either Blackbone or Dead mans, both can roll 10% AS, 7.5% chance to crit, 1.17 hatred, and 10 max disc. If you can somehow get all of those look for socket and as much dex as u can get. Xephirian Amulet, idealy 8 max disc and high crit chance+damage. Stone of Jordan ring with 8 max disc and as high crit chance as possible. 2nd ring should just be a rare.
Link to best in slot example: http://d3up.com/b/3939
And that's all I got guys! Feel free to ask any questions or give your feedback in the comments below. Tell me how it works for ya!