Given all the items that go into the finished build, a large amount of time will be spent farming for these items before we can play with the final... product.
At what point can we switch from a generic build to actually using EP / SSS?
I'd like to know more about the build and playstyle that goes into farming for this, and what it looks like before it's completed.
Once you have 6 piece set + either Madstone or Gungdo. It'll still suck until you get FoE, but I rolled without it through earlier torments for a bit on PTR and it was manageable. That's just how it is though, it's a 12 piece set. If you don't have all the pieces you'll be disappointed.
I'm going to disagree again on this aspect. It seems MHM keeps looking at it more from the perspective of already having another full set and switching over to Uliana. Having all the pieces will of course make you the strongest you can be with this set but it is still VERY good while you are gearing up as a fresh character.
Since your question seems to be precisely about what to do as a fresh character, I will try to lay it out for you. You will hit 70 and have some generic generator/spender build. If you get 2pc Uliana, Madstone, or Gungdo then you can start using EP:Strong Spirit to gain lots of resources to spam your spender more if you're solo or EP:Impending Doom in a group. If you've got multiple monks in group then anyone without U6+Madstone needs to use a different EP rune until they have it because using the same rune will just overwrite each others'. Once you get 4pc, Lion's Claw, FoE, or the previous mentioned Madstone then add SSS into your build, and if you're solo then probably keep another spender until you have FoE. Until you get 6pc, use any bonuses from other sets that you get to help you out. After that you just keep adding w/e you're missing to become more powerful.
My gearing strategy at the start will be: spend blood shards primarily to get 6pc and focus on the slots that I don't have any legendary/Uliana first, use the cube recipe Skill of Nilfur to reroll any extra set items to ones that I need, use the cube recipe Hope of Cain to upgrade yellow fist weapons to legendary for Lion's Claw/EP fist and maybe diabos to get FoE if I feel it's taking too long, when I'm T6 ready then do a few keywardens/ubers with a full group for a decent neck (perfect it later in T10).
If there is another Uliana monk in the group they should be focusing different groups of enemies... and in the worst case scenario you both will be hitting the single and same enemy, in this case if you make explode someone else EP with SSS having equipped gungdo don't know if the explosion will apply your EP with your rune or his... never considered it cause i find absurd a group with more than 1 person with the same build, always preferred diversity in the group giving different buffs to each other.
2x Uliana is standard for groups on PTR and you can't separate when you are both relying on your support barb to give you massive toughness buffs and keeping the mobs grouped tight for better EP explosion damage. If it's just T10 or w/e easy stuff then you can split up if the map isn't linear but madstone is still a huge quality of life improvement when you're alone.
I've been playing a little with this set in the Ptr and you actually don't need Madstone in cube, because using gungdo the explosion from EP will apply EP to the enemies which explosion is triggered by the 6p effect of the set, so you only need to apply palm before by using it or 2p effect; So i'd rather recommend using both gungdo and the spirit guards, using the best one you got and cubing the other. The only situation where you benefice from using Madstone is if u use SSS to a single target with no EP applied, then you'll apply EP but not trigger explosion in the first hit but you'll do in all the rest of hits and as i have said this can be resolved by just using EP before while not using Madstone.
Cya,
Sanguinae
Madstone is mandatory if you have another Uliana monk hitting the same mobs that you are with the same EP rune because they will overwrite your EP's. If you group with other monks at the start then just run different EP runes until you have each madstones but once you get to high content you'll all want to be cold. If you play solo then it is still a strong option that almost everyone uses but you can get away without it.
Hey guys, today I explain and showcase the new Monk set coming in 2.3 - Uliana's Stratagem. Although it does have a steep gear requirement (it's basically a 12 piece set), it's one of the smoothest builds out there among a sea of clunkiness (see Helltooth Gary). I go over the gearing strategy, gem choices, speed farming vs. greater rift considerations, and blow up some T10 cows. Moo moo. Enjoy & discuss!
That's a large exaggeration because you're suggesting that the BiS list (including cube powers) is mandatory. Following that logic pretty much every set is 15+ pcs in 2.3...
In reality Uliana's has the smoothest gearing I've ever seen and the cube makes it even easier through targeted crafting/rerolling. Every set bonus adds dps, almost every complimentary item adds dps, and the belt adds huge toughness. Every time you find a new complimentary item or complete a new bonus you can raise your torment 2 times and end up in T10 while missing a few BiS items.
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I'm going to disagree again on this aspect. It seems MHM keeps looking at it more from the perspective of already having another full set and switching over to Uliana. Having all the pieces will of course make you the strongest you can be with this set but it is still VERY good while you are gearing up as a fresh character.
Since your question seems to be precisely about what to do as a fresh character, I will try to lay it out for you. You will hit 70 and have some generic generator/spender build. If you get 2pc Uliana, Madstone, or Gungdo then you can start using EP:Strong Spirit to gain lots of resources to spam your spender more if you're solo or EP:Impending Doom in a group. If you've got multiple monks in group then anyone without U6+Madstone needs to use a different EP rune until they have it because using the same rune will just overwrite each others'. Once you get 4pc, Lion's Claw, FoE, or the previous mentioned Madstone then add SSS into your build, and if you're solo then probably keep another spender until you have FoE. Until you get 6pc, use any bonuses from other sets that you get to help you out. After that you just keep adding w/e you're missing to become more powerful.
My gearing strategy at the start will be: spend blood shards primarily to get 6pc and focus on the slots that I don't have any legendary/Uliana first, use the cube recipe Skill of Nilfur to reroll any extra set items to ones that I need, use the cube recipe Hope of Cain to upgrade yellow fist weapons to legendary for Lion's Claw/EP fist and maybe diabos to get FoE if I feel it's taking too long, when I'm T6 ready then do a few keywardens/ubers with a full group for a decent neck (perfect it later in T10).
2x Uliana is standard for groups on PTR and you can't separate when you are both relying on your support barb to give you massive toughness buffs and keeping the mobs grouped tight for better EP explosion damage. If it's just T10 or w/e easy stuff then you can split up if the map isn't linear but madstone is still a huge quality of life improvement when you're alone.
Madstone is mandatory if you have another Uliana monk hitting the same mobs that you are with the same EP rune because they will overwrite your EP's. If you group with other monks at the start then just run different EP runes until you have each madstones but once you get to high content you'll all want to be cold. If you play solo then it is still a strong option that almost everyone uses but you can get away without it.
That's a large exaggeration because you're suggesting that the BiS list (including cube powers) is mandatory. Following that logic pretty much every set is 15+ pcs in 2.3...
In reality Uliana's has the smoothest gearing I've ever seen and the cube makes it even easier through targeted crafting/rerolling. Every set bonus adds dps, almost every complimentary item adds dps, and the belt adds huge toughness. Every time you find a new complimentary item or complete a new bonus you can raise your torment 2 times and end up in T10 while missing a few BiS items.