3.17 VLS Champion Build Guide - Leaguestarter to All Content

General Notes 3.17: * There are three item sets, three end-game trees, and several general leveling trees. Make sure you are following the right one for your league type and stage. * There are extra Aura options in the skills section that can be chosen (Click them on if testing) if you reach the Min/Max version. Wrath is huge DPS for bosses. Purity of Elements is huge QoL for mapping. Consider swapping or just run the one you like. Herald of Ice does provide a relatively minor DPS boost at endgame, but Arctic Armor is often a better choice for defensive reasons. I had an Anger Aul's Uprising amulet, so moved that off the Enlighten aura set (swapped out Blind on AP) and placed the big Aura with the Enlighten (Wrath/PoE). If you get to that point and can't figure out gem setups, just hollar in Discord. * As of this release, POB has not updated with the new weapon stats, change to Added Ligthning Damage and the Awakened version. * Likewise, the tree hasn't been updated. In the leveling trees 25 and 50, Winddancer is now Precise Technique. Use it and use your precision aura to keep your accuracy just higher than your max life. You'll spec out of Precise Technique when we start switching to critical strikes in the mid-game. * For the min/max version, I'm fairly certain it will be impossible to get an ilvl 85 Blizzard Crown this league. That said, with the new implicits, a Crusader BC may no longer be BIS I will analyze this further after that info has been determined. * I have included both Withering Step and Phase Run as possible late game bind to left click (move) options. Use one or the other. Withering Step resets your elusive when you move, which means you'll have a higher sustained Elusive on average while hitting, meaning more DPS. The issue is that Withering Step is a blink skill and forces you to use your flame dash judiciously. Phase Run still works great for the build, and after doing some testing, I feel both are good options. It does feel like there is a slight benefit on DPS using Withering Step, but the benefit has a cost of leaving you with potentially no flame dash charges in a time of need. Do with that what you will. I will probably continue to play with Phase Run until i'm sure that WS is significantly better, or I'll gem swap for bosses, as that is the only time the extra dps is really necessary. * There are a number of potential damage increasing boxes I have left unclicked in the config tab, including Full Life, Enemy is Maimed, Cat's Agility, Rage, and Scorch is set to 25 instead of 30. Play with those as you will if you want to PoB Warrior with the endgame DPS. * Lastly, remember that the DPS displayed to the left for Full DPS is theoretically around what you are doing with proper positioning (Double Hitting). If you also have two Vaal wells down, the total DPS is roughly double that shown to the left. I'll release a more updated version after PoB updates. Leveling Notes: Grab early melee skill of choice (I like Splitting Steel) until Lightning Strike is available around level 12 (just when you enter Merveil's caverns). Some people suggest leveling with Spectral Helix or sticking with Splitting Steel and using Lancing Steel when its available in Act 3. I've never felt the need, but you can choose what is best for you. Once you have a Vaal Lightning Strike switch immediately from whatever leveling skill you were using. (You can Vaal Orb LS for a 20% chance of getting VLS, if you're playing SSF) I suggest dual wielding until you are nearing the end of acts or in early maps. The natural breakpoint is when you have a fast claw with 1.9+ APS. Any high attack speed melee weapon(s) with elemental dps will do at the beginning. One claw is mandatory when you get the early claw nodes and mastery. That should be enough to drop your mana flask, or at least make relying on it much less necessary. Upgrade your melee weapon(s) about every 10-15 levels at the most. In mid to endgame, a Noble Claw is basically as good as an Imperial Claw (BIS). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gem Availability while Leveling: QR = Quest Reward, P = Purchase, U = Use, L = Just Level(You generally want to stay out of towns while leveling, so some rewards are stacked) Act 1: After Hillock: QR Splitting Steel U link with Chance to Bleed After Hailrake/Breaking some Eggs: QR Dash U and Ancestral Call L P Ancestral Protector U and Steelskin U (Place steelskin on left click/movement) After Brutus: QR Enduring Cry U P Blind U (link to AP) and Precision L (When you get Precise Technique notable, use Precision at a low level) After getting to Merveils Carvern WP (Siren's Cadence): P Lightning Strike (link with Ancestral Call) and P Onslaught/Added Fire (depending on gem link colors) End Act 1 Skills/Links: Lightning Strike - Ancestral Call - Onslaught/Added Fire Ancestral Protector - Blind Dash Steelskin Act 2: After Rescuing Helena (Intruders in Black): QR Herald of Ice U P Blood Rage and Defiance Banner U After Killing Weaver: QR Trinity U (replace Onslaught/Added Fire as soon as possible and make sure you are building resonance) P Elemental Damage with Attacks L (or link to AP if you have room/links) End Act 2 Skills/Links Lightning Strike - Ancestral Call - Trinity Ancestral Protector - Blind Dash Steelskin Blood Rage Auras = Herald of Ice, Defiance Banner Act 3: After turning in Tolman's Bracelet: QR Grace L P Anger U (Turn off HoI if you need the mana) *If you're playing HC, you can consider using Determination in place of Anger but make sure you are still able to use HoI and build resonance Just run past Gravicius After Siosa: QR Fortify U (4th LS Link until after second lab) P Culling Strike U (link to AP), Flame Dash U (replace Dash), Conductivity U (for bosses) End Act 3 Skills/Links Lightning Strike - Ancestral Call - Trinity - Fortify Ancestral Protector - Blind - Culling Strike Flame Dash Steelskin Blood Rage Conductivity (You may not have enough intelligence for this) Suggested Auras = Anger, Defiance Banner Act 4: After killing Malachai (Eternal Nightmare): P Cast when Damage Taken U (Link to Steelskin when levels match) Lightning Strike - Ancestral Call - Trinity - Fortify Ancestral Protector - Blind - Culling Strike Flame Dash Steelskin - CWDT Blood Rage Conductivity Suggested Auras = Anger, Defiance Banner Act 6: After clearing Twilight Strand: P Nightblade U (when you have 5 Link for LS) and any gems you missed or want to level before using Refer to Skills section and info below for suggested skills/links ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ascendancy: Unstoppable Hero, Fortitude, Inspirational, First to Stike/Last to Fall (the last two are interchangeable based off your desires. Inspirational allows you to run Defiance Banner for no cost) Bandits: Kill All is recommended (Alira or Kraityn are acceptable choices as well for leveling) Pantheon: Lunaris and Tukohama (Solaris is end-game recommended major normally, but Lunaris is safer for mapping and getting levels) Allocation: Cheap: Elemental Focus / Medium: Divine Judgement / Endgame: Tenacity ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VLS and Static Strike Links: (See skills section for other setups) Lightning Strike 3L: (V) Lightning Strike - Ancestral Call - Trinity (Make sure Trinity is building max resonance, but it should be with HoI or Anger) Lightning Strike 4L: (V) Lightning Strike - Ancestral Call - Trinity - Fortify (till 2nd Lab) THEN Elemental Damage with Attacks (If you somehow reach maps without getting a 5L, then Nightblade replaces EDwA) Lightning Strike 5L: (V) Lightning Strike - Ancestral Call - Trinity - Elemental Damage with Attacks - Nightblade Lightning Strike 6L: (V) Lightning Strike - Ancestral Call - Trinity - Elemental Damage with Attacks - Nightblade - Added Lightning Damage Lightning Strike 6L with +1 Strike Gloves: (V) Lightning Strike - Trinity - Elemental Damage with Attacks - Nightblade - Added Lightning Damage - Inspiration Static Strike 4L Midgame: Static Strike - Hextouch - Conductivity - Power Charge on Critical Strike Static Strike 4L Early Endgame (Once you have Conductivity on Hit ring): Static Strike - Power Charge on Critical Strike - Cast on Critical Strike - Wave of Conviction Static Strike 4L Endgame (Once you have The Interrogation and Conductivity on Hit ring): Static Strike - Rage - Cast on Critical Strike - Wave of Conviction How to use Static Strike: Click it every few seconds on a monster/boss to proc the attached spell/hex. It will send out beams for a few seconds and then needs to be hit again. When you are just standing there on a boss, I've found that you can hold down VLS key (right click for me) and hit static strike key (index finger for me) to trigger it. Do not click off the move to attack button on the skill as it is a close range melee attack. Hitting the key should move your character into range if you arent already. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aura Skills: Early on, Utilize Herald of Ice THEN Anger to proc Trinity's resonance. Precision should be run at just a high enough level to keep your accuracy above your max life. Mid-Game - Anger and Defiance Banner plus your choice of Grace OR Determination OR Arctic Armor + Herald of Ice (This build can spend a lot of time stationary, so Arctic Armor is a large Phys Damage reduction). A good option is to just use Vaal Grace and drop it when you drop VLS Wells on bosses for a huge boost. Endgame - Anger, Grace, Arctic Armor or HOI, Defiance Banner, Aspect of the Cat once you have Farrul's or Replica Farrul's Extreme Endgame (If you get an Aul's (Anger/Grace) Amulet) - Anger, Grace, Wrath OR Purity of Elements, Arctic Armor OR HoI, Defiance Banner, Aspect of the Cat ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flasks: 1. Diamond Flask with Gain a Charge on Crit (Prefix) and Increased Crit Chance (Suffix) (ilvl 82 can give T1 of both mods) At most one other flask should have Gain a Charge on Crit Prefix as those flasks share the granted charge(s) between them 2. Granite Flask 3. Jade Flask 4. Quicksilver OR Silver Flask (if no reliable Onslaught source) then Sulpher Flask 5. Optional Panicked Life Flask or another Utility of your choosing Unique Flask of note = Bottled Faith, can take the place of Diamond and Sulpher Flask which opens up a flask slot ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Endgame gearing priority in general order of importance: Feel free to jump around as you see fit or can afford Claw ilvls of importance: iLvl 63 can give T3 Lightning Damage and T2 Attack Speed iLvl 74 can give T2 Lightning Damage iLvl 77 can give T1 Attack Speed iLvl 82 can give T1 Lightning Damage 1. Keep looking for better claws until you have a great one (T1/0 Attack Speed, T1 Flat Lightning Damage, T1/2 Crit Chance, and anything else useful (Other Flat Elemental Damage, Crit Multi). The best benchcraft is usually Elemental Penetration (Prefix) assuming you already have AS, Flat Lightning Damage and Crit Chance on the claw 2. Farm Jun missions to get some nice gear upgrades and also find the +1 pierce craft for gloves/helmet. 3. Diamond Flask as described above 4. Hunter Gloves for +1 Strike (needs to be ilvl 80) 5. Warlord Ring for Conductivity on Hit (Needs to be ilvl 75 or 80 - two mod levels) *For SSF or early league, you can farm delve lightning nodes (Brinerot) for a Conductivity on hit ring (I found one around depth 50 in endless Delve) They can be found in Sulpher Biomes starting at Depth 35. 6. The Interrogation jewel 7. Farrul's Fur or/then Replica Farrul's Fur (BIS) - Beastcraft Aspect of Cat (Suffix) wherever you have space on Gloves or Hat. An unlinked red gem socket on whichever item has AoC should have a less duration gem in order to always have charges 8. Watcher's Eye with Anger Crit Multiplier 9. Enlighten Level 3 10. Aul's Uprising Amulet: Anger or Grace are BIS as they allow you to choose between Wrath or Purity of Elements as your third 50% Aura. PoE for mapping and Wrath for Bossing is generally how I rolled. 11. Cluster Jewels 12. Thread of Hope, Lethal Pride, or other endgame jewel you think works best 13. Bottled Faith