In this post, I will present the build I'm playing and it's mechanics, which can be used on any Archmage/Mana build.

Pros:

• Can run every map mod except no regen (-max res and less recovery are rough but doable)
• Good damage
• Good recovery

Cons:

• Oneshots (not very tanky)
• Little to no rares on the market

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PoB: https://pobb.in/m4Bw4wUR5h9s

There are 3 trees: my current tree, my projected lvl100 tree, and an experimental non-crit tree (a little less dps). (Edit: pobb is showing the non-crit info)

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Mana sustain:

The main Mana recovery comes from the Nexus gloves, "30% chance when you pay a Skill's Cost to gain that much Mana 30% reduced maximum Mana", the Mana Mastery, "10% chance to recover 10% of maximum Mana when you use a skill", and Mana regeneration (around 1,5k/s). The Mana Mastery is also scaled by Mana recovery rate (36%) to 13% of maximum Mana. The build sustains continuous casting without ever dropping under 50%.

Note: Pure Talent and Transcendent Mind in the witch/templar socket give a significant boost to Mana recovery.

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Damage:

The damage scaling is maximum Mana, Critical Multiplier, Arcane Surge, minimum Power Charges, and Shock effect.

Why not Wrath aura?

Dropping Wrath enables using Righteous Fire with Agnostic, which is more damage than Wrath. Also using Sublime Vision for Clarity gives 80% Arcane Surge effect which is 16% more damage and 16% increased cast speed.

Arcane Surge is linked to Arcane Cloak (on the left mouse button) and the Divergent quality enables 100% uptime (17s duration). By investing in Arcane Surge effect (190%), the buff grants 58% more damage and 58% increased cast speed (and 168% increased Mana regeneration).

The Hierophant enables easily getting 6 minimum Power Charges, and using the minimum Power Charge cluster and Inner Conviction, gives 72% increased damage and 16% more damage (and 30% crit multi, 48% crit chance and 48% mana regen).

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Crucible tree:

While I've failed all my crafting attempts there are really good nodes on bows ( all useful nodes ).

The best combination (imo):

• t1: 60% global damage/20% increased mana cost
• t2: -3% crit/100% global crit multi
• t3/t4: supported by increased projectile speed support and +2 pierce or 55% increased projectile speed/30% reduced projectile damage (or flat dexterity)
• (No relevant t5)

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Defences/recovery:

The build doesn't have any defences other than resistances, which makes it very squishy. For recovery, it has 50-60% MoM, Agnostic, and  Recoup (currently only Mana recoup, and Life recoup at higher levels).

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Gear:

Uniques: Cloak of Defiance, Atziri's Foible, Voltaxic Rift, Transcendent Mind (templar/witch), Healthy Mind (scion), Pure Talent, Sublime Vision (Clarity), Watcher's Eye (Clarity), Militant Faith (Dominus, res per devotion). Suggested mods for WE: MoM, Mana recovery rate or 10% chance de recover 10% of Mana.

Quiver (feathered arrow or synth): Deafening essence of Scorn (global crit multi) and projectile speed (optionally pierce, stun avoidance).

Rings: Despair on hit (optionally minimum Power Charge)

Gloves: Nexus base

Helmet: +3 Spark projectiles (optionally enemies have -% chaos res)

Boots: +2 additional pierce (optionally elevated pierce, elusive, tailwind, onslaught)

Belt: optionally Life and Mana recovery rate

Amulet anoint: Heart of Darkness

All rares: Life and Mana (and some resistances). You'll need dexterity somewhere.

Edit: forgot flasks, they're not minmaxed:

Zerphi's Last Breath is great for life recovery (1 cast during effect is over 8k life regen)

Bottled Faith for more crit (increased damage taken is negligeable)

Diamond Flask

Quicksilver Flask

Not sure about the last one (using Atziri's Promise right now)

Note: my current gear is still scuffed and there is a lot of room for improvement. If there is any interest in the build, I will eventually post a minmaxed version (I plan to minmax the build

edit: upgraded the quiver and changed the amulet ainoint for 30% more damage.