[3.8] "The Boys' Impale Stacking Berserker" [all content - starter - hc viable]
 Greetings, Exile 3.8 Update: Outside of the berserker ascendancy changes, not much has changed, and I'm proud to say this will be an excellent starter for 3.8 :) The passive tree pastebins have also been updated for the 3.8 tree, happy hunting exiles!
Spoiler
My name is Speedy, or vobruh, and today I will be presenting to you my Vaal Double Strike "The Boys' Impale Stacking berserker". The "Popzerker" has two main goals: Goal #1 is to not sacrifice solid defence (and HC viability with a few node swaps), and Goal #2 is to dish out tons of deeps
To start off, let's look at the pros and cons Pros
Spoiler
-Clears All Content
-Fast Mapper -1,250hp leech on hit for softcore tree -1,400hp leech on hit for hardcore tree -Uber Elder Farmer -Cheap to start (starter viable) -Scales VERY well with investment -With full buffs, we have around 60% evade chance, 70% armour mitigation, 21% block chance, 37% Attack Dodge chance, and 50% Spell Dodge Chance -Just trust me, the blood/ashsplosions with extra gore are worth it. The sound effects omg -If you have a vendetta against porcupines, you can easily just pop them (no risk) -We're pretty dang fast Cons
Spoiler
-Need a few stacks of Rage before you start one shotting every pack
-No regen is tough (but doable) -No leech is suicide (but also doable, if you're a madlad) -No leech and no regen together is definitely a no -Can't do ele/phys reflect -Some gemswapping for endgame bosses 
Spoiler
This build utilizes some pretty op mechanics that work together very nicely. I will cover most of the mechanics of this build here, others will be down in the gem section.
Life Regeneration and Leeching
Spoiler
Disclaimer: I'm going to talk about the use of blood rage and life regeneration here. Because of the degen, I would recommend not using blood rage as a HC player, and either deal with less attack speed from not having frenzy charges (you still have plenty of deeps), or find another method of receiving them in the build.
There is a certain interaction between Carnage Heart and life regeneration that is quite interesting. If you activate blood rage, but you outregen the degen effect, you're "technically and effectively" at full life, and as such are able to utilize "on full life" effects; however, despite our regen speed being higher than our degen, effectively putting us at full life, we are still technically leeching. Therefore, while we have blood rage up, we can have the increased attack speed of blood rage, and the increased damage while leeching with carnage heart, all while sitting at full health. However, this means we must keep our life regeneration equal to, or higher, than our degen (4% of total life with a lvl 20 blood rage Clear Speed & Bleed Since we aren't a pure phys build, we utilize Herald of Ash and Haemophilia gloves to aid our clear speed along with ancestral call and melee splash. We aren't necessarily concerned with doing bleed damage, we just want our enemies to be bleeding, and with our 75% chance to inflict bleed (25% from Haemophilia, 25% from tree, 25% from double strike) & our fast attack speed, they'll be bleeding. This is how we get nice chains of blood/ashsplosions. Impale Stacking Calculations Even though we aren't a champion, we still utilize impale (since it's a pretty broken mechanic atm) Since POB can't currently calculate our dps, everyone in the community has been using an Impale formula (I got it a few weeks back, can't remember from who or else I'd credit them). The formula goes as follows: # Chance to impale * amount of impales * (impale effect * increased impale effect) With our impale support gem, along with nodes off the tree, our calculations for the formula would be: .9 * 5 (.1 * 1.89) = .845, or, in other words, 85% More Damage Assassin's Mark & Mark of The Elder This one is pretty self explanatory. Assassin's mark shaper ring (power charge generation + life/mana) + mark of the elder (%inc life (up to 10) more phys, some cold, and a lot more damage) 
Spoiler
Main Passive Tree (softcore) - https://pastebin.com/sbYvbqNT
Secondary Passive Tree (hardcore) - https://pastebin.com/mmVNar12 
Spoiler
Disclaimer: Since we do aim to remain reliably defensive, we do not take aspect of carnage, if you would to really go as high as you can with the numbers, feel free to swap out blitz charges for aspect of carnage (you will gain around 900k shaper dps on the mapping links) :)
The Labyrinth
Spoiler
Flawless Savagery
 The Cruel Labyrinth
Spoiler
Crave The Slaughter
 The Merciless Labyrinth
Spoiler
Rite of Ruin
 Uber Lab
Spoiler
Blitz
 
Spoiler
This is the gear I am currently using, and will likely be using until I stop playing this character.
Paradoxica: Para is a very good bang for your buck high dps sword, you can't go wrong with this one, aim for a high phys roll, chance to impale, or both. If you would rather not use a para, you can always opt for dual-wield ichimonji or two jeweled foils. I bought this para for 1ex. Ichimonji: I like ichimonji as an off hand because it's cheap, buffs our auras, has okay dps, and reduces our mana reserved. I bought mine for 3c. Chest: You can really do anything here, I would recommend getting high life rolls and -mana cost to attacks (so you fill out all of the heralds/auras we use), but you can go with a maim, no -mana cost, high life chest. There really isn't a wrong answer here, go with a chest piece you feel comfortable with. Starkonja's: Starkonja is always an amazing helm, especially on a budget. If you have the money, dish out a little extra to get an enchant. I paid 100c Haemophilia: I've already mentioned why these are valuable in the mechanics above, you could sub these out for something else, just know you'll be losing a lot of damage and a bit of clear speed. Costs a couple of chaos Boots: Fill out reses and get life. I had these drop from legion, but they're roughly 130c - 1ex Belt of The Deceiver: I actually had these drop in a t16, and I vaaled them and got the all res. You obviously don't need the all res, but it sure is nice. A deceiver with the all res corruption goes for around 1ex, if that's not your style, you can never go wrong with a stygian vise. Rings: I would highly, highly recommend getting a shaped ring as soon as you can for this build, preferably you would get an assassin's mark ring, but if you can't afford that, you can at least buy a cheap shaped ring and couple it with a mark of the elder for the deeps boost. Amulet: Carnage Heart is kinda required, it's very cheap though (unless you go for a max rolled one). I bought this near max rolled one a week into league for around 40c (should be way cheaper now). Flasks: No atziri's promise since we're capped on leech already, and sin's rebirth gives us more deeps with unholy might + ignite removal. Make sure you have anti-freeze on your Diamond Flask or Quicksilver and anti-bleed on your life flask. 
Spoiler
These are the main links for our mapping (Main) link setup, I recommend using these (in order of appearance) until you start facing some of the endgame bosses
Mapping Gem links Uber Elder + 4/5 Way Legion For Uber Elder + 4/5 Way Legion wars, we drop Melee Splash for Melee Phys Uber Atziri/Pure Single Target For when you really want to go deep in the deeps (we drop ancestral call for ruthless) Helm Links Main Hand Links If you prefer, you could run multiple totems instead of faster attacks Unavailable Off Hand Links I highly, highly recommend flesh and stone, if you can, fit it into every build. Nearby enemies (most enemies we're attacking since we're melee, and they'll be in our bubble) are blinded (essentially giving us a much higher evade chance), and on top of that we also take less damage from enemies who aren't closer to us. I don't have a maim chest, nor do I ever use blood stance, we have more than enough dps to clear maps quickly, and on bosses we use our warchief to apply maim. Win-win Glove Links Whirling blades is a possible replacement for Leap slam, but it feels much better with the rework, and I enjoy being able to hop over most things. Boot Links There's an argument that could be made for running Molten shell instead, but I still prefer IC despite the nerf. 
Spoiler
On jewels, there's a few stats you want to aim for
-Life -Mana Leech -Attack Speed -Any inc% phys damage Here's a few Examples: My jewels aren't anywhere near perfect, but our tree largely makes up for it, however if you want to invest in a transcendent flesh or other impressives jewels, go right ahead :) I'm also using a Maraketh Timeless Jewel which gives me more health, life regen, crit chance, and onslaught on kill for 8 seconds among other stats. Here's the one I'm using, I have it in the center of the duelist starting area. 
Spoiler
Uber Elder - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__0f9d1ToFY
Maze of The Minotaur - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMzv3EMd3lw Forge of The Phoenix - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aboDd55q878 Chimera - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWKv2jPrRvA 35% Increased Life Hydra - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnQQMLLCBuY T16 Eradicator - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tLgjdPR_Es T16 Purifier - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgaYN9-Mzjg T16 Enslaver - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abwsfYhbTnQ T16 Constrictor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVZ-4BU4G2M T17 Abyss - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsjcPni_Oy0 T17 Abyssal Lich - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eXsCBD82AM Thanks for viewing my build guide, Exile If you have any questions, feel free to post them here, and I will respond as soon as I can. I know I didn't give much guidance to HC players outside of the HC version of the passive tree, but I expect them to know their limits, and know what they can and can't take on with their current build. I do also have plans to make a video guide for the build, but that will come at a later time. edit: Added Ascendancy Tab and refined some of the guide. edit 2: Added Uber Elder and T17 Abyssal Lich videos, as well as the Jewels section. Last edited by vobruh#7435 on Sep 6, 2019, 2:16:17 AM Last bumped on May 11, 2020, 1:14:48 PM
Some items in this post are currently unavailable.
|
|
|
Reserved
|
|
|
This is really nice since i'm using double strike too! question what should we get first in the passive tree? damage/life or complete first the duelist wheel? by the way this build is i'm using right now but i think it is broken and improvise some stuff but your build is definitely the answer to this build. <3
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1321402 |
|
" Sorry, I definitely could've clarified! If you're playing hc, definitely go for a comfortable health pool before investing heavy in damage nodes. (outside of the impale nodes) A lot of the nodes in the duelist area are more or less optional (but recommended for more health and defenses, like with the increased fortify effect nodes). First priorities for us is to hit the large sword cluster on the left side of the tree as well as the 2 impale clusters in the lower left corner of the tree. As well as that, we want to fill out the scion health nodes. Once you've reached mapping you should have the scion health nodes, the impale nodes, the large sword cluster on the left side of the tree, herbalism (10% inc life on the right side of the tree), and be working on finishing up the large sword cluster next to herbalism. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions, and enjoy dual strike! Edit: I will be adding a jewels section to the guide soon as well, but in the mean time, I should add that I'm also using a maraketh jewel in the jewel slot in the center of the duelist area, I have it logged in with the impale calculations as well. It often makes a lot of the nodes in the duelist area much more valuable. If you want to experiment with timeless jewels, I would recommend finding a cheap maraketh or karui jewel. I believe maraketh's are running around 30c, and karui jewels are close to 10c. Last edited by vobruh#7435 on Jul 8, 2019, 2:27:09 AM
|
|
|
"Once you've reached mapping you should have the scion health nodes, the impale nodes, the large sword cluster on the left side of the tree, herbalism (10% inc life on the right side of the tree), and be working on finishing up the large sword cluster next to herbalism."
I see then we must finish first the marauder wheel right after that we will go to the scion wheel. |
|
|
Great build so far, but there's one thing that makes me wonder - Pantheon.
How do I set it up? |
|
|
Current level right now is level 55 and this is really nice build, but main thing is the mana problem i also bring mana flask to aid that thing.
|
|
" that is correct :) " I would recommend Lunaris for mapping and Solaris for bossing, if you don't care, just leave it on Solaris. For Minor god, I personally go with shakari, so i can just ignore poison altogether, but you could go for ryslatha, gruthkul, really any of the minor gods really. It's up to you, they're all pretty powerful. " Glad you're enjoying it! For mana sustatin, there's 2 dominant options here. You'd want to sustain via mana leech on a jewel or a piece of gear (any amount of mana leech should be enough to sustain). Alternatively, you can combine lowered mana cost with a little bit of mana gained on hit and a little bit of mana regen for infinite sustain as well, Those are the two main options, the latter being more expensive but better all all around since you can effectively reserve about 95% of your mana in endgame. Last edited by vobruh#7435 on Jul 12, 2019, 6:20:12 AM
|
|
|
I see right now my only problem now is how i can negate the effects of blood rage degen, i'm thinking to get the 2nd ascendancy warcry buffs and change the vaal grace to warcry? or should i change the ice golem to stone? what do you think? And oh i'm playing it in HC btw.
Last edited by MrPayat159#7790 on Jul 15, 2019, 7:36:45 AM
|
|
" I completely overlooked the golem switch, you could very well swap to stone golem for the life regen, and as far as more life regen goes, we get 4.4% life regen from the tree (which negates the 4% degen from blood rage), but there's another node in the small health cluster right at the start of the marauder tree that gives an additional 0.8% life regen which would up our regen to 5.2% and our effective regen after rage degen to 1.2%. You can also grab flat life regen on jewels, gear, etc. On behalf of rage degen, we can mostly ignore this, although at 50 stacks, we will be degenning an additional 5% of life (for up to 4 seconds, when the rage begins to decay). This means while we are degenning from rage, we'll be in combat, and we'll also be actively leeching, and when we're not in combat, we'll only degen for a maximum of 4 seconds, at which the rage life degen will stop, and we'll be back at full health. I haven't tried the warcry ascendancy nodes at all, so I can't comment on their effectiveness, but if you do try them, let me know how it goes :) Last edited by vobruh#7435 on Jul 15, 2019, 3:26:36 PM
|
|
