[3.7] "The Surrender" Lacerate Gladiator - 79/79 Block - All content viable

Note: Made this build in 3.3, have changed the skill tree since. Mechanics stayed pretty much the same.

3.6 Update: everything pretty much the same. Some cool new crafting mods for weapons or chest added past patches. Some of the new Unique Flasks and Gloves also look worth trying out.

3.7 Update: Added Watcher's Eye, Updated PoB Skill Tree, Updated Skills/Links in PoB.

Character name: OrangUtan_Klaus
https://www.pathofexile.com/account/view-profile/DiscoveryChannel/characters




PoB (lvl 91):

Bandit choice: Alira
Pantheon: Soul of Solaris, Soul of Gruthkul
Ascendancy nodes: Outmatch and Outlast, Versatile Combatant, Violent Retaliation (Feel Free to play around with the new Challenger Charges)

So far, Guardians, Shaper, Red Elder deathless. Died 3 times on my Uber Atziri attempt, damage is lacking a bit and I ran out of flasks and charges.

Hello everyone,

this is a little off-meta guide that is still competitive and can complete all content in the game (have not attempted Uber Elder, yet). Making dual-wield builds that only attack with the main-hand has become boring since the introduction of Shaper stat-sticks. That's why I tried to make the good old sword & board work, and I am quite satisfied with the result so far.

For Gem Setup, please check the Path of Building link!
My gear is not very good at this point, since this character is still a work in progress. For example sword, rings and amulet are easy upgrades I have to do in the near future.

This build utilizes 5 Endurance Charges, that will be generated by The Red Dream/Nightmare Jewel, to mitigate the incoming physical damage. The Surrender Shield gives us around 3000 armor and 250 life gained on block. The base block chance is 74/74, but will be at 79/79 most of the time while mapping because Tempest Shield and the Ascendancy nodes "Painforged" and "Violent Retaliation".



Helmet:

Shield:

Boots:

Gloves:

Weapon:

Body Armour:

Belt:

Jewellery:

Flasks:

Jewels:

Cost (This is pretty outdated, I'll try to catch up on it):
? for a 6-Link Astral Plate.
? for The Red Nightmare Jewel.
? for Death's door
? for The Surrender
10c-40c per rare jewel/ring/amulet/belt
? for Taste of Hate
10c-100ex for a foil


Pros:
- Good clear speed for melee
- Doesn't die
- End-game viable (Shaper, Elder, Shaped Burial Chambers)
- Immune to Vaal Construct Bukkake


Cons:
- Doesn't full-screen like Reave
- Damage is solid but nothing special
- Degeneration, especially Chaos, can be annoying since it can't be blocked


Map mods to avoid:
- Cannot leech life/mana
- Monsters reflect #% of any damage
- Lagging Syndicate Map of Screen Freeze


If you have questions or suggestions feel free to contact me in this thread or in-game.

That's it for now

faithfully yours,
DiscoveryChannel

Hey dude,

Love the build, nice to find something using a shield successfully! I'm totally going to try this.

OK I'm still quite newish to the game so please forgive me if the following are dumb questions:

1. I tried to level a gladiator before 1h / melee and found the damage appalling? I couldn't kill any incursion bosses after around lvl 35 without running out of time and others I couldn't even kill cause their regen so was fast. How did you manage to get good damage especially while levelling?


2. Outmatch outlast I thought this was only good for dual wielding as the offhand won't work with a shield and main hand only gives you a frenzy charge? Is it not better to go for bleed, making your lacerate more effective?

3. Was lacerate ok for single target or maybe Vaal dual strike?

4. any other tips before I start this build?

Thanks heaps for taking the time to write this, seems so hard to find an end game viable shield build that doesn't take forever to kill anything

"

Mursenary wrote:

1. I tried to level a gladiator before 1h / melee and found the damage appalling? I couldn't kill any incursion bosses after around lvl 35 without running out of time and others I couldn't even kill cause their regen so was fast. How did you manage to get good damage especially while levelling?

2. Outmatch outlast I thought this was only good for dual wielding as the offhand won't work with a shield and main hand only gives you a frenzy charge? Is it not better to go for bleed, making your lacerate more effective?

3. Was lacerate ok for single target or maybe Vaal dual strike?

4. any other tips before I start this build?

1. Incursion bosses can be tanky, especially while leveling. I leveled with Ewar's Mirage and a Tabula until around level 40-45. Try to get some flat damage on your leveling uniques (Prismweave for ele, Meginord's Girdle for Phys for example). I Switched between melee skills like Frost Blades, Infernal Blow or Double Strike and all seemed fine. Just get a 4 link Warchief somewhere to help you with bosses.

2. Endurance Charges will be generated by The Red Dream Jewel that Chayula can drop (The jewel socket to the left of the skill tree). The node is very beneficial while mapping, which is what this build is very good at. It allows us to gain Frenzy Charges without using Blood Rage and gives 10% more damage and 10% more phys reduction. Lacerate has a flat 25% bleed chance which is enough for when we need the extra damage from it.

3. Lacerate did everything for me so far, except Uber Elder. Vaal Double Strike is of course a lot of extra dps if you can fit it in somewhere. Feel free to test different Skills and Gem Setups.

4. Dual wield while leveling. Take general damage nodes first, crit and block later. Tabula and a 4-link Warchief should carry you until maps.

"

DiscoveryChannel wrote:

"

Mursenary wrote:

1. I tried to level a gladiator before 1h / melee and found the damage appalling? I couldn't kill any incursion bosses after around lvl 35 without running out of time and others I couldn't even kill cause their regen so was fast. How did you manage to get good damage especially while levelling?

2. Outmatch outlast I thought this was only good for dual wielding as the offhand won't work with a shield and main hand only gives you a frenzy charge? Is it not better to go for bleed, making your lacerate more effective?

3. Was lacerate ok for single target or maybe Vaal dual strike?

4. any other tips before I start this build?

1. Incursion bosses can be tanky, especially while leveling. I leveled with Ewar's Mirage and a Tabula until around level 40-45. Try to get some flat damage on your leveling uniques (Prismweave for ele, Meginord's Girdle for Phys for example). I Switched between melee skills like Frost Blades, Infernal Blow or Double Strike and all seemed fine. Just get a 4 link Warchief somewhere to help you with bosses.

2. Endurance Charges will be generated by The Red Dream Jewel that Chayula can drop (The jewel socket to the left of the skill tree). The node is very beneficial while mapping, which is what this build is very good at. It allows us to gain Frenzy Charges without using Blood Rage and gives 10% more damage and 10% more phys reduction. Lacerate has a flat 25% bleed chance which is enough for when we need the extra damage from it.

3. Lacerate did everything for me so far, except Uber Elder. Vaal Double Strike is of course a lot of extra dps if you can fit it in somewhere. Feel free to test different Skills and Gem Setups.

4. Dual wield while leveling. Take general damage nodes first, crit and block later. Tabula and a 4-link Warchief should carry you until maps.

Ok sweet, I'll get a belt and see if I can get some other nice gear to help level. I don't have a tabula/ can't afford it in incursion so will see how I go. I may end up levelling this in standard league as I have one there + a few other rares.

Cheers



Thanks heaps for the reply!

crafted this with 50 alteration + 1 regal is it ok to start with? How much PDPS should be fine for end game?

"

lesiooo wrote:

crafted this with 50 alteration + 1 regal is it ok to start with? How much PDPS should be fine for end game?

This is great to start with.
For endgame you want a lot of attack speed and a lot of crit, since there's much added damage from abyssus and jewellery/abyss jewels. I would aim for 2 APS, 7.0 crit and 300+ pdps for endgame. I am using a 270 Dps foil with 1.92 APS myself and it's totally fine, just not optimal.

What are the mtx setting you were using?
They look epic

"

Viperial7 wrote:

What are the mtx setting you were using?
They look epic

Legacy Character Effect, Gloom Herald of Ash, Stormcaller Body Armour, Seeker Hood, Seeker Boots, Neck Scarf, Demon King Wings and I think it's also Legacy Weapon Effect. The Shield is a Great Old One's Ward Skin Transfer.

I'm playing this build in the Incursion Flashback (non-HC). Its very durable, mobile and does a lot of damage.

Thanks for the great build!

Just checked back on this build. Should still work just as fine in Delve.