Impale Demon Hunter

[Valks 2,375]

This thread is for comments about our Impale Demon Hunter build guide.

[Guest DariSh]

 

What is the difference between the lightning build and the cold build? lighthing is better?

[Valks 2,375]

On 1/18/2019 at 5:43 PM, Guest DariSh said:

 

What is the difference between the lightning build and the cold build? lighthing is better?

Cold uses Frostburn and is likely the better choice this season.

[Guest DariSh]

4 hours ago, Blainie said:

Cold uses Frostburn and is likely the better choice this season.

And non season? are the same?

[Guest Some minor updates]

 I think these comments have to updated to s16: "If high leaderboard position without strict adherence to the meta is attractive to you, consider using this build." and "It is not recommended for group Greater Rifts past the point where every party member can handle the content on his own".

[Guest ebber]

In the speedfarming variation the synergy of Goldwrap, Avarice Band and Boon of the Hoarder makes Awareness redundant. Replace with Hot Pursuit for more speed, as that is all we need! :)

[huntress 8]

On 1/19/2019 at 3:43 AM, Guest DariSh said:

 

What is the difference between the lightning build and the cold build? lighthing is better?

Cold fires all 3 daggers in a straight path (you get 3 daggers from the HPS quiver).  Because of this, it is directly affected by mob density.  If you have very good mob density, there is no limit to the number of monsters that can be impale.  In poor density, cold rune may only hit 2 or 3 monsters...

Lightning fires 9 daggers (3 daggers from HPS quiver, each dagger ricochets to 2 additional targets, so 3 + 6 =9).  Lightning rune can ONLY hit a maximum of 9 monsters, but effectively cannot hit less than 9 either.  

Why does this matter?  2 reasons.

1) hatred management.  Hatred management is much harder with cold than lightning (typically, you have less daggers hitting with cold than lightning, and thus, less chance of hatred being returned from hitting a monster twice).

2) AD (area damage).  Technically, with *very* good mob density, you can do a tonne of AD dmg.  AD has nothing to do with the distance between you and the target btw.  You have a flat 20% chance to proc AD.  You hit monster, proc AD, and *any* monster within 10 yards of the procced monster will suffer the AD (whatever your AD total is on your character).  Very good players want to generally be up close to the monsters so that all *3* daggers hit for critical hits on the 75k dmg on the single target, and hope that AD procs, and hope that there's great density around the victim monsters (10 yard radius), preferably an elite pack.  This is why herding with impale is a very useful skill to learn.  Cold can also aggro (aggravate) monsters better than lightning, meaning they will follow you once you've hit them.  Great for herding elite packs!  Not so good in a 4 man group...I suggest watching wudejo's most excellent YouTube video on AD mechanics.  

In theory, capping up, lightning generally means better hatred management, cold generally means theoretically higher dmg (courtesy of cold rune not limited to 9 daggers and AD proc where excellent mob density is present).  That's why most of the top players run cold/overpenetration and stack AD.  

Some other noted points of interest:

1) grievous wounds rune (physical) does *NOT* work with the 6 piece shadow set, only 2 and 4 piece.  It is not a bug, Blizzard have designed it this way (stupid really).  This rune is effectively the same as running NO rune for impale.  

2) it is possible for each dagger (of the 3 from HPS quiver) can do 75k dmg to the first target hit (which means, all of them COMBINED!).  The ricochet daggers (for lightning) do only the 6000% weapon dmg bonus, so significantly less).  This can severely boost the single target dmg (you MUST be right in the monster's face though!!!!).  

On 1/21/2019 at 9:39 PM, Blainie said:

Cold uses Frostburn and is likely the better choice this season.

Yes, and no.  

Wearing aquila's cubing chain of shadows and wearing witching hour does do more dmg.  Not by much, but by a bit.  The downside, is that you lose toughness/recovery.  Why?

Well...

1) lack of -dmg from ranged attackers on chest (it can't roll on aquila's from memory).  

2) lack of 15% health on belt (chain of shadows)

3) it seems to be rarer to get LPK as a secondary on aquila's than shadows mantle chest piece. 

You'll typically substitute AR (all res) on aquilas for % life (making up for the loss on the belt).  On the shadows chest, it's possible to get dex/vit/AR/LPK/-dmg ranged if you're lucky.  You'll prolly substitute emeralds in your chest piece sockets for diamonds for added toughness (losing DPS).  

But, aquilas/witching hour/cubed chain of shadows will do more DPS in s16 with the free RORG.  Prolly by about 5% (I haven't rolled it up in d3planner to fully confirm).  

Why go cold/frostburns in s16?  Well, you can keep your shadow chest piece (and get AR/LPK/-dmg ranged) and keep your chain of shadows too (for that 15% life).  Plus, frostburns has a % chance to freeze your target monster on hit, great for solo pushing CC (crowd control).  Slightly less dmg, but better toughness, and you'll need this imho, if you want to push above GR 120.  

I've done a GR 122 with my NS character, (no RORG), but it was very fragile and took a some fishing (~10 GR attempts or thereabouts).  A 123 is possible DPS wise, but toughness is a massive issue.  My NS paragon is only 2270 though...so very low when compared to many non-seasonal characters.  My gems were around 120, and augments between 100 and 108.  8 primals from memory, and some very good ancients.  If I had 6k paragon...a 125/126 would be doable for me, but alas...I am also playing on PS4 (console), so we have the retarded NG mechanic to deal with which hampers our clear times badly compared to the PC version of the game.  

s16, I have went the cold route with frostburns, at least until I get more paragon and full augments.  I'm a solo player, so it's much harder for me to get paragon/lgems/augmenrts and compete.  With that said, I finished s14 rank 12, and s15 rank 15.  Currently showing in the mid 50s for s16, but LBs on consoles are screwed (bug, showing s14 clears lol; Blizzard is both too stupid and lazy to fix it hahaha), but s16 has been a lot harder as many more players are playing DH, and most of them are grouping up, so I'm losing out even more via the solo vs group disparity...currently have done a 114 with 2 mins to spare, with a single lvl 50 augment, and missing 4 pieces as ancients...and, only p850 at the time of the 114 clear 4 days ago.  Now p935, already have a 110 augment in place, and working on 2 more 110 augments, so will have a crack at a 115 and 116 prolly tomorrow.  :-)

[Guest Shikima]

On 1/25/2019 at 9:22 AM, Guest ebber said:

In the speedfarming variation the synergy of Goldwrap, Avarice Band and Boon of the Hoarder makes Awareness redundant. Replace with Hot Pursuit for more speed, as that is all we need! ?

Except for the HC players ?

[Guest Fubak]

The guide is telling you to use grievous wounds rune for group play.

Why? If the rune does not benefit from the 6 piece of the impale set, why do you suggest the run with basically no rune?

[Guest Roktaal]

Using Visage of Gunes in cube instead of Aquila Cuirass is better in my oppinion. You get both 50% damage reduction and hatred generation by swapping VengeanceDark Heart with VengeanceSeethe

[BearakKGM 0]

I'm curious what purpose or role...if any...Fan of Knives - Bladed Armor has in this build, beyond the obvious armor buff.  Does it interact well with Shadow Power to give a "panic button" sort of life on hit burst, or is it a best of poor other options filler...just another button to hit?

[Yolo 40]

15 hours ago, BearakKGM said:

I'm curious what purpose or role...if any...Fan of Knives - Bladed Armor has in this build, beyond the obvious armor buff.  Does it interact well with Shadow Power to give a "panic button" sort of life on hit burst, or is it a best of poor other options filler...just another button to hit?

It gives the Armor buff, Slows Enemies for Cull the Weak damage increase, and helps your survival further with  Numbing Traps. I would say it is pretty well packed with utility. 

[Guest SixUnder]

Why use the pain enhancer gem? Wouldn't the bane of stricken, or bane of the powerful, even Zei stone of vengence be more beneficial? Just wondering because i have not see anything about blood frenzy show up, and I cant tell while playing if things are bleeding or not.

Also, what about the wreath lightning? Just wondering if someone knows something i do not about pain enhancer.

thanks

SIx

[Yolo 40]

On 3/4/2019 at 3:21 PM, Guest SixUnder said:

Why use the pain enhancer gem? Wouldn't the bane of stricken, or bane of the powerful, even Zei stone of vengence be more beneficial? Just wondering because i have not see anything about blood frenzy show up, and I cant tell while playing if things are bleeding or not.

Also, what about the wreath lightning? Just wondering if someone knows something i do not about pain enhancer.

thanks

SIx

If properly geared, you have a high chance to critically hit, which is the requirement to get the Bleed and the Attack speed buff with it. When monster health gets so high you cannot one or two shot them anymore, Attack speed gives more benefit than damage. 

[MrHandsome 5]

Still having 3x Cooldown on this build when just Gogok (15%) + 1x cooldown on shoulders (8 %) which will be enough.... I had already put that on the old topic... still not addressed/adjusted in this build. Solo you can replace that for AD (better at digging out an elite in a group/taking on blues) or in group for AS to proc Stricken faster.

Area dmg should be taken off from the Group progress build, you absolutely don't want ANY AD on the RGK, including the 50% AD in paragon should be taken off, AD collisions with any (good) mobkiller will lag the game out at 110+, i've had this crash the server in cases where I forgot to take it off the para AD from solo play. This way this build can deal with leftover Elites once most of the mobs are down by the mobkiller.

As for the speedfarm variation... I simply think once this build is setup fully, the dmg is way too high, I already can't do below 90's in group and also not below 95 solo, for I simply run out of hatred. The new T16 in next patch will not even address that. One is better off at making an UE MS build next to it for farming.

[Guest Sorat#2015@EU]

A few comments on the group progression variation:

• The recommended rune for Impale is Grievous Wounds, which deals 330% more dmg for critical hits. 75.000% from the set bonus with any rune or no rune vs. 75.330% from set bonus plus grievous wounds is not a big deal. Less than 0,4% increased dmg. So we could use any rune. Most players use cold or lightning on the solo characters, and could keep it in group runs too. No need to find amulett, bracers and quiver with another element.
• Items
  • Area dmg on shoulders is of no use here. Better get all res here!
  • Lacuni brawlers missing the attack speed stat.
  • Witching hour is missing the attack speed and crit dmg. Should be dex, vit, as, crit. dmg
  • Compass rose has cool down reduction as 4. recommended stat. As far as I do remember, it was recommended to keep up the fan of knives all time. But in the group build we don't use fan of knives anymore. So, here we could use attack speed instead of cooldown reduction.
  • Stone of Jordan: Cooldown again? No element? Should be socket, elemental dmg, +elite dmg, crit dmg
  • General recommendes secondary stat: life per enemy killed
  • Karlei's Point for high paragon players: Socket from Ramaldin gift, dmg range, %dmg, attack speed, + %elite dmg  (Yes, I really have seen this! ?
• Variations
  • defensive support for the group
    • Numbing Traps instead of Steady Aim (passive skills). Usually I am very close to the target, less than 10 yards. So Steady Aim would not bring any benefit. Why not bring 25% dmg reduce for AoD DD and support monk?
    • Sentry/Guardian Turret instead of Companion/Wolf Companion
    • or both

 

Best regards,

Sorat#2105@EU

 

 

[MrHandsome 5]

- Agree on AD on shoulders, should not be there in a group build.
- Lacuni has attack speed as a default stat, no real need to mention it, nice if its 7 % tho.
- same with WH, AS and CHD default on it.
- Compass/SoJ: Think the cooldown is to be able to position the Companion - Wolf with hits of the mob-killer in the group, the build strictly only needs 1 cooldown, but that's the only reason I can see,
- Life per kill as a RGK is bit.... strange, its good for items which have Vit/AllRess, for those cannot have a secondary resist, of which only Phys/Arcane and Fire are wanted, all the other elements are moot.
- Agree on karlei's, but for solo for elite killing, but the elite dmg stat doesn't work for the RG, which is your role... if the mobkiller isn't able to AD the Elite in 1 go, and ONLY if the elite is under like 5% health, you can kill off the elite after the clear, b4 that you barely be able to make stacks on it.  But the group will be moving on during that, for they need huge mobs.
- Numbing traps is a dmg reduction, steady aim gives 20% dmg... you have zMonk + zBarb around for all the dmg reduction you need. you need simply to stand at 11+ feet from the RG once your stacks begin to count (after its down to like 60-70% health), but you're basically F'd with a boss with adds and hope the mob killer can mean some when that happens.

[Guest Eredrin]

On 2/10/2019 at 10:02 AM, Guest Roktaal said:

Using Visage of Gunes in cube instead of Aquila Cuirass is better in my oppinion. You get both 50% damage reduction and hatred generation by swapping VengeanceDark Heart with VengeanceSeethe

I wonder how have not more people noticed this. I came here to write that exactly.

[Valks 2,375]

11 hours ago, Guest Eredrin said:

I wonder how have not more people noticed this. I came here to write that exactly.

Most likely because it is a worse setup than the suggested one. You don't need Hatred generation for this build and you are almost always having Aquila active.

[MrHandsome 5]

I didn't even take that comment serious, you already have Dark Heart on vengeance default, trading dmg reduction for hatred regen on a auto-regen build does not make sense unless you do torment levels.

If you want to lose Aquila, then you better replace it with some else that gives more dmg, which afaik isn't much that you can find for, unless you go a fire variation with Cindercoat. I would expect need for loads of RCR there tho. Which is counter productive for the dmg output.

[Jeroendc 0]

Hi evereybody i have probleem with my Haterd dont know what im doing wrong have full set and using cold impale for more hatred  but always run out of Hatred can some one help me plz  

[Yolo 40]

On 7/20/2019 at 7:33 PM, Jeroendc said:

Hi evereybody i have probleem with my Haterd dont know what im doing wrong have full set and using cold impale for more hatred  but always run out of Hatred can some one help me plz  

If you have Karlei's point dagger then herd bigger packs together. The dagger generates 25 Hatred if Impale hits a target that have already got hit - since the first target that it passes through takes massive bonus damage and likely will get one shotted you need targets behind them to guarantee Hatred Regeneration. That being said, Lightning variation provides more hatred because the richohets will more likely hit. Cold needs more herding and more careful aim. 

If you dont have the dagger yet, i recommend getting it asap, upgrading rare daggers will be the fastest way to it. 

[Guest Hello]

The group variant can replace Stone of Jordan and Lacuni Prowlers for 2 Aughild pieces, which will also entail wearing CoE and cubing RoRG

[huntress 8]

On 6/22/2019 at 11:39 PM, Blainie said:

Most likely because it is a worse setup than the suggested one. You don't need Hatred generation for this build and you are almost always having Aquila active.

impale s6 can easily speed farm down to T13 as long as you swap out aquila for visage of gunes in the cube, and change the vengeance rune to seethe and run lightning impale.  I also swap out companion wolf to bat for extra hated.  Cold impale is harder to deal with, but still doable.  T16 makes it a bit more easier to avoid hatred issues.  You can also swap out the diamond in your helm to a topaz for RCR.  

With the 2.6 changes to impale, hatred management, even with lightning is sometimes needed.  I find myself sometimes running out of hatred on a GR 100 or even 105 cos mob density on consoles is terrible (when compared to the PC version of the game at least).  The bonus dmg from the 2.6 patch means you're One shotting mobs even higher up the GR chain.  

These days I use my impale build for bounties (faster than UE MS and tougher on T16 too by quite some bit) and UE MS gold variant for T15 gold/DB farming (goldwrap, goldskin, kymbo's gold, emerald in helm, leoric's crown in armour slot in cube, RORG in cube too).  Nem bracers.  Around 160m per T15 rift and you'll never run out of DBs either.  I run tactical advantage and hot pursuit as 2 of the passives if running physical dmg.  If running the traditional fire, it's a bit different, cos you need ballistics.  s18 RNG has been truly horrid (21k blood shards before a HPS quiver dropped from Kadala as an example of the crap I'm putting up with atm).  

[Guest Serenity]

In the skills page it's recommended to choose the Tumble rune for Vault but this is incorrect. It should still be Rattling Roll. Tumble is meaningless when you have Chain of Shadows, and not only that but Rattling Roll allows you to control enemies particularly Rift Bosses. Lastly, when the author elaborates on the abilities, Rattling Roll is always mentioned and not Tumble. I believe that this should be updated as using the wrong rune is a critical mistake.