LoD Poison Scythe Necromancer

[Valks 2,375]

This thread is for feedback on our LoD Poison Scythe Necromancer guide.

[Bubble181 14]

In the interest of us rubes who just can't survive with some more toughness - would it make more sense to use Wisdom of Kalan, or a Unity (with follower) instead of the Flavor of Time? (in case of Unity, obv wear Haunted Visions and cube one of the rings)

Or, in lower GRs, would replacing Flavor of Time with Kalan, and replacing CoE with Unity, be an option? Not everyone has 2000 Paragon levels to play around with, after all.

Also, I understand why people are a fan of the Illusory Boots, but would, on lower GRs or regular rifts, Steuarts Greaves not be a better chocie for mobility?

[Guest Kobor]

At one place Bane of the Stricken and last page Bane of the Trapped is recommended. Would be nice to be the same or with a suggestion on lower and higher GR runs.

Another thing that since we will use Leger's Disdain and as Grim Scythe is the main damage dealer here, would in not be best to max out Essence pool in Paragon section to get more damage?

Two item is recommended Aquila Cuirass and Razeth's Volition. Only one will count at a time or what is the suggested way to play the build? Dump the Essence pool with Skeletal MageContamination and filling up to do more damage with the Off-hand?

[Kobor 0]

How do you make those smaller Icons and Brown color for item/spell links?

Used the 'Insert Diablo 3 link' and typed in the name of them, that makes this huge Icons :-)

[Bubble181 14]

10 hours ago, Guest Kobor said:

At one place Bane of the Stricken and last page Bane of the Trapped is recommended. Would be nice to be the same or with a suggestion on lower and higher GR runs.

Another thing that since we will use Leger's Disdain and as Grim Scythe is the main damage dealer here, would in not be best to max out Essence pool in Paragon section to get more damage?

Two item is recommended Aquila Cuirass and Razeth's Volition. Only one will count at a time or what is the suggested way to play the build? Dump the Essence pool with Skeletal MageContamination and filling up to do more damage with the Off-hand?

You're using Razeth's so you can use Skeleton Mage as a resource dump and as a poison skill at the same time. The DR is nice but sort of accidental. It balances with the Cuirass nicely. 

And yes, this build only works by constantly completely depleting your Essence, which is why the Singularity rune is so essential. 

However, boosting your Essence won't increase your damage much at higher levels - the damage of your Mages is doubled but becomes insignificant over GR60 or so. Your damage from the off hand is how much you replenish, how much your maximum is doesn't matter unless you'd regain more than your max per hit, which means hitting more than 15 enemies. Possible, but at that point they're probably small trash and dead anyway. 

 

[Deadset 108]

On 7/22/2020 at 10:45 PM, Bubble181 said:

(...)

However, boosting your Essence won't increase your damage much at higher levels - the damage of your Mages is doubled but becomes insignificant over GR60 or so. Your damage from the off hand is how much you replenish, how much your maximum is doesn't matter unless you'd regain more than your max per hit, which means hitting more than 15 enemies. 

 

This is absolutely correct, though I thought to add to the conversation that I've seen a fair number of players have success without the Skeletal MageSingularity Essence dump, so if Kobor dislikes the wobbly resource pool balancing act, using another poison-based skill has been proven fairly viable. The recommendation for Razeth's Volition stands, however; it feels and plays very right for the purposes of the build.

[Kyborg1121 0]

On 7/17/2020 at 8:14 AM, Bubble181 said:

In the interest of us rubes who just can't survive with some more toughness - would it make more sense to use Wisdom of Kalan, or a Unity (with follower) instead of the Flavor of Time? (in case of Unity, obv wear Haunted Visions and cube one of the rings)

Or, in lower GRs, would replacing Flavor of Time with Kalan, and replacing CoE with Unity, be an option? Not everyone has 2000 Paragon levels to play around with, after all.

Also, I understand why people are a fan of the Illusory Boots, but would, on lower GRs or regular rifts, Steuarts Greaves not be a better chocie for mobility?

 You definitely could offset with Kalan if your defense is hindering your progress but it’ll be at expense of your damage or double pylon duration.  You may be better off rolling + life per hit on your weapon and sacrifice the area damage. Honestly I find rerolling flavor tedious  and not necessary. Better off cubing it, and rerolling a haunted vision. Less pool of possible combos which results better chances at a roll that’s actually useable. 

steuarts doesn’t really help in the upper GRs at that point being able to run into packs unhindered is key.  

[Kyborg1121 0]

With the passives spreading mal. And eternal torment they seem counterproductive. Don’t need curses to cost less as they are freely applied by grim so that’s a wasted passive.

 

better choice would be  dark reaping for some more healing. Yes I know the essence restore hurts the damage in theory but could always pop another mage to keep it low and off set that and increase damage while healing. Being healing is lacking in the build. 
 

You could also add in rigor Mortis for the status effect,  and damage reduction by hindering enemy attack speed if survivability is an issue. 
 

[Deadset 108]

On 9/8/2020 at 4:50 AM, Kyborg1121 said:

With the passives spreading mal. And eternal torment they seem counterproductive. Don’t need curses to cost less as they are freely applied by grim so that’s a wasted passive.

(...)

The trick would be to apply the curse to multiple packs of enemies, as Cursed Scythe would only apply it to targets within Grim Scythe range (and only for the base duration of the Curse); in theory, you could do a massive pull of several screens of enemies, and enjoy a very substantial Spreading Malediction bonus, as it seems to be uncapped. In the end though, for high end pushing it seems like the meta points to Final Service as a failsafe passive in that slot.

[Guest Build]

Hi

 

I dont understand how to play this build. I got all the items, a few ancients mixed inbetween, I have rank 30 LoD and BoTS but only r6 Simplicity, and I get absolutely demolished any time I even as much as set my nose into a T16 GR or in a NR. 

 

This build feels very strong in terms of DPS but it's very squishy for me. What am I doing wrong ? 

[Deadset 108]

15 hours ago, Guest Build said:

I dont understand how to play this build. I got all the items, a few ancients mixed inbetween, I have rank 30 LoD and BoTS but only r6 Simplicity, and I get absolutely demolished any time I even as much as set my nose into a T16 GR or in a NR. 

This build feels very strong in terms of DPS but it's very squishy for me. What am I doing wrong ? 

Hey - do you mind linking your character, so I can give you more specific ideas? From the sound of it, it just might be a little too early to push your character into T16 rifts and equivalent difficulty Greater Rifts. A general rule of thumb in Diablo (and aRPGs as a whole) is to gradually increase the difficulties as you improve your character, and only farm in difficulties where you comfortably overwhelm the enemies. Efficient and quick farming trumps the additional drops from higher difficulties anytime.

[Guest Build]

2 hours ago, Deadset said:

Hey - do you mind linking your character, so I can give you more specific ideas? From the sound of it, it just might be a little too early to push your character into T16 rifts and equivalent difficulty Greater Rifts. A general rule of thumb in Diablo (and aRPGs as a whole) is to gradually increase the difficulties as you improve your character, and only farm in difficulties where you comfortably overwhelm the enemies. Efficient and quick farming trumps the additional drops from higher difficulties anytime.

Hi Deadset, thanks for your reply.

 

I play on PS4, so I am not entirely sure how to link my character from there? 

 

I understand the concept you mentioned, but I played other specs - like Mundunugu WD, Rend Wastes Barb, and as soon as I was able to finish the full proposed builds I was comfortably able to run T16/ GR's 95+ without really having too much trouble with optimizing gear with breakpoints etc.

 

This one - I was getting to it for quite a while, especially with the gloves, but when I got it the power is actually less than the Bone Spear/Masquerade build, just because of survivability. I just get one shot and there is nothing I can do. 

[Guest guest bear]

Hi, I also feel pretty squishy and use this build. I feel like if a mob sneezes on me I poof now. I'm at GR 98 and not sure where to go gearwise now. if I swap the topaz to ruby gems for defense my damage is going to feel really low, so I'm not sure when the swap to ruby should be done because these mobs are really hard hitting now.

[Deadset 108]

On 9/17/2020 at 2:27 PM, Guest Build said:

I play on PS4, so I am not entirely sure how to link my character from there? 

Aw, that's unfortunate. I don't think you can, sadly; it's one of the limitations of the console version. I don't suppose asking you to type out your current items and rolls is very practical. 

All in all though, the build and gear suggestions are quite correct, with minor variations between characters in high tier play; could it be a question of playstyle? Have you checked out any of the youtube uploads of GR pushes, which can give you a rough idea of how it should play in highly damaging environments (i.e. this guide by fellow theorycrafter Cratic - it has a nicely narrated gameplay section at the end)?

[kfc2 0]

Thanks a lot for putting this build together!  

I played with this build with very little modification in S21 and had very good results.

The build is tanky and with high DPS.  The S21 was my first full season. This build brought me to pass the GR129 solo and GR150 in group.

I have a question. With the fix that Blizzard put on Trag'oul Corroded Fang on the Patch 2.6.10, does it mean the fun with this build is over?  I played in the non-season with this build a few times and I felt that the build is not as powerful.  Could it be my imagination?  

 

Thank you

[ThecknoDecker 0]

I am trying to understand the choice of Andariel visage that seems to always rool a +7-9% fire damage taken...

not dealt, but taken...

I tried it and any form of fire makes me go boom near instantaneous.

[Bubble181 14]

On 1/15/2021 at 7:53 PM, ThecknoDecker said:

I am trying to understand the choice of Andariel visage that seems to always rool a +7-9% fire damage taken...

not dealt, but taken...

I tried it and any form of fire makes me go boom near instantaneous.

It's the only helmet with a native +20% element bonus. Dealing 20% extra poison damage in return for taking 7% more fire damage is worth it for this and most builds at the very top tier. 

While getting there, though, there may be safer options.

[Guest MetaMike]

Not feedback per se, but you have the wrong amulet listed on page 1. Everywhere else in the guide, you recommend the Haunted Visions amulet (which is needed to make the build work) but on the first page, you list the Flavor of Time amulet instead.

[Deadset 108]

Thank you, getting fixed shortly! The gear page lists Haunted Visions correctly, but this was an oversight.

[Guest Lucas Hipólito]

Why this group build uses unity for kanai's jewel slot?

You can't have a follower to wear the ring in a group so why waste this slot on it?

[Deadset 108]

On 8/11/2021 at 10:39 PM, Guest Lucas Hipólito said:

Why this group build uses unity for kanai's jewel slot?

You can't have a follower to wear the ring in a group so why waste this slot on it?

Sorry, I don't quite follow? We don't have Unity as a recommendation in the group version of the build: 

https://www.icy-veins.com/d3/lod-poison-scythe-necromancer-trash-killer-build