Runemaster Lightning Web Endgame Build for Last Epoch (Patch 1.1)

Our base class is the Mage, which acts as a generic spell caster. Our character will be offered an opportunity to select an Advanced Mastery once we have completed the first act of the campaign. Each base class has three possible masteries to choose from. For the Mage, we have access to the Mastery Tree Passives for Sorcerer, Runemaster and Spellblade. Upon selecting a Mastery and placing 20 Passive Points into the Mage Tree, you'll then be able to place Passive Points into the Mastery Trees.

For this caster build, Runemaster is our advanced class. We will utilize the majority of our Passive Points the Runemaster Passive tree, with a smaller investment of points into Sorcerer to round out the build. Our passive points will be targeting a well rounded blend of damage and defensive generators, with some investments in mana regeneration. This will ensure we can not only maximize our damage output, but also generate significant defensive layering while we clear and kill. Each of the Passive Trees and their points are broken down below.

• 8 points into Arcanist: This adds a base of Intelligence and Resist.
• 2 points into Reactive Ward: Gives us a boost of ward based on Max HP.
• 5 points into Mage Flurry: Increases our cast speeds.
• 5 points into Warden: Adds to our Ward Retention.
• 1 point into Rune of Winter: We use this to convert our  Lightning Blast into a cold skill.

Our base class is the Mage, which acts as a generic spell caster. Our character will be offered an opportunity to select an Advanced Mastery once we have completed the first act of the campaign. Each base class has three possible masteries to choose from. For the Mage, we have access to the Mastery Tree Passives for Sorcerer, Runemaster and Spellblade. Upon selecting a Mastery and placing 20 Passive Points into the Mage Tree, you'll then be able to place Passive Points into the Mastery Trees.

For this caster build, Runemaster is our advanced class. We will utilize the majority of our Passive Points the Runemaster Passive tree, with a smaller investment of points into Sorcerer to round out the build. Our passive points will be targeting a well rounded blend of damage and defensive generators, with some investments in mana regeneration. This will ensure we can not only maximize our damage output, but also generate significant defensive layering while we clear and kill. Each of the Passive Trees and their points are broken down below.

• 1 points into Unsealed Mana: Increases base Cast Speed, and a boost of Ward and Mana every 3 seconds.
• 7 points into Quintessence of Triumph: We do 7% more Spell Damage, as long as we have more Ward then the enemy has Health.
• 8 points into Arcane Focus: We add to our base Intelligence and gain ward every time we cast a spell.
• 5 points into Runeword: Cataclysm: We do 15% more damage to enemies on Low Health. We also have Increased Critical Strike Chance.
• 6 points into Transcendence: Adds base HP and gives us 46 ward per second (with 60 Intelligence).
• 6 points into Rune of Renewal: Increases health and mana regen, the listed values are doubled at 50 Intelligence.
• 6 points into Mental Catalysis: Pushes our Intelligence further and gives us Reduced Damage taken from Crits.
• 6 points into Edict of the Scion: We gain mana whenever we use an area skill, like  Frost Claw.
• 6 points into Inscribed Instruments: Adds a whopping 72% to our Critical Strike Multiplier.
• 5 points into Decree of the Bountiful Ocean: We have 30% increased mana regeneration when we have an active Gon Rune.
• 5 points into Decree of the Burning Wind: We do more damage to Bosses and Rares if we have passed through a  Frost Wall recently (4 seconds).
• 5 points into Brand of Deception: We apply a hard hitting DOT, when we hit an enemy with a lightning skill costing 15 or more mana.
• 8 points into Ancient Inscriptions: Further add to our base Intelligence and reduce our Cooldowns by 1% every 4 points of Intelligence.
• 1 point into Runeword: Hurricane: We add 6 to our base lightning damage (20% chance on lightning skill USE.
• 5 points into Jagged Veil: Gain a more critical strike mulitplier PER 100 ward against bosses (up to 20%).
• 7 points into Celestial Doom: Deal 7% more spell damage to Bosses that are branded.

Our base class is the Mage, which acts as a generic spell caster. Our character will be offered an opportunity to select an Advanced Mastery once we have completed the first act of the campaign. Each base class has three possible masteries to choose from. For the Mage, we have access to the Mastery Tree Passives for Sorcerer, Runemaster and Spellblade. Upon selecting a Mastery and placing 20 Passive Points into the Mage Tree, you'll then be able to place Passive Points into the Mastery Trees.

For this caster build, Runemaster is our advanced class. We will utilize the majority of our Passive Points the Runemaster Passive tree, with a smaller investment of points into Sorcerer to round out the build. Our passive points will be targeting a well rounded blend of damage and defensive generators, with some investments in mana regeneration. This will ensure we can not only maximize our damage output, but also generate significant defensive layering while we clear and kill. Each of the Passive Trees and their points are broken down below.

• 5 points into Calculated Destruction: We further add to our Intelligence and increase our Critical Strike Chance by 3% for every point of Intelligence.

In this section, we will break down each skill and highlight the key passives we have selected to make the skill shine in the build. While some of these skills do allow for some variation to exist depending on your own custom choices, we recommend utilizing the skill trees as presented until you have a strong understanding of the build itself.

 Frost Claw is our main Boss killing mechanic and an integral part of generating the proper runes to invoke  Lightning Web. It will generate significant amounts of Ward and Shred Armor. If geared properly, it will also Critically Strike 100% of the time for an immense amount of DPS from our Critical Stirke Multiplier.

• 3 points into Gift of Winter: Reduces mana cost and gives a chance to gain mana on cast.
• 1 point into Rending Cascade: Adds base critical strike chance.
• 1 point into Frozen Reign: Reduces the mana cost.
• 5 points into Artor's Sceptre: Add 20% more damage, and gives a 100% chance to Shock.
• 1 point into Spark Artillery: Converts the base damage and ailments to Lightning and Shock.
• 1 point into Fen of the Frozen: Gives a chance to Slow an enemy on hit.
• 1 point into Brightfrost: Increases the Cast Speed and purges one negative ailment per cast.
• 1 point into Hand of Morditas: Fires two extra projectiles at the expense of Mana.
• 1 point into Volley of Glass: This converts the  Frost Claw to have a shotgun effect, allowing all projectiles to hit the same target.
• 3 points into Shiver Shell: Gain ward whenever  Frost Claw is cast, and gives a chance to retaliate with it when hit by an enemy.
• 1 point into Frost Beyond Time: Increases the duration of Shock.
• 2 points into Spark of Celerity: Increases the projectile speed.

The skill points go above the stadard 20 points because  Frost Claw is a base Elemental spell. From the implicits on  Twisted Heart of Uhkeiros, this gives the skill +1.

In this section, we will break down each skill and highlight the key passives we have selected to make the skill shine in the build. While some of these skills do allow for some variation to exist depending on your own custom choices, we recommend utilizing the skill trees as presented until you have a strong understanding of the build itself.

 Frost Wall is another method we can use to generate the required Gon Rune in order to invoke  Lightning Web. However, after 1.0 changes, we prefer to use  Frost Claw to generate these runes. It will also be the ONLY way we can utilize  Flame Ward directly, we will still cast  Flame Ward when we are stunned.

• 1 point into Biting Limit: This is a traversal node.
• 1 point into Crackling Barrier: Converts the base damage and ailments to lightning and Shock.
• 4 points into Crystals of Protection: Gain Mana and Ward when passing through the wall.
• 3 points into Boosted Kickoff: Gain both Haste and Frenzy when passing through the wall.
• 1 point into Purifying Gate: Purge all negative ailements when passing through the wall.
• 5 points into Marching Winter: Increases the walls AoE and increases the duration.
• 3 points into The Dark Cold: This is a set of traversal points.
• 1 point into Howling Rift: Recoup half the Mana cost of  Frost Wall if we can cast the wall again, before 4.8 seconds
• 2 point into Chilled Touch: Deal 5% more damage against enemies that are Slow while the wall is active. This synergizes with Frost Claw since it is scaled to slow enemies.

The skill points go above the stadard 20 points because  Frost Wall is a base Elemental spell. From the implicits on  Twisted Heart of Uhkeiros, this gives the skill +1.

In this section, we will break down each skill and highlight the key passives we have selected to make the skill shine in the build. While some of these skills do allow for some variation to exist depending on your own custom choices, we recommend utilizing the skill trees as presented until you have a strong understanding of the build itself.

 Flame Rush is one of our best tools we use to engage an enemy. This will not only cast  Runic Invocation upon completion, but give 18% damage reduction during and shorty after skill is used. It will also generate ward per second while in the cast and give a burst of ward at the end. This can also be used to apply the ailment Brand of Deception which will trigger the passive of the same name, Brand of Deception. The skill will also hit 3% harder per 40 Mana you have currently.

• 3 points into Blazing Flux: Decreases Mana cost and reduces the cooldown.
• 3 points into Runic Eclipse: Take reduced damage while in the traveling form.
• 3 points into Celestial Guidance: The effects of Runic Eclipse persist for a % of time the skill was channeled.
• 3 points into Lunar Protection: Gain Ward per second and a burst after exiting the channel.
• 1 point into Energy Equivalence: Converts the base damage to Lightning.
• 2 points into Fiery Overload: Gives the player Frenzy upon exiting the channel.
• 1 point into Epilogue: Cast  Runic Invocation upon exiting the channel. Gon Runes will be generated per second by channeling.
• 3 points into Manafused Current: Deal 3% more damage per 40 Mana available in your current Mana pool.
• 2 points into Solar Rush: Allows you to travel faster and further with  Flame Rush.

The skill points go above the stadard 20 points because  Flame Rush is a base Elemental spell. From the implicits on  Twisted Heart of Uhkeiros, this gives the skill +1.

In this section, we will break down each skill and highlight the key passives we have selected to make the skill shine in the build. While some of these skills do allow for some variation to exist depending on your own custom choices, we recommend utilizing the skill trees as presented until you have a strong understanding of the build itself.

 Flame Ward will have two major uses for us. The first is acting as a 'Mana Shield', as every point of Mana will protect 5 Health from 75% of incoming damage (mana is consumed when recieving damage) with Mental Aegis. The other is to act as a mana battery with Warmth by increasing Mana Regeneration by 100%. We also take flat reduced 'hit' damage by 40% with Barrier. This skill can only be triggered with  Frost Wall, or being stunned.

• 2 points into Stalwart Defense: Gain a burst of Ward when  Flame Ward is triggered.
• 2 points into Desperate Defense: 24% of our missing HP is gained as ward.
• 1 point into Astonish: We cast Flame Ward when we are stunned.
• 5 points into Barrier: Take 40% less hit damage when  Flame Ward is active.
• 3 points into Shrewd Shielding: Decreases the Mana cost.
• 5 points into Mental Aegis: This enables the skill to be used as a mana shield.
• 4 points into Warmth: While active, player has 100% increased Mana Regeneration.
• 3 points into Dilation: This increases the duration and efficiency of Flame Ward.

The skill points go above the stadard 20 points because  Flame Ward is a base Elemental spell. From the implicits on  Twisted Heart of Uhkeiros, this gives the skill +1 and +4 for the LP in the same Item. If LP Cannot be aquired, skip the 3 points into Dilation and 1 point in Shrewd Shielding.

In this section, we will break down each skill and highlight the key passives we have selected to make the skill shine in the build. While some of these skills do allow for some variation to exist depending on your own custom choices, we recommend utilizing the skill trees as presented until you have a strong understanding of the build itself.

 Runic Invocation is an integral part of this Lightning Web Build. Invoking the correct spells is going to take some practice. Knowing how to invoke a spell when you need it will make this build shine. Read ahead to the List of Useful Runic Invocations in order to get the top five invocations to play with in this build. One could easily just play with  Lightning Web, but it really takes away from the depth of playstyle that made this build awesome.

• 4 points into Attuned Approach: Gain Ward and partial Mana refunded by a invoked skill.
• 3 points into Inscribed Patterns: Gain Ward per second while you have Gon Runes active.
• 4 points into Runic Energy: Gain 2% more damage per stack of Runic Energy.
• 4 points into Copied Scrolls: Have a chance to repeat the last Invocation casted by  Runic Invocation.
• 1 point into Rune Powercore: While you have three runes, and the order is cycled, you gain a stack of Runic Energy.
• 1 point into Arcane Battery: Triple the amount of Runic Energy you can have from 15 to 45, but the effect is halved. This takes us from doing 30% more damage to 45% more damage at max stacks. This build typically wont use  Runic Invocation much on bosses, so the stacks are preserved.
• 1 point into Elemental Lore: Gain 1% Elemental Penetration for Invocations per Intelligence we have.
• 3 points into Transcriber of Power: Gain a buff that adds Cast Speed and base Spell Damage after casting  Runic Invocation.

The skill points go above the stadard 20 points because  Runic Invocation is a base Elemental spell. From the implicits on  Twisted Heart of Uhkeiros, this gives the skill +1.