General Duel Wield build spitballing [Newb Help]

Hey everyone.

I've been playing PoE on and off for a few years, never really made it past endgame but with this league coming up, I'm very interested to at least attempt it

I want to make a duel wielding duelist (skills to be decided), and I was mocking up a build on PoEPlanner.

What I came up with is rather heavily defensive, with a decent amount of bonuses centralized around DW.

Basically, what I'm asking of the more experienced crowd is: From your time playing and the things you've learnt, would the following Passive build be, not just viable, but decent in lategame (Mapping, Ubers, ect.

I understand that you guys probably deal with Newbs and N00bs alike on a frequent basis - so any help that could be provided would be immensely appreciated

Spitballed build: http://poeplanner.com/AAYAAQc0MgCBmy34ocKOGbRqk0z_QzG_1U4qW6_dDXLDqwvMBtrBhO9hIRpVNugB5xv6Jd-kGRUgDY2Hdkp9Z6DjnyPTbyeaao9gdO0FLXrvvqdlTb02R36E2cqQ6Ua5HYrwxIKGYGFSk6iKs1dUERpza1O7RJ46UryfGJH8SxRNpzCezfKcbpf3vhR15eacxLciWK-pbsAabzt4DbXybqpKyDWS2L3-CvJFOuGmV03j_o8hYMGLgUE17zrt26cJWNP8FfZieQAGYEFjcAvBV5cR1W20qAdngC5T029GaYcpkAo6sz8nKk0XPhSOwHa01GBztqTelpgKtizsXISUiXF71KrNa9RiFyyUAAAAAAA=

To extrapolate, I'm aiming towards a physical damage build that doesn't have to gear too heavily for general resists to allow for maybe a little extra optimization (Thus the +62% resists from passives) Weapon wise, I hadn't really thought too much past 'Duel Wield', but I would probably lean towards Claws/Daggers/Swords. Maybe axes as well, depending.

Physical to elemental conversion is also a path that could be taken, skill depending.

Obvious gemming choices would include a CwDT/EC/IC link, Blasphemy/Temporal chains or Assassin's Mark - Possibly a Blind Chaos Golem as well.

Unsure as to if I should go with a Carcassjack, the +500 health unique or a resist chest like Lightning Coil, but I those are things that can be worked out over time.

I suppose the largest issue may be the lack of any Chaos Resist in the tree as well as any definitive weapon passives outside 'Duel Wield' and 'One Handed Weapons'.

Some build tips I would give would be:

1. Decide on a weapon type (swords, axes, and maces are the easiest types to build on duelist)

2. Decide on an armor type ( evasion, armor, or armor/evasion are the easiest to build on a duelist)

3. What secondary defense you want to use ( MoM, Acrobatics, Dual totem + fortify, etc)

4. Decide on a main attack skill gem( this helps you decide what other skills will be used)

When all that is done you can get to the tree. From what I've been given so far there is no real character to build around and that makes it very hard to make an efficient specialized tree.


While actually building your tree I would suggest building your tree out to 100 points ( that is around level 77 if you take all the passive quest points). This will be around the time you have cleared the game and gotten into the first few tiers of maps. When you are done with 100 scale the tree down to 80 points and then scale it down to 60. These two smaller trees will you help you discover how long it takes your build to take off, if it is hitting the defensive benchmarks you want it to, and if it will actually be fun to level.


General rules for builds I use include:

1. at least 300%+ increased damage in a tree

2a. 180-200%+ life on a full life build

2b. 160-180% full life on a MoM build

2c. 190-200% + life on an evasion build

3. 30-40%+ elemental resist from tree

Everything else is usually up to specifics of the build, supporting skills and uniques.

Two trees I have made so far include:

MoM Claw Wild Strike


This build utilizes MoM + fortify to back up its 65%+ evasion. It combines life on hit from poachers and maraketh claws with the huge flask bonuses provided by the ranger and scion area. A lot of the increased damage can be skipped on the tree because elemental equilibrium + elemental overload do most of the heavy lifting damage wise. This build focuses on funneling mana + health at around 2500+ a second each, while constantly rotating elemental damage. It can also make utility flasks much stronger. Best of all the defense options are all hands free.


Totem Defense Wild Strike


This build utilizes super defensive totems with high physical defense reduction that can not be reduced. With 7 endurance charges(28%) + steel soul(4%) + worth foe(20%) + fortify(20%) your looking at 72% physical reduction and 40% all damage reduction. The totem itself will have 60% physical reduction, capped resist, 150%+ life and 20% all damage reduction. This lets you cheat a little on your own life% and push for more damage.

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As you can see these builds play much differently, but they have four very important things in common. They run routes that are usually within 0-2 nodes away from health or damage, they don't waste points on +30 stat nodes, they create links rectangles / triangles, and they are specialized.

I appreciate the time you've taken to make that reply, Exiled, it's a big help.

I was originally aiming for Armor/Evasion as high as I can make it, thus my ventures into the Champion Ascendancy, as well as the permanent Fortify to take further edge of any strikes I do take.

Now that I look at the tree I provided prior, I do see that it is very messy and confusing - I will attempt to work your advice though it and come up with things more coherent.

Still very new to all this.

Thank you again!