[3.2] Olympic Discus Champion



Introduction

Welcome, reader, to my first build guide. If it ends up being less of a guide and more of a rambling collection of thoughts as I try to work out what I'm doing and why, please forgive me.

My inspiration was ignited as soon as I saw the changes to Champion on the Reddit and saw the 100% chance to taunt.

I have played Path of Exile with a friend for a few years now and over that time we have always struggled in a party together, usually because our builds directly compete with each other. Our best combination was an SRS necro combined with a Guardian support.

Now, with the new possibility of a tank, I felt an opportunity to revive this synergy. Seeing the new skill gem, spectral shield throw, plus the new tank I thought I would give it a go.

I am at level 80 right now, breezing through low tier maps, and feel confident in this build to later stages. However, with the announcement for the new series of Build of the Week, I felt encouraged to bank my progress with a guide!

Please read on to see how I did.

Acronyms used:

PoB - Path of Building
SST - Spectral Shield Throw

Overview

Pros:
+ Good clear speed for low tier maps
+ Very low budget
+ Multi-layered defenses
+ 290k PoB dps

Cons:
- Low single target dps (that's the way it feels right now)
- Can't do elemental reflect maps (although I haven't tried a Sibyl's yet)

Eh could go either way:
+/- I made this guide.


The Build

This is the PoB export for where I am right now:

https://pastebin.com/VvY5kRc1


This is the proposed current end build:
https://pastebin.com/zEFk0Kp0

A couple of changes would be made to this, including the fated Meginord's Vise which have been rumoured.

Otherwise, I intend to just keep upgrading my gear as I go and see how far I end up!

Ascendancy Points

1) Unstoppable Hero - I took this first because of the +1000 to armor/evasion which is a big survival boost from 35 to 60. In addition, the stun immunity is a nice bonus.
2) Conqueror - I took this second to start the theme of being a tank. This helped out my friend who was feeling a bit squishy at the time as well as providing some meaningful defenses of itself. With these two points I killed Kitava deathless for the first time ever. (I can feel you judging me.)
3) Worthy Foe - A big party damage boost as well as providing 100% accuracy once you land that first hit.
4) First to Strike, Last to Fall - For me, thematically speaking, I would be the first to charge into a fight and, when all was said and done, the last man standing. Not to mention that Adrenaline will be both a large survival boost and damage boost should the big hits come in.

I decided not to take Fortitude because I felt the other points were stronger and I could maintain fortify through a shield charge/leap slam paired with fortify as a mobility skill

Bandits

I helped Oak for that extra survivability and physical damage, which I would later convert, with a physical to lightning gem and the Winter Spirit passives on the tree, into elemental damage.

Skill Links

I am currently using a 4-Link for my SST. These are:
Spectral Shield Throw - Physical Projectile Attack Damage - Elemental Damage with Attacks - Physical to Lightning

As I improve the sockets on my Inpulsa's Broken Heart, I will expand this to include Maim and Lightning Penetration

My mobility and fortify skills are:
Leap Slam - Shield Charge - Faster Attacks - Fortify

My aura/buff setup is:
Hatred - Herald of Ash - Stone Golem

My ancestral protector setup is:
Ancestral Protector - Culling Strike - Item Rarity - Melee Splash

I use Ancestral Protector over the Warchief because SST gains no benefit from Melee Physical Damage

My defensive setup:

Cast When Damage Taken - Immortal Call - Increased Duration - Blood Rage

The blood rage-generated frenzy charges are a nice damage boost and quality of life improvement. The leech, combined with the small amount from the tree, is also a nice addition to the defenses. With the life regeneration gathered from the tree, the debuff is easily overcome.

This leaves me a further 3 sockets in the Off-Hand for if I gain an Empower for the Hatred/HoA setup, or wish to add a few more minion survivability gems to the Stone Golem so I have to cast it less frequently. The other potential is for some trigger gems, such as Reckoning, and a curse setup for Projectile Weakness. I don't use it due to partying with a dual curser doing his own shenanigans.

Levelling

I levelled using the traditional Sunder setup for a little while. I transitioned to Spectral Shield Throw around level 16, just as I entered Act 2. This was not my most sensible decision as without a strong shield the damage felt extremely lacking. I had to be carried considerably for a while. Solo, this build would be painful to level as without some careful thought and investment into gear. Admittedly, I was doing this at the start of a new league without the benefit of some levelling uniques later characters might benefit from, but I still wouldn't recommend it.

Instead, I suggest a typical league starter build, as can be found on these forums, and transition into this build later.

The Ahn's Heritage at level 67 was a great point to transition as it provided a nice damage boost with about 1300 armour as well as a strong survivability increase with the +3% to maximum resistances and life roll.

The End

So this is where the build is right now. Please comment below and I will try to read it if I get the chance. I only get a few hours to myself in the evening as I'm working abroad and the early starts and late finishes have me seeking my bed quickly!

This is not a min/max build. It is a fun, thematic league build that will hopefully see me through into high tier maps and an Atziri/Uber lab run or two. If I get to see Shaper/Elder at high tiers it will be an experience not an expectation.

Thank you for reading this far and may you have good luck in Wraeclast. Not Patrae though. He's had his luck the jammy sod.
Dernier bump le 7 mars 2018 15:09:56

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