[Witch] A Discharge Build Guide

DickScotchfist — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:45:13 GMT

Pros:

Very high dps output
Fastest map clears
2 Elemental Damage Sources
Fun
Not yet cookie cutter
Cool Graphics
no totem needed
solo game or 6 person game, your clear speed remains constant, even without help

Cons:

Expensive for new players
Elemental Reflects
Not viable in hardcore
Charge Management
Difficult to fit in iiq and iir

Playstyle:

You will have two discharges- an aoe (increased area of effect) attached to your chest and a single target in your Rime Gaze (or rare with concentrated effect), giving you essentially 2 5L items. You will use the AoE most often. Both must have life leech linked in. Also, you can choose what to do with one 4 linked piece of gear: have a Cold snap linked with increased AoE and Elemental Proliferation as a panic/maneuvering button to freeze the whole screen. You could instead use these slots for Blood Rage, Grace, a Totem to fight Ele Reflects, or whatever you want (I recommend a third Enduring Cry). Your AoE will also be your life return spell. I prefer ice spear over spark for gaining charges, although a current reddit post suggested the oppposite, I know. After testing, I concluded that Lmp+power charge on crit+ice spear was still best, even at close range. Use crit weakness if you want for solo, ele weakness for team play.

If you are having trouble at later levels, consider wearing a Rare Helm for the added defensive stats.

Equip at least two endurance charge gems. This will allow you to almost always cast one before each blast.

Team up with a Frenzy user who uses conduit for extra mayhem.

Amaze onlookers and have fun!

Build:

Spoiler

Gear Example:

Spoiler

Variations:
Tanky, Shielded Version, no Eldritch Battery- See Kestegs posts below
Added Blood Rage for even more damage- See Video 2 below
3 Enduring Cries- Should be used if no Blood Rage

Video Example:
http://screenr.com/bYI7 -- lvl 66 docks example
http://screenr.com/sFTH -- lvl 74 docks with Blood Rage

[Witch] Plastic_Cup's Cold Snap Witch [Updated}

DickScotchfist — Tue, 14 May 2013 05:00:08 GMT

So even though I'm only level 66 as this build, I have to write this up. This build is just too much fun to keep to myself and the tiny BOTW post by Plastic_Cup.

It utilizes an often forgotten, high crit chancing, Cold Spell: The Cold Snap

Build:

Spoiler

Pros:
Not at all cookie-cutter
Very Enjoyable Build
Stun-lock the entire screen, amaze friends
Shatter the entire screen, amaze friends
Shocks with Added Lightning
Great damage
Good solo clear speed
No max range on Cold Snap
Synergy with a Wander is amazing
Easy to Fit in IIQ Gems

Cons:
Leveling mid-game and level 60-66 is a pain
Some crit dry streaks that have to be made up for with Ice Spear
No ES buffer for Incoming damage
Very low life in general, but this is countered by strong life return from discharge
Damage will suck mid-game
Charge Management

Required Gems:

1-3 Cold Snap gems (Preference I use 2, one for single targets, one for AOE, and discharge for life return)
Ice Spear+PowerCharge on Cirt+LMP
Clarity/Vitality
Discipline
Purity
Critical/Elemental Weakness (Solo/Team Respectively)
Increased Critical Strikes
Increased Critical Damage
Discharge
Life Leech (attached to discharge)

Added Support:
Concentrated Effect
Increased AOE
Added Cold
Added Chaos
Added Lightning
Cold Penetration
*Elemental Proliferation*
Enduring Cry (to buff discharge)

Required Uniques:
Voll's Protector Chest Piece
One to Two Divinarius Daggers (1 Heartbreaker is nice until 66 because of culling strike, if possible)
Maligaro's Virtuosity Gloves

"Nice to have" Uniques:
Rime Gaze (makes your helm essentially a 5Link item)
Rainbowstride (tons of mana)
One Heartbreaker (for leveling)

Now, Plastic_Cup wrote his guide for hardcore players, which I think is rather nuts personally as this is a very dangerous build due to EB being a main node we take [edit: this isn't necessarily true now with life leech+discharge]. Because of this, he recommended a Skeleton Totem as backup, but I personally recommend a Spork Totem for Default Players which will, on it's own, do a TON of damage even though we take no spell/lightning damage nodes due to our high crit.

Since his build was put up on BOTW, tons of items released only have strengthened it, including PowerCharge on Crit. It plus LMP/GMP will allow you to charge ALL your Power Charges in one to two quick spear casts. This not only gives you 50% more crit per charge, but you can spend a charge to bypass a CS's cooldown.

Leveling:
Level with Freezing pulse, start to switch over after you can wear Voll's and cold snap becomes a bit more powerful.

Playstyle:
Use Cold Snaps for damage, ice spear to quickly get charges, and fire off discharge for huge life return or as another AOE damager besides your AOE Cold Snap, saving your single target cold snap for champ packs and bosses. if you get in closed in on and are in trouble. Use a single spork totem/skele totem for extra damage/distraction. Have fun!

FAQ:

What happens when you don't crit for a while?
The simple answer to this is that you always have Ice Spear as your fallback spell, in an instance that your Cold Snap does not crit within the (roughly) 11 casts you get to expend per cycle a few Ice Spears will get you back rolling again.

Is this end-game viable?
ABSOLUTELY and your map team will love you for it. This build has the passive benefit of freezing almost everything on screen full time and a Quality Cold Snap makes it even better.

Do I HAVE to get Eldritch Battery?
No, but I recommend picking up a Dream Fragments ring then, and getting used to using a lot of pots with Clarity.

What about using discharge also?
Yes! I opt for this instead of a third cold snap. Attached to it are crit damage and life leech and I use it as a panic button during sticky situations. As a side note, discharge is definitely a gem where shelling out for a 15%+ quality is worth it as each 1% adds to your 1% to your AOE range.

Video:
http://screenr.com/rOI7
Be sure to watch the whole 2 minutes. The first minute is rough with lag issues (watch a full discharge not even kill 2 enemies) and random single enemies spaced too far. The second minute really shows how the build can shine against packs even containing a rare enemy, low life survival, and more.

Plastic_Cup's original post: http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/vie.../87893/page/10

Path of Exile Forums - Path of Exile Builds

[Witch] A Discharge Build Guide

[Witch] Plastic_Cup's Cold Snap Witch [Updated}