Newbie Friendly Marauder Build by Ninjaarabstrategist
This build went through major and wide mainteance. I've added a lot of new informations, so I suggest to reread it once more! Even Passive Skill Build changed (just a three nodes, but still).
I am totally suprised with attention that this thread makes. We've made 100 posts and 20,000 views in NEARLY ONE DAY! Thank you!
Also from this place I would love to thank all those players who feedbacked my build, what helped me enormously to improve the build. I will wait for more. Guys, you're awesome.
Hello, my dear fellows!
Are you looking for a decent Marauder Melee Build? But, oh. You are new player and don't understand game's mechanics, you don't know what's needed in the game nor which skill are those coolest?
Let me present you basic marauder build - well known (for CB-players) cookie-cutter:
- All equipment pieces you need are strenght-type! You won't bother about Dexternity nor Intelligence for a single while!
- Even all your gems require red-sockets that are easiest to get on strenght-type equipment!
- You will NEVER miss, what strongly affects you damage output!
- Your defense is your health regen, which you easly can increase to 200 health PER SECOND (500 is viable too, but it's way hard).
- Such enormous health regen makes you very-very tanky! HC builds are very often based on it!
- Your tankyness does not affect damage much! You are using high-damage two-handed weapon, what with addition of few strong passive nodes and support gem will make you 1-hit-ko blues without much efford!
- ALL gems we need we will get from quests!
- You won't care about mana. Well at some point you will stop using potions!
- You won't be stunned. Ever. We hate stunlocks (like those in d2, don't we?)
- You start with high base resistances, what really help early on, when you don't get game much!
How to do that? Just follow following (sic!) skilltree:
BUILD:
BASIC MARAUDER MELEE BUILD
Note. Many people think that this build will dish out low damage, because it takes few damage nodes. Let me point. We do NOT use skill-tree for offense, as it is ineffective. We use TWO-HANDED WEAPON for offense, as it is super-effective. Those 'increased physical damage' nodes does not give you straight % bonus, but are calculated in strange way, that much lowers it's efficiency. 6% increased damage wont increase ur damage by 6%. More like 1% (depends on many factors, may be more, may be less).
Note. Some nodes may seem to be stupidly chosen. Or not-important. Or not-optimized. They are NOT.
Note. Damage nodes does not give too much. Don't be afraid of low dps. We share it like: passive skills for defense, two-handed weapon for damage. And this is most efficient way.
1. First, most important thing is to go for Resolute Technique. This Keystone will enormously increase your damage output (as hit chance is also calculated in it)
2. Then you should get is Blood Magic - to screw mana issues as fast as possible
3. Then you should make your way to Duelist's Health Nodes, through Unwavering Stance to improve your survivabilty.
4. And at last - either fill out Damage Nodes, or head to Templar's Health Nodes.
OK, BUT WHAT TO DO NEXT?
There are several theories. They all works and you can choose and mix them on your taste. I'll order then in sequence that is best for me.
1. ENDURANCE CHARGES. You don't need them early on. You hate them early on. You'll love it later, as they'll decrease incoming damage by about HALF.
ENDURANCE CHARGES
Note, that if you like them - you can get them as early as you can.
2. IRON REFLEXES. You need to use GRACE aura with it. Otherwise don't go this path.
IRON REFLEXES
3. IRON REFLEXES + HEALTH NODES. And extension of IRON REFLEXES build.
IRON REFLEXES + HEALTH NODES
4. IRON GRIP's HEALTH - is case you don't like Iron Reflexes.
IRON GRIP'S HEALTH
5. AMPLYFY - increasing range of Ground Slam/Sweep
AMPLIFY
Note. Many people think that this build will dish out low damage, because it takes few damage nodes. Let me point. We do NOT use skill-tree for offense, as it is ineffective. We use TWO-HANDED WEAPON for offense, as it is super-effective. Those 'increased physical damage' nodes does not give you straight % bonus, but are calculated in strange way, that much lowers it's efficiency. 6% increased damage wont increase ur damage by 6%. More like 1% (depends on many factors, may be more, may be less).
Note. Some nodes may seem to be stupidly chosen. Or not-important. Or not-optimized. They are NOT.
Note. Damage nodes does not give too much. Don't be afraid of low dps. We share it like: passive skills for defense, two-handed weapon for damage. And this is most efficient way.
1. First, most important thing is to go for Resolute Technique. This Keystone will enormously increase your damage output (as hit chance is also calculated in it)
2. Then you should get is Blood Magic - to screw mana issues as fast as possible
3. Then you should make your way to Duelist's Health Nodes, through Unwavering Stance to improve your survivabilty.
4. And at last - either fill out Damage Nodes, or head to Templar's Health Nodes.
OK, BUT WHAT TO DO NEXT?
There are several theories. They all works and you can choose and mix them on your taste. I'll order then in sequence that is best for me.
1. ENDURANCE CHARGES. You don't need them early on. You hate them early on. You'll love it later, as they'll decrease incoming damage by about HALF.
ENDURANCE CHARGES
Note, that if you like them - you can get them as early as you can.
2. IRON REFLEXES. You need to use GRACE aura with it. Otherwise don't go this path.
IRON REFLEXES
3. IRON REFLEXES + HEALTH NODES. And extension of IRON REFLEXES build.
IRON REFLEXES + HEALTH NODES
4. IRON GRIP's HEALTH - is case you don't like Iron Reflexes.
IRON GRIP'S HEALTH
5. AMPLYFY - increasing range of Ground Slam/Sweep
AMPLIFY
SKILL GEMS:
Spoiler
With this guide you will need just two skill gems with supporting them support (sic!) gems. What is more: all of them you will get very early and from quest rewards! Those skills are most often used in melee builds.
Let me point, that all those skills require red socket - color, which is most probable for us to get.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACTIVE SKILL GEMS:
There are two skills that you can use as a main nuker. You should level both of them, and use that what, you like more.
1. "GROUND SLAM" + "Life Gain on Hit" + "Melee Physical Damage" + "Fire Physical Damage"
It is you primary AoE attack and it is just awesome, as it is actually mid-ranged attack. This distance is undoubtedly ass-saver. Secondly with such big range you are able to hit at once much more enemies than with other melee skills. Generally you should use it in later difficulties and in dangerous situations in first one.
2. "SWEEP" + "Life Gain on Hit" + "Melee Physical Damage" + "Fire Physical Damage"
This is your secondary AoE attack is an replacement for Ground Slam - in case you don't like it. Still I suggest Ground Slam, but new players may found Sweep better. It is much more dangerous than Ground Slam, but you will not notice it early on. It slashes all surrounding, so it's better early on when those are dealing no damage - as we branlessy rush into group on enemies, close our eyes, and press Sweep-Button for few seconds. Later on such behaviour will kill you before you will press Sweep-Button, and then Ground Slam is recommended.
3. "HEAVY STRIKE" + "Life Gain on Hit" + "Melee Physical Damage" + "Fire Physical Damage"
This is your main 1vs1 (bosskiller) attack. I has high effectiveness, what make our one-to-one damage just huge.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUPPORT SKILL GEMS
For support gems we use the same gems in both cases. They are also red, and quest-obtainable.
1. "Life Gain on Hit" - is first support gem we should apply, as it's just big jump in survivability. We will stop spending health. We will start GAINING health for each attack. In later game you should swap it with "Life Leech" gem. When? When Life Leech overregen Life Gain on Hit. When? This calculator will show you when: Life Gain on Hit vs Life Leech
2. "Melee Physical Damage" - just for increasing damage output.
3. "Fire Physical Damage" - just for increasing damage output.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADDITIONAL SKILL GEMS - however not required
This are gems that may be used for further improvement of our character. They are not required, however RECOMMENDED. At last some of them.
Active Skills:
1. Enduring Cry - Strength Based. Quest Reward. We use it only to gather Endurance Charges.
2. LeapSlam - Strength Based. Quest Reward. Great skill for moving purposes. Can be left at 1st level.
3. Detonate Dead - Dexternity Based. NOT Quest Reward. Do you hate those Necro's keep reviveing skeletons?! Remove corpses! Can be left at 1st level.
Auras:
1. Anger - Strength & Intelligence Based. Quest Reward. Adds some fire damage. As we do not concentrate on elemental damage, and have no nodes about it befefits form Anger are only minor.
2. Wrath - Intelligence Based. NOT Quest Reward. Adds some lightning damage. As we do not concentrate on elemental damage, and have no nodes about it befefits form Wrath are only minor.
3. Grace - Dexternity Based. Quest Reward. A MUST if you use Iron Reflexes. Well... We USE Iron Reflexes because of Grace, bacause it's like ~1k Grace's evasion is added to our armor for free.
Totems:
1. Decoy Totem - Strength Based. Quest Reward. This is great gem creating for ass-saving purposes. Also it may be used to lure all enemies in one place, AND GROUNDSLAM THEM ALL AT ONCE!
2. Rejuvenation Totem - Strength Based. Quest Reward. Adds a lot health regen, especially on lower levels.
Curses: - you can choose only one of those. Choose one, you like more.
1. Temporal Chains - Intelligence Based. NOT Quest Reward. Defensive. Slows enemies.
2. Enfeeble - Intelligence Based. NOT Quest Reward. Defensive. Weakens Enemie's dps.
3. Vulnerability - Intelligence Based. Quest Reward. Offensive. MOAR DAMAGE!
Support Gems:
1. Concentrated Effect - Intelligence Based. NOT Quest Reward. If you are strong enough to don't care about incoming damage, you can cut off some range for 1.5x damage multiplayer.
2. Increased Area of Effect - Intelligence Based. NOT Quest Reward. The other way round - if you will lack of range you can wear this support.
3. Life Leech - Strength Based. Quest Reward. Over some point, this will be better that Life Gain on Hit. Then you should swap it. More informations in SUPPORT GEMS section.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MENTIONWORTHY but NOT-IMPLEMENTED-IN-BUILD
1. Cleave
2. Lightning Strike - This skill - although it is awesome - does not appear in our build, because it requires completely different passive skill tree, completely different equipment pieces, and completely different support gems
3. Hatred - this aura would boost your damage noticeable, but unfortunatelly it would reserve 30% of our life (decrease our maxium life by 30%). It simply does not worth it. Also it is DEX-based.
4. Vitality - this aura would increase our survivality enourmously... if only it wont require 40% of our life. Sad.
5. Purity - aura that grants free resistance would be icing of our build. But this is next aura, that requires 40% of our life.
Let me point, that all those skills require red socket - color, which is most probable for us to get.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACTIVE SKILL GEMS:
There are two skills that you can use as a main nuker. You should level both of them, and use that what, you like more.
1. "GROUND SLAM" + "Life Gain on Hit" + "Melee Physical Damage" + "Fire Physical Damage"
It is you primary AoE attack and it is just awesome, as it is actually mid-ranged attack. This distance is undoubtedly ass-saver. Secondly with such big range you are able to hit at once much more enemies than with other melee skills. Generally you should use it in later difficulties and in dangerous situations in first one.
2. "SWEEP" + "Life Gain on Hit" + "Melee Physical Damage" + "Fire Physical Damage"
This is your secondary AoE attack is an replacement for Ground Slam - in case you don't like it. Still I suggest Ground Slam, but new players may found Sweep better. It is much more dangerous than Ground Slam, but you will not notice it early on. It slashes all surrounding, so it's better early on when those are dealing no damage - as we branlessy rush into group on enemies, close our eyes, and press Sweep-Button for few seconds. Later on such behaviour will kill you before you will press Sweep-Button, and then Ground Slam is recommended.
3. "HEAVY STRIKE" + "Life Gain on Hit" + "Melee Physical Damage" + "Fire Physical Damage"
This is your main 1vs1 (bosskiller) attack. I has high effectiveness, what make our one-to-one damage just huge.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUPPORT SKILL GEMS
For support gems we use the same gems in both cases. They are also red, and quest-obtainable.
1. "Life Gain on Hit" - is first support gem we should apply, as it's just big jump in survivability. We will stop spending health. We will start GAINING health for each attack. In later game you should swap it with "Life Leech" gem. When? When Life Leech overregen Life Gain on Hit. When? This calculator will show you when: Life Gain on Hit vs Life Leech
2. "Melee Physical Damage" - just for increasing damage output.
3. "Fire Physical Damage" - just for increasing damage output.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADDITIONAL SKILL GEMS - however not required
This are gems that may be used for further improvement of our character. They are not required, however RECOMMENDED. At last some of them.
Active Skills:
1. Enduring Cry - Strength Based. Quest Reward. We use it only to gather Endurance Charges.
2. LeapSlam - Strength Based. Quest Reward. Great skill for moving purposes. Can be left at 1st level.
3. Detonate Dead - Dexternity Based. NOT Quest Reward. Do you hate those Necro's keep reviveing skeletons?! Remove corpses! Can be left at 1st level.
Auras:
1. Anger - Strength & Intelligence Based. Quest Reward. Adds some fire damage. As we do not concentrate on elemental damage, and have no nodes about it befefits form Anger are only minor.
2. Wrath - Intelligence Based. NOT Quest Reward. Adds some lightning damage. As we do not concentrate on elemental damage, and have no nodes about it befefits form Wrath are only minor.
3. Grace - Dexternity Based. Quest Reward. A MUST if you use Iron Reflexes. Well... We USE Iron Reflexes because of Grace, bacause it's like ~1k Grace's evasion is added to our armor for free.
Totems:
1. Decoy Totem - Strength Based. Quest Reward. This is great gem creating for ass-saving purposes. Also it may be used to lure all enemies in one place, AND GROUNDSLAM THEM ALL AT ONCE!
2. Rejuvenation Totem - Strength Based. Quest Reward. Adds a lot health regen, especially on lower levels.
Curses: - you can choose only one of those. Choose one, you like more.
1. Temporal Chains - Intelligence Based. NOT Quest Reward. Defensive. Slows enemies.
2. Enfeeble - Intelligence Based. NOT Quest Reward. Defensive. Weakens Enemie's dps.
3. Vulnerability - Intelligence Based. Quest Reward. Offensive. MOAR DAMAGE!
Support Gems:
1. Concentrated Effect - Intelligence Based. NOT Quest Reward. If you are strong enough to don't care about incoming damage, you can cut off some range for 1.5x damage multiplayer.
2. Increased Area of Effect - Intelligence Based. NOT Quest Reward. The other way round - if you will lack of range you can wear this support.
3. Life Leech - Strength Based. Quest Reward. Over some point, this will be better that Life Gain on Hit. Then you should swap it. More informations in SUPPORT GEMS section.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MENTIONWORTHY but NOT-IMPLEMENTED-IN-BUILD
1. Cleave
2. Lightning Strike - This skill - although it is awesome - does not appear in our build, because it requires completely different passive skill tree, completely different equipment pieces, and completely different support gems
3. Hatred - this aura would boost your damage noticeable, but unfortunatelly it would reserve 30% of our life (decrease our maxium life by 30%). It simply does not worth it. Also it is DEX-based.
4. Vitality - this aura would increase our survivality enourmously... if only it wont require 40% of our life. Sad.
5. Purity - aura that grants free resistance would be icing of our build. But this is next aura, that requires 40% of our life.
WEAPON:
Spoiler
With this build, you should use 2h-mace (with highest physical damage you've found)
If you want use another weapon, you should swap mace-based passive skills into weapon-of-your-choice ones.
NOTE: Before you take ANY MACE node, you can use ALL weapons. Well, you can use ALL weapons, even with MACE NODES if only it gives you HIGHER DPS.
If you want use another weapon, you should swap mace-based passive skills into weapon-of-your-choice ones.
NOTE: Before you take ANY MACE node, you can use ALL weapons. Well, you can use ALL weapons, even with MACE NODES if only it gives you HIGHER DPS.
EQUIPMENT
Spoiler
To increase our survivality (health regen) to unbelievable scores there are ONLY three things we should care about in equipment. There are arranged in order of importance:
1. HEALTH BONUSES
2. HEALTH REGEN BONUSES (mainly early-on)
3. Resistances
What else? Nothing! With this build you won't need armor/evasion/energy shield/other strange bonuses. Of course, they will help. But they are not valid.
Also don't look at additional amount of strength, because strength adds nearly NOTHING.
WE DO NOT USE ARMOR FOR PHYSICAL REDUCTION, BECAUSE IT IS INEFFECIVE! WE USE ENDURANCE CHARGES BECAUSE IT IS SUPER-EFFECIVE! Using pure energy shield equipment will change mothing in our build! More it was add some (negligible) survivality, because of additional energy shield pool.
1. HEALTH BONUSES
2. HEALTH REGEN BONUSES (mainly early-on)
3. Resistances
What else? Nothing! With this build you won't need armor/evasion/energy shield/other strange bonuses. Of course, they will help. But they are not valid.
Also don't look at additional amount of strength, because strength adds nearly NOTHING.
WE DO NOT USE ARMOR FOR PHYSICAL REDUCTION, BECAUSE IT IS INEFFECIVE! WE USE ENDURANCE CHARGES BECAUSE IT IS SUPER-EFFECIVE! Using pure energy shield equipment will change mothing in our build! More it was add some (negligible) survivality, because of additional energy shield pool.
BANDIT'S REWARD
Spoiler
NORMAL DIFFICULTY: Health - there are no skill point that will give you so huge benefits. Note, that this health is multiplied by our 'increased health'.
CRUEL DIFFICULTY: Physical Damage - 12% increased Physical Damage is something only few nodes (already taken) may grant to you.
MERCILES DIFFUCILTY: Endurance Charge or Skill Point - it depends on you, how often you use charges. If you use them often - Endurance Charge. If not - choose a Skill Point.
CRUEL DIFFICULTY: Physical Damage - 12% increased Physical Damage is something only few nodes (already taken) may grant to you.
MERCILES DIFFUCILTY: Endurance Charge or Skill Point - it depends on you, how often you use charges. If you use them often - Endurance Charge. If not - choose a Skill Point.
Q&A
Spoiler
1. But u nup, ima goin' to gonna DIE super-fazt wiht bloodz magiks!Actually with "Life Gain on Hit" you will regain health faster than you will be able to spend it. Also with so high health regen you won't have problems with maintaining health
2. Merciless Viability
This build builds (sic!) it's defense on mechanics that is used by HardCore Players - Health Regen. I don't see other ways of increasing our defense, as health regen is imho best one. Note that you can't go through Merciless with shit-gear.
I may propose getting better (more health/regen/resistance) gear, and better weapon.
3. Enemies with Chaos Damage
Chaos Damage is generally bitch. In Closed Beta only defense against it was CI or high health pool. We have this second one. Now we can ALSO build resistances again Chaos. And this i a must. Try to keep 50-75% all resistances in each difficulty.
4. 2H vs 1H
You will probably use Kaom's Hearth unique Armor for additional 1k base health. In such a case you'll need piece of equipment that is possible to get six (hopefully linked) sockets. These are two-handed weapons. Also, we have to deal damage. We won't maintain high damage with one-handed weapon.
5.Mace over other weapon types
Generally you are free to use any weapon type you want. I've chosen maces, because they are simple (only STR required), they have easly reachable damage nodes for our build (which should fir the damage difference between i.e. axes and maces). Note that we do not concentrate on stun thereshold and this isn't thing we consider for mace's superiority.
Do you have a link for the skilltree of this build?
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