[PvM Kicker] Couple of questions

[galtzaiLe]

[PvM Kicker] Couple of questions

Hello! I'll do a totally skipeable brief intro:

[skipeable]
I started to play d2 back in 2001/2002 iirc, but never made one assassin. So, this is a new world to me hehe.
I play on SP, hence i only have access to Mal~Gul runes (no über runewords for me).
[/skipeable]

Well, i read some guides and decided i'll go with a DTalon kicker with DS. After plan the build in paper, i realized that my resist are going to be horrible!

This is what i planned:

• Guillaume's Face (15% ias // 12% res all jewel)
• Treachery Scarab Husk
• Up'ed Gore Rider
• Thundergod's Vigor
• Dracul's Grasp
• Stormshield (Um)
• Raven Frost
• Rare ring with dual leech
• Seraph's Hymn
• Don't know what weapon yet

The BIG problem (at least for me) are the resist. Even when Fade triggers, the resist a way too low. I could swith the Seraph's Hymn for a Mara's Kaleidoscope, if i ever get one.

I choose Treachery because (if i get the tables right), with the 45% ias plus the 15% ias from jewel and a Phase Blade i'll be kicking at 7/2, is that right?

My other question is, what weapon should i weild? I don't have a Stormlash (THE PvM weapon from what i've read), so that limit me to the regular nor/exp/eli uniques, and some low end runewords.
I've thought that Crescent Moon, Lightsabre, Voice of Reason (if the %damage to demons / undead works with DTalon) could be a decent choice .
Lawbringer is a really cool runeword, but completely negates my DS.

I also tried to make a resist setup (Duress / Lionheart) using BoS but i couldn't get any setup that i like :/

What should i do? Y_Y


Thanks for reading, and sorry for my lousy english :x

 

[wizAdept]

This is what i planned:

• Guillaume's Face (15% ias // 12% res all jewel)
• Treachery Scarab Husk
• Up'ed Gore Rider
• Thundergod's Vigor
• Dracul's Grasp
• Stormshield (Um)
• Raven Frost
• Rare ring with dual leech
• Seraph's Hymn
• Don't know what weapon yet

The BIG problem (at least for me) are the resist. Even when Fade triggers, the resist a way too low. I could swith the Seraph's Hymn for a Mara's Kaleidoscope, if i ever get one.

Decent setup for pvm except for that seraph's, which is just a +2 skills amulet considering +ar/damage to demons/undead doesn't work with kicks. As you mentioned mara's is good if you can get your hands on one.
Don't overlook crafted or rare amulets, that could be an alternative if you can't get a maras.

Also I would recommend trying arach belt instead of tgods if you have one, base cast rate on assassin is quite slow, you will want to cast CoS and mindblast on a pvm kicker, having at least some fcr helps.
tgods does make a pvm kicksin very sturdy in soul filled areas however.

I choose Treachery because (if i get the tables right), with the 45% ias plus the 15% ias from jewel and a Phase Blade i'll be kicking at 7/2, is that right?

You are using incorrect ias tables, the old (incorrect) ones list 7/2 kick speed when 7/3 is the last bp. Check the ias tables thread for the proper bps.
For phase blade (-30 wsm) you need 46+ ias for 7/3 kicks on fade.

My other question is, what weapon should i weild? I don't have a Stormlash (THE PvM weapon from what i've read), so that limit me to the regular nor/exp/eli uniques, and some low end runewords.
I've thought that Crescent Moon, Lightsabre, Voice of Reason (if the %damage to demons / undead works with DTalon) could be a decent choice .
Lawbringer is a really cool runeword, but completely negates my DS.

I also tried to make a resist setup (Duress / Lionheart) using BoS but i couldn't get any setup that i like :/

Crescent moon phase blade. Very inexpensive and very effective for pvm with its combo of itd + static.

To solve your resist problem: use +resist charms.


imo an enigma setup is really the best choice but you mentioned thats out of your budget. A non-enigma kicksin can of course pvm easily just.. cant get around or clear areas as fast as an enigma build of course.
Duress or Treachery are the best pvm choices if you rule out using highrunes.


edit:
Duress is a good pvm kicksin armor choice if you go with a BoS build, would require having extra resist charms than a faded build of course.
Or... you could also use duress + cats eye + crescent moon pb and reach 7/3 kicks on fade with that ias jewel in your guillaumes. Thats a pretty gg pvm setup with the budget you are working on.

 

[galtzaiLe]

Thanks wizAdept for your quick and informative response!!

I'll work around Crescent Moon and another ammy. Also i'll try another gear setup with Duress.

Thanks again, i'll keep your advice in mind

 

[stephan]

Perhaps it should be noted that a crescent moon PB hits 8/3 kicks out of the box. You really don't need to sacrifice everything to get 7/3 kicks for PvM.

Decent setup for pvm except for that seraph's, which is just a +2 skills amulet considering +ar/damage to demons/undead doesn't work with kicks.

Are you sure about this? I seem to remember from testing that at least the AR did work, and the kicking basics sticky seems to avoid the question. Now the +AR and damage on Seraph's is not spectcular by any standards, but it would be nice to be clear on it anyway. :smiley:

 

[wizAdept]

actually.. to be honest I really don't know for sure if the ar part works or not.

Im just going by what I have seen listed forever now. I know the +damage% does not work.
as for the ar, well.. we know fools mod does not display ar on kicks, but testing has shown the ar to add. does +ar vs demons/undead work? uh..
well damage% to demons does not work whereas regular +damage% on offweapon equipment does. So this makes me think +ar vs demons/undead is the same way and does not work..

..but really I can't be too sure with all the quirks d2 has.
It would be really a pain in the *** to try to test this somehow.

=\

 

[galtzaiLe]

stephan, thanks for that sugestion! I will try kicks at 8/3 frames. If it feels good to me, i'll drop de idea of kicking at 7/3.

Thanks again both of you