Spellslinger VD (Volatile Dead) & Detonate Dead Necromancer Ascendancy, Bandits, and Pantheon Powers

TbXie

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Ascendancy (Witch – Necromancer)

Plaguebringer

We’re picking up Plaguebringer as a first ascendancy, mainly because we need the next step to swap to Volatile Dead Volatile Dead. Whereas 30% Increased Area of Effect, 10% More Damage dealt and 10% Reduced Damage taken is nothing to sniff at, we really would have preferred taking something that had more impact, or altered our path so that our Uber Lab was of less significance. However, to make leveling the most enjoyable, we need to make our way to Corpse Pact.

Corpse Pact

Since it is vital we get Corpse Pact to play our build, we rush this and get here after completing the Cruel Labyrinth. Corpse Pact gives our Corpses 50% increased Maximum Life which is vital for both Detonate Dead Detonate Dead and Volatile Dead Volatile Dead. Other then that, we’re gonna get an outrageous amount of Attack Speed because of the amount of Corpses we consume and a free 10% damage multiplier from shocking enemies as well as Chilling enemies to further amplify our defensive layers.

Commander of Darkness

We’d really like to pick up Mistress of Sacrifice here and if you have enough Resistances you really should, but since this Ascendancy node makes gearing and remaining Resistance capped so easy, it is the best pick for your 3rd Labyrinth. Deviate to Mistress of Sacrifice only if you have at least 30% of each Elemental Resistance to spare after killing Act 10 Kitava.

Mistress of Sacrifice

Arguably the best of all your Ascendancy nodes, it should usually come last. Even though it has tremendous Defensive capabilities, you might just not be able to play the build comfortably in an SSF or League-Start environment without the other 3 of your Ascendancy choices. Don’t forget: Bone Offering Bone Offering becomes your best friend after you pick up this Ascendancy node!

Deal with the Bandits

There really only is one option here. You require none of their benefits so we should be killing all three of them for additional skill points off of Eramir.

Pantheons

Major Gods

Life-Based Variant

I would say Soul of Lunaris and Soul of Solaris run close un-upgraded. Soul of Lunaris is definitely the most optimal one once you start upgrading your Pantheons. You’re already super strong versus incoming Elemental and Chaos Damage, so you should rather get some extra Dodge.

Low-Life Variant

You want to run Soul of Arakaali pretty much at all times. We’re relatively weak versus incoming damage over time / Chaos Damage. Upgrading this is very strong and highly recommended.

Minor Gods

Life-Based Variant

This is really just preference. As long as you don’t use Abberath’s, Ryslatha’s or Yugul’s Soul, pretty much all of them are acceptable. For pure Boss kiling, Soul of Tukohama is probably a little bit more beneficial then the others.

Low-Life Variant

This one is an easy pick for every Low-Life character in the game. Soul of Abberath gives you Burning ground immunity and is impossible to pass up. Given that you’re focused around our Energy Shield recharging, which gets stopped by Burning Ground, it is nigh impossible to play without it. It should, at least, be allocated when you transition into Low-Life.

Upgrading your Pantheons

Whilst upgrading your Pantheons never hurts you, it’s not that important for this character. If you have nothing else to do at some point, sure, why not, but it shouldn’t be something you focus on or spend a lot of time on.

Main Page / TL;DR

Changelog

  • Updated for Ritual 3.13.

  • Updated to be viable in Heist league.

  • This guide is now maintained by TbXie and has been completely reworked to be more in touch with the current state of the game.

  • Reworked the guide from Cast While Channelling into a Spellslinger build since it has more power in general and is more popular.

  • Revisited and updated for Delirium 3.10. The build remains unchanged and plays out as before.

  • Revisited and updated for Metamorph 3.9. Mainly unchanged, the build is solid and plays out as before.

  • Build added.

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