Finally got to 70 and starting to get more block nodes in beta. It's fun though, and I'm beginning to think doesn't really need Bringer of Rain. You can then eventually take a 6L chest and Alpha's Howl.

That makes it more expensive of course, particularly as Alpha's Howl will become a very expensive item due to reduced mana changes.

I ended up aiming for this:

http://cb.poedb.tw/us/passive-skill-...P3Mvjr-6r8Sw==

33% block from tree, 32-33% block from shield, 4% from tempest shield, 4% from corrupted stone of lazhwar, 2% from a jewel takes us to 75% physical block.

Then it's 75% of block chance to spells with Rainbowstride + the stone, plus 6% from jewels (a rare jewel can have 2% phys block and 2% spell block). That'd be 62% spell block, which seems fine to me. Add in fortify and its buff, CWDT, chaos golem, unwavering stance and iron reflexes and it's pretty tanky, particularly when we can get a good armour rating. I'm also 3,300 life at level 70 with self found and largely mediocre gear right now, so this should be fine too.

Weapon: Leapslam, faster attacks, fortify
Shield: Faster casting, poacher's mark, abyssal cry
Hat: Grace, anger, tempest shield, enlighten
Body: Reave, faster attacks, multistrike, melee physical, (added fire, added chaos)
Shoes: Chaos golem, added minion life, added minion resists, culling strike
Gloves: CWDT, enduring cry, immortal call, increased duration

Traditionally we go Bringer of Rain because it generates endurance charges and blinds enemies. I think the extra aura, extra aura effect, and the DPS makes up for this, particularly because auras are harder to use now.

I'm not sure if those are the best 5th and 6th links though, and I'm not sure if those are the best auras. It might also be interesting to have a 2nd CWDT that casts abyssal cry & poacher's mark automatically - it seems like a quality of life improvement over spamming.

At level 70 and missing a ton of stuff, I'm ~6k reave DPS. Hopefully it's possible to get to ~25k...

just lost my level highest char level 61 on merciless... after having not played for a long time.

My build was rarity farming but I had good resist for ledge on merciless (lightning)

decided to go onto one of the blood vaal side missiont hings which was gaurded by rogue exile,

I see the rogue exile and get immediatly 1shotted from range, don't even know what spell it was

gg gear fml

One-Week Cut-Throat Event

Well it looks like GGG finally went full ******
http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1288589

1 week cutthroat league starts in the next 3 hours. Planning to go for frenzy/blink strike shadow... nb4 dead in first 10 minutes

https://poebuilder.com/character/AAA...gwcdQjDPLC7KXL

I mean I'm not sure that Chris understands how much of a PITA it is to acquire a high level map pool when you play solo...

Ive run out of maps like 6 times. Ive gotten to run few 75 maps with +100% quant and chiseled and still have to go down to 71's or buy more, but people asking 1.5c for 73 and 2.5 for 74 its ridic.

https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1295393

10th Jul for full release looks likely

Hypee

I am torn between being bored of the beta, and being aware that I need to have a character in the low 80s to do the final 3 bosses properly when they're added. Hopefully I can just skip it and the final update to the beta comes with a wipe.

Unique's rebalanced for The Awakening:

http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1295414

I wish I could be excited about this but they're really ****ing up mapping by trying to balance the game around the few nutballs who can hit level 100 in a week or two. There's a ton of people complaining about map drops and GGG won't respond to any of it.

jesus christ

Unique is rebalanced. Nothing wrong with that sentence.

I am assuming the map thing is going to be partially fixed by level 70+ zones as the 3 final merciless boss fights, and that they'll award >69 maps...

But seems to me they could solve the map thing in some other way. e.g. have it that map drop rate doesn't increase with more party members if you're past level 74 maps or whatever.

Finally something about maps

State of the beta - Post #8

Good good.

On an unrelated note, I guess I should join a guild for 2.0. Does anyone have one? The 2 + 2 one was dead.

For whatever it's worth I've got lots of characters into the 80s and none into the 90s, so I guess I'm a fairly middling player. I'll take a few days off work at the start of the league, and probably go IIR/cull at first, then do something with max block (maybe incinerate) or flicker strike after a week or so.

You're welcome to join the guild I went to when I left this one. There were usually around 20 people online at a time last league. Walski and vandamon are in there too.

Idk what I'm going to start with. Dual Ball Lightning Totems or Poison Arrow perhaps.

Thanks, when they announce a 2.0 date I'll go install regular POE again and hassle you. Are you EU? I forgot.

Soul mantle for 3x ball lightning totems sounds fun if you want to roll 5x warding flasks. No shutgunning means that 3x totems becomes quite interesting again.

No I'm murica

So you guys don't want to keep 2+2 guild anymore? I'm sure with new release we'd have more people online than on 1.0

I'd rather play in the 2p2 guild tbh. But yeah I left a few months ago for pockeys guild just for the numbers. I think I prefer a few active members that I have some camaraderie with instead of a ****load of people that are just trying to leech **** from other members.

We'll see what it looks like after 2.0. I'm sure we'll get some 2p2 Diablo 3 scrubs to join up as well