Build advice/sub class for demolitionist

[2tecs]

Edit** I don't have DLC
I've only really had one character, which i've gotten into Elite recently, so I don't know all the ins and outs of the game like a seasoned vet yet. He's a dual pistol/on hit demolitionist with some good aoe spells from masteries. around lvl 55 I think i (havnt played in some weeks). But I can't for the life of me figure what to do with the build from here, especially if I plan to go into ultimate or whatever the next difficulty is. Currently hoarding skill points. my main 2 concerns are:

1. Survivability. He's been a glass cannon for most of his life and I've never really settled on a good plan where to get extra survivavility from. The best thing for now I've found is giving him hp leech from attack i.e some masteries and components added to his weapons and it's working ok, and I can mow down most things before they reach me but the occasional tough boss can nuke me pretty bad, especially if i get stunned and there's no time to leech the hp back fast enough. Ive wondered, do I use skill points and gear for dmg but focus my masteries for defence? the other way around? mix n take whatever appears at the time? etc

2. which dual class to take. I thought to take soldier but it doesnt seem to have great skills or buffs for how my guy currently is, even just straight up defensive skills to grab. The only thing I've really thought to take is occultist for the on-hit skill chaos dmg thing. This could be a new source of dps allowing me to focus my gear and masteries on defence instead of trying to skimp more dps out of them, but it feels like a waste using my subclass pick for just that one skill, not much else there interest me.

**Supplementary question: Is it possible to have more than one devotion spell (%chance on hit type ones) attached to your regular attack? My plan was to add a bunch but when I got my first it seems like it can only be one?

Keen to hear any advice, not interested in just following 2 year old guides somewhere off the net.
Much appreciated

[Uzul]

The Oathkeeper is excellent for the Demolitionist.
my char - Vindictive Flame, Thermite Mine, Rightneous Fervor - main battle skills. Quite a high survivability, regen, fire retaliate, and the Empyrion Guards to help.
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/r2BX1WrZ

[2tecs]

If that's from the DLCs, my bad I should have mentioned I dont have them

[DirtyMick]

If you wanna stick with dual wielding, you should go inquisitor. You will indeed stay very much a glass cannon, but inquisitor isn't TOO bad with that, since you will have word of renewal for healing, and buffs that can stay up permanently, as the duration is longer than the cooldown. There's also ummm seal of something... I forget the name of it, where you cast it on the ground, and if you stand on it, it has great defensive buffs.

On the offensive side, inquisitor has great dual wielding buffs for dual pistols. Also, you can use the inquisitor's exclusive skill (which demolitionist doesn't have an exclusive skill) for some damage reduction, or more damage depending on which one you use. They are toggle abilities that just reserve mana to give you permanent buffs when toggled on. Exclusive skills are kinda what I consider like "ultimates", where you can only have 1 on a character and they're generally very good.

You'll still be a glass cannon build if you dual wield though. I have a demo+inquisitor (called a purifier) that I used for a very long time. The DPS is great, but he has around 130 deaths lol.

Soldier doesn't necessarily synergize with demolitionist, but you still can use it for great defensive buffs. Soldier has some nice resist passive skills, and a physique+health passive. Also has another lifesaver skill like battle shield, where when you go below a certain % health, you get a bunch of buffs.

[Uzul]

yes. This is an additional class from the DLS. The inquisitor, from another DLS, would also be great, only with an emphasis on shooting already. And from the main classes - Soldiers are a good choice. He has a lot of passivities for survivability, and a Battle Cry to reduce the resistance to mobs.

[2tecs]

Originally posted by Turret Syndrome:

If you wanna stick with dual wielding, you should go inquisitor. You will indeed stay very much a glass cannon, but inquisitor isn't TOO bad with that, since you will have word of renewal for healing, and buffs that can stay up permanently, as the duration is longer than the cooldown. There's also ummm seal of something... I forget the name of it, where you cast it on the ground, and if you stand on it, it has great defensive buffs.

On the offensive side, inquisitor has great dual wielding buffs for dual pistols. Also, you can use the inquisitor's exclusive skill (which demolitionist doesn't have an exclusive skill) for some damage reduction, or more damage depending on which one you use. They are toggle abilities that just reserve mana to give you permanent buffs when toggled on. Exclusive skills are kinda what I consider like "ultimates", where you can only have 1 on a character and they're generally very good.

You'll still be a glass cannon build if you dual wield though. I have a demo+inquisitor (called a purifier) that I used for a very long time. The DPS is great, but he has around 130 deaths lol.

Soldier doesn't necessarily synergize with demolitionist, but you still can use it for great defensive buffs. Soldier has some nice resist passive skills, and a physique+health passive. Also has another lifesaver skill like battle shield, where when you go below a certain % health, you get a bunch of buffs.

Sorry I should have mentioned in the post I dont have DLC. But yeah everywhere I look says inquisitor too.

[2tecs]

Im also curious. In the devotion tree there's devotion spots which just say something like ''135 vitality damage over 3 seconds'' but not mention of when or how that damage is applied. There's one for poison dmg in the rat tree too. How do they work, is it an increase to that damage type when you do that same dmg type or is it just added whenever you do any damage at all etc?

[Blinkybubs]

Shaman.

[2tecs]

Originally posted by Blinkybubs:

Shaman.

What about shaman do you think would be good? Have had a look and nothing in particular jumped out. Although I was interested in the totems. Part of my demo build is having the mortar out there because it can keep doing damage even when im kiting and running from enemies and the totems could probably do the same thing

[Uzul]

Originally posted by 2tecs:

Im also curious. In the devotion tree there's devotion spots which just say something like ''135 vitality damage over 3 seconds'' but not mention of when or how that damage is applied. There's one for poison dmg in the rat tree too. How do they work, is it an increase to that damage type when you do that same dmg type or is it just added whenever you do any damage at all etc?

all such types of flat damage work only together with WPS. And returning to the previous question - only one skill from the constellations can be assigned to class skills, and besides, a profile one. Some skills are only hung on attacking skills, and some only on auras.

[2tecs]

Originally posted by Uzul:

Originally posted by 2tecs:

Im also curious. In the devotion tree there's devotion spots which just say something like ''135 vitality damage over 3 seconds'' but not mention of when or how that damage is applied. There's one for poison dmg in the rat tree too. How do they work, is it an increase to that damage type when you do that same dmg type or is it just added whenever you do any damage at all etc?

all such types of flat damage work only together with WPS. And returning to the previous question - only one skill from the constellations can be assigned to class skills, and besides, a profile one. Some skills are only hung on attacking skills, and some only on auras.

I see. So there's no way to have say, both Fissure from magi and Meteor shower from ulzin tree both proc on my basic attack?

[Uzul]

two at once - no. You can only split into two skills, the main attack, and an additional one.

[Blinkybubs]

Originally posted by 2tecs:

Originally posted by Blinkybubs:

Shaman.

What about shaman do you think would be good? Have had a look and nothing in particular jumped out. Although I was interested in the totems. Part of my demo build is having the mortar out there because it can keep doing damage even when im kiting and running from enemies and the totems could probably do the same thing

Synergies/Toughness. Wind Devil and Thermite Mines pair well together for RR. Flame Touched and Stormcallers Pact pair well for Lightning. You get Mogdrogens Pact as well as Wendigo Totem.

https://www.grimtools.com/calc/M2gz7jYN

https://www.grimtools.com/calc/qNYb58A2

These are the two Elementalists I've done the most with. The Steam Community helped me with them. The Stormrend build you would have to have a 2 hander for unless you have some Stormrends lying around. The Firestriker you could do with dual pistols/dual 1handers/1hand+shield/1pistol+shield potentially if you have a relic or medal that allows you to equip them. Just realized hes capped out on Flame Touched but not gonna mess with it they are just examples.

[NightGlider]

hmm created a saboteur fire build and so far its pretty good.

https://www.grimtools.com/calc/b2809B72

Only thing I don't like about this is that the Justicar set has absolutely no skill+ for either Nightblade or Demolitionist and its sucks that no fire set supports a dual melee wield skillset +s at all. Wanted to try Dagallion before I found that it was a ranged gun set ugh (bleh).

I usually swap out my off-hand sword to Ortus if I want more survivability and also equip either Citadel or Serenity Relic (works well with survivability ~ faced tanked Iron Maiden and also killed the Mad Queen with this, though it was pretty tough with the Mad Queen ~ but I think its rather knowing how to fight her than what was wrong with the build).

Anywho, I'm almost done with this Saboteur character and set(s). I may try a fire/cold combination if I ever get the Nex sword.

Good luck!

[Cptn_Miller]

why not buy the dlc's ? wait for a sale.

they add a lot of good stuff.

[OldManJB]

You can go occultist and add solael's witchfire/second rite, curse of frailty/vulnerability (fantastic devotion proccer), possession, and blood of dreeg/aspect of the guardian. You will only have 2 active skills from occultist - so you're still going to feel like a pistolier demolitionist. Make sure you take hellfire mine if you do this. Focus on fire/burn and chaos damage modifiers, and fire/chaos resistance reduction.