Quick question regarding Aether Ray offhands viability.

[Euphytose]

Hey,

I recently stashed all the gear I had on a aether ray char, and remade it from scratch with a friend.

This time I read a guide, briefly. This guide mentioned getting the offhand from the Amalgation.

This offhand, among other super good things, gives aether ray a damage to health %.

I went from "peasant" needing my friend to tank for me, to demi-god tanking everything hitting me with this single item.

I always dealt big damage, but now I'm basically invincible. Of course this is veteran, things will change later.

However, I don't see any other viable choice for the offhand, this is just too good to pass up.

I was wondering if you guys use something else for late game or if I should stick with this.

I'm assuming there is an "empowered" and "mythical" version of this offhand too?

Thanks for reading.

[Drakkar Calethiel]

Currently playing a sorcerer with an "Albrechts Fire Ray" build. Hexflame plus the offhand from Amalgamation is just bonkers. Insane damage, good healing vial damage converted to health. Playing on ultimate, currently in FG and don't even have the need to replace it. Just have to respec devotion because I get my head kicked in by the Animated Watchers. (physical damage)

If I want, I can buff the Ray up to 200k DPS with "Mythical Codex of Malligostra" Also offers 15% of AD converted to health, but only at 10% chance.

Personally, if you play Aether Ray and buff thr hell out of it(currently at 26/16), "Pulsing Shard" is the way to go. Was insanely lucky and got "Aetherfire Pulsing Shard of Shattered Reality" dropped at LvL 83. While it only has +54% fire damage but +254% aether, the 15% cast speed, reduced mana cost of the ray, and AD converted to health is just too good to pass. Wonder if there is an even more broken Prefix/Suffix combination for my build.

[Euphytose]

Alright, thank you for your answer.

So I'll keep this offhand for sure. :D

[FlamingX21]

This is my finalized AAR (or now let's call it Albaba Fire Ray, AFR for short): https://www.grimtools.com/calc/YVWWBneV

this pulsing shard u talking 'bout is too good to pass up... sure there are couple more options without life steal but u will want that life steal.

Tested it against ravager (which is like 3rd or 4th hardest boss) and it tanks pretty good, leeched off hp while doing decent damage. You also want to reach 200% cast speed at max capacity because that's where the invisible power is layin'.

Hope my build inspires your build in some bit way, or at least u get a glimpse of what endgame AFR build looks-like.

[Euphytose]

Thanks again!

[Drakkar Calethiel]

Originally posted by FlamingX21:

This is my finalized AAR (or now let's call it Albaba Fire Ray, AFR for short): https://www.grimtools.com/calc/YVWWBneV

this pulsing shard u talking 'bout is too good to pass up... sure there are couple more options without life steal but u will want that life steal.

Tested it against ravager (which is like 3rd or 4th hardest boss) and it tanks pretty good, leeched off hp while doing decent damage. You also want to reach 200% cast speed at max capacity because that's where the invisible power is layin'.

Hope my build inspires your build in some bit way, or at least u get a glimpse of what endgame AFR build looks-like.

I know I should open another thread, but it fits into here just fine. Anything you would recommend changing at my Sorcerer? Have two "versions" Shard and Tome offhand. the 3 gear pieces change depending on mood. (high damage vs more defense)

Shard: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/vNQALMpN

Tome: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/dVbpyz4N

One thing I know for sure, I#m gonna change the 3 ectoplasm components, they aren't needed anymore. Got way more than enough energy restore without them probably by now.

[FlamingX21]

So by the time u get to lvl 94 or around then, if we exclude that u get all the mythical versions of gear like myth aethereach gloves which will boost your damage thanks to skill modifier in-built... I would change few things definitely right away, like main source of RR (resist reduction).

I see you use olexa's flash freeze & it may work for low tier enemies / some bosses perhaps, but when it comes to celestials - it's practically useless. Why you may ask? they got 500% freeze resist and so on and so forth, following stun, entrapment, petrify.

Instead i would use thermite mines for RR (even tho it may look weird at first when using AFR).

I definitely prefer pulsing shard version because it has more reliable defense but if you think malligosta gives more damage, go for it, otherwise I see no reason not to use the precious green off-hand thingy.

Physical resist, as it stands of now at all times (excluding ghoul proc) is 4% which is extremely low. How would u get it bigger u may ask? I would go for different devotions like Jackal, Lotus, Sailor, Dryad ect. ect.

As well I would change flat RR (which you going for Revenant devotion) to Rhowan's Crown. Best part is, u don't need to complete it in order to obtain it, 3 points is enough. Viper devotion does practically nothing since u don't deal any weapon damage attacks, not even a little bit, but that 3% OA is the only good part about it so u can keep it if u lack OA and it's blue/red devotion nodes.

DA is also very low u would like to keep it at 2.6k at least to avoid getting one-shot by a beastly bow. & funny how ur energy is 10k, I haven't see anything like it in ages outside 10k armor or something more similarly ridiculous what I had made. Maybe u can even outran energy prtion aside from hp portion, now that's somethin' ain'it?

[Drakkar Calethiel]

Haha, the 10k energy is truly stupid. A good portion of it comes from the 3 ectoplasm I use (need to definitely change em out, any recommendations for both rings, topaz maybe?) I can stand still and use the ray almost without draining energy, even without them . Also due to plenty of point in spirit. Never need to use an energy potion. I have such high energy regen than I almost don't fall at all.

Gear, yeah, not happy with it either. Just got the mythical aethereach from a shrine. Pretty decent damage boost. Had mythic shoulders in the shared staah, yay!

Revenant was a sorry excuse to skill just to get a bit further into FG without getting my head kicked in by physical DMG. Thought lets try some more health and AD converted to health. Didn't go too well. I thought AD converted to health includes ALL damage? Is is only weapon damage? Has been quite a while since I played GD religiously.
Animated watchers eat me for breakfast and still do even tho I changed some devotions. Three of em without retreating and I'm gone 100% of all cases. Even two deal a crapton of physical. 8.6k invoming phys DPS is just insane for two mobs.

Mainly use the shard as off hand, the 6% AD to health are amazing. The book is just for times when I want to see well over 200k DPS on the Ray alone. It is just stupid how much damage that thing can deal. Already overcapped by 3 points. AFF is my main to go tool for a bit of CC and to quickly clear a crapton on enemies. Saved me for many deaths probably due to my super low DA.

"updated" build: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/M2g6OYKN

Any gear pieces you would recommend farming for? As long as it boosts fire damage / elemental damage I should be fine I guess. Also any tips for buffing my super low pierce resist besides using augments?

When it comes to devotions, I really don't want to lose Ulzins Torch as it offers a big damage increase, especially due to Meteor Shower.

[FlamingX21]

One thing what comes to my mind immediately is in order to fix your pierce resist and more, perhaps even physical resist is to get different boots. You will need "Stoneplate Greaves" recipe tho, but once you get it keep crafting and demolish unnecessary ones with dynamite.

Try to get something like "Formidable Stoneplate Greaves tadatada (any suffix)". On rings i recommend using bloodied crystal because your bleed resist is low and they fit perfectly there, they will fix some of DA issues as well and topaz is solid choice too but u already got stun over capped, so aside from health and even better DA it's not really worth it.

And instead of "Mark of mogdrogen" component, put another leathery hide for that DA and fixing acid resist. As for farming gear pieces, that's really board question to me because I don't really know what you truly aim for but aside that if u go for fire ray... farming that helmet "Convenant of the three" is pretty damn good due to enemy OA n DA reductions + it supports the ray, only thing is it's a recipe only and quite hard to get by... I imagine you obtain it from farming sentinel over and over. It's been a while since I got it, something similar to "Deathstalker" relic.

https://www.grimtools.com/calc/JVlp59pV

here is some changes I personally made to add those two things, swapped ectoplasms on rings and medal and also swapped titan plating for increased pierce resist, overall it's 60% complete. Lots more changes need to be made ofc such as getting all required items for proper lvl 100 users and maximizing devotions paths with it's nodes so it's not scribbled all over some random devos to nowhere but you are getting there, I promise you that.

[Drakkar Calethiel]

Got the Blueprint for both items. Resistances look pretty good now, everything is overcapped pn the core stuff. Rooting for maximum damage on the ray while still having decent survivability. Devotions need some tinkering, that's for sure. Will try to swap Ulzins Torch for more survivability focused devotions.

With all the changes, I lost only 13k DPS on the ray.
That caster is way more work to get right than my commando was, that character was my 1st one. Deals stupid amounts of damage while stealing health from every mob.

Updated build reflects most of your changes, still have Mark of Mogdrogen in the boots, need to farm some more Ugdenbloom first. Most of it got used for potions. :D

Don't ask how many boots I crafted, well over 200 to get even two with "Formidable"... Poor smith. :D
I wish I could use all of the 33 points in the ray, Just imagine the damage! 26 seems to be hard cap, gonna decrease it by 7 and put em into the mines. Seems to be the best choice. But Temper seems to be a good choice too to get a bit more DA. What do you think?
Also might cut down on "Mental Alacrity" since I'm over the 200% Casting Speed

Build: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/L2Jy3B8N

Build without overcapped ray: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/4NO7qovN

[FlamingX21]

Temper is like a good temporary fix for DA, perhaps if u have loads of physical conversion to fire it becomes pretty good, furthermore with retaliation bonus. However I think with sorceress class, it's far easier to get OA than DA for some reason, just look at those sweetspots - Inner Focus, FlameTouched, Overlord, already 300 - 400 OA. :p

And as for that blue poor ring tawrot I think u can switch to better one instead and wear Aleks' pants with +3 disintegration on it to compensate loss... best part about these greens is they often come with ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ of goodies like resists and stuff, bad thing is they are hard to obtain - SR 65-66 over and over or even more menacing way to farm nemesis alone, hell spotting all 50 spots and nemesis drops other type of pants... hell na... rather do SR if u can. I think shard 50 still would do justice for finding good AFR gear.

Other than that it looks way way better now.

[Drakkar Calethiel]

It still blows my mind hod stupidly powerful greens actually can be.
Yeah, getting OA is stupidly easy on a sorcerer, it really is meant to deal a crapton of damage. Before trading damage for survivability, the ray alone was at 220k DPS. If it wouldn't be capped at 26, I bet I would be at 260k if not higher already. Makes me wonder, what would be the biggest DPS you can obtain on that thing with items created in GDS with the perfect stats. Think I'm gonna copy that char and tinker in GDS a while. :D

Shard 50 might be doable now, 30 was my peak before. Need to try how far I can get with potions tomorrow.

Biggest DPS I was able to do on two dummies before changing some stuff was around 1.9M, just bonkers.