Scion Spectral Throw Tank Build 1.0

[i'll miss you, pan 🗾🚗💨]

This is a generic overview for a Scion Spectral Throw Tank Build. At the bottom I detail my progress at various levels to give players an idea of what to expect and how I personally have managed my progression. Hopefully it's not too confusing to navigate.

Below is a link to the build at level 22:

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgABA5YxnjXWOyhFCklnSshgQ2h0bj2C5IMJiq-MWJARlKCYdL682E3aYvKX9Mb56A==

Weapon:
1 handed weapon with a shield, this generally changes by the drops I get but the fast attacks are great. But the idea is to have a shield to stay extra tanky, and a fast 1-handed weapon. Currently using a 2H staff 3-linked, which is a HUGE dps increase and staves have block which is nice. But I can definitely see the character sticking with 1h/shield later on for that extra survivability.

Gems:
With Spectral Throw I will be using Lesser Multiple Projectiles, and am currently using it with added fire damage (converts 20%+ physical into fire damage) along with Hatred Aura (converts 26%+ physical into cold damage). Both are achievable through the first few Scion quests. I am also currently using Heavy Strike for that huge single target burst, no gems attached at the moment but you could experiment and have fun. And again I'm limited to what I find until I trade. (More details about my gem use / progression is detailed in my character updates at the bottom - all gems are from quests unless otherwise mentioned).

Concept:
Stack the physical / projectile damage and convert it through gems and auras to add elemental damage, letting you focus on purely adding physical and projectile damage (We'll hit a node that converts Strength into projectile damage as well as melee). Secondly, you'll be a beastly tank. I'm currently on Domination League, so all gear is what I've found and I've done no trading yet, but that's the general idea for building the character. I could go more indepth, but this build and concept will be based off the idea of starting with nothing.

Below is a link to the build at around level 50~:

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgABAdwB5wOWBS0ZLiftMZ4yCTJ-NZI11jboOlI64TsoQKBFCklnSshN41BQVElXDVhjWK9fP2BDYEthIWh0bEZuPXJsdO1253gNeu-C5IMJhO-I8YqvjFiMz5ARlKCYdJ65ns2fy6QZplenMKlurFm18rndvoq-vMbY0iHUj9hN2WHaYuLq51LnY-8O8i_yRfKX8930xvZI97756P4K_o8=

Notable nodes are:
Unwavering Stance (Cannot Evade, but cannot stun). This works great because we are stacking HP and armor, not evasion. And not being stunned helps late game.
Iron Grip (Strength applies to projectile damage). This is a great bonus since we're grabbing all the strength we can for that extra health.
You'll also notice we are going for the HP wheel by the start, but I don't believe it's necessary until you find yourself taking too much damage. Freeing up those points can move you further into the Templar tree for more tank-like bonuses earlier.

Another option with or without the wheel is to grab Resolute Technique:

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgABAdwB5wOWBS0ZLiftMZ4yCTJ-NZI11jboOlI64TsoQKBFCklnSshN41BQVElXDVhjWK9fP2BDYEthIWh0bEZuPXJscql07XbneA1673zZguSDCYTviPGKr4xYjM-QEZSgmHSeuZ7Nn8ukGaZXpzCpbqxZrKq18rndvoq-vMbY0iHUj9hN2WHaYuLq51LnY-8O8i_yRfKX8930xvZI97756P4K_o8=

It's the big node to the far left, you cannot critical strike but you also cannot miss. I actually recommend this since hitting is better than not hitting and unless you are crit built, critical strikes are not your friend - especially not later game against reflect type mobs.

If you skip the 10 nodes of life %, you save 9 since you need to put one into a strength node to connect and continue down the path. This is very viable early on since Normal and Cruel are generally quite easy and you can quickly access the wheel if you feel you need to as you are leveling up and experiencing any trouble.

This is the same build with Resolute Technique, skipping the health wheel and going up into the Templar tree sooner. Still at about level 50:

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgABAdwB5wOWBS0ZLiSLJ-0xnjIJMn411jboOlI62DsoPQ9AoEUKSWdKyE3YUFBUSVcNWGNYr18_YENgS2EhaHRsRm49bqpybHKpdO1253dieA1673y7fNmC5IMJhO-Kr4xYjHaMz5ARlKCYdJ48nrmezZ_LpBmnMKlurKq18rndvoq-vMT2xtjSIdSP2E3ZYdpi4urnUu8O8i_yl_Pd9Mb2SPe--eg=

This may be a lot to take in, but I am trying to be noob friendly and show how simple it can be to make a viable, fun and enjoyable build. I have made many, many builds which I have mostly enjoyed. I will try to post an update if there is any interest in this thread.

Just an FYI, this is a generic idea with many different possibilities with all the new gems that have come out that I have yet to touch. This build can easily be modified to fit many different skill gem layouts. ie; Transportation options like Leap Slam or Flicker Strike, different curses to affect how you build your Spectral Throw, different upon being hit effects and other gems that proc skills. The idea is to be able to face Merciless by being a tank, using the new skill featured for the Scion and embrace the Scion's tri-specialization to it's fullest. The other benefit being that you can use a variety of skill gems quite easily due to passing many 30+ specific stat nodes and using them if need be.

*Update on my character's progress*
Up to level 26 and I can confirm you get Lesser Multiple Projectiles from the Weaver quest in Act 2 on Normal. So no need to trade or grind an alt specifically for it. The character still runs like a beast, even more so now with LMP. Next I am looking to get Elemental Weakness curse probably, even though some might use the Projectile Weakness curse, there are bonuses that will be valueless (like the pierce, and accuracy which isn't needed it taking the Resolute node).

Up to level 29, using a high dps 3-linked Staff as it's a huge DPS increase and I don't need a shield at the moment. Still running Spectral Throw with LMP, added fire dmg and running Hatred Aura, with Heavy Strike for single target DPS.

Up to level 36, using a 4-linked magic chest piece with Spectral Throw, Faster Projectiles, Lesser Multiple Projectiles and Added Fire Damage. And I have 4-linked rare boots that I alchemy'd (got 20% speed, 43% armor/energy shield, 39 mana, 2% fire res so pretty nice) and I am using Curse on hit with Heavy Strike, the curse being Enfeeble and Item Rarity. This makes bosses hit for less and drop more rares, yay! (:

As a rule of thumb for any build:
Try to avoid nodes that don't benefit you, or will be lost upon reaching a skill altering node. Ie; Try to avoid evasion nodes if you are going to end up with Unwavering Stance, which makes it so you cannot be Stunned but can no longer Evade. In this build I actually take Unwavering Stance and pickup a node with 24% Evasion/Armor, 10% all resist solely because the benefits outweigh the cons of taking the 24% evasion that comes with it that will be nullified.

Any questions, feel free to ask! (:

[i'll miss you, pan 🗾🚗💨]

Link to the guide.

http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198009717251/myworkshopfiles/?section=guides&appid=238960

Will be leveling through Cruel tonight and posting more updates at the bottom of the guide as usual.

[Fishbutt]

Great guide, its updated.