Immolation Build

Since Immolation got buffed... err... a while ago? I thought it was time to give this build a shot again.

First things first, is it worth it to pump fire arrow for the damage-over-time fire field? I'm not wasting 20 points just to do an additional 500 damage.

Next, I'm thinking +skill items are going to be pretty important, so I should get Maras, a good rare circlet, the works.

No idea what kind of bow would be optimal, though. I assume Ignore Def. would be helpful. For now, I'm looking at either Riphook (slow target) or a Kuko Shakaku (awesome +skills & built-in pierce). Recommendations?

As for skills:

20 Expl. Arrow

20 Immo

20 Valk

20 Decoy

Rest in various passives.

Help from the experts is appreciated!|||Problems with Immo remain the same, despite the attempt to buff it

-Immo is still timered too harshly, so you still do more DPS with FA

-FA has a better AoE, and its instant - not DoT - which means monsters can't wander out of it

-FA has the added bonus of freezing monsters

-The DoT is, really, pretty underpowered, even fully synergized. You do more DPS with your Explosive Arrow than your Immo, much like Meteorbers rarely actually use Meteor. And monsters can always just walk out of your DoT field unless you wait until they're all grouped on your valk/merc already.

-Frostmaidens have better top-end gear options - mainly Ice and Nightwings - while there's very little that benefits Firemaidens, aside from Phoenix, which isnt that great for the cost aside from the -%EFR|||I see, thanks for the input.

I'll still go for the best Immo build I can just to see what kind of potential I can tap out of it. The fire field does have an effect since once you get merc/valk/decoy up, monsters tend to pile up, and it stacks. I suppose it's good for bosses. We'll see how that goes.|||I'm no expert, but, you could try loading up on slowing items. Use Riphook(30%), Blackhorns Face(20%), and Cleglaws Bracers(25%). With a few points in strafe you could lock down the field and then set it on fire with Immolation Arrow.

The casting delay on Immolation Arrow makes it not worth it compared to a fast volley of Exploding Arrows.|||since immolation arrow is timed, I imagine you'd use exploding arrow, fire arrow, etc. in between immo arrows - kind of like you spam ice blast or glacial in between frozen orbs/blizzards. A less than optimal strategy would be sitting around waiting for more immolation arrows. Anyway, exploding arrow has a short stun effect like fireball, you can use this to keep them in the DoT from Immolation. Or you could also consider freezing them in the immolation.

The reason pierce is so important is because every time your exploding/immo arrow hits, it explodes. So if you get a big line of monsters you can lay waste to them very quickly as they are being hit with 4 or 5 explosions per arrow fired. This is why kuko/demon machine are so good for enchantress and holy fire rangers. Another trick w/ pierce and exploding arrows is that it seems there is another explosion when the arrow hits a wall.

I think exploding arrow and all of the elemental arrows didn't used to rely on attack rating, but that may have been changed as far back as 1.10. If that's the case, AR is even more important because your arrow can't pierce unless it hits. I believe you get the explosion damage even if you fail the AR check. But the only way you're going to get multiple explosions is if you pass for AR a few times.

Razortail is a good belt too, ofc.

Packs of monsters are Immozon forte as are Arcane, Maggot, Cows.

I don't have tons of experience using this type of zon but I do have a fire ranger who I've had to build w/ the same techniques in mind.

gl I think any rare build like this is fun to see in game.|||If you want good immo - you gotta play before 1.07 patch when they added timers to spells. That is, the pre-expansion era. Immolation is a good skill there, easily can solo entire game from start to hell end without using other skills as clutches|||I find immo is one of the most disappointing zon skills, even despite the "buff" (if you wanna call it that)... Huge timer, less than impressive damage even fully synergized, missing the advantage of freezing, less specific items than cold tree, smaller and static AoE on top of being DoT, the list just goes on.

If you're dead set on trying out a fire build for the sake of it I can't blame you, but I wouldn't waste my time on something that's just not as effective because to me that's no fun.|||Haha, yeah, I'm dead-set about it, but that's because I like playing around with different builds and seeing how far they can go.

I'd say this build is perfectly fine all through NM. Enemies fall like flies, and pierce is just beastly with this build when there's a couple packs hanging around. A single Immo arrow can take them out. Frost merc + Valk are just icing on the cake to help kite enemies.

My only concern is for how it'll handle Hell, really, since I'm not sure how I'll deal with immunes. Probably get that conviction aura weapon thingy on my merc.|||Infinity's Conviction actually breaks very few FIs...it can only break an immune if they're between 100% and 115% resists. Most FIs are 120% and above, so Infinity can't break them.|||2nd that, Infinity not recommended vs fire. Plus it's rather expensive so it's hard to plan a build depending on it. A couple points in strafe should be all you need anyways.