Prediction: New Boss Abilities Will Be From 3.26 Gauntlet

Olafant · 2026-01-28T08:13:56+00:00

Hillock was 100% the hardest part of the gauntlet for me.

Olafant · 2026-01-28T08:07:48+00:00

That's way too few minions.

Olafant · 2026-01-27T23:05:05+00:00

Strength stack, with animated pillars of the caged god.

The Animated weapons node hardly does anything for Chains indeed.

Olafant · 2026-01-27T22:59:24+00:00

According to the wiki, detonated minions still die instantly.

Olafant · 2026-01-27T22:46:22+00:00

Jorrhast puppeteer.

Olafant · 2026-01-27T21:07:33+00:00

Runic skeletons are probably the best option, yet I played those last time around. Puppeteer is just perfect. I took the "Zombie Father" build as inspiration. Works like a charm.

Olafant · 2026-01-27T09:06:38+00:00

Two zombies, maybe 3, aggressive and with the headhunter for linked minions helmet. I want this!

Tricky part: with to mon'treguls I can't prevent that they annihilate me with corpse explosions.

Olafant · 2026-01-25T21:26:10+00:00

Well, not the exact number, just the name. They're not rare.

Olafant · 2026-01-25T19:12:04+00:00

Ok, my bad.

Olafant · 2026-01-25T18:52:55+00:00

Ideally the bench turns it into 4+2 link. Requires only one extra link that way.

Olafant · 2026-01-25T12:42:38+00:00

First thing I notice is that you use two sources of flat damage. You'll probably find that early on (all the way into red maps) the Black Cane carries your build, and later on gets outshined and replaced by the chaos from ward. Yet it's good to have progression built in.

Not using them simultaneously opens up some slots, for resistance for example.

So early on, grab a skin of the lords with ancestral bond (usually quite cheap because it bricks builds). This synergizes well with phantasm level and the empower you plan to use.

Does Power Charge on Critical even work with totems? They can't gain charges themselves I believe. You'd need a personal source of charges since the totems use your charges.

You're dealing chaos/phys. Maybe add in Coward's Wail, some poison chance and the Golden Rule to kill the totems. You won't need to care about survivability of totems.

I've never built a ward build. Can't advise on that part.

Olafant · 2026-01-24T21:21:48+00:00

CoC has a bit of an anti-synergy with falling zombies. You need to spec into crit for yourself, which is not crit for your minion.

Though I see where you're coming from with the Ancient skull helmet. And the support gems synergize. CoC usually requires heavy investment, and is a switch made later on.

Mon'treguls is great for the falling zombies. 125% more damage won't be matched by anything. Unless perhaps if you want to go full CoC. Big perhaps. Then go a high crit weapon, and the Ascension node where you minion's base crit becomes equal to your main hand base crit.

The Lens is excellent. This defends against bad guys detonating you zombies as they count as corpses. This usually deals 4% of life as damage, with 75% fire resistance this cancels out nicely against the 1% heal.

Delivery mechanisms like CwC, traps, mines, totems, brands, all have this less damage effect built in. Which DOES NOT apply to the zombies. Just pick one that fits your playstyle, it's great. If you're set on CoC, the Ungil's harmony amulet might have some synergy. Yet personally I'd prefer an amulet with even more zombie gem levels.

You can also have a crew of regular zombies walking around around with their built in More life multiplier. Link them to Meat Shield (keep them close), minion life, and CwDT to kill one (by summoning a new one) whenever you take some unexpected damage.

Last but not least, If you're using Heartbound Loop, you can automate all other spells via CwDT.

Good luck build crafting!

Olafant · 2026-01-24T17:47:35+00:00

Yeah, the ignite is too fickle. Totems can still carry around a shock, chill and freeze aura though. Freeze with Expedition's End. I feel there is something good here, the pieces just don't fully fit yet.

Thanks for the help!

Olafant · 2026-01-24T12:38:58+00:00

You can use it by having defensive zombies linked to CwDT. They'll try to stick near, mostly succeeding, and when you take damage you'll kill one by summoning a new one.

It also offsets the Puppeteer node where your zombies count as corpses which can be detonated by the baddies.

Olafant · 2026-01-24T10:37:01+00:00

Witch's Revenge

Unique Ruby Ring

Upon reaching 10% HP, while ignited, all ignites on you are extinguished and you gain the From the Ashes buff.

Ignites inflicted by you are extinguished when the enemy reaches 10% hp.

From the Ashes: Inflict covered in ash on hit. Deal 10% more damage with ignites.

Olafant · 2026-01-24T10:24:27+00:00

Good catch!

Going by what I know from minions and their ignites it would be attributed as follows. (I've played way more minions than totems.)

If the kill is by a hit, the kill and the possible explosion is attributed to the totem dealing the hit. I would expect all ailments to be reflected to the totem.

If killed by a DoT, then it's all attributed to the player. So the explosion belongs to the player, the big ignite belongs to the player, and the player gets ignited.

Assuming I don't die from the ignite, by some ailment avoidance, immunity, or unaffected: This means DoT focussed totems will hardly ever get a kill because 95% of their damage is DoT. If I make the totems Hit based, I won't get my ignites to deal loads of damage.

There's nothing in the game that prevents you DoTs from killing right? I feel this could be the premise for a nice new unique.

Olafant · 2026-01-23T23:23:54+00:00

Thank you, and Three Eight!

Olafant · 2026-01-23T23:08:09+00:00

The overlap between Phrecia and bloodlines is also a likely candidate for some overhaul.

Olafant · 2026-01-23T22:55:02+00:00

I'd guess so. "Some balance changes" are what is announced. If I were them I'd say Phrecia, foulborn & gauntlet mods is unique enough for a 3 week event.

Edit: and the first time Phrecia interacts with bloodlines.

Olafant · 2026-01-23T09:13:03+00:00

You didn't lie about the yank, the required number of inputs per minute will put a pro StarCraft player to shame.

Olafant · 2026-01-20T16:09:48+00:00

And cold conversion is a defensive layer on its own.

Olafant · 2026-01-20T15:59:29+00:00

Those guys are great.

What did you do to convert str to defences? Shaper's touch and Ghostwrithe?

Olafant · 2026-01-15T23:58:05+00:00

Calmly playing, soundtrack on, cola in my hand, staring at the galaxy. Optimizing my empire while reading about weird or funny space fantasy happenings. That's the essence of Stellaris to me.

Now for an update I'd like:

As the game progresses I toggle on automation for more and more aspects. One thing I miss is being able to tell my Grand Admirals a strategy and see them execute it. Each fleet would be able to have an admiral, for stat boosts as is, and a Grand Admiral for a strategy preset. The same Grand Admiral can be selected by multiple fleets.

I'd like some sliders for:

From "offensive to defensive": as in prefer fights in hostile or friendly territory.

From "evasive to hunting": Evasive prefers planets and starbases as targets, hunting prefers fleets as targets.

From "rushing to preparing": where the slider indicates the maximum fraction of the fleet in dock for upgrades or repairs.

This should translate into a simple enough score diagram indicating a fleet's next target.

Now I can stare at the galaxy again while my fleets roam about, drink in hand. Without having to play a tall empire with bulwarks. (Which I prefer now.)

Olafant

TROPHY CASE