Death Demon Crusader (DefunctForNow)

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by Hjalmr last updated Dec 18, 2014 ( Patch 2.1 )

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Skills

Punish Rebirth
- Punish
Generate: 5 Wrath per attack

Strike your enemy for 335% weapon damage and gain Hardened Senses, increasing your Block Chance by 15% for 5 seconds.
Rebirth

When you block with Hardened Senses active, you gain 12874 increased Life regeneration for 2 seconds.
Blessed Shield Divine Aegis
- Blessed Shield
Cost: 20 Wrath

Hurl your shield, dealing 430% weapon damage as Holy plus 250% of shield Block Chance as Holy damage. The shield will ricochet to 3 nearby enemies.
Divine Aegis

When the shield hits an enemy, your Armor is increased by 5% and Life regeneration is increased by 5% for 4 seconds.
Iron Skin Reflective Skin
- Iron Skin
Cooldown: 30 seconds

Your skin turns to iron, absorbing 50% of all incoming damage for 4 seconds.
Reflective Skin

While active, your Thorns is increased by 300%.
Steed Charge Endurance
- Steed Charge
Cooldown: 16 seconds

Mount a celestial war horse that allows you to ride through enemies unhindered for 2 seconds.
Endurance

Increase the duration to 3 seconds.
Laws of Hope Wings of Angels
- Laws of Hope
Cooldown: 30 seconds

Active: Empower the Law, surrounding you and your allies in a shield for 5 seconds that absorbs up to 124128 damage.

Passive: Recite the Law, healing you and your allies for 10728 Life per second.

Only one Law may be active at a time.
Wings of Angels

Active: Empowering the Law also increases movement speed for you and your allies by 50%, and allows everyone affected to run through enemies unimpeded.
Provoke Hit Me
- Provoke
Cooldown: 20 seconds
Generate: 30 Wrath

Taunt all nearby enemies and instantly generate an additional 5 Wrath for every enemy taunted. Taunted enemies will focus their attention on you for 4 seconds.
Hit Me

Gain 50% increased Block Chance for 4 seconds after casting Provoke.

Heavenly Strength
- Heavenly Strength
You can wield a two-handed weapon in your main hand while bearing a shield in your off hand.

Your damage dealt is reduced by 20%.
Iron Maiden
- Iron Maiden
Your Thorns is increased by 50%.
Vigilant
- Vigilant
Increase Life regeneration by 2682.

Reduce all non-Physical damage taken by 20%.
Indestructible
- Indestructible
When you receive fatal damage, you instead become immune to damage, gain 35% increased damage and gain 107284 Life per Kill for 5 seconds.

This effect may occur once every 60 seconds.

Items

Crown of the Invoker

Set Helm

Primary Stats

+3 Random Magic Properties

Secondary Stats

+2401–2880 Thorns Damage
Empty Socket
One of 3 Magic Properties (varies)

+626–750 Dexterity

+626–750 Strength

+626–750 Intelligence

Thorns of the Invoker
Crown of the Invoker
Burden of the Invoker
Pride of the Invoker
Shackles of the Invoker
Zeal of the Invoker
Renewal of the Invoker
(2) Set: Your Thorns damage now hits all enemies in a 15 yard radius around you. Each time you hit an enemy with Punish, Slash, or block an attack your Thorns is increased by 35% for 2 seconds.
(4) Set: You take 50% less damage for 20 seconds after damaging an enemy with Bombardment.
(6) Set: The attack speed of Punish and Slash are increased by 50% and deal 800% of your Thorns damage to the first enemy hit.
Burden of the Invoker

Set Shoulders

Primary Stats

+4 Random Magic Properties

Secondary Stats

+5334–7696 Thorns Damage
One of 3 Magic Properties (varies)

+416–500 Dexterity

+416–500 Strength

+416–500 Intelligence

Thorns of the Invoker
Crown of the Invoker
Burden of the Invoker
Pride of the Invoker
Shackles of the Invoker
Zeal of the Invoker
Renewal of the Invoker
(2) Set: Your Thorns damage now hits all enemies in a 15 yard radius around you. Each time you hit an enemy with Punish, Slash, or block an attack your Thorns is increased by 35% for 2 seconds.
(4) Set: You take 50% less damage for 20 seconds after damaging an enemy with Bombardment.
(6) Set: The attack speed of Punish and Slash are increased by 50% and deal 800% of your Thorns damage to the first enemy hit.
Rakoff's Glass of Life

Legendary Amulet

Primary Stats

+3 Random Magic Properties

Secondary Stats

Health Globes and Potions Grant +310–654 Life.
Enemies you kill have a 3–4% additional chance to drop a health globe.
One of 3 Magic Properties (varies)

+128–163 Dexterity

+128–163 Strength

+128–163 Intelligence
Demon's Marrow

Set Chest Armor

Primary Stats

+6 Random Magic Properties

Demon's Hide
Demon's Marrow
Demon's Restraint
Demon's Plate
Demon's Aileron
Demon's Animus
(2) Set: +6000 Fire Thorns Damage
(3) Set: Chance to Deal 25% Area Damage on Hit.
(4) Set: +15% Damage to DemonsChance to reflect projectiles when you are hit by enemies.
Sanguinary Vambraces

Legendary Bracers

Primary Stats

Critical Hit Chance Increased by 1.5–2.0%
+2 Random Magic Properties

Secondary Stats

+3–4 Thorns Damage
Chance on being hit to deal 1000% of your Thorns damage to nearby enemies.
One of 3 Magic Properties (varies)

+24–29 Dexterity

+24–29 Strength

+24–29 Intelligence
Pride of the Invoker

Set Gloves

Primary Stats

+4 Random Magic Properties

Secondary Stats

+2401–2880 Thorns Damage
One of 3 Magic Properties (varies)

+626–750 Dexterity

+626–750 Strength

+626–750 Intelligence

Thorns of the Invoker
Crown of the Invoker
Burden of the Invoker
Pride of the Invoker
Shackles of the Invoker
Zeal of the Invoker
Renewal of the Invoker
(2) Set: Your Thorns damage now hits all enemies in a 15 yard radius around you. Each time you hit an enemy with Punish, Slash, or block an attack your Thorns is increased by 35% for 2 seconds.
(4) Set: You take 50% less damage for 20 seconds after damaging an enemy with Bombardment.
(6) Set: The attack speed of Punish and Slash are increased by 50% and deal 800% of your Thorns damage to the first enemy hit.
Demon's Restraint

Set Belt

Primary Stats

+6 Random Magic Properties

Demon's Hide
Demon's Marrow
Demon's Restraint
Demon's Plate
Demon's Aileron
Demon's Animus
(2) Set: +6000 Fire Thorns Damage
(3) Set: Chance to Deal 25% Area Damage on Hit.
(4) Set: +15% Damage to DemonsChance to reflect projectiles when you are hit by enemies.
Death's Bargain

Legendary Pants

Primary Stats

Regenerates 5–36 Life per Second
+3 Random Magic Properties

Secondary Stats

Gain an aura of death that deals 750–1000% of your Life per Second as Physical damage to enemies within 16 yards. You no longer regenerate Life.
One of 3 Magic Properties (varies)

+24–29 Dexterity

+24–29 Strength

+24–29 Intelligence
Boots of Disregard

Legendary Boots

Primary Stats

+24–29 Vitality
+31–36 Armor
Regenerates 5–36 Life per Second
+2 Random Magic Properties

Secondary Stats

Gain 10000 Life regeneration per Second for each second you stand still. This effect stacks up to 4 times.
Rogar's Huge Stone

Legendary Ring

Primary Stats

+4 Random Magic Properties

Secondary Stats

Increase your Life per Second by up to 75–100% based on your missing Life.
One of 3 Magic Properties (varies)

+85–108 Dexterity

+85–108 Strength

+85–108 Intelligence
Ring of Royal Grandeur

Legendary Ring

Primary Stats

Attack Speed Increased by 2.0–3.0%
+27–60 Life per Hit
+2 Random Magic Properties

Secondary Stats

Reduces the number of items needed for set bonuses by 1 (to a minimum of 2).
One of 3 Magic Properties (varies)

+24–29 Dexterity

+24–29 Strength

+24–29 Intelligence
Soulsmasher

Legendary Two-Handed Mace

Primary Stats

+3 Random Magic Properties

Secondary Stats

+28–45 Life after Each Kill
When you kill an enemy, it explodes for 450–600% of your Life per Kill as damage to all enemies within 20 yards. You no longer benefit from your Life per Kill.
One of 3 Magic Properties (varies)

+54–67 Strength

+54–67 Intelligence

+54–67 Dexterity
Salvation

Legendary Crusader Shield

Primary Stats

+36–44 Strength
+3% Chance to Block
+3 Random Magic Properties

Secondary Stats

Blocked attacks heal you and your allies for 20–30% of the amount blocked.

More Details

Head
- Crown of the Invoker
- Andariel's Visage
- Stat Priority: Str LPS CHC Socket
Shoulders
- Burden of the Invoker
- Homing Pads
- Stat Priority: Str LPS Vit AR
Amulet
- Rakoff's Glass of Life
- Blackthorne's Duncraig Cross
- Ancestors' Grace
- Stat Priority: Socket Physical % LPS CHD
Torso
- Demon's Marrow
- Blackthorne's Surcoat
- Stat Priority: Str Socket Vit AR
Wrists
- Sanguinary Vambraces
- Warzechian Armguards
- Shackles of the Invoker
- Stat Priority: Str Vit CHC Physical %
Hands
- Pride of the Invoker
- St. Archew's Gage
- Stat Priority: Str CHD CHC LPS
Waist
- Demon's Restraint
- Harrington Waistguard
- The Witching Hour
- Stat Priority: Str Vit LPS Life
Legs
- Death's Bargain
- Depth Diggers
- Pox Faulds
- Stat Priority: Str Vit Socket AR
Feet
- Boots of Disregard
- Illusory Boots
- Ice Climbers
- Stat Priority: MS Str AR Life
Rings
- Rogar's Huge Stone
- Ring of Royal Grandeur
- Unity
- Stat Priority: Str Socket LPS AS
Weapon
- Soulsmasher
- Hack
- Scourge
- Stat Priority: Str Dmg % AS
Offhand
- Salvation
- Akarat's Awakening
- Hellskull
- Stat Priority: Str LPS CHC

Legendary Gems
- Gem of Efficacious Toxin
  Gem of Efficacious Toxin
  
  Gem
  
  Primary Stats
  
  Poison all enemies hit for 2000% weapon damage over 10 seconds.
  All enemies you poison take 10% increased damage from all sources and deal 10% less damage. (Requires Rank 25)
- Moratorium
  Moratorium
  
  Gem
  
  Primary Stats
  
  35% of all damage taken is instead staggered and dealt to you over 3.00 seconds.
  20% chance on kill to clear all staggered damage.
  (Requires Rank 25)
- Simplicity's Strength
  Simplicity's Strength
  
  Gem
  
  Primary Stats
  
  Increase the damage of primary skills by 25.00%.
  Hits with primary abilities heal you for 4% of your maximum health. (Requires Rank 25)

As of 12-15-14

I started the idea for this build before Wildebeast was even announced, and quickly abandoned it, because with DB in it's current state, it's unviable, even at low torments (which you can clear easily with less gear requirments/other builds)
Also note; on PTR the gem was nerfed to a base 10,000 life per second because of the regen and shielding properties in its initial state. Even to be viable this build basically requires 500,000 Life Per Second AND for you to remain at super low health for extended periods of time which is...ridiculous. The gem in its pre-nerfed state would have offered somewhere between 85,000 - 93,000 Life per Second if fully upgraded assuming you can get the gem to lvl 35-42 (already a jump for the average player). Without any modifications to how Death's Bargain works (it only scales with Life per Second and %Physical, not mainstat or CHD/CHC) the build is basically broken. Well any build with Death's Bargain is basically broken unless there's some stealth modification coming on the PTR or in S2.
Feel free to checkout Meathead Mikhail's video explaining the mechanics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBcbPDWAwDY and why most theorycrafters have (and should have) abandoned the build idea.
The only way I'd reinstate this as an active build is with either a modification to DB (because Legendary tuning happens so frequently lol), a huge reversal of the nerf to the gem + buff (never happening), or with Rogar's being buffed to minimum 200% (~0% chance)

With the announcement of at least 2 new legendary gems with this year's blizzcon, 1 of which is vital to the build idea (death's bargain LPS aura), I've decided to jump the gun and put out the basic build idea before I tweak it and add better gear/etc, and stat values. The basic build has been sitting on one of my crusaders for a while, but with the gem I decided to see if I could reach the LPS breakpoint (minimum 500k+ LPS assuming 100% physical and a perfect Rogar's) where the build becomes viable.

Simplicity's Strength will likely be dropped for

Molten Wildebeest's Gizzard: Regenerates 50,000 Life per Second. Bonus: After not taking damage for 4 seconds, gain an absorb shield for 200% of your Life per Second. Numbers subject to change. Hopefully out in 2.1.2
To be honest I see the regen being nerfed somewhat, as this would effectively double the life per second the average player can reach when rerolling for LPS, and that's before Rogar's modification.

Explantion for Certain Items (rest should be self explanatory)

Rogar's to help scale your damage up as you lose life, which plays into the whole trading life for death to kill demon's theme. Unity is better obviously at higher rift levels etc.
Salvation is just a nice item for self heal and group viability (I mean at the moment the build needs to stay relatively stationary which is not at all encouraged in 2.1 D3 unless you're tank roleing, which this build could be fun for)
Boots of Disregard are fun theme wise and don't lend to much in the way of avoiding damage (considering they're a defensive slot in almost all builds) Iceclimbers or Illusory can give you a little freedom, especially if you can spare running Laws of Valor - Critical for the AS/CHD (ie can drop the LPS from Laws of Hope), or you can substitute with Blackthorne's along with Chest/Belt to get SOG (shit on ground) immunity w/o sacrificing amulet. Ancestor's Grace is a placeholder for a well rolled Hellfire Amulet.
*Homing Pads let you cheese the system of standing still a little bit, not ideal though for Shoulder slot*

Roll wise, you want mainstat everywhere maybe save amulet, where you want socket, %physical, chd, and LPS or LPK

You want thorns as a secondary roll as often as possible along with life after kill, and maybe pickup radius since you may not be using Illusory Boots and will need globes to compensate for turning a huge chunk of your Healing stat into damage.

Physical only buffs thorns when you have Iron Skin on, but you should note that Death's Bargain's damage is done as Physical. At lower difficulties you can probably swap Indestructible for Finery or hopefully you've rolled a nice Hellfire with either of those or Heavenly Strength.

Sockets:

Helm: diamond for cds
Chest/Pants: Mix of or completely diamond/rubies dep on your progress and rolls
Rings/Ammy: Efficacious to synergize with Pants affix, Moratorium/Esoteric Alteration (once it's released) to survive thorns hits/keep you alive since your regen takes more time, Simplicity is a gap-fill/Wreath works too or Pain Enhancer, but see above for new gems.
Weapon: A lot of testing left to do, but obviously Emerald at ideal rolls/items, possibly Amethyst if you don't have set completion or RoRG yet and are suffering trying to run the build half out of the box.

The ideal stat rolls are a bit wonky because many of the required items and suggested gear has set rolls/etc so be aware I'm just trying to get the general idea across,

Primary Rolls: Sockets (as req) > %Physical > STR > LPS (slightly >) VIT = AR/Armor > %Life (assuming you have X vitality and Y of Z stat and zzz use that big old brain)
Secondary Rolls: Thorns > Life After Kill > GoldRadius > Everything else

Again, WIP, [placeholder] exists because I want a build that incorporates Soulsmasher and Death's Bargain, along with LPS items, but of course tweaks may happen.

Paragon Priorities

Core

Movement Speed
Primary Stat
Vitality
Maximum Resource

Offense

Cooldown Reduction
Attack Speed
Critical Hit Chance
Critical Hit Damage

Defense

Life Regeneration
Resist All
Armor
Life

Utility

Life on Hit
Area Damage
Resource Cost Reduction
Gold Find

The goal is increasing stats that do damage while trying to keep your tankiness scaling well for the increasing difficulty in grifts etc.

Movement speed to cap, followed by main stat, then vit, as this build doesn't need lots of resource as you dont need to spam shield (hence no gyrfalcon's/etc)

Core: Movespeed to compensate for only boot rolls, then balance vit/mainstat as you need progress wise
Offense: CDR needs max asap, as well as attack speed, then CHC/CHD as needed, although once you reach 50-55+ CHC, CHD is usually more valuable considering you're nearing the perfection amount of possible CHC?
Defense: Life regen capped ASAP, unless you're gearing up, all resist is usually more valuable than %armor, and I prefer %armor to %life, if you've got the paragon you're going to max everything anyways
Utility: Assuming you don't socket for LoH, if your rolls aren't perfect, you will need to max this first, followed by area damage for a little boost, and then resource cost reduction to get another stack of buffed shield regen faster (note there is no buff stack icon for this skill), gold find is useless once you hit t6 unless a community buff is running? Regardless it's less valuable than the other categories unless you've got the paragon points.

Build Guide

"Go ahead and hit me."

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