The Monkey is literally ONESHOTTING BOSSES! - Spiritwalker Endgame Build Progression Guide
Summary
- Monkey vs. Yeti: Utilize the Monkey companion over the Yeti for its superior base crit scaling.
- Companion Strategy: Wolfpack is recommended for consistent defense and Wither application; Tamed Beasts (e.g., Antlion) are viable only at high-budget levels where defensive needs are met.
- Weapon Choice: Tyranny’s Grip is the best-in-slot weapon; upgrade it twice at the Verissium Anvil. Use Greater Runes of Leadership for optimal damage.
- Defense: Transition to evasion-based gear. Aim for at least 100 Ward on boots and gloves to utilize Refutation for effective hit blocking.
- Key Upgrades:
- Cath’s Brilliance for passive Blind application.
- Brutus’ Brain on Pain Offering to enhance minion survivability.
- Idolatry for high-end scaling, though it requires careful balancing of resistances and attributes.
- Skill Tree: Adjust nodes based on reaching the 95% deflection cap; utilize From Nothing and Black Flame jewels to optimize damage and free up oil slots.
Monkey vs. Yeti Scaling
While the Yeti and Silver Fist appear similar, the Monkey provides significantly higher damage output due to its 25% base critical strike chance. This was confirmed through in-game testing, making the Monkey the optimal choice for this build.
Companion Choices & Farming
- Wolfpack: Highly recommended for all stages of the build. It provides essential defensive cover by increasing the number of minions and helps apply Wither stacks through synergies with chaos-related modifiers.
- Tamed Beasts: If choosing a Tamed Beast, the Antlion (with Haste Aura) is a preferred high-budget option.
- Farming: Visit the “Troubled Camp” in Act 3 to encounter rare mobs. If an desired aura (like Haste) is not present, reset the area by returning to the checkpoint.
- Note: Ensure no Wild Protector minions are summoned when farming, which may require temporarily deselecting ascension nodes to facilitate the reset process.
Endgame Weapon & Runes
- Weapon: Tyranny’s Grip is the best-in-slot choice. It offers valuable Strength, which mitigates the build’s inherent attribute starvation.
- Runes: Prioritize Greater Rune of Leadership over the Iron Rune for higher damage output.
Defense & Ward Setup
To sustain Refutation, which grants powerful block-related benefits, players must achieve at least 100 Ward. This is primarily accomplished by applying Ward to boots and gloves via the Verissium Anvil.
High-Budget Gems & Jewels
- Cath’s Brilliance: Used for passive Blind application, increasing survivability via evasion.
- Pain Offering & Brutus’ Brain: Using Brutus’ Brain on Pain Offering is essential for preventing minion death during high-damage boss encounters.
- Idolatry: A high-budget core item that provides significant power but imposes a penalty to resistances, necessitating careful management of gear and runes to keep stats capped.
Permanent Minion Onslaught
- Primary Method: Use Carved Majesty to generate Onslaught on kill.
- Alternative: If struggling with stats, use a Warding Rune of Bodyguards alongside Refutation to maintain Onslaught uptime.
Scepter Comparison
- Purity Scepter: Generally easier to build around; allows for the use of high-spirit-cost support gems without affecting actual spirit costs (e.g., Upwelling, Vitality, Herbalism).
- Rattling Scepter: Potentially higher damage due to Muster support scaling (approximately 7% more damage), though it places more pressure on gear suffixes.
Minion Survivability
- Early Game: Take elemental resistance nodes for companions and use Nurturing Guardian and Unspoken Bond.
- Mid-to-Late Game: Use Oil Vial Mending on your amulet (requires completion of the Delirium quest for stage access) to sustain companion health. If needed, incorporate a jewel providing minion elemental resistance.
Skill Tree Adjustments
- Deflection: Monitor the 95% deflection cap. If the cap is reached, remove passive nodes that grant additional avoidance to reclaim skill points.
- High-End Jewels: Use From Nothing and Black Flame to enable Vile Mending without using an oil slot, allowing players to oil other nodes like Right-Handed Darkness for additional Area of Effect (AoE) and Wither scaling.