Shocknado Vortex 2.0

This build is a complete lvl 60 setup and is UP-TO-DATE with the new relic subclass rework. The subclass used is Electrode. It’s a rework/update of the old ‘Shocknado Vortex‘ build and I consider it as not underpowered but also NOT META. It can dish out serious damage when we are buffed up & our energy is full. The build stacks various procs that can proc each other – Lightning Strike + various sources of shock bolts + Wideload’s Cavebreaker for stalactites. Add to this the combination of Sonic Pulse to make the enemies take +40% more damage + the 25% Damage Buff and pretty decent DPS from Localized Storm + Cyclone Mode as a spammy dps that can proc many things per second + our Vent and decent DMG skill being Vortex Bomb + Lightning Barrier‘s bit DPS (it’s also one of the shock bolts sources) + the extra nice DPS from Thousand-Volt Burst. Ramming Robot is our escape mechanic and mobility skill that can also hit enemies and proc things. Skittering Shoulders (even without a set bonus) is a great source of survivability so it could be used in the legendarium instead of the Arc-Powered shoulders if you would rater get more dmg reduction.

Keep in mind that every relic had an amazing passive that gave it +5% of the corresponding elemental damage per level (total of 25%). This passive was AMAZING but the +25% dmg has now been removed. The silver lining here is that every build looses DPS, but we no longer need to use flat dmg affixes matching the relic element so it’s a bit easier to gear up builds now.

Build Video footage:

The skills I use:

• Vent: Vortex Bomb – our vent skill + a good source of AoE damage + pulls/vacuums the enemies close to us +  20% melee combat dmg reduction for the Tier 2 bonus + the Tier 3 makes it spawn bombs for more AoE dmg.
• Cyclone Mode – vents 50 heat and also does decent dmg.
• Ramming Robot  – our escape mechanic and a movement skill. It also knocks back enemies we make contact with while using it. We also get 1 more charge on Tier 1.
• Sonic Pulse – makes our enemies take 40% more dmg for 6 sec. I also can stun for 1 sec with the Tier 1 Bonus.
• Power Projection – gives us and nearby allies 50% increased defenses + the tier 1 bonus heals for 15% max hp when used.
• Lightning Barrier – gives +25% block chance. It also releases shock bolts periodically. It lasts for 4 sec. by default or 6 sec. with the Tier 2. This one’s on a cooldown and does not cost Energy. It’s a great 1 pointer or even 3 pointer if you lack Evasion from gear.
• Localized Storm – It’s a great Extra DPS to nearby enemies + also helps get more stuff procing as well as a +25% dmg buff + another 10% Movement Speed to us and nearby allies.
• Thousand-Volt Burst – Our BIG relic skill that we can active after spending a total of 200 energy with other skills like Localized Storm. It’s good to save and use this on champions & bosses.

The gear I recommend using is:

MY IDEAL EQUIPPED GEAR:

• ideally, wear a good rolled version of the following cannon:
  • Unstable War Arm – Cast Vortex Bomb: if above 75 Heat, trigger a secondary heat wave, dealing 400% Weapon Dmg. You don’t care about its level and about dmg, crti chance, crit dmg & other offensive stats. Just need utility from it such as: -% relic energy cost or +%relic energy charge rate
• A good rolled + socketed 1 handed Blue weapon + a good rolled & socketed blue Shield or Focus (could wear Wideload’s Cavebreaker if no better DPS Blue 1h weapon is available – to open up a Legendarium slot) 
  
• OR a 2-Handed setup with a well rolled & socketed blue 2h weapon
• Must wear at least 3 Mountain King’s pieces! I suggest wearing: Mountain King’s Helm + Gauntlets + Pauldrons + optionally wear the Robe [if not slotting it in the Legendarium]:
  • Mountain King’s Gauntlets – Vent 75 or more Heat: gain Overheated, increasing Critical Chance by 10% for 10 seconds (becomes a +20% crit chance buff with the 3 set pieces bonus)
  • Mountain King’s Helm – gives +1 Brawl  Skills (+2 with the 3 piece set bonus) [I’ve tested it and it won’t give you extra levels if the skill is already lvl 10 so go for lvl 9 if you have +1 or 8 if you have +2 to those skills]
  • Mountain King’s Pauldrons– when you cast Thousand-Volt Burst: summons 3 Explodobots (summons 3 more when using 3 set pieces)
  • If not slotting it: Mountain King’s Cuirass (Chest) – gives +1 Barrage Skills (+2 with the 3 piece set bonus) [I’ve tested it and it won’t give you extra levels if the skill is already lvl 10 so go for lvl 9 if you have +1 or 8 if you have +2 to those skills]

If you ‘slot in’ the Mountain King’s Cuirass, you can get a good stat boost from a well-rolled + socketed Blue Chest.

You’ll be looking for flat dmg, optionally % elemental dmg and/or Crit dmg/chance, +%Evasion +%Block Chance & or +% Brawl Skills dmg, +% Vortex Bomb DMG, -% Vortex Bomb Cooldown + others.

• Blue Locomotion and Chest rolled for flat dmg + % elemental dmg or Crit dmg with a socket
• Blue Hatch rolled for % dmg (if stacking the same element across your gear) and/or Crit dmg with socket. Alternatively: Arc-Powered Hatch (if not wearing a blue one)

Blue Gear only gets 1 socket now.

Suggested Legendarium Powers (to fill in the gaps from items you’re wearing):

MY IDEAL LEGENDARIUM COMBO:

• Arc-Powered Shoulders
  
• Mountain King’s Cuirass – cast: Thousand-Volt Burst become Charged Up for 15 sec., gaining +10% movement speed & dealing 100% weapon Damage to nearby enemies on hit (chain lightning style zaps)
  
• Wideload’s Cavebreaker – On Hit: 10% chance to drop stalactites, dealing 30% weapon damage in an area
  

Based on your preference there are alternatives:

• Option 1: Replace Arc-Powered Shoulders with Skittering Shoulders if you want that dmg reduction field
  
• Option 2: If wearing Wideload’s Cavebreaker you could slot Raging Beater (i don’t like venting my Heat with Ramming Robot personally) OR another of your choice
  
• Option 3: Replace Arc-Powered Shoulders with any other item you may like using like
  

The recommended stats to look for in your items are (the list is not in order of priority and is just listing good bonuses + there’s new stats and I might have missed some which will get added later):

• + Flat Damage (any)
  
• +% elemental dmg (any) – starts getting very good later on when you have a nice flat to boost with this if you match the flat with the %
• +% Damage to Brawl skills
  
• +% Damage to Vortex Bomb and/or Cyclone Mode (not sure if the Cyclone Mode dmg affix exists)
  
• +% Damage to Localized Storm and/or Thousand-Volt Burst
  
• + Health
• + Defense (the non elemental is good for any act but lesser numbers than elemental)
• +% Critical Hit Chance (the cap is 40% but some skills will be able to get it past the cap) Keep in mind we get 20% crit chance after Venting 75+ Heat from the Mountain King’s Gauntlets
  
• +% Critical Damage (the cap is 300%)
• +% Gear Luck (eventually try to get like 50-75% total for good drop quantity – the cap is 100%)
• +% Energy Recharge Rate
  
• -% Relic Energy cost
  
• +% Block Chance (capped at 40%)
  
• +% Chance to Evade damage (capped at 40%)
  
• AVOID +% Heat Dissipation unless you want to build heat slower = slower 75+ heat vents
  
• +% Chance to Chill – a decent CC proc
• +% Chance to Poison is a decent DoT and stacks with other DoTs
• +% Chance to Shock – a decent proc and is VERY nice for this build
• +% Additional Bolts Fired on Shock – a decent proc and also VERY nice for this build
• +% Chance to Bleed and/or Burn to stack the poison with the other DoTs.
• +% Chance to Stun/Slow/Blind – it’s pretty decent but not a must have affix.
  

The Skills and Passives I recommend are:

IMPORTANT: Keep in mind that my setup is WITH the +2 Barrage & +2 Brawl skill levels from the Mountain King’s Set Helm + Cuirass (Chest)! On top of that I did NOT have extra +1 Skill Point from my Helmet to a skill that I invested into.

REGULAR VERSION (Complete version of the one used in the video):

LVL 1 SONIC PULSE & LVL 3 ENERGIZER:

1 SONIC PULSE, 3 ENERGIZER, 3 BURST, 4 PROJECTION:

LVL 3 THOUSAND-VOLT BURST & LVL 4 PROJECTION:

LVL 3 THOUSAND-VOLT BURST & LVL 4 SHOCKING DISPLAY:

3 THOUSAND-VOLT, 3 SHOCKING DISPLAY, 4 PROJECTION: