Theorycrafting: Death's Embrace Harvest build

[doombybbr]

Link to non-optimised version of build

Lich, Level 100 (LE Beta 0.8.5c) - Last Epoch Build Planner

This is a build centred around the interaction between:
Deaths embrace and the skull shards harvest node.
As both of these trigger on the 6th harvest, we can overlap them to get big damage.
But that is not all, we are running Bone curse(setup to deal max damage per hit and apply itself on hit for a few seconds after cast) - thus we are running the symbol of loss node.

Also we are running hungering souls as a means of cursing enemies, set to cast itself when we are hit with a lot of projectiles and reduced mana cost. This is because harvest does double to cursed foes, while this is not needed due to bone curse, it is the plan for mobs - this could theoretically be replaced.

We are running reaper form for the increased attack speed and any other bonus(I do not know what the optimal spec for this is, but damage and attack speed are priority)

I picked transplant as 5th skill just because I could not think of anything else.

Also we are prioritising intelligence as a damage stat, as it adds flat added damage instead of just increased necrotic(This may effect skill trees that have int based passives). We also want as much attack speed as possible.

Naturally we are converting to necrotic when we can.

Between all the more multipliers we should be getting 3X from axe 4X from Skull shards, 1.91X from symbol of loss, and 2 times from cursed FOR A TOTAL OF 45.84 times damage. The rotation being: Cast bone curse then swing 6 times for massive damage.

Now I ask you: am I missing anything? is there anything to change for more damage/defences/quality of life? Should I go ward or endurance? What would you think the optimal passive tree/skill setup would be?

edit:I noticed the doom effect from the Siphon of anguish is essentially a more multiplier for this build

[Heavy]

It is always super interesting seeing people theorycraft around your personal favorite skill/item.

I already played and enjoyed Harvest since I started playing LE (it was literally the skill that made me buy LE, when I first saw it).

Now seeing people also putting their time and mind into working something out of an Item, that I created is even more humbling.

I really don’t want to push this into directions, that I already used and tested myself extensively, so I really hope there will be a few more people jumping in here and sharing their thoughts and ideas.

I just wanna throw out some things to think about:

@doombybbr

Between all the more multipliers we should be getting 3X from axe 4X from Skull shards, 1.91X from symbol of loss, and 2 times from cursed FOR A TOTAL OF 45.84 times damage. The rotation being: Cast bone curse then swing 6 times for massive damage.

Symbol of Loss and the 100% more multiplier from baseline Harvest are additive with each other.
This means from all the multiplier you listed here it would be 34,92x (3X, 4X & 2,91) more dmg on the 6th swing

@doombybbr

Now I ask you: am I missing anything? is there anything to change for more

You will run into mana issues with this setup, even with a perfect (low) rolled Death’s Embrace

@doombybbr

Should I go ward or endurance?

Both can work very well.
Ward based builds have the advantage of being able to ignore one of Death’s Embrace downsides (the health consume).
Harvest also has excellent ward on hit support.

I am really looking forward to this thread. Bookmarked

[doombybbr]

@Heavy

Now seeing people also putting their time and mind into working something out of an Item, that I created is even more humbling.

I was inspired by something someone else posted in the discord, decided to push it to the limit.

@Heavy

Symbol of Loss and the 100% more multiplier from baseline Harvest are additive with each other.

Really? Because symbol of loss says it is multiplicative with other mods.

@Heavy

You will run into mana issues with this setup, even with a perfect (low) rolled Death’s Embrace

48 per cycle on high end 24 on low end, 24 is a good amount of mana but isn’t bad when it comes to one shots. The real problem is that I have mana use on other things in the build. Any ways to offset the mana problems?

@Heavy

Ward based builds have the advantage of being able to ignore one of Death’s Embrace downsides (the health consume).

Fair point, it does have a downside in this build in particular though: Exanguinous takes up the chest slot. Thus you would give up 10-12 Int(flat damage) and 110-135% increased damage when transformed. Though I would say the health cost is such a large downside that it is worth the sacrifice. Getting a LP1-2 version could be a massive buff.