User:Getalifebud/builds/heavy degeneration

The Heavy Degen is a build with a lot of uses, but it is most useful in PvP settings like Alliance Battles or Random arena, or team arena, where complex team builds are not required. It gains from the damage dealt through degeneration that ignores armor, and it can destroy all classes equally, being a difficult build to fight against. Can quickly bring down targets due to the degeneration combined with damage from soul barbs, especially in situations where enchantments will also be used a lot, for example against a dervish or protection monk.

Equipment

 * Armor is unimportant, the energy bonus of scar pattern armor is not needed, but could help, so either the energy bonus, or tormentors or revenant
 * Either a 20/20 curse staff, like The Stonereaper, or a pair of focuses from collectors/weaponsmiths, 20/20 curses, but this is not required. If you have trouble managing energy you might want to consider using a high energy staff like a Staff of the Forgotten

Usage
You may want to cast parasitic bond on each member of the enemy team, to set yourself up for healing soon, and perhaps cause confusion with hex removal.

After choosing your first target, hit them with then if they are using physical attacks use Faintheartedness
 * Soul Barbs
 * Reaper's Mark
 * Parasitic Bond

Apply Malaise to slow down their energy. Should always be used against melee classes as It will stop their energy supply, and use against healers to slow down their healing. Use Defile Flesh on top of this to slow down their healing. You may want to reapply parasitic bond now as a covering hex, but this will refresh the timer for its healing. When low on energy look for a target with low health, to use the signet of lost souls on, be it your target or another target who is being attacked.

Counters
A large amount of hex removal can counter this build, at least three hex removals are needed in a short span of time.

Backfire and other anti caster skills can counter this build, interrupts can hurt this build, but distortion can fend off combat interrupts.

Energy denial, interruption and other usual caster hate.

Is quite squishy, substituting some defense for offense.

Variants
Always take a resurrection skill for TA/RA.

Could take ulcerous lungs for paragon hate and extra degeneration.

You could swap some points into blood, to use blood renewal for healing, along with another blood degeneration skill.

If you are in an organised group with some physical damage going on, consider taking Barbs or Mark of Pain.