Making Aldur's Watchtower viable as Shapeshifter

[schnelltot]

Making Aldur's Watchtower viable as Shapeshifter

I know that the Aldur's set is one of the less-regarded sets out there, and that when it is used, it's mostly for elemental/summoning builds, and avoids shapeshifting as the jagged star piece has too little damage.

Well, I'm trying to plan a way to make the set serviceable for an SS build, and I believe there might be some ways about it. For one, the weapon comes with 3 sockets. A couple of Ber runes and a shael rune would provide a good amount of CB and speed to chop monster's life down quickly, and there should be enough %ED from skills to finish off the remaining bits of life when CB has small effect. Gore Rider is not doable for more CB since it would break the set...and blood crafted gloves aren't ideal since IMO Dracul's is the ultimate melée gloves.

The set leaves shield as an option...Tiamats for the elemental damage? Maybe Dragon for the Holy Fire and Venom? Dream is also an option, buy I hate it when Confuse interferes with Life Tap.

I'm also aware that this set has used Fireclaws for a main attack, but since fire immunes are the most numerous I think that demotes it mostly to a PI killer backup.

 

[Ed from Russia]

Re: Making Aldur's Watchtower viable as Shapeshifter

I've made a very effective Fire Claws Bear with Aldur's set. FC doesn't require much from a weapon except for speed. Aldur's can reach 6 frames if I remember correctly, or 2 frames slower than a 6-shael phaseblade. But as a bonus you get some physical damage, so you can use Maul and Hunger as alternative attacks.

My setup was:
20 Lycanthropy
20 Fireclaws
1 Hunger
1 Maul
1 Shockwave
3 prerequisites (I think)
rest in FC synergies (select Volcano and Molten Boulder, so that Volcano can act as a partly physical attack)

Aldur's set
Highlords (to increase speed if you need it) or Maras
Raven + BK
No shield (blocking with a bear is really slow)
Bloodfist or Magefist (depending on if you need speed)
Verdungos

 

[schnelltot]

Re: Making Aldur's Watchtower viable as Shapeshifter

Yeah, but like I mentioned, what about all the fire immunes?

 

[Ed from Russia]

Re: Making Aldur's Watchtower viable as Shapeshifter

Typically, you avoid them or you use Maul. A merc with Infinity would help a lot as well, if you can afford it. If you can't, get him Reaper's Toll - this is what I did and it worked. It's slow going if the FIs have a lot of life, but a werebear with 20 lycanthropy will be pretty safe unless he is completely swamped by monsters (avoid this).

A shapeshifter with Aldur's that relies on physical damage (Fury or Maul) simply doesn't work because the weapon doesn't do sufficient damage and you can't get enough Crushing Blow to make it work (max 10% from gloves).

 

[Neksja]

Re: Making Aldur's Watchtower viable as Shapeshifter

What I did, was Aldur's FC/Summoner.

Gear: Aldur set + Ravenfrost + BK ring + Arach's + Magefist + Highlord's
Skills: 20 FC, 20 Firestorm, 20 Grizzly, 20 HoW, 4 Shock Wave, rest 1-point wonders and prereqs

It was some time ago, but I remember, that Bear was good enough with Might merc, to deal all FI's. I guess it's personal thing, if you want to just stand behind for awhile and use shockwave, but I liked it.

Still, it was a werebear and those are disgusting. Period.