u/JPBImada

Definitions

Early game: lasts until you finish your first playthrough, before starting new game+

Mid game: lasts until you farm all the skulls you need (at new game+) and reaches level 100 (at new game++)

Late game: lasts until you farm all the best in slot items and enough gold to enchant them (new game+++)

Very late game: lasts until you beat tarroch's tomb 10 waves and beat netherlord at new game+++++

Short guide

1 - Finish your first playthrough, advance to new game+, beat the netherlord at new game+

2 - farm all the skulls of limoany you need in the phase beast challenge protect the crystals in new game+

3 - advance to new game+++ and beat the netherlord there. Then farm something around 15 million gold and most best in slot items you want (specially a weapon) and skulls (specially skulls of riechliu) at the phase beast challenge avoid the lava in new game+++

Beyond limoany and riechliu, you'll need skulls for your weapon like rambrem, whorlbarb, vellinque, X'n!troph or eyes of Aleera. You may also need wfuntir for your armor in a spell based build.

Eyes of alera can be farmed at three sisters, all the others at avoid the lava.

4 - with at least a bis weapon and 6 bis armor/trinckets, search for boris the stout and enchant each of your items three times with the +atribute you need. Then search for juris the socketer and give each of your items at least 2 sockets.

If you use an auto attacker build or skills based on your weapon dps or damage, you'll need to enchant your weapon(s) with the apropiate +elemental damage (NOT damage per Second). Emberquake engineers will need +fire damage from Mooritz of the desert, outlanders will need poison damage from Farquez the assassin, Bersekers may need Ice damage from Panosh of the North. Give to each of your weapons 3 enchantments of +elemental damage. Embermages usually don't play with skills based in the weapon dps, so they can enchant their weapon with +atributes.

Then search for Karzoki the All-powerfull and give each of your items a random fourth enchantment.

After that you'll be ready for very late game

5 - defeat tarroch's tomb 10 waves at least once and go for the netherlord at new game+++++

After that, you'll have finished the game

TABLE OF CONTENT

1 - INTRODUCTION
2 - SKILLS
3 - LEVELING
4 - ROTATION
5 - HOTKEYS
6 - STATS
7 - SPELLS
8 - PET SPELLS
9 - SUPER HINT
10 - OTHER GUIDES

1 - INTRODUCTION

Some people asks me about a build for hardcore. I just started a hardcore game after studing a viable build. Engineers are the best class to try a hardcore run. This guide is the result of my research.

The aim of this build is NOT to be a tank, do NOT try to tank for the group. The aim of this build is to be a support + dps with high survivability.

2 - SKILLS

BLITZ
Storm Burst 1

CONSTRUCTION
Healing Bot 15
Blast Cannon 10
Spider mines 15
Gun Bot 15
Sledgebot 15
Charge Domination 1
Bulwark 15

AEGIS
Forcefield 15
Dynamo Field 15
Immobilization Copter 15

3 - LEVELING

As soon as possible, take the skill point from flame hammer and put it at another skill of the build.

Priorities to spend skill points:
1 - getting the first level of blast cannon, spider mines, healing bot and force field
2 - getting the first level of any other skill of the build
3 - maxing healing bot
4 - maxing spider mines and force field
5 - spend points as you wish

Keep Blat Cannon at level 1 or 2 until you're level 20, keep it at level 5 until you're at least level 50.

4 - ROTATION

1 - When entering a new area, cast healing bot and immobilization copter
2 - Dynamo Field to build charge. Forcefield if the shield is down. Always keep forcefield up. If it's in cooldown, run until you can cast it.
3 - cast gunbot and sledgebot if you're facing a boss, or a elite, or a crowd of mobs to big
4 - spam spider mines. Blast cannon if something gets to near. Use mana potions if you need. Then return to 2

at any moment during the rotation, use storm burst to keep distance from enemies

Remember to ALWAYS keep forcefield up.

Please notice that you can summon a swarm of spider mines - the mines lasts some time before auto exploding. So you can always keep a lot of mines summoned before facing any enemy.

5 - HOTKEYS

I like to put the healing bot, gunbot, sledgebot and immobilization copter at the bar and at the right click I rotate between skills using the hotkeys F1 (forcefield), F2 (blastcannon) and F3 (storm burst). The left click is only for auto-attack, movimentation and picking up itens.

6 - STATS

Put 2 points in FOCUS, 1 point in DEX and 2 points in VITALITY per level until you reach DEX 53.
After that, put 3 points in FOCUS and 2 points in VIT per level.

7 - SPELLS

try to have these spells:
Animal Handling
Concetration
Armor Expertise

8 - PET SPELLS

try to have these spells in your pet:
Silence
Heal All
Summon Skeleton
Summon Zombies or Summob Nether Imp

9 - SUPER HINTS

1 - Before going to the frosted hills, farm 10 eyes of grell and use as many as you can in yours items slots.

2 - If you`re about to die, click "ESC" quickly and leave the game. Reroll the world before entering again and you`ll save your character.

3 - Try to gamble itens if you have money to spend

4 - Do not go to Icedeep Caverns with the Chillhoof

5 - Do not enter the Arena of Slaughter. Return to It only after you finished act 3 to complete the quest.

TABLE OF CONTENT:

1 - INTRODUCTION
2 - SKILLS
3 - LEVELING
4 - ROTATION
5 - HOTKEYS
6 - STATS
7 - ENCHANTING
8 - SPELLS
9 - PET SPELLS
10- HINT
11- BEST IN SLOT ITENS (BIS)
12- BEST SOCKETS
13 - VIDEO
14 - OTHER GUIDES

1 - INTRODUCTION

This is probably the final version.
This build is completly viable for elite and fun to play. Consider playing it in the internet, once you'll be a great tank for embermages, outlanders and bersekers.

2 - SKILLS:

BLITZ
Seismic Slam 15
Onslaught 5
Emberquake 15

CONSTRUCTION
Healing Bot 15
Bulwark 15
Charge Domination 2

AEGIS
Forcefield 15
Dynamo Field 15
Immobilization Copter 15

Choose one of the following packs for the rest of the skill points:

Little utilities skills pack:
Choose one of the following to be your primary attack skill while you don't have emberquake:
(Flame Hammer 10) or (Spider Mines 10)
Supercharge 1
Coup-de-Grace 1
Sword and Board 1
Aegis of Fate 5
Charge Reconstitution 2

High effective skills chooice pack:
Instead of relying in spider mines or flamme hammer, use the DOT from seismic slam and onslaught to kill your enemies. Apply the DOT and run until you have to apply again.
Fire and spark 15
Onslaught +5

3 - LEVELING:

While you don't have the juice emberquake, you'll need to use or flame Hammer or Spider Mines as your primary attack skill. If you choose Spider Mines, as soon as possible take the skill point from flame hammer and use it in another skill of the build.

Priorities to spend skill points:
1 - getting the first level of any skill of the build
2 - getting the level 5 of active skills of the build
3 - getting level 15 of healing bot and forcefield
4 - for the fourth priority, spend points as you wish

Do NOT spare health and mana potions and always have a stock of them.

When at new game +, you'll really need to farm 3 wfuntir, 13 riechliu and 6 limoany before going to new game ++. Research the metods to farm the phase beast challenge "avoid the lava" for riechliu and "protect the crystals" for limoany.

4 - ROTATION:

1 - When entering a new area, cast healing bot and immobilization copter
2 - If you have Spider Mines, before facing any enemy, spam Spider Mines until it start auto exploding. They last some time, so you'll have an army of spiders when you meet someone.
3 - Dynamo Field if there are nearby enemies. In any case, Forcefield if the shield is down.
4 - Onslaught to aproach enemies
5 - Seismic Slam
6 - Spam emberquake. If you still don't have emberquake, then spam Spider Mines or flame hammer. If your shield turns down at any moment, return to 3.

5 - HOTKEYS:

I like to put the healing bot and immobilization copter at the bar and at the right click I rotate between skills using the hotkeys F1 (forcefield), F2 (onslaught), F3 (seismic slam) and F4 (primary attack skill or emberquake). The left click is only for auto-attack, movimentation and picking up itens.

6 - STATS:

Every level, put 1 stat point in DEX, 2 points in FOCUS and 2 points in STR. After DEX reaches 53, start spending every level 3 points in FOCUS and 2 points in STR.
Why so much points in focus?
Seismic slam and emberquake are the main source of damage. Seismic slam deals fire damage, which means STR does not increase it's elemental damage, but focus does. And besides emberquake deal 67% of you weapon DPS, it also deals 1528 fire damage. It means that your weapon DPS multiplied by 0,67 should be bigger than 1528 to STR be more effective than FOCUS for your emberquake damage. It only would happen with a weapon with 2400 or more DPS, and no weapon has that much DPS.
Why DEX 53?
DEX 53 gives 10% dodge and 10% critical chance.

7 - ENCHANTING:

When enchanting your items at end game, after you collect some BIS itens, enchant each of your items with 3 enchantments of +FOCUS until you get a total 1000 FOCUS. After you reach 1000 FOCUS along with the base atribute, spend the rest of your +atr enchants for +STR.
Then search for Mooritz of the Desert and enchant your weapon with 3 enchantmens of +fire damage (NOT fire damage per second).
After that search for Karzoki the All-Powerful and give each of your itens any random fourth enchantment. You'll need at least 10 to 20 million gold to get all enchantments you need.

8 - SPELLS:

Blocking VI
Weapon Expertise VI
Concentration VI
Haste VI or Adrenaline Rush III, but I personally like Armor Expertise VI although is not very effective

9 - PET SPELLS:

Heal All VI
Summon Nether Imp V
Summon Skeleton VI
Summon Zombies VI

10 - HINTS:

1 - Keep any VENDOR BOON SCROLL to use it only when you have a lot of money (at least 700000 gold) and at an area level 100 or more (like Tarroch's Tomb at new game +). Then you may have the chance to buy many best-in-slot itens.
2 - Use a town portal at the beginning of each dungeon before adventuring in it.
3 - Don't be surprised if you die a lot of times. It's ELITE difficulty.
If you're dying to much on a boss, grind before facing him again. Explore all the map, do other dungeons, so you can gain some levels and find some items. If it was not enough, re-roll your map starting a lan or internet game with this option active, and grind some more.

11 - BEST IN SLOT ITENS (BIS)

Weapon: any netherrealm or legendary one hand weapon.

Shield: any legendary shield you find.

Armor and trinckets:
Outcore Helmet
Outcore Armor
Outcore Belt or Mondon's Belt
Outcore Gloves
Outcore Pants
Outcore Boots or Mondon's Stompers
Mondon's Insignia
2x Mondon's Ring

12 - BEST SOCKETS:

Weapon sockets:
4x Vellinque Skulls (increasing your weapond damage increases your skills damage)
or 1x rambren and 3x vellinque.

Armor/Trincket sockets:
adding extra sockets to items with less than 2 sockets and with a shield, we'll have 22 armor sockets. The BIS itens will give 4% DR (damage reduction), engineers have a natural 25% damage reduction, and bulwark 15 gives 16% DR, so you'll need 6 skulls of limoany to reach 75% DR (the cap is 75%).
Use 3 skulls of wfuntir, 13 skulls of Riechliu and 6 skulls of limoany. If you get more than 22 sockets, fill the rest with wfuntir.

TABLE OF CONTENT:

1 - INTRODUCTION
2 - SKILLS
3 - SKILLS ANALYSIS
4 - LEVELING
5 - STATS
6 - SPELLS
7 - PET SPELLS
8 - HINTS
9 - BEST SOCKETS
10 - ENCHANTING
11 - OTHER GUIDES

1 - INTRODUCTION

My first outlander build was a left-clicker (auto-attacker) dual pistol outlander, but I've discovered soon enough that it wasn't viable in elite. I changed the build to use rapid fire and venomous hail, but there was some problems:
1 - rapid fire does not proc execute, so akimbo was not very effective, and also neither receive the range bonus from long range mastery. And the damage bonus from akimbo and long range mastery are not that great, they are equivalent to +60 STR each.
2 - rapid fire and venomous hail does not benefits from dual wielding
3 - shotgone mastery is a great skill, very overpowered, and shotgones deals damage in an area with normal attacks

So I gave up that outlander and started a new one, a shooty shotgonner. It's very fun to play along, although is not as stylish as a dual pistol wielder.

I had a hard time playing this build alone in elite. In a group, specially with a tank engineer, things could be easier, but to solo elite is a hell of a challenge. At act 3 I gave up and played in the internet at veteran or normal.

2 - SKILLS:

WARFARE
Rapid Fire 10
Rune Vault 1
Venomous Hail 15
Shotgonne Mastery 15

LORE
Tangling shot 1
Bramble wall 1
Dodge Mastery 12
Poison Burst 15
Share the wealth 15

SIGIL
Stone Pact 15
Shadowmantle 15
Master of the elements 15
Shadowling Ammo 2

3 - SKILLS ANALYSIS:

Rapid fire and venomous hail are the main attacking skills. Rapid fire procs debufs per shoot and venomous hail procs debufs per wave. The only things they do not proc are execute and health/mana steal. They also proc spells with chance to cast on hit, like the strong glacial spike. Investing more than 10 points in Rapid Fire is not worth because it increase to much the mana cost.

Rune Vault is a situational movimentation skill, very useful to get distance from melee attackers. A single point is enough.

Shotgonne mastery is a great skill and it's debuffs (blindness and stun) procs with both rapid fire and venomous hail. The best is the fact that blindness affects all bosses.

Bramble wall is a great defense for a single skill point.

Tangling shot is a nice one point wonder skill.

The strongest shotgonne (tri force catalyst) requires 486 DEX. This amount of DEX gives 50% Dodge. To reach the Dodge cap (75%) you'll need Dodge Mastery 12.

Poison burst is a nice skill to deal with crowds.

Share the wealth is a great skill that benefits you and your party.

Shadowmantle protects you from the worst kind of enemy an outlander can face: ranged and spellcasters. Although it's not 100% effective, it's still worth.

Stone pact is mandatory for any outlander build.

Master of the elements is a good bonus damage for venomous hail and poison burst.

Shadowling Ammo to dump the rest of the skill points. It has some use

WHY NOT Long range mastery?
The range bonus does not benefits rapid fire or venomous hail and the damage bonus is not that great, it's equivalent to only +60 STR.

WHY NOT Chaos Burst or Shadowshot?
For two reasons:
1 - Chaos Burst doesn't work in open areas and shadowshot is not reliable, once the shards does not always seeks new targets
2 - rapid fire deals damage to all enemies in a line and venomous hail in an area, so the AoE is pretty much covered

WHY NOT Blade pact?
For three reasons:
1 - the slow does not work on bosses and elite very well
2 - rapid fire already reduces armor per shoot, stackable, and with a single X'n!troph skull we'll rip away our foes armor with both rapid fire and venomous hail
3 - each active skill added to the rotation of skills exponentially reduces the rotation effectiveness. Also, Outlander' skills have a short duration, making this reduction of effectiveness even worse

4 - LEVELING:

As soon as possible, take the skill point form glaive throw and put it at rapid fire. Keep rapid fire at level 5 until your character is at least level 30 or more, or you'll have mana issues (each level increases it's mana cost).

The skill priority is:
1 - getting level 1 of any skill of the build.
2 - getting level 5 of active skills of the build.
3 - leveling shotgone mastery.
4 - getting level 10 of venomous hail, stone pact and shadowmantle. After level 50, also rapid fire.
5 - spend points as you wish.

When at new game +, you'll really need to farm 8 to 9 riechliu and 11 to 12 limoany before going to new game ++. The amount depends if you find the right items from the unearthly set (see the best sockets section). Research the metods to farm the phase beast challenge "avoid the lava" for riechliu and "protect the crystals" for limoany.

Do NOT spare mana and mana potions, always use all your available skills and use mana potions when your mana deplets.

5 - STATS:

Each level, spend 2 stat point in DEX and 3 stats points in STR. STR increases both your rapid fire and venomous hail damage once they're based on your weapon damage. Upgrading DEX is important to be able to use the Dominion armor set and the shotgonne Tri-force Catalyst at late game, and also to reach the dodge cap.

If you want, you may spend 1 point in Dex and 4 points in STR per level. This second option however will make much harder to reach the necessary DEX to use the best late game itens.

6 - SPELLS:

Dervish VI
Marksmanship VI
Concetration VI
Haste VI or Willpower VI or Adventuring VI

7 - PET SPELLS:

Heal All VI
Silence VI
Summon Skeleton VI
Summon Zombies VI or Web

8 - HINTS:

1 - Keep any VENDOR BOON SCROLL to use it only when you have a lot of money (at least 700000 gold) and at an area level 100 or more (like Tarroch's Tomb at new game +). Then you may have the chance to buy many best-in-slot itens.
2 - Use a town portal at the beginning of each dungeon before adventuring in it.
3 - Don't be surprised if you die a lot of times. It's ELITE difficulty.
If you're dying to much on a boss, grind before facing him again. Explore all the map, do other dungeons, so you can gain some levels and find some items. If it was not enough, re-roll your map starting a lan or internet game with this option active, and grind some more.

9 - BEST SOCKETS:

Weapon sockets:
I really like the netherrealm shotgonne for it's extra sockets slots.
You have three options: 2 physical damage and 1 spell trigger damage:

1 - If you want a pure physical damage, use one rambrem skulls, one X'n!troph skull and the rest fill with whorlbarb skulls or vellinque skulls.

2 - Another physical damage option is one X'n!troph skull and the rest fill with vellinque skulls.

3 - For a spell trigger damage, I recomend at least one X'n!troph skull and the rest fill with eyes of Aleera. Glacial spike is the best triggered spell you can have. But why one X'n!troph skull? Beacause it will help your rapid fire attacks and also it reduces ALL armor, which means it also helps your glacial spike and venomous hail elemental damage.

I really don`t know which of these three is the best. I like one X'n!troph skull and the rest fill with vellinque skulls.

Armor/trincket sockets:
Adding an extra socket to items with less than two sockets, we'll have 20 armor sockets. Use 8 skulls of riechliu and 12 skulls of limoany. If you use a Dominon Mantle and a Unearthly Hikers, you'll have 20% damage reduction from itens, which means you'll only need 11 skulls of limoany to reach the damage reduction cap (75%). In this case, use 11 skulls of limoany and 9 skulls of riechliu.

10 - ENCHANTING:

First, search for Borris the Stout and enchant your items for stats. Enchant each of your itens with 3 enchantments with him. You'll need to reach at least 364 total DEX with the enchantmens in your trinckets to use the dominion set. While enchanting your trinckets, if you get any enchatment that is not + DEX, disenchant it and try again.

After enchanting your trinckets until you get 364 DEX, then enchant any of your itens until you get total DEX 486 to be able to use the shotgonne tri force catalyst and also to reach the Dodge cap.

After that, use the rest of your enchantment slots for +STR until you reach 1000 STR along with your base stats.

After you reach 486 DEX and 1000 STR along with your base stats, if you still have enchantments slots, spend the rest of your enchatments for +FOCUS.

Then search for Farquez the Assassin and enchant your weapon with 3 enchantmens of +poison damage (NOT poison damage per second).

After that, search for Karkozi the All-Powerful and give each of your itens any random fourth enchantment.

To get all these enchantmens, you'll need at least 10 to 20 million gold.

SKILLS

FIRE
Charge Mastery 5
Elemental Attunement 5
Fire Brand 15

FROST
(Hailstorm 15) or (any AoE damager skill you like 15)
Frost Phase 1
Ice Prison 15
Frozen Fate 1
Ice Brand 15

STORM
Prismatic Bolt 15
Death's Bounty 15
Prismatic Rift 15
Lightining Brand 15

SKILLS CHOICE

Elemental Boon has a short duration and long cooldown, so it was dropped. Also, some people says that the bonuses are not that great because at end game you'll have more than +1000% magical damage. Remember that the percentual bonus are NOT aplied in layers, they are added, so if you have +1000% magical damage and get another +60%, you'll have +1060% total.

I've read some reports saying that Astral Ally isn't worth (the Ally dies fast and deals few damage at end game) so it was dropped. Also, with the recommended pet spells you'll have a small army for yourself and Ice Prison + Hailstorm + Frozen Fate does a great crowd control.

Thunder Locus, Fire Storm and Frost Wave are really good AoE damagers, but in this build I choosed Hailstorm. To be honest, you won't even use Hailstorm for AoE damage, you'll just cast Hailstorm for the crowd control it causes stuning and freezing, and for the eletrical damage bonus the hailstorm tier has. After casting Hailstorm once, you'll spam Prismatic Bolt to wipe your foes. However, the hailstorm is not essential for this build. If you want, you can change this points to any other skill you like.

Although many people says that at end game you won't have problems with mana, Charge Mastery is great for the 25% damage bonus that embermages receive when charged, and also gives a great help with mana issues at early game. It's really, really, usefull at early game.

Fire Brand/Ice Brand/Lightining Brand greatly increase the damage of Prismatic Bolt. If you're a noob and doesn't know, Prismatic Bolt hits causes burn, freezes and shocks, so they trigger the brands.

Elemental Attunement is necessary because at end game you'll spend a lot of time moving between your attacks with Prismatic Bolts, and keeping the stats effects up are essential to deal a high damage with the brands (Fire Brand/Ice Brand/Lightining Brand). 5 extra seconds should be enough.

Ice Prison is a great crowd control, so it was maxed.

To spend at least 1 skill point in Frozen Fate is mandatory for crowd control.

Frost Phase is essential for mobility and dodging. One level is mandatory and enough.

Death's Bounty is a great help for survivability. It also helps with crowd control with it's tier bonus.

Prismatic Rift is a nice passive skill. Although ranged and spellcasters are the worst enemies to face, this skill has some use.

LEVELING

As soon as possible, take the skill point form magma spear and put it at Prismatic Bolt. Keep Prismatic Bolt at level 1 until your character is at least level 10 or more, or you'll have mana issues (each level increases it's mana cost) and to level prismatic bolt doesn't greatly increase it's damage. When Prismatic Bolt reaches level 5, stop leveling it at least until you're level 30 or 40. Keep it at level 10 until you're level 50 or 60. Only invest more points in it when you feel confortable about mana.

The second skill you'll need is charge mastery. Get it to level 5 ASAP.

At the beggining the brands are not very effective without elemental attunement. Before you start to level the brands, you should already have elemental attunement at least level 2.

At early game, you may have to keep some unused skill points for some levels because of the high level requirement of the skills of this build.

Investing heavily in Ice Prison until it gets to level 10 is not a bad idea. The crowd control it offers is essential for surviving.

Getting the first level of a skill of the build is always the maximum priority. After charge Mastery and elemental attunement are at level 5, the second priority is to level up the brands.

Try to always level active skills till it gets a level multiple of 5, for it's tier bonus.

Somepoint between level 30-40 you'll start to feel the need to level death's bounty till it reaches level 10.

When at new game +, you'll really need to farm 9 riechliu and 13 limoany before going to new game ++. Research the metods to farm the phase beast challenge "avoid the lava" for riechliu and "protect the crystals" for limoany.

ROTATION

1 - Always keep Elemental Protection UP..

2 - If you're facing a boss or a elite, cast Elemental Overload and Dervish whenever you get charged and the cooldown is up. Also, use a vampiric spider egg or a warsnouts at the beggining of the battle.

3 - Use ice prison for crowd control. It's also very useful against bosses and elites, not only crowds.

4 - If you're facing a crowd or have health/mana issues, use Death's Bounty.

5 - Cast Hailstorm for the bonus it gives for eletrical damage with it's tier and for stunning and freezing enemies in an area.

6 - Spam Prismatic Bolts for 6 seconds, then repeat the rotation.

At any moment during the rotation, run or use Frost Phase to keep distance from your enemies and dodging spells so you don't get killed. To stay still during a battle it's to flirt with death.

HOTKEYS

I like to put the Spells (Dervish/Elemental Overload/Elemental Protection), pet food and Immolation Aura at the bar, so I can easily cast them (it also helps remembering to cast them). At the right click I rotate between skills using the hotkeys F1 (Ice Prison), F2 (Death's Bounty), F3 (Hailstorm), F4 (Prismatic Bolt) and F5 (Frost Phase). The left click is only for movimentation and picking up itens.

STATS

Aim for the following stats, without bonuses:

STRENGHT 5
Strenght is useless for embermages.

DEXTERITY 53
Dex 53 gives critical and dodge chances at base 10%.

FOCUS 342
The main stat for embermages, it increases the magical damage of skills.

VITALITY 140
Vit 140 gives a base 35% armor bonus and 24% block chance. With the 15% block chance powerful shiedls usually have and the spell blocking VI, you'll have 51% block chance.

At the beggining, put stats points at the ratio 1:3:1 dex / focus / vitality. When dex gets 53, start to put stats points at the ratio 3:2 focus / vitaliy until vitality gets 140. After that, put all your stats points at focus.

ITEM BUILD

This guide was made considering you'll use a wand + shield.
With a wand + shield instead of a staff you'll have 2 extra sockets for riechliu or limoany. And the weapon damage is irrelevant, once you won't attack with it, but cast spells.

Stats you should be looking for (Also for Enchantments!), in order of priority:

+ Focus (this is the best stat for any embermage)
+ % all damage
+ Damage reduction
+ % Cast Speed
+ Elemental/Physical armor
+ % critical chance
+ % critical damage
+ block
+ dodge
+ health
+ mana

SPELLS

Dervish VI
Elemental Overload VI
Elemental Protection VI
Treasure Hunter VI until you're full item build. After that, use the Spell Blocking VI

PET SPELLS

Heal All VI
Summon Nether Imp V
Summon Skeleton VI
Summon Zombies VI

PET FOOD

Vampiric Spider Egg and Warsnouts are great.

TIP

1 - Keep any VENDOR BOON SCROLL to use it only when you have a lot of money (at least 700000 gold) and at an area level 100 or more (like Tarroch's Tomb at new game +). Then you may have the chance to buy many best-in-slot itens.

2 - Use a town portal at the begging of each dungeon before adventuring in it.

3 - Don't be surprised if you die a lot of times. It's ELITE difficulty.
If you're dying to much on a boss, grind before facing him again. Explore all the map, do other dungeons, so you can gain some levels and find some items. If it was not enough, re-roll your map starting a lan or internet game with this option active, and grind some more.

BEST-IN-SLOT ITENS

Wand and shield:

There are many good wands and shields, use the ones you found with the best stats according to the topic "Item Build".

Armor and trinckets:

Trancendent Bracers
Trancendent Sash
Trancendent Mantle
Ascendant Helmet
Ascendant Armor
Ascendant Pants
Ascendant Boots
Trancendent Icon
2x Alchemist Ring of Ember

Although the ascedant seems to be the best choice for gloves, belt and shoulder due to it's extra socket slot and higher armor, you should remember that you can add a second socket to the transcedent itens with Jurick the Socketer . Despiste the fact that the trancendent physical armor is lower, the other trancedent itens stats are much better for gloves, belt and shoulder armor.

And ascendant and trancendent itens are from the same set, so with my recommendation you`ll have the set bonuses till 8 pieces.

About the rings, you won't need to complete the Transcedent Set, because the alchemist ring of ember is so far superior to the trancendent ring that the last two bonus of the trancendent set are surpassed. But these rings only drops with mods, so if you are playing in vanilla, search for 2x transcendent rings or 2x Turquet Band.

BEST SOCKETS

Weapon sockets:
1 rambren skull. If you have more than one socket slot, use rambren skulls and whorlbarb skulls at the ratio 1:1 with preference to rambren.

Armor/Trincket sockets:
adding extra sockets to itens with less than 2 sockets and with a shield, we'll have 22 sockets. With all the BIS itens, we'll have 10% damage reduction. So we'll need 13 skulls of limoany to get 75% damage reduction and 9 skulls of riechliu to get something around 20k HP. 75% damage reduction is equivalent to +300% HP. With 20k HP from 9 riechliu, you'll have virtualy 80k HP.

Most of the focus bonus needed will be granted by enchantments for + focus. It's needed something aroun 10 to 20 million gold to enchant all itens with 3 +focus enchantments each with Borris the Stout (when you enchant the iten and you get a stat other than focus, disenchant it and try again).

Greetings to the community.

Since I posted my frist version of some builds, I learned a lot about the game and recently I revised all my builds. All of them are available and updated at steam community, but if you guys fells interested, I can post them here in reddit. Pls let me know.