Vortex Gaming

· This build is a theoretical pre-patch build, created based on information obtained through communication with the developers.
· The core is utilizing the buffed Blade Shield node of Shurikens, which will be changed to allow Blade Shields to stack next season.
· When Blade Shield is cast manually, it targets yourself and hits enemies only once, but when cast with Synchronized Strike, shadows fire Shurikens in a cone, allowing all projectiles to hit the same enemy.
· Especially against large bosses, all Shurikens can hit, dealing immense damage.

· Bladestorm generates a Blade Shield every second, and these Blade Shields remain on the battlefield like traps even after Bladestorm disappears.
· Blade Shields generated by Bladestorm can stack, allowing multiple Bladestorms to simultaneously generate Shurikens and hit enemies.
· The main combo involves throwing three Bladestorms to activate Shurikens, dealing shotgun damage with Synchronized Strike to recover mana, and manually casting Shurikens to recover mana and gain armor.
· This combo is expected to be extremely powerful for both single-target DPS and area clear.

· This build is based on a Low Life setup, and for this, the 'Architect of the Astral Blood' unique item is essential.
· 'Twisted Heart' greatly helps in easily stacking health to gain Ward in a Low Life setup.
· 'Omnis' is useful for complementing resistances and providing bonuses to various skills. 'Nihilis' is not recommended due to mana issues.
· Thanks to the new 'Bladed Armor', armor stats can be easily secured.

Item	Effect
Architect of the Astral Blood	Enables Low Life build
Twisted Heart	Easily gain Ward by stacking health
Omnis	Complements resistances Provides bonuses to various skills

· Bladestorm: Main damage source through area damage, Shadow Dagger activation, and Shuriken Storm. You can maintain up to 3 Bladestorms, but Blade Shields are generated infinitely.
· Shurikens: Main damage skill, hitting multiple enemies with penetration, and utilizing damage and critical strike multiplier nodes.
· Synchronized Strike: Provides an attack speed buff to alleviate the build's sluggishness and fires additional Shurikens at large bosses for explosive damage.
· Smoke Bomb: Provides various utilities such as fixed damage, shadow generation, and additional Shuriken activation.
· Shift: Provides utility, cleanse, dodge, mana generation, and invulnerability. It is considered more advantageous for survival in Uber content than trap skills.
· Passives: Focus heavily on Dexterity to utilize 'Red Rings'. 'Sapping Strike' is important for mana recovery, and 'Bladedancer' provides Low Life damage reduction, high critical strike multiplier, and critical strike avoidance (easily capped with one T5 suffix).
· The 'Concentration' passive has been modified to apply to all types of damage, including throwing damage, making it useful.
· The health stat synergizes very well with 'Architect of the Astral Blood', allowing you to easily secure 5-6k Ward with 2k health.

Skill	Main Role
Bladestorm	Area damage, Shadow Dagger activation Main damage through Shuriken Storm
Shurikens	Main damage source, penetration, damage/critical strike multiplier
Synchronized Strike	Attack speed buff, additional Shurikens for large bosses
Smoke Bomb	Fixed damage, shadow generation, additional Shurikens
Shift	Utility, cleanse, dodge, mana generation, invulnerability

· Significant investment in Dexterity is required, which is for equipping specific items like 'Red Rings'.
· Points in 'Sapping Strike' can be adjusted based on playstyle; if mana consumption is low, you can invest in other defensive or offensive nodes.
· The Bladedancer's passives provide damage reduction at Low Life, a high critical strike multiplier, and critical strike avoidance, meaning you don't need to stack much critical strike avoidance on gear.
· On gear, it is more efficient to prioritize stacking Dexterity, flat damage, and increased damage over critical strike multiplier.
· The 'Concentration' passive is useful as it now applies to throwing damage as well, and movement speed and reduced damage taken nodes are important for Hardcore.
· The health stat has excellent synergy with 'Architect of the Astral Blood', allowing you to easily secure 5-6k Ward with 2k health.

Stat/Passive	Description
Dexterity	Essential investment for equipping 'Red Rings'
Sapping Strike	Mana recovery (adjust points based on playstyle)
Bladedancer	Low Life damage reduction High critical strike multiplier Critical strike avoidance (reduces gear burden)
Concentration	Applies to all damage, including throwing damage
Health	Synergy with 'Architect of the Astral Blood' Can secure 5-6k Ward with 2k health

· For idols, physical penetration when wielding a dagger, increased throwing physical damage (60% flat damage), and increased mana efficiency on hit options are important.
· If you feel mana consumption is high, you can use more mana efficiency idols.
· Aspirational Gear is not about necessarily obtaining specific items, but rather a guideline indicating the priority of important stats (Dexterity, health, increased damage, flat health, etc.) for each slot.
· For example, Dexterity is most important, followed by increased damage, increased health, and flat health.
· The goal is to eventually replace 'Twisted Heart' with 'Shattered Walls'.

Idol Option	Description
Physical penetration when wielding a dagger	Damage amplification
Increased throwing physical damage	60% flat damage increase
Increased mana efficiency on hit	Easier mana management

· This build is currently rated A-tier overall and S-tier in terms of speed, but it has the potential to be full S-tier if the Blade Shield mechanism works as expected.
· It has been cautiously classified as A-tier until the Blade Shield mechanism is confirmed to work correctly.
· Three ways to activate Shurikens:
· Shurikens activated from Bladestorm, rotating in place and stacking.
· Shurikens fired from shadows in a cone, dealing shotgun damage and effective against large enemies.
· Shuriken Shield, cast manually to recover mana and gain armor, and can be stacked as much as desired.