General's Cry
Tectonic Slam of Cataclysm
Ancestral Commander Build

Updated for Patch 3.25

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Ancestral Commander from the Legacy of Phrecia event has the potential to lay the foundation for an incredibly tough build. The three Maximum Endurance Charges from Ancestral Endurance may result in up to 12 Endurance Charges in total, and that reduces Physical and Elemental Damage taken by half. Combine it with high Resistances and Armour to take only a tiny fraction of incoming damage. Physical Damage may be an issue even with high Armour, so allocating Born Under Fire will render you even more durable against these huge Physical Hits. Armour is much more effective against smaller Hits. Life Recovery is another piece of the puzzle to reach high survivability, and here it is gained from Ancestral Defiance and Enduring Cry. You won't even need a Life Flask. Toughened Skin will keep your character's movement and action speed high. It will even grant some Armour. You're also Fortified and Infused.

The damage comes from Endurance Charges, more precisely from the Tectonic Slam of Cataclysm that deals more damage and has more AoE per Endurance Charge it has consumed. To generate Endurance Charges, link your Skills with Endurance Charge on Melee Stun Support, allocate Disciple of the Unyielding, cast Enduring Cry, and get Jewels with Mob Mentality. Mob Mentality has a 5% Chance to get you any Charge per 1 Power, and your Warcries have a minimum of 10 Power. With 2 of these, you will get a Charge on each Warcry use. It's all important since Tectonic Slam uses all your Charges very quickly. The best part is, it will be linked to Genera's Cry and Autoexertion, to then be cast by your Mirages. They attack only once and they copy your Charges. GC has a cooldown of little over a second, so it's a great source of Charges, and even Rage after allocating the Rage Mastery for Rage on Warcry use. Enhance your Damage with Critical Strike Chance, Crit Multiplier and Elemental Penetration.

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1. Gameplay

Cyclone is the only damaging Skill you have to use yourself in this build. It has good damage on its own and with Toughened Skin it also lets you move fast. When you see a strong enemy, use the Tincture and be sure that there are corpses nearby. With Corpswalker Boots all you need to do is move to spawn them, but you can also cast Desecrate just before the battle. Tectonic Slam is linked with Autoexertion so it's automated. Just stand close to your foe to apply Conversion from Born under Fire. If you're out of Charges, cast Enduring Cry. Leap Slam and Frostblink are your mobility skills. Have your Blood Rage always on. Your passive skills are Herald of Fire, Herald of Purity, and Blood and Sand.

2. Build's PROS & CONS

3. Leveling tips

You can use our leveling guide. Switch to the final version of this build after you enter red maps or after you get the required items.

Bandits:

Kill all three Bandits for one additional Skill Point.

4. Final Skill Tree, Ascendancy Points, and Pantheon

Final Skill Tree:

106 Points Final Skill Tree (doesn't include Cluster or Unique Jewels)
122 Points Path of Building (PoB) link

Ascendancy points:

Preferably in that order:

1. Ancestral Endurance
2. Ancestral Defiance
3. Born under Fire
4. Toughened Skin

Pantheon:

Major God: Soul of Lunaris: 1% increased Movement Speed for each nearby Enemy, up to 8%; 1% additional Physical Damage Reduction for each nearby Enemy, up to 8%

Minor God: Soul of Gruthkul: 1% additional Physical Damage Reduction for each Hit you've taken Recently up to a maximum of 5%

5. Final Gems links

[DPS] GC setup
	Tectonic Slam of Cataclysm - A weaker version of Tectonic Slam, until it consumes your Endurance Charges - then it is stronger. It scales well with Gem Quality and Maximum Endurance Charges.
	General's Cry - Summons Mirages to use the Tectonic Slam for you. They don't consume your Endurance Charges.
	Autoexertion - GC is triggered whenever it's off-cooldown.
	Endurance Charge on Melee Stun Support - Skill grants Endurance Charges on Melee Stun and more Damage per such Charge.
	Pulverise Support - Less Attack Speed (irrelevant) and more melee damage with more AoE.
	Melee Physical Damage Support - More Physical Damage and less Attack Speed.

[UTILITY] Cyclone setup if you have Corpsewalker
	Cyclone - It will deal some damage, enough to turn blue monsters into corpses, and generate Endurance Charges. If you don't have the Corpsewalker Boots, Cyclone should be linked with Cast while Channelling and Desecrate to create Corpses.
	Infused Channelling Support -Take 10% less damage while Channelling.
	Endurance Charge on Melee Stun Support
	Shockwave Support - A shockwave on Hit with its own damage and radius.
	Pulverise Support
	Melee Physical Damage Support - If you don't have Overlord notable from a Cluster Jewel, replace it with Fortify Support.

[UTILITY] Enduring Cry setup
	Enduring Cry - Regenerates Life and generates Endurance Charges.
	Urgent Orders Support - Enduring Cry is faster to use.

[UTILITY] Assassin's Mark setup
	Assassin's Mark - Increases Crit Chance and Crit Multiplier against marked enemy.
	Mark on Hit Support - Assassin's Mark is triggered on Hit against Rare and Unique enemies.

[MOBILITY] Leap Slam setup
	Leap Slam - You can jump around and move faster. If you plan to rely only on Frostblink for mobility, replace it with Molten Shell and CwDT Support.
	Faster Attacks Support - Leap Slam is even faster.

[UTILITY] other gems
	Herald of Ash - It adds Fire Damage based on your Physical Damage and enhances your clear speed with Burning Damage on kill.
	Blood Rage - Attack Speed, Life Leech, and Frenzy Charges on kill. It drains your Life over time.
	Herald of Purity - More Physical Damage, which is all your damage before it gets Converted.
	Blood and Sand - More Damage with less AoE in Blood Stance and vice versa in Sand Stance.
	Desecrate - Creates Corpses to be used as Mirages.
	Frostblink - It lets you teleport while Channelling Cyclone, making it very good in this build. Keep it at level 11 to keep its Intelligence requirement at bay.
	Precision - If you need Critical Strike Chance, you have Mana, and a Gem Socket, use Precision.

6. Gear Setup

The build can make great use of many Unique Items, most of which have no Life mods on them, which would be bad news for a Life build if not for the Utula's Hunger Body Armour. It may be the best way to accumulate high Maximum Life. The build scales really well with Gem Quality and Maximum Endurance Charges (which you can get up to 12 of), try to increase these numbers. Cooldown Recovery Rate for General's Cry and a stable supply of corpses are crucial to optimize your damage output. As for the damage Conversion, the Skill itself has a 60% Physical-to-Fire already. Gloves' implicit will get you another 20% or more, but don't expect to Convert all of it. Other than that, it's a fairly basic Melee Physical Build with a high Critical Strike Chance (although in no way you can cap it without inflicting Brittle, having Rosethron Tincture on, and using Bottled Faith). Be sure your Resistances are capped and you have enough Attributes for all the Skills. If you need more durability, seek Physical to Elemental damage taken shift and Armour.

(Helmet) Rare Helmet - Rare Helmet will boost your Max Physical Damage taken with its Physical to Fire Damage shift from an Eldritch Implicit and Armour. It can also grant Life, Resistances, and Attributes.

Min. requirements: +100 to Maximum Life +80% to Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: Intelligence Chaos Resistance

(Helmet) Abyssus - A major increase to your damage, but cripples your defences where it matters the most. Can be good, especially with its Crit Multiplier bonus, but not in a hardcore environment.

+(20-25) to all Attributes Adds 40 to 60 Physical Damage to Attacks +(100-125)% to Melee Critical Strike Multiplier (100-120)% increased Armour (40-50)% increased Physical Damage taken

(Weapon) Rare Mace - Focus on Physical Damage per Hit, put leave one Prefix open to craft "Hits can't be Evaded". Karui Maul has the highest damage so aim for that. For Suffixes - Attack Speed and Crit modifiers are the best.

Min. requirements: over 500 Physical DPS Hits can't be Evaded (crafted Prefix) Optional affixes: Critical Strike Chance and Multiplier +10% to Quality of Socketed Gems (Veiled Prefix)

(Body Armour) Rare Body Armour - Maximum Life, Armour, and Resistances. For the Eldritch mods seek Crit Multiplier and Physical to Elemental Damage shift. There's a Hunter/Elder Suffix for a high base Crit Chance bonus which is also great.

Min. requirements: +140 to Maximum Life +80% to Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: Chaos Resistance Armour Attacks have +#% to Critical Strike Chance (Elder/Hunter Suffix)

(Body Armour) Utula's Hunger - With Abyssus and Corpsewalker you're already halfway there to meet its requirement for up a 1000 Life, just keep avoiding life mods on other items.

(60-100)% increased Armour Recover (1-3)% of Life on Kill (30-40)% increased Stun and Block Recovery +(700-1000) to maximum Life if there are no Life Modifiers on other Equipped Items

(Boots) Rare Boots - Life, Movement Speed, and Resistances are all you need on boots. For the Eldritch mods seek General's Cry Cooldown Recovery Rate and Action Speed or Maximum Fire Resistance. The best option is, however, to have a Warlord Prefix for +1 to Maximum Endurance Charge.

Min. requirements: +90 to maximum Life 30% increased Movement Speed +80% to Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: Chaos Resistance Armour +1 to Maximum Endurance Charges (Warlord Prefix)

(Boots) Corpsewalker - Corpse Walk spawn Corpses which are to be used with General's Cry. Otherwise, you have to spawn Corpses some other way, especially during boss fights. Jump to the gem section to learn how. Corrupt them, Boots can roll +1 Max Endurance Charge as Vaal Implicit.

Triggers Level 20 Corpse Walk when Equipped (80-120)% increased Evasion and Energy Shield 25% increased Movement Speed For each nearby corpse, 1% increased Movement Speed For each nearby corpse, Regenerate 8.00 Life per second

(Gloves) Rare Gloves - On Rare Gloves you will find Maximum Life, Resistances, Armour, Dexterity, and Attack Speed or Added Damage. For the Eldritch mods get Physical to Fire Conversion and increased effect of Herald of Ash or increased Crit Chance for Attacks.

Min. requirements: +90 to maximum Life +80% to Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: Adds Physical Damage to Attacks Dexterity

(Belt) The Magnate - It will be very easy to reach 400 Strength, making this Belt one of the best options. It only lacks Life and life mods, but that can be an upside with Utula's Hunger.

(20-30)% increased Stun Duration on Enemies +(40-50) to Strength +(20-25)% to all Elemental Resistances 50% increased Flask Charges gained 10% chance to deal Double Damage while you have at least 200 Strength 5% chance to deal Triple Damage while you have at least 400 Strength

(Belt) Rare Belt - Here you can find Life, Resistances, increased Elemental Damage with Attacks, and various Flask modifiers.

Min. requirements: +100 to Maximum Life +80% to Elemental Resistances increased Elemental Damage with Attacks Optional affixes: Chaos Resistance Flask modifiers

(Amulet) Ashes of the Stars  - Quality is good with Cyclone, Tectonic Slam, Autoexertion, and General's Cry. Ashes is probably the best choice.

+(10-16) to all Attributes (5-10)% increased Experience Gain of Gems +1 to Level of all Skill Gems +(20-30)% to Quality of all Skill Gems

Recommended Anointments: Blcksmith's Clout Pain Forger

(Ring) Rare Rings - Rare Rings can roll Life, Resistances, Attributes, increased Elemental Damage with Attacks, and Global Critical Strike Multiplier. Synthesised Rings can roll +1 to Max Endurance Charge and that's invaluable.

Min. requirements: +90 to Maximum Life +80% to Elemental Resistances increased Elemental Damage with Attacks Optional affixes: Adds Physical Damage to Attacks Chaos Resistance Attributes +#% to Global Critical Strike Multiplier

(Ring) Kaom's Sign - The Maximum Endurance Charge is the only reason to wear them, but it's justified in this case. Precursor's Emblem or Rare Synthesised Ring with the same mods will be much better in almost any case, but also much more expensive. If you don't like the Life mod implicit, corrupt it.

+(20-30) to maximum Life +(10-20) to Strength Grants Level 10 Enduring Cry Skill +1 to Maximum Endurance Charges

(Jewel) Rare Jewels - Here, after all your other stats are settled, aim for Maximum Life and Critical Strike Chance and Multiplier. Crimson Jewels will be the best for that.

Recommended affixes: increased maximum Life Attributes Resistances Critical Strike modifiers

(Jewel) Brutal Restraint - Use the Nasima variant for Second Sight. it makes you Blind, but you cannot Evade anyway with Unvawering Stance, and you cannot miss with your weapon, so it doesn't matter. Socket it near The Agnostic.

Denoted service of (500-8000) dekhara in the akhara of (Asenath-Balbala-Nasima) Passives in radius are Conquered by the Maraketh Historic

(Jewel) The Interrogation - You will apply Scorch instead of Ignite with Critical Strike, and that's a mighty upgrade. Scorch lowers Elemental Resistance.

Adds Secrets of Suffering

(Jewel) Large Cluster Jewel - Overlord grants Fortify, Martial Prowess is overall good, and Fuel the Fight grants Mana Leech, our only source of it.

Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Fuel the Fight 1 Added Passive Skill is Martial Prowess 1 Added Passive Skill is Overlord 1 Added Passive Skill is Heavy Hitter

(Jewel) Medium Cluster Jewel - One Lead by Example is used for Onslaught, Mob  Mentality has a 5% chance to grant you random Charges (Power Charges too) on Warcry use per 1 of their Power, and Rattling Bellow increases your damage (Mirages' Attacks count as Exerted Attacks).

Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Lead By Example 1 Added Passive Skill is Mob Mentality 1 Added Passive Skill is Rattling Bellow

(Flask) Bottled Faith - You could really use some extra Crit Chance and Damage which this Flask provides. Use it only against bosses.

40% increased Damage Creates Consecrated Ground on Use (30-15)% reduced Duration Consecrated Ground created by this Flask has Tripled Radius Consecrated Ground created during Effect applies (7-10)% increased Damage taken to Enemies (100-150)% increased Critical Strike Chance against Enemies on Consecrated Ground during Effect

Other suggested Flasks: Diamond Flask with increased Crit Chance Quicksilver Flask with increased Movement Speed Granite Flask with increased Armour Prismatic or Rosethron Tincture with Elemental Penetration

If you have any other build requests please leave that in the comments below. We are always open to suggestions and constructive feedback.

Pictures used in this article are the intellectual property of Grinding Gear Games.