Infinite EHP? The Most Broken Item in PoE: Svalinn

Lolcohol
15 Aug 202411:35

TLDRIn this video, Locol discusses the Svalinn Shield, a popular item in Path of Exile that provides immense tankiness to builds, particularly for the Warden class. The shield's key feature is its high block chance, which is further increased by its unique line and socketed gems. Locol explains that while the shield offers significant EHP, it's not infallible as it can't block DoTs or certain boss attacks. He emphasizes the importance of combining the shield with other defensive layers like armor and life gain on block. The video also touches on the need for passive recovery and avoiding being baited by the shield's high avoidance.

Takeaways

  • 🛡️ The Svalinn Shield is highly sought after for its ability to provide massive block chance, making it a tanky choice for builds.
  • 📈 The shield's 'chance to block' line effectively doubles block chance, providing a significant boost to survivability.
  • 💠 The shield's unique feature allows for socketed elemental spells to be triggered on block, which can be customized to various builds.
  • 🔥 The video suggests using gems like Flame Wall, Sigil of Power, and Molten Shell for constant procs when blocking.
  • 🚫 It's crucial to understand that block chance does not mitigate damage but acts as an avoidance layer, similar to evasion.
  • ⏱ The shield's effectiveness is not indefinite; certain attacks and damage over time effects cannot be blocked.
  • 💔 The build showcased in the video includes layers of defense, such as armor and life gain on block, to complement the shield's avoidance.
  • 🔝 The video emphasizes the importance of not relying solely on the shield for defense, suggesting the need for a balanced approach with other defensive strategies.
  • 💢 The 'Soul of the Brine King' is recommended to prevent stun locking, which can interrupt the block recovery animation.
  • 🌀 The video points out that while the shield is powerful, it is not infallible against all types of damage, especially when combined with damage over time effects.
  • 🔗 The presenter plans to provide a detailed build guide and theory crafting for this version of the shield build.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the video?

    -The main topic of the video is discussing the shield Svalinn, which is considered to provide a high level of tankiness in the game Path of Exile (PoE).

  • Why is Svalinn considered 'broken' in PoE?

    -Svalinn is considered 'broken' because it offers a significant increase in block chance, which can make a character extremely tanky and hard to kill.

  • What is the effect of the 'chance to block' line on Svalinn?

    -The 'chance to block' line on Svalinn doubles the block chance and picks the highest number, resulting in a massive increase to the character's block chance.

  • What is the significance of the 'trigger a socketed Elemental spell on block' line on Svalinn?

    -This line allows the player to use various gems that get triggered whenever they block an attack, providing additional effects and damage.

  • What gems does the video recommend using with Svalinn?

    -The video recommends using Flame Wall Sigil, Power Charge, and Molten Shell gems with Svalinn for their consistent procs when blocking.

  • How does the video suggest avoiding being baited by Svalinn's high block chance?

    -The video suggests changing the mindset to view block as an avoidance layer rather than a mitigation layer, and to combine it with other defensive layers.

  • What are the limitations of Svalinn's blocking ability?

    -Svalinn cannot block damage over time effects, and some boss attacks are designed to bypass blocking mechanics.

  • How does the video explain the importance of life gain on block with Svalinn?

    -The video explains that life gain on block helps to quickly recover health after taking damage, which is crucial for maintaining a high life pool.

  • What is the role of the 'Soul of the Brine King' in the build discussed in the video?

    -The 'Soul of the Brine King' prevents the player from being stunned if they have blocked or been stunned in the last 2 seconds, which is beneficial for avoiding block recovery animations.

  • What is the strategy for mitigation if not relying solely on Svalinn's blocking ability?

    -The strategy involves stacking armor and using other defensive mechanisms like Iron Reflexes to convert evasion to armor, providing a secondary layer of defense.

  • How does the video address the issue of damage over time effects in the game?

    -The video acknowledges that damage over time effects are a weakness of the build and suggests using active recovery mechanisms like life leech and flasks to counteract it.

Outlines

00:00

🛡️ Understanding the Tanky Warden Shield

The video discusses a popular shield build in the game, focusing on the Warden class. The presenter, Locol, explains why this build is so tanky despite being a Warden, which is typically not very durable. The key to this build is the shield's 'chance to block' attribute, which, when combined with the player's block chance, results in a significant increase in the likelihood of blocking attacks. The shield also has a unique feature where it triggers a socketed elemental spell upon blocking an attack, which can be customized with various gems to suit different playstyles. Locol mentions using Flame Wall, Sigil of Power, and Molten Shell for constant procs. The video emphasizes that while the shield provides a high block chance, it should be used in conjunction with other defensive layers, as not all attacks can be blocked, especially damage over time effects.

05:00

💡 Maximizing Block Efficiency and Avoidance

In this segment, Locol delves deeper into the mechanics of blocking and how to avoid being baited by the shield's high block chance. He suggests changing the mindset from viewing block as a mitigation layer to an avoidance layer, similar to evasion. The presenter explains that relying solely on block can be risky, as not all attacks can be blocked, and damage over time effects bypass blocking entirely. Locol also touches on the importance of life gain on block, which helps in maintaining health even when taking damage. He mentions using items like the Anvil and Yoke of Suffering, along with the Testudo notable, to gain significant life upon blocking. The video also discusses the use of the Soul of the Brine King to prevent being stunned, which can interrupt the block recovery animation.

10:02

🔥 Combining Block with Other Defenses

Locol wraps up the video by discussing how the block shield fits into a broader defensive strategy. He uses the analogy of an onion to describe the layers of defense, with block being the outer layer. Once attacks penetrate this layer, the next line of defense is armor, which is significantly boosted by converting evasion rating to armor using Iron Reflexes. The presenter also mentions the importance of passive recovery, such as life regeneration, and his use of an eternal life flask to address this. Locol acknowledges that while the shield provides a strong avoidance layer, it is not foolproof against damage over time effects and certain boss mechanics. He encourages viewers to experiment with different gems and strategies to find what works best for them and concludes the video by inviting feedback on the build.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡EHP

Effective Hit Points (EHP) refers to a measure of a character's survivability in games, taking into account not just raw health points but also defensive stats and abilities that reduce incoming damage. In the context of the video, EHP is discussed in relation to the 'Svalinn' shield, which is noted for its high EHP values, suggesting that characters equipped with it are exceptionally hard to kill.

💡Svalinn

Svalinn is a unique shield in the game 'Path of Exile' that is central to the video's discussion. It is known for its ability to significantly increase a player's block chance, which in turn greatly enhances their survivability. The shield's effectiveness is highlighted by the speaker's own experience of being 'tanky' or highly resistant to damage.

💡Block Chance

Block Chance is a defensive statistic in 'Path of Exile' that determines how often a player can block incoming attacks, preventing damage. The video explains that the Svalinn shield has a special modifier that effectively doubles the block chance, making it a crucial component of the build discussed.

💡Flame Wall

Flame Wall is an elemental spell in 'Path of Exile' that can be socketed into the Svalinn shield, allowing it to be triggered upon blocking an attack. The video mentions using 'Flame Wall' in conjunction with the shield to provide additional damage output, showcasing the synergy between the shield's defensive capabilities and offensive potential.

💡Molten Shell

Molten Shell is a spell that provides damage reduction and reflects damage back to enemies in 'Path of Exile'. The video describes using this spell in combination with the Svalinn shield to maintain a constant protective aura around the player, further increasing survivability.

💡Avoidance Layer

An Avoidance Layer in the context of the video refers to a strategy of using game mechanics to avoid taking damage rather than reducing the damage taken. The speaker emphasizes that the Svalinn shield should be considered an avoidance layer, similar to evasion, and not solely as a mitigation layer.

💡Mitigation Layer

Mitigation Layer refers to the defensive aspects of a character build that reduce the amount of damage taken when an attack lands. The video suggests that while the Svalinn shield is a powerful avoidance tool, it should be paired with other mitigation methods, such as armor, to ensure comprehensive defense.

💡Life Gain on Block

Life Gain on Block is a modifier that恢复玩家在成功格挡攻击时的生命值. In the video, the speaker mentions various sources of life gain on block, such as the Anvil and Yoke of Suffering unique items, which contribute to the character's ability to recover health rapidly after blocking attacks.

💡Sigil of Power

Sigil of Power is a skill gem in 'Path of Exile' that can be socketed into the Svalinn shield to trigger when the player blocks an attack. The video discusses using this skill to gain additional benefits, such as reduced damage taken, enhancing the overall defensive capabilities of the build.

💡Armor

Armor in 'Path of Exile' reduces physical damage taken by the player. The video explains that after establishing a strong avoidance layer with the Svalinn shield, the speaker's build converts evasion rating to armor, providing an additional mitigation layer to handle damage that gets through the block chance.

💡Damage Over Time (DoT)

Damage Over Time (DoT) refers to damage that is dealt progressively over a period, rather than instantly. The video points out that while the Svalinn shield is excellent for blocking attacks, it cannot block DoT effects, which require different defensive strategies to mitigate.

Highlights

The Svalinn Shield is a popular item in Path of Exile (PoE) for its tankiness.

Svalinn's key feature is its 'Chance to Block' which effectively doubles your block chance.

A typical Svalinn build can have an Effective Health Pool (EHP) of 500,000 to 2 million.

Block chance is crucial and can be calculated easily in PoE's built-in calculator.

The shield's bottom line allows triggering a socketed elemental spell on block.

Flame Wall Sigil, Power Charge Onslaught, and Molten Shell are recommended gems for the shield.

Block should be considered as an avoidance layer, not a mitigation layer.

Not all attacks or spells can be blocked, and damage over time cannot be blocked.

Life gain on block is a significant aspect of the Svalinn Shield's effectiveness.

Anvil and Yoke of Suffering are items that can increase life gain on block.

Testudo and Anointement provide additional life recovery when blocking.

Soul of the Brine King prevents stunning, which is crucial when using Svalinn.

Armor is an essential mitigation layer to complement the avoidance layer of blocking.

Iron Reflexes is a notable skill for converting evasion to armor.

The build showcases over 86,000 armor with Molten Shell for additional mitigation.

Damage over time (DoT) is a weakness of the Svalinn Shield build.

Sigil of Power provides damage reduction as it stacks.

Arctic Armor offers damage reduction while stationary.

The video suggests that the Svalinn Shield may be overpowered and could be nerfed in future leagues.

The video will include a theory crafting guide for the Svalinn Shield build.