CWS Expectations
First and foremost Cast when Stunned (CWS) build is focused on non-bossing content, although it can still do them at reduced effectiveness. This build excels at high and extremely high density content; think Simulacrum, Ritual, Ultimatum, Harvest, Strongbox, Abyss and so on. While I say the build is "AFK', that is more of a gimmick than reality. You still need to play the game, but you're able to walk away from your PC at any time.
CWS is also exceptionally low input, so if you're prefer low input gameplay there's not much better than this.
CWS peaks at mid-late game performance, and typically I play this build to farm significant currency in addition to
Mageblood to then explore and try out new builds for the remainder of the league.
Mirage league discoveries
I'll add anything new here. This includes items, gems, tech and so on that is new to 3.28.
Mirage 3.28 Changes
Hinekora got adjusted, more proc rate, less damage. However, by endgame you were hitting DoT cap anyway so IMO not a big deal.
Bloodnotch nerf affected early decent amount (think 8 points to mitigate) but by end game
Defiance of Destiny there isn't any affect by the nerf anymore.
Defiled Forces nerfed, but maybe exceptional support somewhere? Double chance to proc hinekora somewhat alleviates this nerf. Personally, it's a bit annoying but not the end of the world.
Leveling/Campaign
Highly recommended to follow pohx RF. If you're new to CWS or to RF please level with this.
If you're more experienced, you can deviated with alternate initial leveling such as Sunder until 19 for RF swap, or 55~ for swap then.
CWS Swap
No Bloodnotch
For the majority of people,
Bloodnotch Isn't so quickly acquired at league start. Therefore, No
Bloodnotch version is a gateway until then.
POB: https://pobb.in/JK3kksNTM0Fq
Follow this PoB carefully, and make your pantheons are LUNARIS and TUKOHAMA. Do not take Brine King.
Video Explanation on NO BLOODNOTCH swap.
Flask Crafting
Flasks are usually alt spammed, searching for +3 prefix + open suffix. You can finish them off at menagie to add on X immune during effect as shown in PoB. Ideally, everytime you alt spam Ignite chance suffix, always try to slam a +x flask when hit prefix as that will be a very good flask.
3% regen, 15% damage taken leeched as life are crafts found on the CRAFTING BENCH. These are unlocked by clearing Silo Map and picking the recipe by the boss.
Bloodnotch Initial Swap
Once you acquire
Bloodnotch the main benefit is the ability to drop some defensives for some more offensives while getting tankier.
It's very important to drop the Life Recoup over 3 seconds mastery at this time and from now onwards.
POB: https://pobb.in/PmBU7tMlln4I
Video Explanation on BLOODNOTCH swap.
Anytime Upgrades
I should first mention expensive upgrade options which you can swap in at anytime if you get your hands on them.
1.
Defiance of Destiny
This amulet basically un-nerfs any change to
Bloodnotch and makes you incredibly tanky.
2. Watcher's Eye
Vitality life on hit, Malevolence Multiplier, Faster Ailments are all great options to slot into the build whenever you can.
3. Good Jewels
Jewels such as Life %, max fire res, fire damage over time multiplier are all extremely good and you can stuff into sockets as you get them.
4. Tattoos
With shipment being swapped, Ignite % chance tattoos may be more readily available. So pick them up if they're cheap and you need ignite chance (you want 100% to feel good).
Midgame Upgrade 1 - Nebulis
POB: https://pobb.in/TEx-3of-uWyu
Basically, you want Nebulis asap. Last league was pretty for whatever roll, we just need to start and implicit don't matter.
Midgame Upgrade 2 - Initial Large Cluster
POB: https://pobb.in/fVUctZSotofO
When applicable, drop damage nodes for Large cluster nodes and start introducing Life %, Fire Multi AND/OR Fire max res jewels.
Video guide on Large Cluster Swap
The large cluster we want is 8 passive Fire cluster with
Burning Bright +
Widespread Destruction and a combination of 1 of the following 3;
Cremator
Master of Fire or
Smoking Remains. For the 1 of 3 options, we never take this rear notable at the back of the cluster.
I highly recommend buying these jewels outright, however if you insist on crafting then your best bet is buying a ilvl 50-67 large cluster and doing some variation of fire mod spam and exalt. It's quite painful crafting this way.
Midgame Upgrade 3 - Triple Large Cluster Swap
POB: https://pobb.in/yv82lEh8PTQB
This includes mostly a tree restructure, and picking up even more jewel sockets and large clusters.
Video guide on Triple Large Cluster
Midgame Upgrade 4 - Prism Guardian Malevolence Aura
POB: https://pobb.in/1aIufgwcXUTx
Make sure to link
Malevolence with
Eternal Blessing Support OUTSIDE of
Prism Guardian.
Within
Prism Guardian, put
Petrified Blood and
Flesh and Stone (guess which stance we want). If you are running a Watcher's Eye with Vitality (life gain on hit), then you can squeeze in an appropriate
Vitality making sure your HP doesn't drop below 55%.
In addition, keep your reservation topped off with one of the following.
1.
Champion of the Cause (+ life mastery if necessary)
2.
Leader of the Pack (annointed on new Cord belt)
3. Runegraft of Treachery (I prefer it tattooed on
Infused Flesh mastery)
Video guide on Prism Guardian Swap
Midgame Upgrade 5 - Unearth DD Swap
I would like to firstly acknowledge the traditional owners of the this land and the gadigal people that you can skip
Unearth +
Detonate Dead if you prefer the 7L RF playstyle. Both versions have their benefits and downsides.
The quickest TLDR. 7L
Righteous Fire +
Detonate Dead of Scavenging is better at clearing low density very weak mobs because you can kill them faster than they can hit you to proc a DD. Unearth DD has higher success at single target with combined with. If you would prefer
Righteous Fire check out my guide from last league, not much changed in terms of setup here.
Video guide here. Highly recommend watching.
The basics are using
Unearth +
Honourhome/
Viridi's Veil with a +2 AoE and/or +2 Projectile corruption linked with
Enhance Support and
Empower Support. This gives us access to level 30+ Unearth with level 6+ enhance to spawn a corpse with 100k life.
We then use
Detonate Dead to explode this SPAWNED corpse. DO NOT USE
Detonate Dead of Scavenging for this. In some exceptions,
Detonate Dead of Chain Reaction can be used at the sacrifice of damage but for better clear and proc rates. I would only recommend this at ultra end when damage is no longer a problem for generic DD.
This is combined with
The Hateful Accuser and we kill the phantasms spawned to then proc
Hinekora, Death's Fury which when combined with 100% ignite chance gives us our single target damage.
Aspirational
I will mention in addition to the video,
Mageblood is the last upgrade we want due to the nature of CWS and flasks in this build. However, many players choose to rush
Mageblood so that they are able to reroll into other build later on.
If there are any additions found in 3.28, I'll add them here.
POBS
Mostly finished PoBs for now.
No Bloodnotch Swap: https://pobb.in/JK3kksNTM0Fq
Bloodnotch Swap: https://pobb.in/PmBU7tMlln4I
Midgame 1: https://pobb.in/TEx-3of-uWyu
Midgame 2: https://pobb.in/fVUctZSotofO
Midgame 3: https://pobb.in/yv82lEh8PTQB
Midgame 4: https://pobb.in/1aIufgwcXUTx
Midgame 5: https://pobb.in/AJfx7FUUUGzv
Aspirational: https://pobb.in/u6FAWcUhvvGh
Changes after 3.28 I'll mention below and refer to what the changes apply to.


































Flesh and Stone



