0.5 Whirling Assault Martial Artist - League Starter to Endgame

This is my build guide for the Whirling Assault Martial Artist for 0.5!

NOTE: THIS IS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS AND WILL BE REVISED ON LEAGUE LAUNCH BASED ON ACTUAL TESTING.

I have been playing and testing this variant of Whirling Assault for several days, both on SSF and HCSSF. To see more content please visit the following links:

YouTube / Twitch / Website

SKILLS OVERVIEW

SPIN 2 WIN! We use Whirling Assault as our main damage ability. For most mapping and league-content simply spamming this one-button will kill all mobs within it's radius. We also utilize Staggering Palm to shoot projecticles for AOE clear in conjunction with Herald of Thunder.

We will craft gloves that give us Power Charges on Crit, due to the new ascendancy "Way of the Stonefist". Using Charged Staff will consume those charges to grant us a ton of flat lightning damage, as well as a shockwave effect whenever we spin. Used with Tempest Bell, we absolutely melt bosses.

"Hollow Form Technique" is another new ascendancy. It will provide us with clones that will use Storm Wave, and we can consume Power Charges to spawn many of them to devasstate our enemies.

ASCENDANCIES OVERVIEW

Ascendany Order Leveling:

Runic Meridians to assist with stats/attributes.

Then Hollow Focus Technique around level 41 when we swap to Whirling Assault and Staggering Palm. Now we have a guaranteed way to trigger Staggering Palm on bosses, since Hollow Focus bells are always primed for stun.

We then respec all of our ascendancies in early maps once we have crafted gloves with Arcane Surge on Hit. We take Hollow Focus Technique, Hollow Form Technique, and Way of the Stonefist (converts Arcane Surge on Hit to Power Charge on Crit). We feed clones with power charges.

Last ascendancy is a defensive (Martial Adept for ES recharge delay shortened or Way of the Mountain for defense/offense). Will test on league launch to compare.

ACT REWARDS

Valley of the Titans: +1 Charm, 30% Charge Generation (Left)

Venom Crypts Vial: 25% increased Stun Threshold

Abandoned Prison Chapel: 30% increased recovery from Life Flasks

Halls of the Dead Totems: +5% Fire, Cold, Lightning Resistances

Qimah The Seven Pillars: 15% increased Global Defences

99% of the time you can just Whirling Assault to blast mobs, while ensuring Staggering Palm is up. When you encounter a tough rare or are doing a difficult boss, you will:

- Use Staggering Palm on a Hollow Focus bell to ensure you have its buff.

- Consume power charges for Charged Staff.

- Pop three Tempest Bell.

- Summon clones to stack Whirling Assault on enemy.

24 MAY 2025 - BUILD GUIDE CREATED.