How to build a good end-game Exalted Excalibur?

[8BitCardinal]

So I decided to get back to my Excalibur and I wanted to amp him up for solo. As of now I am having trouble building him. I read that Radial Blind is good for survival but Im having more fun with Exalted Blade. Ive read many discussions, watched many videos on how to mod an EB Excal but until now I have no idea what to do. 

 

For starters I aim for what most forums say "Max out power strength, efficiency,  and add a bit of range"  I have 2 tested builds and one non tested because of mods

 

A: Steel Charge, Narrow Minded, Vitality, Constitution, Fleeting Expertise, Continuity, Flow, Intensify, Blind Rage [Duration:179, Efficiency:130, Range:46, Strength:184]

B: Steel Charge, Narrow Minded, Vitality, Fleeting Expertise, Streamline, Blind Rage, Transient Fortitude, Intensify, Continuity [Duration:136, Efficiency:160, Range:46, Strength:214]

C: Steel Charge, Quick Thinking, Steel Fiber, Vitality, (Primed) Flow, Transient Fortitude, Rage, Constitution, Continuity [Duration:143, Efficiency:100, Range:100, Strength:130]

 

From what ive researched people recommend you amp up power str on Excal to be able to deal with the heavies. Then you "tweak" with duration and efficiency to make your EB tick less. Upon doing so would screw the range. However I noticed some videos of T4 Solo Excaliburs going 1 hour with only 130ish power strength (How?)

 

I also noticed that they recommend channeling when using EB. I can understand why but I cant keep up the channel. When the going gets tough I tend to use life strike to sustain myself but it tears through my energy reserves. And the moment I run out of energy........ Which points out to one of my main issues, survivability. How do I survive? Ive been thinking QT + LifeStrike, QT + Rage or whatever but the internet doesnt recommend to use it anymore, however, I saw a build that uses Steel Fiber, Vitality, Vigor (Worth it?)

 

Finally, weapon build contributes to the dmg done by exalted blade via mods. So what should I build? Pure dmg? Crit/aspd? Channeling Efficiency? Currently I am using Pure Dmg, youtube videos ive been watching seems to go for crit/aspd (Naramon) or Nikana Channeling Efficiency.

 

If it helps here's my melee build

Broken-War: Crimson Dervish, Pressure Point, Molten Impact, Vicious Frost, Shocking Touch, Fever Strike, Spoiled Strike, Fury, Life Strike

 

Currently im thinking of swapping to a more "tanky" Excalibur with defense mods and focus on increased power to keep EB up, then swap to an aspd/crit type melee. Im still skeptical about it though

[Wopel]

Naramon focus perhaps? The stealth multiplier and crit chance.

Also I believe you can hold down the block during EB to reduce damage, not 100% sure if that is still the case as I haven't done much with Excal as of late.

Edited May 22, 2016 by Wopel

[Urlan]

Consider acquiring Power Drift as well and if you can, the old Arcane Helmet for Excalibur that increases power strength, Arcane Pendragon I believe if you see anyone offering it in Trade Chat. Primed Flow from Baro this weekend will assist with your energy issues and you should be able to go for a bit with your favored build adding Primed Continuity if you can get your hands on it later. If you are needing to channel for tougher foes, consider Focus Energy on your Broken War, it might have lower damage, but the reduction to the drain from Life strike channeling is often well worth it. For Focus lens use, consider Zenurik for energy and a crowd control; Naramon for bonuses to melee and possible stealth; and Madurai for doing damage and pumping physical damage. If you can get them, Arcane enhancements like Strike and Fury might be worth trying to obtain or you might like considering others if they have particular synergy with your playstyle instead.

[-CdG-Zilchy]

Bad way to build it, power strength isn't the way to go, staying alive is more important. Define your idea of endgame and I'll be able to help.

[8BitCardinal]

7 minutes ago, Zilchy said:

Bad way to build it, power strength isn't the way to go, staying alive is more important. Define your idea of endgame and I'll be able to help.

Basically..... have enough tankiness to survive an onslaught of enemies while still be able to dish out dmg via Exalted Blade w/o worrying about running out of Energy.

 

Ive been thinking of ditching most of the stat increases to and rely more on increased Energy via Primed Flow to be able to cast EB. For the rest of the mod slots well.... Vitality, Steel Fiber, Quick Thinking, Rage , Vigor or whatever helps to keep me alive.

[-CdG-Zilchy]

2 hours ago, 8BitCardinal said:

Basically..... have enough tankiness to survive an onslaught of enemies while still be able to dish out dmg via Exalted Blade w/o worrying about running out of Energy.

 

Ive been thinking of ditching most of the stat increases to and rely more on increased Energy via Primed Flow to be able to cast EB. For the rest of the mod slots well.... Vitality, Steel Fiber, Quick Thinking, Rage , Vigor or whatever helps to keep me alive.

Well ok, first of all if you want an Excalibur build that will last for a very long time your ultimate damage is going to come through Covert Lethality. For my Excal build I do the following: 

Aura: Corrosive Projection

Exilus: Handspring

Primed Flow, Primed Continuity, Streamline, Stretch, Rage, Quick Thinking, Vitality, Steel Fibre.

Now that gives you only 100% power strength but it still kills anything in T4 for the first hour, just use melee mods ie crit damage. After this you can increase the damage of EB by using Radial blind which opens them to finishers and makes EB do far more damage. After this starts to drop off you will use Radial Blind plus Covert Lethality finishers to kill anything regardless of level. In super late game, EB is no longer used to kill, it's used for the passive blocking bonus, triggering life strike for health regen and for taking down nullifier bubbles before using radial blind on them.

Quick Thinking, Primed Flow(larger energy pool for more damage absorb) plus extra toughness from Steel Fibre and Vitality will give you massive survivability if you make sure to not get hit by a bombard rocket in the back(ignores EB passive block) and Rage means you can constantly regain energy the whole time. Choose a dagger with Covert Lethality and Life Strike and you're good to go. Try to use Rage strategically, allowing only weaker enemies(like lancers) to shoot you and trigger Rage energy regen without taking heavy damage. Also note if you want to only go for about 1 hour you can simply use a Nikana variant and do extra damage with the high crit bonus on the weapon. But with a dagger and practice you will survive for several hours until you start getting 1 hit killed by Bombards, learning to dodge and using Radial Blind a lot, helps an awful lot.