Best Companion Synergy for Beastmaster Bear EQ: Unstoppable Damage in Last Epoch Season 3

 

Last Epoch Season 3: Mastering the Bear EQ Beastmaster for Explosive Damage

Last Epoch's Season 3 introduces a wealth of new opportunities for minion builds, and among the most exciting and potent is the Beastmaster Bear EQ synergy. For players seeking to maximize minion power and harness some of the most explosive damage potential in the game, this build is going to be an absolute game-changer. The focus here is the Bear EQ Beastmaster—a high-damage, tanky, and versatile build that relies on the synergy between the Beastmaster’s companion mechanics and Earthquake (EQ). If you’re a fan of minion builds and want to see some numbers explode like never before, then this guide is for you.

Season 3's updates have pushed the boundaries of what’s possible with the Bear EQ Beastmaster, especially with the buffs to the Aspect of the Shark and the unique ways Earthquake interacts with the bear’s abilities. Not only does this synergy offer robust damage scaling through the Bear's abilities, but it also includes enhancements that are now key to boosting your minions’ damage output.

Understanding the Core Mechanics of Bear EQ Beastmaster

The primary synergy of this build lies in the connection between Earthquake (EQ), the Bear, and the Aspect of the Shark. These three elements are intertwined in a way that makes your damage skyrocket—here’s a quick rundown:

• Aspect of the Shark Buffs: The Aspect of the Shark has received a buff, which now provides a substantial damage multiplier for both the Bear and the Earthquake abilities. This means that your Bear’s attack and Earthquake output will see exponential increases, thanks to the addition of extra scaling mechanics. Essentially, every time Earthquake procs via the Bear, it's multiplied by all the damage modifiers available, including those from the Shark, Bear, minion power, and more.

• Bear’s Earthquake Charges: With the new tree and abilities, the Bear now has the ability to proc Earthquake. This is huge, as Earthquake no longer needs to be entirely independent of the Bear's actions. When spec'd correctly, the Bear can trigger Earthquake with multiple charges, and each time it casts Earthquake, your damage output increases exponentially. This happens especially quickly when you incorporate cooldown reduction and War Cry.

Best Companion Synergy: Bears, Earthquake, and the Shark

In Season 3, the synergy between the Bear, Earthquake, and the Shark is one of the strongest in the game. To understand why, let’s break it down.

The Bear's Earthquake mechanic scales based on several factors:

1. Cooldown Reduction: By stacking cooldown reduction (through items like idols or other gear), the Bear can chain Earthquakes every few seconds. With proper gear and setup, you can see an Earthquake cast roughly every 2 seconds, without consuming any mana.

2. Aspect of the Shark: This is the real game-changer. The Aspect of the Shark applies a massive multiplier to your Bear's damage. When the Earthquake procs, it benefits from all of the Bear’s power as well as from the Shark’s buff. This means that every Earthquake attack becomes exponentially stronger as you keep adding more synergy.

3. Bear’s Two Earthquake Charges: With the right passive choices, your Bear can trigger two Earthquakes in quick succession. The cooldown between casts is typically long enough for one Earthquake to land, but by using War Cry and cooldown reduction, this mechanic becomes even more broken, allowing for constant Earthquakes.

4. War Cry + Maelstrom Synergy: War Cry’s ability to generate stacks of Maelstrom further boosts the Bear’s damage. These Maelstrom stacks increase your damage output dramatically and synergize perfectly with the Bear’s swipe and Earthquake.

This combination can lead to some insane damage numbers, especially when coupled with the right gear and passives.

Key Gear Choices to Maximize Damage

The gear you choose will determine just how “broken” this build can get. While the Bear EQ Beastmaster doesn’t require top-tier gear to function, having the right items will push your damage to astronomical levels. Here's a closer look at the gear choices that elevate this build:

• Dual Wielding with Red Rings: The choice to dual-wield and use Red Rings is crucial to maximizing damage. These rings offer Clever Solution, which allows you to stack multiple bonuses from Tyrant’s School, granting more damage and defensive stats for your Bear.

• Yulia’s Path Boots: These boots are absolutely essential for this build. They provide a Melee Damage bonus for your minions, which directly applies to the Bear's swipe and Earthquake abilities. With this item, you increase the damage output of each Maelstrom, and as Maelstrom is cast more frequently through War Cry, you rapidly scale your Bear's damage.

• Inheritance of the Erased Amulet: This amulet provides a solid boost to crit chance, especially important for the Bear's attacks. As crits become a key part of scaling damage, having high crit chance—whether via this amulet or other sources—will make the difference between solid damage and insane damage.

• Primalist Relic: The Primalist Relic can be an excellent alternative to more specialized relics. It grants you additional power and helps fill in some of the gaps when you don’t have access to the high-end gear, like the Tyrannosaurus Relic.

How the Build Scales

What makes the Bear EQ Beastmaster particularly terrifying in Season 3 is how quickly it scales its damage:

1. Early Game (Starting Gear): At first, you can get by with basic gear and still have a strong minion build. Early on, you can focus on getting damage multipliers like increased minion damage and Strength to boost your Bear’s raw power. The first few levels will feel straightforward, but as you progress, you'll unlock the true potential of your Earthquake synergy.

2. Mid-Game (Upgrading to Endgame Gear): As you start to piece together more advanced gear like Red Rings and Yulia’s Path Boots, you’ll notice a significant spike in your damage output. You’ll want to focus on Cooldown Reduction and Crit Chance to maximize your Bear’s Earthquake uptime and effectiveness.

3. Endgame (Aspirational Gear): Once you’ve reached endgame, your gear will allow for some jaw-dropping damage numbers. With maxed out cooldown reduction, crit chance, and proper use of Aspect of the Shark, you can expect your Bear to crit for millions of damage per Earthquake. Bosses won’t stand a chance.

Companion Synergy and Strategy

The heart of this build’s success is the synergy between your Bear and all the tools you provide it. Here’s how you can best optimize it:

• Using War Cry for Earthquake Charges: War Cry is one of the most important abilities in this build. By using War Cry, you not only give your Bear the ability to generate multiple Earthquake charges but also boost the damage of those charges. Proper timing with War Cry ensures that Earthquake happens at least once every few seconds, even in the heat of battle.

• Maximizing Maelstrom Stacks: Maelstrom is an essential part of the build. Spec'ing into full duration allows you to sustain damage buffs on your Bear for extended periods. These buffs help stack additional damage and work hand-in-hand with the Earthquake synergy.

• Critical Hits and Scaling Crit Damage: Crits are essential for pushing the damage to new heights. Inheritance of the Erased and Jewels of Obsession can give your Bear the crit chance needed to land those devastating hits. Crit multi becomes even more essential, so be sure to prioritize it on your gear.

• Minion Tankiness and Survivability: While your Bear will be dishing out ridiculous damage, it also needs to stay alive long enough to deal that damage. Build some Strength, Vitality, and Defensive Stats into your gear to ensure the Bear stays alive and can keep hammering down the damage.

Conclusion

The Best Companion Synergy for Beastmaster Bear EQ is truly a powerhouse build in Last Epoch Season 3. Thanks to the combination of Earthquake, Aspect of the Shark, and War Cry buffs, you can create a minion powerhouse that will dish out some of the highest damage numbers in the game. Whether you're just starting out or pushing towards endgame, this build provides both incredible damage potential and excellent tankiness. If you’re looking for a build that will absolutely tear through content, this is it.

Season 3 has been a game-changer for Beastmaster fans, and if you want to see some truly insane numbers, this is the synergy you need to exploit. The key to success lies in maximizing the interaction between the Bear and Earthquake, while also utilizing the most powerful damage buffs the game has to offer. Happy hunting!

FAQ - Best Companion Synergy for Beastmaster Bear EQ in Last Epoch Season 3

Q: What is the main focus of the Bear EQ Beastmaster build?
A: The build focuses on maximizing damage output through the synergy of the Bear's Earthquake ability, Aspect of the Shark, and Maelstrom buffs.

Q: Why is Aspect of the Shark important for this build?
A: Aspect of the Shark significantly boosts damage multipliers, enhancing the Bear's attacks and Earthquake procs, which is critical for scaling the build’s damage.

Q: How do I maximize Earthquake damage with the Bear?
A: To maximize damage, stack Cooldown Reduction, Crit Chance, and Maelstrom Duration while using War Cry to generate Earthquake charges.

Q: Is this build good for beginners?
A: Yes, while gear progression may take time, the build is beginner-friendly, and you can start with basic gear and build up to more complex setups as you progress.

Q: Do I need special gear to play this build?
A: You don’t need special gear initially, but for maximum effectiveness, prioritize Yulia’s Path Boots, Inheritance of the Erased Amulet, and Red Rings.

Q: Can the Bear die quickly in this build?
A: The Bear can take a fair amount of damage, but with proper Strength and Defensive Stats scaling, along with the Aggressive Stun passive, survivability is high.

Q: What is the importance of crit chance in this build?
A: Crit chance is essential for maximizing damage. Using items like Inheritance of the Erased or Jewels of Obsession boosts crit chance, leading to massive damage spikes.

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