So I've spent some time playing my demon hunter on the ptr preparing for patch 2.1. This is the build I've personally found most effective in greater rifts. I'm not saying this is the best possible build for all combat scenarios, but I will say that I've had success with this build and encourage you to give it a try. This build utilizes a mixture of cold and fire spells to get the most out of rocket damage while maintaining 100% uptime on cull of the weak. This build requires the Marauder set and 2.842 Attacks Per Second Break Point. See chart for Attack Speed reference.http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/13271407601
Pros: Very high damage when there is multiple targets. Constant slow to help kite mobs when needed.
Cons: Weaker against single target scenarios such as the Rift Guardian.
Skill Selection
1. Sentry - Spitfire Turret. Free rocket damage added to your sentry shots. None of the other sentry runes provide this type of damage boost.
2. Elemental Arrow - Frost Arrow. This spell will ping pong all over groups of enemy providing you with 100% uptime on Cull of the weak passive.
3. Multishot - Arsenal. Why add a fire spell into a cold build? With the Ballastics passive the damage the rockets from this ability do will out perform the cold multishot rune even with bonus to cold skill gear.
4. Cluster Arrow- Maelstrom. This ability is the strongest attack the demon hunter has in a scenario with 4 or more enemies.
5. Companion. With the Marauder set it doesn't matter which rune you choose here. You will get the benefit of them all.
6. Vault - Tumble. I prefer to use vault to escape from mobs and give some mobility between combat. Smoke Screen is an alternative choice for this skill slot.
Passives
1. Ballastics - Improve your rocket damage.
2. Cull of the Weak - Frost arrow is slowing all enemies so this benefit is active all the time.
3. Awareness - Everybody dies once in a while. This passive will give you that second chance.
4. Custom Engineering - Having that 5th sentry is an important damage boost on the higher greater rift levels
5. Steady Aim - Take this if you have a Hellfire Amulet providing one of the other passives.
Gearing
In this gearing section I will cover the items I consider best in slot for this particular build as well as some alternatives.
Weapon Choices:
EDIT: Hotfixed. Sentry no longer procs knock back. Use only if you lack the other weapon choices. Windforce - Combo with strongarm bracer for 20-30% extra damage for you and your party against enemies affected by the knock back effect. Less active playstyle as you will be resource starved if spending hate on damaging shots between sentry placement.
Etrayu - 15-20% cold skill damage for harder hitting frost arrows and cluster arrows
Kridershot - More active play style with frost arrow as a generator for those that hate to sit still and let the sentries do all the work
Rolls: High min/max dmg, Dex, Vit or 15-20% cold skill(Etrayu) or 10% Damage to Elites, 10% Weapon Damage, Socket with Emerald(Ramalandi's Gift)
Quiver: Bombadier's Rucksack - Dex, Vit, Attack Speed, Crit Chance, Sentry Damage, Max Discipline
Helm: Marauder - Dex, Vit or Cluster Arrow Damage, Crit Chance, Socket (Diamond for cool down reduction), Secondary Resist
Shoulder: Marauder - Dex, Vit, Cool Down Reduction. Sentry Damage, Secondary Resist
Chest: Marauder - Dex, Vit, Sentry Damage, 3 sockets (Emeralds), Secondary Resist
Gloves: Tasker and Theo - Dex, Vit, Crit Chance, Crit Damage, Secondary Resist
Belt: Witching Hour - Dex, Vit, Attack Speed, Crit Damage, Secondary Resist
Bracer:
Option1 Reapers Wraps - Helps with resource management
Option2 Strongarm - Extra damage for you and your party when combined with a Windforce bow (Note only shots fired from yourself proc this and not the sentry)
Option3 Slavebonds - Can roll an extra primary affix. Useful for Kridershot users when not utilizing the resource gain from Reapers Wraps
Rolls: Dex, Vit, Cold Skill Damage, Crit Chance, Secondary Resist
Pants: Marauder - Dex, Vit, All Resist, 2 sockets (Emeralds)
Boots: Marauder - Dex, Vit, All Resist, Cluster Arrow Damage
Ring1: Ring of Royal Grandeur - Dex, Attack Speed, Crit Damage or Crit Chance, Socket, Secondary Resist
Ring2: Option 1 Stone of Jordan - 20% Cold Skill Damage, Crit Chance or Crit Damage, Socket, Elite Damage, Secondary Resist, Max Discipline
Ring2: Option 2 Unity(Solo) - Dex, Crit Chance or Crit Damage, Socket, Elite Damage, Secondary Resist
Amulet: Hellfire Amulet: Dex, Crit Chance, Crit Damage, Socket, One of the 5 passives mentioned above
Legendary Gems:
Bane of the Trapped - Extra damage against enemies slowed by Frost Arrow
Enforcer - Extra damage from Sentry shots as well as companions
Bane of the Powerful - Extra damage against elites as well as a 20% buff after killing an elite
Pain Enhancer - Constant bleed damage over 3 sec to enemies hit by a critical hit from either you or your sentries
Invigorating - Reduced damage from dangerous affixes such as Jailer
Game Play Videos
Solo level 38 Greater Rift https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44fGHkuLCfE&list=PLbtCLuDf-AymUlPnV4Ddp5MJa2dzdj_tl
3 Player level 38 Greater Rift https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XoMh7YMDJ4&index=2&list=PLbtCLuDf-AymUlPnV4Ddp5MJa2dzdj_tl
If you have any questions about the build feel free to contact me in game. Vibe#1320