Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Pursuit of Faith, Conviction of Power, Ritual of Awakening, and Divine Guidance. A Watcher's Eye unique jewel should be used for up to 6% increased life, 6% increased energy shield, 6% increased mana, increased attack damage while affected by Precision, added cold damage while affected by Hatred, and increased critical strike chance while affected by Hatred. The That Which Was Taken jewel is now legacy but can still be used in standard for up to 50% increased critical strike chance against shocked enemies and 25% increased critical strike multiplier against burning enemies. A Rain of Splinters unique jewel should also be used to make your totems fire two additional projectiles which is a better option than Lesser Multiple Projectiles Support because it frees up a support gem slot. The Split Personality jewel is also important in the jewel slot furthest from the starting point of your tree for a large increase to dexterity and life. The Mana Mastery should also be taken for 12% increased mana reservation efficiency which allows you to use the recommended reservation skills. Pick up the nearby totem nodes and circle down on the left side of the tree towards the mega Totem Mastery cluster at the bottom and Utmost Swiftness all the way through the dexterity nodes and pick up the Projectile Mastery that gives 1% increased projectile damage per 16 dexterity on the right side of the tree. Make sure and pick up the nearby life percent nodes as you path over to the Projectile Mastery on the bottom right of the tree for survival.

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Defensive Layers

This is an attribute stacking build so you will most likely have high attributes including strength which gives life. With the Conviction of Power ascendancy you will also have a minimum of four Endurance and Power charges at all times which increases your elemental resistances, reduces your physical damage taken, and increases your critical strike chance. The Divine Guidance ascendancy also makes you take 10% of your damage to your mana. Your totems can take 5% of your damage for you with the Totem Mastery nodes and your totems will also typically take the damage for you which is very helpful defensively.

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Gems

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Weapon (6-link)

Frenzy of Onslaught

Maim Support

Lesser Multiple Projectile Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

Awakened Added Cold Damage Support

Faster Attacks Support

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Armour (6-link)

Siege Ballista

Awakened Added Cold Damage Support

Awakened Elemental Damage With Attacks Support

Increased Critical Strikes Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

Faster Attacks Support

 

Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Hatred

Precision

Enlighten Support

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Gloves (4-link)

Summon Ice Golem

Minion Life Support

Culling Strike Support

Flame Dash

 

Boots (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

Enduring Cry

Call To Arms

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive aura for this build and gives very high evasion. Hatred is the best offensive aura and gives increased cold damage and added cold damage to attacks. Precision is also selected to increase the accuracy and critical strike chance of you and your totems and can be used once you have the 12% mana reservation efficiency from the Mana Mastery and a leveled Enlighten Support to reduce the mana reservation cost of your skills.

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Gem Notes​​

1. Steelskin is the best guard skill for this build because Immortal Call requires you to use potions more frequently and Molten Shell requires very high armor to be effective.

2. The new Siege Ballista of Splintering gem is not an upgrade and currently doesn't work with the Iron Commander bow.

3. Onslaught on kill doesn't affect your totems if your totems are getting the kill. Frenzy of Onslaught deals more damage than the standard Frenzy, generates Frenzy charges which increase the attack speed and damage of Shrapnel Ballista and Frenzy, and gives Onslaught which increases the attack speed of you and your totems.

4. The Enduring Cry warcry is used to provide a large 2200 life heal over one second and gives an extra 2% increased physical damage reduction and 2% increased elemental resistances per Endurance charge which you get from your ascendancy. You should also link the new Call to Arms gem to Enduring Cry to instantly cast your warcry on cooldown.

5. Summon Ice Golem gives increased accuracy and critical strike to you and your totems, replenishes 2% life on Culling Strike, kills enemies at 10% life with Culling Strike Support, and provides an extra target for enemies to attack.

6. If you think you would prefer to play a self cast build that is stronger than Spark Inquisitor defensively you can also check out the Spark Hierophant Guide which can be found here Spark Hybrid.

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Equipment

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Weapon

Iron Commander

Gives an extra Siege Ballista totem per 200 dexterity, 1-3 physical damage per 25 dexterity, and 20% increased totem life. You should also add 1% critical strike chance per 4% quality at the Horticrafting station which can be added to your hideout.

 

Quiver

Hyrri's Demise (legacy)

Gain up to 30 to all attributes, 10% attack speed, 10% increased area of effect, 1-2 cold damage per 10 dexterity, 1-2 fire damage per 10 strength, 0-3 lightning damage per 10 intelligence, and life per enemy hit.

The Poised Prism (for league)

Has up to 30% increased elemental damage with attacks, 25% cold resistance, 25% fire resistance, 25% lightning resistances, 1-2 cold damage per 10 dexterity, 1-2 fire damage per 10 strength, and 0-3 lightning damage per 10 intelligence.

 

Armour

Hyrri's Ire

Gives up to a 30% chance to suppress spell damage, 50 dexterity, 145-200 cold damage with bow attacks, and very high evasion. Legacy Hyrri's Ire is significantly better and has much higher cold damage if you are playing in Standard. You should also add 1 dexterity per 2% quality at the Horticrafting station which can be added to your hideout with the edit option.

 

Helmet

Fractal Thoughts

Gives 15% increased dexterity if strength is higher than intelligence, 1% increased elemental damage per 10 dexterity, 40% critical strike multiplier if dexterity is higher than intelligence, and 2 to maximum life per 10 intelligence. You should also eventually go for a +2 to level of aoe gems corruption once you have enough currency.

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Belt

Cyclopean Coil

Gives up to 15% increased attributes, 120 life, immunity to Freeze if dexterity is higher than intelligence, and 1% increased damage per 5 of your lowest attribute. You can also upgrade this belt with 20 Intrinsic Catalysts to increase its attribute bonus.

 

Gloves

Elemental Weakness Corruption Gloves

Look for the best Elemental Weakness on hit corruption gloves you can find preferably with life, high dexterity, and resistances.

 

Boots

Rare Boots

Look for high life, high dexterity, resistances, movement speed, and optionally spell suppression. Onslaught on kill and Tailwind on your boots don't work with totems. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll physical damage gives added cold damage and increased totem placement speed or optionally another resistance.

 

Amulet

Astramentis

Gives up to 115 to all attributes and -4 physical damage taken from hits. You should also use Intrinsic Catalysts on the amulet to greatly increase its attributes bonus.

Rare Dexterity Percent Synthesized Amulet

Astramentis is hard to beat due to the quiver slot giving bonuses to dexterity, strength, and intelligence but a rare dexterity synthesized amulet can technically be better. Look for a 15% dexterity synthesized implicit, increased dexterity, increase to all attributes, critical strike modifiers, high life, and increased elemental damage with attack skills.

 

Rings

Rare Dexterity Rings

Look for high resistances, high dexterity, life, and increased elemental damage with attack skills. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on both your rings to increase their life bonus.

Le Heup of All

A budget option that gives up to 30% to all elemental resistances, 30 to all attributes, 30% increased damage, and you can also look for a dexterity percent and strength percent corruption for a low price.

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Tattoos (Standard Only)

Honoured Tattoo of the Berserker

This tattoo can replace a 30 dexterity node to make your Frenzy give Onslaught without the Frenzy of Onslaught gem which allows you to use the Frenzy gem instead for maintained Frenzy charges.

Honoured Tattoo of the Tuatara

This tattoo can replace multiple small strength nodes to give four to all attributes which gives more dexterity.

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

Gives 40% increased damage, 150% increased critical strike, and 10% increased damage to enemies on consecrated ground. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Diamond Flask

Gives 100% increased critical strike chance and can have up to a 35% chance to gain a flask charge on critical strike and 17% increased attack speed. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when it has full charges.

Silver Flask

Gain Onslaught for you and your totems. Try and roll Bleeding and Corrupted Blood immunity on the flask and use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever you are Bleeding.

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Anointment

You should anoint your amulet with King of the Hill which gives 100% increased critical strike chance with bows at Cassia using a Verdant Oil, Violet Oil, and Silver Oil.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: Siege Ballista Deals 40% Increased Damage

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: Adds 1-160 Lightning Damage If You Haven't Killed Recently

Belt: 30% Reduced Effect of Curses on You While On Consecrated Ground

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Bandits

The best bandit to help out in Act 2 is almost always Alira because she gives 15% to all elemental resistances, 20% increased critical strike multiplier, and 5 mana regeneration per second.

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Pantheon

Soul of Solaris is the best major Pantheon power and gives 6% reduced physical damage taken when only one enemy is present, a 20% chance to take 50% less area damage, 8% reduced elemental damage taken if you haven't been hit recently, take no extra damage from critical strikes if you've been hit with a critical strike recently, and a 50% chance to avoid elemental ailments from critical strikes. Soul of Ryslatha is the best minor power and gives 60% increased life recovery from flasks at low life, life flask charges every 3 seconds if you haven't used a life flask recently, and enemies you hit have 50% reduced life regeneration.

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Leveling Gear

 

Weapon

Silverbranch

A great level one starter bow with +1 to level of socketed bow gems, increased attack speed, accuracy, and mana on kill.

Roth's Reach

Gives high physical damage, 80% increased elemental damage with attacks, skills chain +2 times, and requires level eighteen.

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Armour

Tabula Rasa

A strong level one offensive chest armour that has six white linked sockets which means you can link any six color skill and support gems together for much higher damage at an earlier level. You can also get a Tabula Rasa with a high increased damage corruption which also requires level one for fairly cheap from the trade site.

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Helmet

Goldrim

An excellent level one resistance helmet with 40% to all elemental resistances and 10% increased rarity of items found.

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Gloves

Lochtonial Caress

These level one gloves give up to 15% increased attack speed, 15% increased cast speed, and a 15% chance to generate an Endurance, Power, or Frenzy Charge on kills which are all helpful for this build.

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Boots

Wondertrap

Wondertrap can be equipped at level 9 and gives up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 30 intelligence, and 25% movement speed.

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Amulet

Kurai Ward

A level five amulet that gives up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 100 accuracy, and 30% increased projectile damage.

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Rings

Perandus Signets

You can use two Perandus Signets at level one that each give up to 65% mana regeneration, 65 mana, 2% increased intelligence for each unique item equipped, and 2% increased experience.

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Flasks

Quicksilver Flask

This flask can be used at level four and gives 40% increased movement speed which helps speed up the leveling process. This flask can also have increased attack speed or movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Silver Flask

This flask gives Onslaught which gives increased attack speed, cast speed, and movement speed as early as level 27 and can have increased attack speed or movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Bottled Faith (use a Sulphur Flask for 40% increased damage if you can't afford Bottled Faith)

This endgame flask requires level 27 and gives 40% increased damage, creates consecrated ground, increases enemies damage taken by 10% on consecrated ground, and gives 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground.

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Leveling Gems

Galvanic Arrow is the best starter bow skill to use at level one because it has multiple projectiles without a support gem. You can switch to the higher damage Ice Shot with Volley Support once you are level four and then switch to Siege Ballista which is your endgame skill at level 12. Make sure to pick up a Steelskin gem once you've reached level four and have 16 strength for a defensive guard skill. Dash requires level four and should be used as your travel skill at early levels.

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Upgrades

Astramentis is the recommended amulet for this build and can be equipped as early as level 20. You can also greatly benefit from upgrading to two Praxis rings at level 22 to reduce the mana costs of all skills by up to 16 which allows you to use utility flasks in the place of mana flasks. Your endgame weapon, Iron Commander, can be equipped as early as level 32. The items listed in the leveling section above last until the midgame where better items will become available.

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And that's all for the Siege Ballista Guide! For more about Path of Exile you can view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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