Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Swift Killer, Heartstopper, Polymath, and One Step Ahead. A Watcher's Eye is recommended for increased life, increased energy shield, increased mana, up to 22% increased damage over time multiplier while affected by Malevolence, and damaging ailments cause damage up to 15% faster while affected by Malevolence. Take the increased chaos damage over time nodes, increased damage over time nodes, increased chaos damage nodes, and enough chance to poison nodes to reach a 100% chance to poison. The Clever Thief node should also be taken for 1% life leech and 1% mana leech. The Charge Mastery is important because it gives a chance to generate a Frenzy, Endurance, or Power charge on kill. The Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery are also important for increased mana reservation efficiency which allows you to use the recommended reservation skills. Make sure and take as many of the nearby life percent nodes as you can for survival. Note: The skill tree above is updated for the new season (3.25).

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Defensive Layers

The Heartstopper ascendancy makes you take 40% less damage for 5 seconds and 40% less damage over time for 5 seconds alternating back and forth. With the One Step Ahead ascendancy your action speed will be 108% and the action speed of enemies will be 92%. And with the Polymath ascendancy you will have 3% increased damage and 1% life replenishment, 1% energy shield replenishment, and 1% mana replenishment on kill for every mastery node taken. You will also have 25% of physical damage taken as chaos damage with the recommended Darkscorn Bow.

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Gems

 

Weapon (6-link)

Toxic Rain of Withering

Manaforged Arrows Support

Mirage Archer Support

Withering Touch Support

Awakened Greater Multiple Projectile Support

More Duration Support

 

Armour (7-link)

Caustic Arrow

Volley Support

Awakened Swift Affliction Support

Awakened Void Manipulation Support

Awakened Vicious Projectile Support

Chance To Poison Support

Added Chaos Damage (from The Covenant body armour)

 

Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Malevolence

Enlighten Support

Flame Dash

 

Gloves (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

More Duration Support

Vaal Haste

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Boots (4-link)

Summon Flame Golem

Minion Life Support

Culling Strike Support

Elemental Army Support

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive aura for this build and gives very high evasion. Malevolence is the best offensive aura for this build because it increases your damage over time and skill effect duration. Clarity should also be used for the high mana cost of the build. Malevolence can be used once you have the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery and a level 4 Enlighten Support to lower the reservation cost of your skills.

 

Gem Notes​​​​

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

2. Toxic Rain of Withering makes spore pods apply one stack of Wither to nearby enemies and Withering Touch Support gives a 25% chance to inflict Wither on hit. Wither increases your chaos damage by 6% stacking up to 15 times.

3. Level 21 Caustic Arrow with 20% quality is better than level 20 Vaal Caustic Arrow but if you can afford the very expensive level 21/20 Vaal Caustic Arrow it's definitely a very nice upgrade.

4. Vaal Haste can have its Vaal ability used without reservation once you have enough souls from defeating enemies to use it. Vaal Haste gives high increased attack speed and increased movement speed for a short to medium duration.

5. Summon Flame Golem gives a 20% damage increase, 2% life recovery on Culling Strike, kills enemies at 10% life with Culling Strike Support, and provides an extra target for enemies to attack.

6. Caustic Arrow is one of the strongest Shadow builds in the game but if you think you would prefer to try out a strong starter trap based build the Lightning Trap Saboteur Guide can be found here Lightning Trap Saboteur Guide.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Darkscorn

Gives a 20% chance for poisons inflicted by this weapon to deal 300% damage, converts 25% of physical damage to chaos damage, and converts 25% physical damage taken from hits to chaos damage.

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Quiver

Rare Damage Over Time Quiver

Look for high life, damage over time multiplier with attack skills, increased attack speed, increased damage with bow skills, and if you can afford it chaos damage over time multiplier with attack skills.

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Armour

The Covenant

This armour is the best option for 10% increased life, up to 30 intelligence, high energy shield, socketed gems are supported by level 29 Added Chaos damage, and skills gain a life cost equal to the base mana cost of the supported skill. You might need a corrupted The Covenant so you can use Tainted Chromatic Orbs to get random socket combinations because the uncorrupted version will almost always roll blue sockets with Chromatic Orbs because it's a pure energy shield base.

Dendrobate

This budget option has socketed gems are supported by level 10 Chance To Poison, up to 100% increased poison damage if you have 300 dexterity, 25% increased poison duration if you have 150 intelligence, and 25% increased elemental resistances.

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Helmet

Rare Helmet

Look for high life, high resistances, strength, and +2 to level of socketed AoE gems if you can afford it. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll increased damage per Power charge and increased duration of ailments.  

Devoto's Devotion

This budget option can be used with the budget Dendrobate body armour for 16% increased attack speed, 10% reduced physical damage, 65 dexterity, 20% increased movement speed, 25% chaos resistance, and high defensive stats. Devoto's Devotion also makes it easier to get 300 dexterity for the 100% increased poison damage on Dendrobate. You can also look for a +2 to level of socketed aura or AoE gems corruption on this helmet for fairly cheap from the trade site.

 

Belt

Stygian Vise

Look for high life, life percent, resistances, increased chaos damage, and an abyssal socket. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on the belt to increase its life bonus.

Abyss Jewel

Look for high life, energy shield, increased attack speed, and increased damage over time while wielding a two handed weapon.

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Gloves

Rare Apothecary's Gloves

These have an 18% increased damage over time implicit. Look for life, increased damage over time, increased chaos damage over time multiplier, increased attack speed, a resistance, and add projectiles pierce an additional target at the crafting bench.

 

Boots

Rare Two-Toned Boots

Look for high life, resistances, Onslaught on kill, Tailwind, Elusive, and movement speed.

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Amulet

Chaos Skill Amulet

Look for high attributes, high life, +1 to level of all chaos skill gems, increased damage over time multiplier, and resistances. 

Impresence

This budget amulet has 16 to all attributes, 40% increased damage over time, added chaos damage, 70 life, 23 chaos resistance, and Maddening Presence when you kill a rare or unique enemy which reduces enemies' action speed and damage by 10%.

 

Rings

Rare Despair Ring

Look for a ring with Despair on hit, high life, strength, and resistances. You should use Fertile Catalysts on both of your rings to increase their life bonuses and reduced mana costs.

Rare Chaos Damage Ring

Look for high life, strength, resistances, increased chaos damage, added chaos damage, and optionally increased damage with poison which has a chance to be added with a Hunter's Exalted Orb and an open prefix.

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

Has 40% increased damage, 150% increased critical strike chance, and 10% increased damage to enemies on consecrated ground. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when you hit a rare or unique enemy.

Dying Sun (legacy is better)

Gives two extra arrows, 20% increased area of effect, 50% fire resistance, and reduces fire damage taken by 20%. The legacy version is better. 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. Look to roll Bleeding and Corrupted Blood immunity during effect and use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever you are Bleeding.

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Anointment

You can anoint your amulet with Nomadic Teachings for +2 to maximum elemental resistances to improve the builds defenses (bow builds often lack max resistances from their tree) at Cassia using a Black Oil, Golden Oil, and Golden Oil.

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Tattoos

​Tattoo of the Tawhoa Shaman x3

These tattoos can replace 10 intelligence nodes with a 5% chance to poison. You should use three of these on the tree so that you don't need to complete your 100% chance to poison with two points in the Dagger Mastery which gives a 15% chance to poison.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: 40% Increased Caustic Arrow Damage

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: 16% Increased Attack Speed if You Have Killed Recently

Belt: Enemies Withered By You Have -6% to All Resistances

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Bandits

The best bandit to help in Act 2 is Alira because she gives 15% to all elemental resistances which allows you to focus more on damage from your equipment. If you don't want the resistances you can also kill all three bandits for 1 passive skill point.

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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 Abberath is the best minor power to help maintain energy shield and gives 60% less Ignite duration on you, makes you unaffected by burning ground, and gives 10% increased movement speed on burning ground.

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Leveling Gear

 

Weapon

Silverbranch

Silverbranch is a great level one bow with +1 to 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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Quiver

Craghead

This quiver requires level 4 and gives 7-14 added physical damage and 25% reduced projectile speed.

Hyrri's Bite

Gives strength, dexterity, intelligence, attack speed, area of effect, adds cold damage to attacks, and requires level twelve.

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Armour

Tabula Rasa

A great offensive level one body armour that has six white linked sockets. White sockets allow you to link any color skill gems and support gems together inside of it which allows you to deal much higher damage at an earlier level. You can also look for 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 up to 40% to all elemental resistances and 10% increased rarity of items found.

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Gloves

Lochtonial Caress

These gloves require level one and give up to 15% increased attack speed, 15% increased cast speed, and a 15% chance to generate an Endurance, Power, or Frenzy Charge on kill.

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Boots

Wondertrap

These boots can be equipped at level 9 and give up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 30 intelligence, and 25% movement speed. 

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Amulet

Kurai Ward

This amulet requires level 5 and 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

Caustic Arrow is your endgame skill and can be used at level one and Volley Support can be added in at level four for multiple projectiles. Precision is the best offensive low level aura and can be used once you reach level 10 for increased critical strike chance and accuracy. Vitality is the best defensive aura for leveling by far and can be used as early as level 10. Make sure to pick up a Steelskin gem once you've reached level four and have 16 strength for a defensive guard skill. Dash also requires level four and should be used as your travel skill at early levels.

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Upgrades

The Carnage Heart unique amulet can be equipped at level 20 and can be used for its 56 to all attributes and its 20% increased elemental resistances. Death's Harp is an excellent upgrade to Roth's Reach at level 32 that fires an additional arrow. You can later upgrade your bow to Death's Opus at level 44 for a bow that fires two additional arrows. You can also 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. Many of the leveling items above last until the midgame where better items will become available.

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That's all for the Caustic Arrow Guide! For more about Path of Exile you can view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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